OT: Can mods ban themselves?

[Delicious Lamprey Problem]

Here's the thing, folks:

There's a method for running a strict forum, and there's a method for running a lax forum.
-----------------> Between The Lines Then there's something in the middle, and that ends up being a bit of a cluster{censored}.

[wades_keys]

I'm gonna add my .02 cents, as a relative outsider....

The drama and immaturity in this forum has most definitely caused it to stagnate; many folks that would otherwise post here are not doing so because of this.

It's sad that when people take the time to post helpful content (such as Sharp playing his M3 in Combi Mode), that those threads sink like a stone while whiny, off-topic bitch-fests like this rise to the top of the page.

Yeah, I know - I don't have to read these threads, and normally I don't.

But - moderator's have a duty to keep things on topic and make this forum seem welcome to everybody, and quite frankly it's turned into a big circle jerk with the "regular" members going back and forth.

That gets pretty tiring and stale, don't you think?

[suitandtieguy]

 

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showpost.php?p=29128575&postcount=140

 

 

Okay, so what The Schwartz was saying was that he was cross about being referred to as "Gene Schwartz from San Francisco aka droolmaster" while being banned for three months, not that he was referred to as "Gene Schwartz"?

 

I'm just trying to get this straight here, because I was dragged into this because of my foggy recollection of {censored} that doesn't matter. there's way too many words for me to care to read, and it looks like a simple misunderstanding to me.

 

Did he think it was excessive on that moderator's part because he worried that a future employer might use Doogle to search for "Gene Schwartz" and "San Francisco" get the idea that he was a troublemaker because a moderator on a keyboard forum got irritated with him? is that what he got upset about?

 

If so, he should kept it as simple as i did in the previous paragraph.

 

And if that's true, did I really need to apologise for anything?

[killedaway]

I'm gonna add my .02 cents, as a relative outsider.... The drama and immaturity in this forum has most definitely caused it to stagnate; many folks that would otherwise post here are not doing so because of this. It's sad that when people take the time to post helpful content (such as Sharp playing his M3 in Combi Mode), that those threads sink like a stone while whiny, off-topic bitch-fests like this rise to the top of the page. Yeah, I know - I don't have to read these threads, and normally I don't. But - moderator's have a duty to keep things on topic and make this forum seem welcome to everybody, and quite frankly it's turned into a big circle jerk with the "regular" members going back and forth. That gets pretty tiring and stale, don't you think?

 

 

+1. having a couple specific OT threads is fine ("Hai Guyz" and "p120dude"), but everyday this forum is inundated with garbage like "OT: how can i synthesize my underpants?" or whatever the heck. it's stupid, pointless, and just gets in the way. there's nothing wrong with all the lifers wanting to give each other virtual back rubs, but keep it to those two dank, dark corners of KSS and let's use the rest of the space and bandwidth to talk about Keys, Synths & Samplers.

 

 

i think the mods have been restrained in their ban and lock decisions lately. if i had to clean up that crap all day, i'd probably be dropping a ban or two every day.

[akliner]

+1. having a couple specific OT threads is fine ("Hai Guyz" and "p120dude"), but everyday this forum is inundated with garbage like "OT: how can i synthesize my underpants?" or whatever the heck. it's stupid, pointless, and just gets in the way. there's nothing wrong with all the lifers wanting to give each other virtual back rubs, but keep it to those two dank, dark corners of KSS and let's use the rest of the space and bandwidth to talk about Keys, Synths & Samplers. i think the mods have been restrained in their ban and lock decisions lately. if i had to clean up that crap all day, i'd probably be dropping a ban or two every day .

I don't know if some of you forgot how forums work, but if you want to make an on-topic thread about Keyboards, Synths, and Samplers, you are actually able to make that happen, thanks to the modern miracle of the internet.

To date, as far as I know, no on-topic thread has been removed to make room for lesser on-topic threads. If a thread merits any discussion, people will post in it. There are plenty of on-topic threads that last for days and days and weeks when, for example, a new product comes out, or around trade show time .

However, if nobody feels compelled to post in an on-topic thread, you cannot blame off topic content for its moving to the second page. This is a COMMUNITY...and a community is defined by its members. We have a bunch of creative, funny, members who really enjoy interacting with one another on the internet.

As one of these "lifers" I can look to my fellow "lifer bretheren" for answers to many on-topic questions, opinions about my music, and for general lulz.

I am sorry that, for many people, it seems HAVING FUN ON THE INTERNET and CONDUCTING SERIOUS BUSINESS cannot occur within the same forum.

[killedaway]

I am sorry that, for many people, it seems HAVING FUN ON THE INTERNET and CONDUCTING SERIOUS BUSINESS cannot occur within the same forum.

 

 

well, i don't know what "serious business" you're talking about, but if that refers to posts that pertain to the subject of this particular forum, then i agree. in fact, i'd like to see more of just that.

[akliner]

well, i don't know what "serious business" you're talking about, but if that refers to posts that pertain to the subject of this particular forum, then i agree. in fact, i'd like to see more of just that.

 

 

Please feel free to contribute on-topic content.

[killedaway]

Please feel free to contribute on-topic content.

 

 

thanks?

[AfroRouge]

Please feel free to contribute on-topic content.

This.

No amount of moderation will cause more on-topic discussion. The members cause it, or don't. There isn't a zero sum game going on between on and off topic discussion. :blah:

[Tomkeen]

(as any tom, dick or harry could see)

Hey, keep me out of this

I'd say (like I said in another thread) that people just need to lighten up, don't take things to seriously and try to make this a happier place. I'm still very fond of this forum, I'm lurking since about 2004/2005 and a member since 2007. I can ask my questions here and get an apropriate answer AND I can come here for the lulz when I want to. Win-win.

[akliner]

thanks?

[Gus Lozada]

I am not making this any bigger: If someone wants to discuss the reasons about dm0's banning, please PM. Doing it here just feeds his ego and will keep him creating more and more alts which is, by the way, a single reason someone can get a permanent banning, per what I've been told by the administrators.

Even while I am embarrassed about the bitter tone of my first replies on this thread, I am still doing what I "promised".


I can take decisions which are far from making me more popular, but I've been a moderator for 8 years now and my bosses do trust my criteria. But yet, I wanted to apologize for the mess. It is not fair for the forum and for people looking for a cool place to hang and talk about our passion for music and keyboards. My mornings are not like "hell, who am I banning today to create trouble and controversy?"


Now...

I am really appreciating the tone the most of you have adopted to discuss this, even conceding myteeGTI that he was -or at this very moment still is- right and this can conduct to a constructive critic, not only a {censored} fest.

Thank you all.

[mytee2.0]

Palo is the mod that needs to bow out. That guy is one spicy-a-meatball.

 

wow thats helpful.

[SpaceNorman]

Who is Gene Schwartz?

[Metrosonus]

thanks?

it, just works a bit different here than at VSE. were not as academic and most on topic content is chunked in with watercooler humor, how you bens... its not unusual for each thread to contain 4 separate conversations at a time. any serious on topic thread will get us into the discussion, but mainly we're like a group of rednecks holding beers, blankly staring into the open engine compartment of a 1978 trans am until someone breaks the silence with a long, protracted "yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup" :lol:

[mytee2.0]

Am I the only one that noticed drools post got deleted? He wasnt being a douche, or atleast I dont think we was

 

He was just refuting claims, he says he has proof and apparently normal modes of communication aren't working out to well for him.

[SoundwaveLove]

Members, you've got to remember when dealing with mods, is that some of them have a sort of hall monitor / mall cop mentality. In that their the type of person that is willing to work for free if it means they get some sort of power. Usually people seek this little bit of power, because they have none in their real life and need to take out their frustrations somewhere. They usually lead very sad lives.

And Mods, you've got to remember that off topic posting and trolling is often a result of someone being very bored, and having no friends with hang out with. They often lead sad lives and get a little thrill off giving other people with sad lives a hard time.

It's a sad circle jerk.

[BonsoWonderDog]

I reckon for entertainment value we get Chas as a mod.

Think about it.....there'd be random banning, random promotions to mod, each day would be different depending on whether he was on his meds or not.

[flat earth]

Members, you've got to remember when dealing with mods, is that some of them have a sort of hall monitor / mall cop mentality. In that their the type of person that is willing to work for free if it means they get some sort of power. Usually people seek this little bit of power, because they have none in their real life and need to take out their frustrations somewhere. They usually lead very sad lives.

 

Thanks for that (Sigh)

 

ftw, i was 'asked' if id like to mod. I still feel like a minion when addressing people like Carbon, Stg, etc etc.

 

The only 'power trip' ill ever get, is when the British national grid chokes

[Khazul]

Thanks for that (Sigh) ftw, i was 'asked' if id like to mod. I still feel like a minion when addressing people like Carbon, Stg, etc etc. The only 'power trip' ill ever get, is when the British national grid chokes

FWIW - A brit mod is a good thing IMHO - inject a bit of sanity into this self obsessed looni bin populated by several people who really really need to get out more!

But as usual, I have no doubt that being over 'ere will get you into trouble - good luck!


IMHO you should start banning americans who give into thier GAS at their redicuously cheap prices on the basis that everything over here is now so way over priced and they shouldn'y be allowed to make us envious!

Anyway - a 1 month sin-binning will give them time to get used to their new toy

[xmlguy]

For whatever it's worth, I have to say that I support the role that moderators play on this forum, even when I don't agree with specific decisions they may or may not make. I wouldn't want to do that job, and I would decline if asked (and I don't think that's likely in any case). Just like policemen, the job is a hard and mostly thankless one. Without them chaos would reign and that would make this forum less useful. Some people thrive on chaos and there will always be resistance to moderation.

I have been using online forums probably as long or longer as anyone here, going to 300baud BBS days and early Compuserve. One thing I've learned is that raw text communication is prone to miscommunication, misunderstandings, and abuse, much more so than most other forms of dialog. Just look at Craigslists forums, where the ratio of garbage to useful, reliable info is huge, and sifting through a barn of crap just to find the ounce of good stuff is not worth the effort.

[SoundwaveLove]

Yes, just like police men mods put their life on the line everyday.

 

But all kidding aside, I think it's pretty obvious to everyone that you need mods to keep out the random spam and excessive BS.

 

I'm as guilty as anyone of off topic posts, but I do tend to like the forum more when there's less of that going on.

[The Severalist]

I'm not banning myself or banning Paolo, btw, even while it is technically possible. Now, let's welcome -not- the {censored}fest this thread will provoke. ... However, I can promise you that if there is created one more thread about banning the mods, about "supporting" Gene Schwartz or any other resemblance of these two topics, I will close them and apply a one-week off to the person creating the post. If this is the way you like things, so be it.

Wow, I'm sorry man. I didn't mean or try to provoke anyone, if I did actually try something like that... well, the less said about that the better, but let me say that the elderly would be the first to fall. I didn't mean to create more drama either, mainly, but not exclusive to the fact that I have much better things to do, like watch golden girls reruns and think about products I'd like to buy. I'm sincere in that I meant you guys no disrespect. Why would I anyway? I just can't understand you humans, and I apologize if I sometimes get the complicated secret hand shakes wrong sometimes and inadvertently disrepect something I know nothing about.

I don't take these virtual dramas to seriously as a rule, but I've been a long time member here, and would like things to be amicable, even among parties who disagree or rub each other the wrong way, and well, gosh darn it... ah heck, shucks, I guess I'm a clueless idiot apparently. In the words of Randall P. McMurphy "At least I gave up at the first sign of adversity."


It was only a suggestion, and I actually thought that you guys might be receptive to it if for no other reason then it might be stress relieving to take some some self appointed time off from your thankless work as horrible, unforgiveable internet forum moderators, who apparently aren't a far cry from horrible dictators (if you're offended by this, you might need a new sarcasm detector)

Wow, wow, wow, I'm trying to make sense of this but uh, at this point... huh... this certainly turned out wierd. I guess, sorry what I had to say caused offense, I certianly didn't mean it that way, I tried to be helpful, but I apparently I wasn't, and check please waiter, I think the golden girls are on.

(Continues desperately seeking Susan...)

[Anderton]

Members, you've got to remember when dealing with mods, is that some of them have a sort of hall monitor / mall cop mentality. In that their the type of person that is willing to work for free if it means they get some sort of power. Usually people seek this little bit of power, because they have none in their real life and need to take out their frustrations somewhere. They usually lead very sad lives.

I usually don't chime in on "internal discussions" in a thread like this, but as the Editor in Chief of HC, I really feel I need to set the record straight. First of all, I do indeed know forums where what you say is correct, but HC is not one of them. Having dealt with all the mods, some for many years, I know that what drives them is a love of these forums and what Harmony Central is trying to provide. This is a sideline for them, basically volunteer/pro bono work...for example, Gus travels the world giving seminars and clinics, and his band does very well. But he really cares about keys, synths, and samplers - the gear as well as the forums. He doesn't need to do this, actually none of the mods NEED to be mods. In some cases, they're basically doing it as a personal favor to me because, well, we need mods.

Having said that, it's a tough gig because I don't lay down fascistic guidelines, like "ban anyone who uses the f-word." The mods are given a great deal of latitude in making decisions, and sometimes those decisions are very difficult. There are also lots of "back story" items that we don't feel comfortable discussing in the forums - for example, banning someone who appears to be a decent person, but who has an alternate identity that's used for "porn bombing." They play the victim - "Who, me?" - but we have the tools to trace IPs and find out the real story. And the mods are instructed to just bite their tongues in these sort of situations, because we don't want to contribute drama.

It's not easy being a mod because you have to make a lot of value judgments. Also, members have their own opinions - "It should all be on-topic!" "I like the off-topic stuff!" "The mods are too strict!" "The mods don't ban enough people!" and of course, everyone thinks their opinion is the right one. Not all of the mods' judgments will be correct in the eyes of all community members, but I can assure everyone here that the natural tendency of the mods is NOT to shoot from the hip. A lot of discussion and cross-checking with other mods goes on. We all believe that Harmony Central is at its best when it polices itself, but sometimes that doesn't happen, and that's when the mods step in.

But let me also emphasize that your opinions on these subjects are very important to all of us. We do pay attention, and try to do what's best for the majority of the forum. That doesn't always serve the "ban nobody/ban everybody" folks at opposite ends of the bell curve, but as long as everyone is equally upset, I guess we're doing okay

Ultimately, a forum is nothing more or less than the people who contribute to it. In truth, the mods have very little influence over a forum's direction.