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DumbPaladin
First Post
I do disagree -- the moderators should never violate the rules they expect everyone else to follow. Frequent violation of rules by moderators strip them of any moral credibility when attempting to enforce said rules.
But setting up a dichotomy of rules they are to follow is neither realistic nor likely to be successful. People simply don't make decisions to behave following "rule set A" when wearing the hat of a person of authority, but "rule set B" in every other aspect of their life: you need only look to real-life authority figures to determine that.
What, exactly, is to stop any moderator from insulting people in a thread when not using their "mod colours", as you put it?
Morrus has already stated that he sees nothing to improve in how moderation is handled. The moderators do not snipe at or take on each other publicly, and thus I find it extremely hard to believe that Moderator B would actually delete or redact an attack post by Moderator A in any public thread.
It doesn't matter whether a moderator is using in "moderator mode" or not: as a group, they're already above regulation and reprisal. The rules ONLY apply to them if they DECIDE to abide by them -- and that's all the time, not just some of the time. It's difficult, if not impossible, for people to hold themselves to different rules at different moments ... which is why people in authority regularly find themselves upholding their 'higher standards' all the time.
[MENTION=16212]wedgeski[/MENTION], while I honestly believe that while we may ultimately strongly disagree on this topic, I get the impression that it's possible you've just not seen this issue from the angle I've presented. If this all occurred to you and you still feel the way you do ... then we simply disagree. But in your first post in this topic, you said that you'd like to see zero change in EN World's moderation, and given that no one is perfect, and certainly no group of imperfect beings can ever be perfect ... I can't understand how anyone can suggest that there is no room for improvement, change, or growth. That statement is beyond my comprehension ... and I have felt that way each time someone else has made a similar statement.
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
You forgot waterboarding and black helicopters.
I am a long-time member and non-prolific poster and have had a thread or two where I have posted something sarcastic enough that it might have gotten me a slap on the wrist. It's never happened though, as I always avoid outright attacks or insults.
I think the mods do a great job of keeping the place on-topic as well as intelligent. I have seen evidence of a poster or two who is adept at walking the line between "fiesty" and "jerk" in many many threads and those are probably the folks you are referring to as the people who get away with things. Fortunately the mods have a good eye and usually only come down on those who cross the line, not just toe it.
The one criticism that I have is that sometimes threads have been closed and locked that seemed like civil and valid discussions. I can't point to specific examples at the moment (as I am in a lull of ENworld forum reading at the moment) but I have noticed that the new mod commenting system has gone a long way to keeping these rare.
Finally it might help some who are taking offense to the actual words the mods are using to remember that they aren't authority robots, but posters like you and I who have decided to contribute time and effort to making the boards a better place. They might have been saying things in a friendly joking manner, and that includes referring to people as jerks.
DS
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Rel
Liquid Awesome
Apart from the fact that it's worked for upwards of 8 years.
Could you provide a quote for that? I dont' recall saying that, and it doesn't sound like something I'd say.
The proof is, as they say, in the pudding.
wedgeski
Adventurer
I do truly believe we disagree on this, and I have no problem with that.
I stand by that comment though. I only have my own perspective to go on, and by that measure I wouldn't want to see any changes in moderation. I think over the years Morrus and his mods have put together a message-board which is without peer anywhere else on the internet that I have visited. It really is in a class of its own.
To be honest I might not even consider it "perfect", but I also know that perfection is all-but-unobtainable and in my experience small changes in the pursuit of a mythical ideal will often do more damage than good.
So in this case, zero changes required. It works. Just leave it well enough alone.
DumbPaladin
First Post
Enough people have brought up valid points to prove that it does not, in fact, always work.
Everyone's free to decide it's "good enough", but the collective sticking of peoples' heads in the sand has never been shown to lead to progress, or solve anything.
