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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
    
 | | 01/25/2006 2:05 PM |
| Hello,
This is mostly a request accompanied with an observation.
I've noticed that there has been an influx of new members [:D] which is great, but a lot of them are often posting topics to a forum they do not belong to.
I've seen everything asked in general lately (mainly skirmish and rpg). Not wanting to give mods more work some take it upon themselves to voice they should be placed in another forum but other veteranss are not helping the issue by replying to the question and hence promoting more wrong topics being posted in the wrong forums.
I ask my fellow maxminiers that if you notice that a topic has been posted in the wrong forum (since our mods are quite busy) that perhaps a simple and polite "this belongs overthere or there" that no one posts after that.
Let's keep general free of any more clogging and let's not turn it into a posts-don't-count forum.
thx. | |
Trades >> Completed: 49 | Bad: Ø | Pending: 0 | Trade & talk Live on IRC! SERVER: irc.psionics.net CHANNEL: #maxminis | |
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Zenako
Commander
3468 Posts
| | 01/25/2006 3:22 PM |
| The hard part is some topics fall into gray areas and could easily be located in a number of forums. Those same topics might in the eyes of some readers DEFINITELY belong in OFF TOpic or Skirmish or whatever, while others consider them perfectly fine.
Topics which clearly breach the forum guidelines do get relocated when noticed (and that is the keyword, noticed). Just a topics with violations of board standards get noticed and deleted as well (when noticed by a Mod/Admin). | |
Built the addition for this addiction, now on to the "gaming table" project....
http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=Zenako last updated 29 May 2006
Set Status: in a nutshell = all of all
In Process trades 0), (Sig last updated 05/29/06) 300 plus Completed Trades -
If I seem scarce at times...blame DDO - Sarlona | |
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The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
11227 Posts
The Dark and Forbidding Lands of The Necromancer.
| | 01/25/2006 4:17 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Zenako
The hard part is some topics fall into gray areas and could easily be located in a number of forums.
I agree. General Discussion is by definition one such forum where these things occur because many, many things can be considered "general discussion" topics.
However, some topics are clearly in the wrong place and there's no doubt they should be moved. | |
Ghendar - Now with 51% more snark
Champion of the Spider Eater with rider.
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
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sttmxn
Sergeant
461 Posts
| | 01/26/2006 5:26 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by glumag
I ask my fellow maxminiers that if you notice that a topic has been posted in the wrong forum (since our mods are quite busy) that perhaps a simple and polite "this belongs overthere or there" that no one posts after that.
While I definitely understand the utility of this suggestion, I also think it's a slightly tricky matter. Few things are as demoralizing to newcomers (and not-so-newcomers) as posting something, getting a conversation started, and then having a 4-star megaposter pop in and contribute nothing but "Wrong forum" or "OT! OT!"[)]
(This has become a standing offline joke about Maxminis amongst my friends, to the point that we joked about one putting "Moderator: please move this thread to 'Off-Topic'" in one's signature.[:o)])
General Discussion is such a hotbed of members policing other members that I am loathe to post there. I wonder how many new folks get the sense that this is some kind of "Veterans Only" club and just silently drift away for fear of violating the subtle and under-explicated protocols of the community.
Constant member-to-member metacriticism has halved my enthusiasm to participate in discussions here. I know my experience is my own, and it sure doesn't speak for everyone, but I do feel like heavy policing of the forums--especially by non-mods--*does* cut down on the vitality and spontaneity of the site.
Having said all this, I certainly understand that things need regulation. I'm not sure what the solution is. For me, I think it just feels more comfortable--and perhaps more even-handed--when regulatory chastising comes from the mods only.
Just two cents from a small-timer.[:)] I may very well just be overneurotic! | |
52 Completed Trades :: 2 Completed Sales :: Trade/Sale References :: Have/Want List ::Sealed Booster Generator
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/26/2006 9:15 AM |
| Demorilizing newcomers is not the subject nor the goal. If you are follow proper online community ettiquete then you are an individual that will read the rules and guidelines of a place and will inform yourself of the standards and follow suit but we are not in a perfect world.
As Zenako said, out of place topics get addressed once they get noticed and as bad as I think it is for members to offer a friendly helping hand in this case it is a bit necessary as we are obviously understaffed in the mod department.
People who just say "ot ot" or "wrong forum" obviously do not get the idea; it is about guiding someone the right way so the next time they know what to do. I usually reply with a "you might get more replies [place right forum name here] as this topic belongs there".
General has a lot of gray areas and it should only be interpreted by the mods and no one else. But, imho, guiding someone to the right place is essential. The Crafter's Corner forum is a perfect example...we had so many topics related to miniature's alteration/painting/etc that we requested a forum for it and we got it; some people still posted in general about it and were guided to the newly created forum because if not, then not enough support and posts will go into Crafter's Corner and then it would've gotten shutdown as it would've shown it wasn't as needed as we thought.
I am not saying this will happen to RPG and Skirmish since they are obviously hugely popular forums, but that popularity seems not to reach certain people.
Just thought that helping out the community would be something nice to do but hey, whatever. | |
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sttmxn
Sergeant
461 Posts
| | 01/26/2006 3:48 PM |
| Hey glumag...I didn't mean to come off argumentative. I think we actually agree; I just think the issue is a little bit slippery, and that it's a very fine line between positive guidance from long-standing members--something which is essential in any online community--and brusque policing.
quote:
Demorilizing newcomers is not the subject nor the goal. If you are follow proper online community ettiquete then you are an individual that will read the rules and guidelines of a place and will inform yourself of the standards and follow suit but we are not in a perfect world.
I definitely understand that demoralizing newcomers is not the subject nor the goal, but I also think that issue fits into this conversation. Newcomers *certainly* need the guidance of the existing members to acquire an understanding of the culture...I am just suggesting that this be treated delicately. Seems to me that there are a good number of self-appointed moderators (which is to say those who are not *actual* moderators) on Maxminis that could brush up on their decorum. And this is not limited to those in the 1000+ post category; there are plenty of new-ish members taking it upon themselves to bark "OT!"
quote:
As Zenako said, out of place topics get addressed once they get noticed and as bad as I think it is for members to offer a friendly helping hand in this case it is a bit necessary as we are obviously understaffed in the mod department.
I completely agree.
quote:
People who just say "ot ot" or "wrong forum" obviously do not get the idea; it is about guiding someone the right way so the next time they know what to do. I usually reply with a "you might get more replies [place right forum name here] as this topic belongs there".
And this is the crux of the issue. Your way of redirecting people is respectul, encouraging, and informative, and should be the standard way of guiding misplaced discussions. If non-mods are going to be encouraged offer guidance, I feel the contrast between the "ot ot" approach and your approach should be *strongly* emphasized.
quote:
General has a lot of gray areas and it should only be interpreted by the mods and no one else. But, imho, guiding someone to the right place is essential. The Crafter's Corner forum is a perfect example...we had so many topics related to miniature's alteration/painting/etc that we requested a forum for it and we got it; some people still posted in general about it and were guided to the newly created forum because if not, then not enough support and posts will go into Crafter's Corner and then it would've gotten shutdown as it would've shown it wasn't as needed as we thought.
Well said.
[..snip..]
quote:
Just thought that helping out the community would be something nice to do but hey, whatever.
It was this statement that made me fear you thought I was trying to draw you into an argument or shut you down. I am definitely not. I agree with you wholeheartedly. The essence of my position is "let's not rush into encouraging non-mod moderation." It's a delicate issue, and requires some diplomacy and communication chops.[:)] | |
52 Completed Trades :: 2 Completed Sales :: Trade/Sale References :: Have/Want List ::Sealed Booster Generator
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/26/2006 4:30 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by sttmxn
It was this statement that made me fear you thought I was trying to draw you into an argument or shut you down. I am definitely not. I agree with you wholeheartedly. The essence of my position is "let's not rush into encouraging non-mod moderation." It's a delicate issue, and requires some diplomacy and communication chops.[:)]
No sweat [:D] I might've come a bit bitchy on that last line but I sure wasn't nor did I want to edit it once I noticed it could be interpreted that way so my full initial estatement remains intact once you guys replied to it.
I was just trying to point out that the site is understaffed, there is a need for friendly member guides here and there and most of all, which probably got lost somewhere in my subtle [)] observations, was making the point that some of the newcomers are not reading guidelines and all of these would not be needed if they were following proper posting structures. | |
Trades >> Completed: 49 | Bad: Ø | Pending: 0 | Trade & talk Live on IRC! SERVER: irc.psionics.net CHANNEL: #maxminis | |
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sttmxn
Sergeant
461 Posts
| | 01/26/2006 4:44 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by glumag
I was just trying to point out that the site is understaffed, there is a need for friendly member guides here and there and most of all, which probably got lost somewhere in my subtle [)] observations, was making the point that some of the newcomers are not reading guidelines and all of these would not be needed if they were following proper posting structures.
Amen. People should lurk before they leap.[:p] | |
52 Completed Trades :: 2 Completed Sales :: Trade/Sale References :: Have/Want List ::Sealed Booster Generator
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nyjastul69
Commander
2710 Posts
Rhode Island
| | 01/26/2006 4:57 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by sttmxn
quote:
Originally posted by glumag
I was just trying to point out that the site is understaffed, there is a need for friendly member guides here and there and most of all, which probably got lost somewhere in my subtle [)] observations, was making the point that some of the newcomers are not reading guidelines and all of these would not be needed if they were following proper posting structures.
Amen. People should lurk before they leap.[:p]
Lurking before leaping is the ideal situation, but it can be difficult to do. I definitely did not. I was so excited that I found a place to trade H's for W's I was posting in the trade forum less than an hour after I found the site. Although I did read the trading 101 thread. It was around the time of GoL and I still hadn't completed Harbinger. In about a month I had completed all the sets. It's soooo tempting to jump right in. We should definitely gently nudge the new users in the right direction. This is a good discussion to have. | |
You know, I keep thinking that after the new design team gets done with D&D 4e, D&D won't stand for Dungeons and Dragons anymore, because well, that's just not fun. It's old and stuffy. - Originally Posted by BabWryter on Kenzerco.com | |
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sttmxn
Sergeant
461 Posts
| | 01/27/2006 2:13 PM |
| quote:
Lurking before leaping is the ideal situation, but it can be difficult to do. I definitely did not. I was so excited that I found a place to trade H's for W's I was posting in the trade forum less than an hour after I found the site. Although I did read the trading 101 thread. It was around the time of GoL and I still hadn't completed Harbinger. In about a month I had completed all the sets. It's soooo tempting to jump right in. We should definitely gently nudge the new users in the right direction. This is a good discussion to have.
That makes sense. I think it's easier to jump into the trading piece of things--it's a pretty specific [limited] scope of communication, and the protocols are pretty clear. The more general conversations are a little more ambiguous. | |
52 Completed Trades :: 2 Completed Sales :: Trade/Sale References :: Have/Want List ::Sealed Booster Generator
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Sir Bozak The Damned
Commander
2854 Posts
Québec
| | 01/27/2006 10:31 PM |
| A recent example was the recent "Lucky shots" topic that was in general and I was the first to call it off-topic as it was 100% Skirmish talk and that has a special forum for it. It is
not "policing", but just common sense and should not taken personnaly ( I am one to talk...) about the starter of the thread. | |
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The number ONE fanatic Of Dread Guards ! I own 66 !!! And the GMR1 !!!
119 completed trades so far...NB called shot: Medusa | |
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