Attn: Repli

masteroftherealm

Very interesting thread and brings about one question from me personally that i think pertains to this in particular:
Do boards exist for the users or for the mods?
Because the impression of what im getting here is that the mod designs the forum the way he wants and then the users have to fall in line with that. And thats not how I see boards,
Boards should be run for the users and the mods should be there to facilitate the users wants and needs.
In a situation where the community of a board such as SD/MA are unhappy with a mod should the mod not strive to rectify that problem? No?
I have always though that mods were there to keep an eye on things and to help ot when nessesary?
Each forum on boards has its own way of doing things.
Personally I rarely visit SD/MA but I realise its very similar to Twaeking/Modding where there is little to no moderation nessesary, users self mod the forum.
Someone comes on asking bout bittorrent hes told to go away and thread dies in 2days. Computer humor and random conversations that have relation to the forum are commonplace as this is what the users want and if a mod came in and locked every thread that wasnt 100% in his view Im sure the users would have a problem.

Boards.ie has came a long way and is now a mojor community site and the communities have to start being respected and the mods/admins haveto realise that.
This is not a democracy but the users are still the basis of every forum are they not?

Clive

Man, you go away for a few days and look what happens...

Firstly, I'd like to say that neither I, nor anyone else that I saw in this thread has asked for Repli to be removed. It's not a clique issue, or "us" not wanting to be associated with the rest of boards.ie. Personally, I occasionally post on other forums, and even went to one of the boards beers. I don't know most of the posters on this thread, so I fail to see how we are some sort of "Irish Martial Arts Elite".

The main issue here is that Repli is sticking exactly to the letter of the guidelines. Look at the MA/SD forum now - there's a thread about instructional DVD's and two with Xmas wishes. Technically I suppose these could be removed, but the forum is better with them.

As for the issue of "whining" - I think you'll find that this thread was started on the SD/MA board and the title was ATTN: Repli. Repli moved it here him/herself so it's not a case of running to the feedback forum.

These are honest opinions from many of the regular posters, intended to make the forum a better place for the pursuit of life, liberty and punching each other in the head.

dudara

I came across boardsie years ago when searching for MA information, so the SD/MA forum is my reason for being here. (I have grown and spread since then, however).

The forum has changed a lot in attitude and direction over the last year or so with the influx of new MA'ers and members. I personally don't like the clique-y feeling that pervades it at the moment, but that's my opinion. I did find some of the vehement reactions to kev_rc_ie's banning unwarranted as people had no idea of how much of a pest he was on other boards, despite making perfectly reasonable contributions to the SD/MA board.

The Sweeper

masteroftherealm wrote:

Do boards exist for the users or for the mods?
Because the impression of what im getting here is that the mod designs the forum the way he wants and then the users have to fall in line with that. And thats not how I see boards,
Boards should be run for the users and the mods should be there to facilitate the users wants and needs.
In a situation where the community of a board such as SD/MA are unhappy with a mod should the mod not strive to rectify that problem? No?
I have always though that mods were there to keep an eye on things and to help ot when nessesary?

Interesting points. Especially the part where you say:

the mod designs the forum the way he wants and then the users have to fall in line with that

If you care enough about something to want to mod the forum, you become, in part, responsible for its content. However, seeing as you aren't paid a salary, possibly have a life and generally may not be able to spend every waking hour checking your board out, you have a problem. What do you do to ensure good quality content on your board? Do you preemptively ban a bunch of users and/or topics?

I tried that with Dutch Gold on the B/W/S board. I banned it because I didn't want to have to log on repeatedly to stop a bunch of trolling muppets posting "Dutch Gold" in response to every thread on the board. I had a feeling it wasn't the best idea, but I didn't have time to check the board once an hour every hour, and I didn't want my precious baby drinkie board covered in cheap lager spam.

It came back and bit me on the ass - people have a right to talk about whatever they choose to talk about when it comes to the taste, drinkability and affordability of alcohol, because that's what's in the charter of the board. Just because I don't want to have to tend the postings of the peasants, that doesn't mean I can ban one thing to suit me. I had to unban the users and allow the topic. QED I have facilitated some users wants and needs.

It does mean that I've had to let go the reins on the board though. I have always trusted the cat mods and s-mods to pick up porn, spam and advertising if I'm not around. However now I have to accept that some bullsh1te thread may build over a couple of days before I get a chance to wade in and ask people to behave. That may get on the nerves of some of the 'serious' users, but fact is it cannot be helped. I don't work here. (I just live here.)

Overwhelmingly however, I believe we have a problem of paranoid moderation on boards.ie. It comes from the board being so big now. It's like playing one of the old-style online role-playing games - who will guard my fortress while I sleep? What happens if it's attacked? What if someone posts something pornographic or libellous on the board and I'm not around to catch it? What if someone takes offence at something that I was around to catch, but didn't deem it important enough to delete? What if that someone takes their offence all the way, and Starts A Campaign? What if they try and sue? Or go to the media? Wow, not on my watch dammit!!

...and then you start with the "no spam, no chat, no in-jokes, no messing, no off-topic, no back chat, no posting about x, no posting on y, no posting under z, and if you think that's a lot to remember pay close attention because it'll all change tomorrow when some f*cker makes a dog's breakfast out of meh board so I ban everything they did in the hope that nobody will do it again"... and then you hide under the PC-desk with a packet of jaffa cakes and a jug of java and prepare to stand guard over your board all night...

There is no mod-school.
There is no mod-handbook.
There is no mod-qualification, set of exams, certificate or anything else.

The mods are riding the back of something huge that grows every day. We're not sure if it's going to break or explode or crumble or double in size or start humming "dropkick me jesus" or wtf it's going to do next. We're trying to balance good quality, readability, entertainment, freedom of speech, legality, taste, points of view and opinions of tens of thousands of users.

You cannot please all of the users all of the time.

We're not paranoid. We just know you're all out to get us.

gandalf

DeVore: "What is best in life?"
Gandalf: "To crush your users, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

nesf

Colm_OReilly wrote:

To address someone posting about being a nobody, Mick's statement could be paraphrased as "You are not an authority or recognised figure in the Irish MA scene so why are you attempting to regulate our posts?". He was not saying that beginners/day trainers can't post. BTW Mick opposed me becoming a mod of the SD forum, and has never been afraid to express his disagreement with me over anything.

Personally, I don't think there's much need for the moderator(s) to be "well known" in the Irish MA scene. So long as they can regulate discussion well and can work well with the users then really there should be no issue. Moderating a forum requires a different skill set to training in MA or coaching after all.

Colm_OReilly wrote:

There was also another post made telling the regular SD posters that the SD forum shouldn't view itself as it's own little world on boards.ie. I tend to disagree somewhat with this statement. I believe, for the most part, people on boards only post and read one or two forums. I doubt there is a high percentage of active users that view a large cross section of boards regularly.

This I do disagree with. I think you are taking the wrong approach here. We have plenty of forums like SD/MA that have their own little community. Investments and Physics/Chem behave like that actually (or AH which has a large one). But that doesn't mean they are "seperate entities". Boards.ie is a collection of such forums linked together. By it's nature it will have individual forums with posters who frequent just that forum. But the idea that the forum stands apart from the rest of the site just doesn't work.


I read the MA forum when I've the chance and inclination. I used to train when I was younger and I still have an interest in martial arts. And the rare occasions when I asked a question on there I was treated politely for the most part if memory serves. But there is a bit of a cliquish atmosphere within the forum. Though, tbh, from my experiences in martial arts, it's unavoidable with "ranking" and so forth. I wouldn't get that upset about it, tbh I don't think it's the forum, the way it's run, or the specific users that are the main cause. It's more of a hobby-wide issue imho.

Eric_The_Great

First: MA/SD is a very active sports section forum.
Second: It's a discussion place for A> Big people in MA/SD B> Little people in MA C> Everyone else.
Thirdly: It should be compared to "Poker Forum" not Physics/Chemisty. That is to say, it's place for people to discuss tournies they all participated in, have a bit of banter with forum relevant banter, most of the most people know most of the other people just because that's the nature of the topic, but it's also a place for a guy to say "how do you play texas hold um or where can i join a good kratty club".

For some reason MA and Message boards go hand in hand in life, especially MMA. I don't know why this is, maybe it's due to internet piracy. I think it's relevant that some of the people on the MA boards are equivalent of Brain Kerr and Roy Keane (obviously irish mma is a billoin miles from irish football but that's the analogy). And it would be unfair to class the guys speaking out as keyboard worriers, most of the people have fully accountable contact detaisl.

I think MAJD and the Dutch Gold is a perfect example of really good moderating. There was a rule, it got broken repetively, people got banned, rule came under discussion, rule got changed. Forum is no worse then it was. Same should be applied in MA/SD, Mod should see an issue and compromise for general board welfare.

This whole "mods don't get paid....." line is just irrelevant. Repli just was the right person at the right time he needs no praise. A good mod is an invisible mod a great mod is a sound person who contributes to the forum as a poster and as a mod.

There is no problem with the MA/SD board and this thread is going no where as Devore has solved the problem.

These are honest opinions from many of the regular posters, intended to make the forum a better place for the pursuit of life, liberty and punching each other in the head.

Clive's a legend.

PPL - Please don't wreck the buzz, even i don't do that.

RuggieBear

kevin, is that you again?

Eric_The_Great

RuggieBear wrote:

I reckon stevenmu has it spot on


My worthless opinion:

Close down the SD/MA forum...;)

seems to be nothing but trouble. Wasn't the last time you all bitched on feedback to do with getting the almost universally despised Kevin RC unbanned?

Oh and Merry Christmas one and all!

the last time i quoted you on feedback ruggiebear i got sitebanned. well, here's to fate.

the above is a totally worthless and arseholish comment and in fairness, i'd expect better from you. stop wrecking the buzz ruggie.

RuggieBear

ah... but you wreck my buzz on some of my favourite forums with your ignorant commnets and your general trollish behaviour.

masteroftherealm

Minesajackdaniels wrote:

Interesting points. Especially the part where you say:
If you care enough about something to want to mod the forum, you become, in part, responsible for its content. However, seeing as you aren't paid a salary, possibly have a life and generally may not be able to spend every waking hour checking your board out, you have a problem. What do you do to ensure good quality content on your board? Do you preemptively ban a bunch of users and/or topics?

I tried that with Dutch Gold on the B/W/S board. I banned it because I didn't want to have to log on repeatedly to stop a bunch of trolling muppets posting "Dutch Gold" in response to every thread on the board. I had a feeling it wasn't the best idea, but I didn't have time to check the board once an hour every hour, and I didn't want my precious baby drinkie board covered in cheap lager spam.

It came back and bit me on the ass - people have a right to talk about whatever they choose to talk about when it comes to the taste, drinkability and affordability of alcohol, because that's what's in the charter of the board. Just because I don't want to have to tend the postings of the peasants, that doesn't mean I can ban one thing to suit me. I had to unban the users and allow the topic. QED I have facilitated some users wants and needs.

It does mean that I've had to let go the reins on the board though. I have always trusted the cat mods and s-mods to pick up porn, spam and advertising if I'm not around. However now I have to accept that some bullsh1te thread may build over a couple of days before I get a chance to wade in and ask people to behave. That may get on the nerves of some of the 'serious' users, but fact is it cannot be helped. I don't work here. (I just live here.)

Overwhelmingly however, I believe we have a problem of paranoid moderation on boards.ie. It comes from the board being so big now. It's like playing one of the old-style online role-playing games - who will guard my fortress while I sleep? What happens if it's attacked? What if someone posts something pornographic or libellous on the board and I'm not around to catch it? What if someone takes offence at something that I was around to catch, but didn't deem it important enough to delete? What if that someone takes their offence all the way, and Starts A Campaign? What if they try and sue? Or go to the media? Wow, not on my watch dammit!!

...and then you start with the "no spam, no chat, no in-jokes, no messing, no off-topic, no back chat, no posting about x, no posting on y, no posting under z, and if you think that's a lot to remember pay close attention because it'll all change tomorrow when some f*cker makes a dog's breakfast out of meh board so I ban everything they did in the hope that nobody will do it again"... and then you hide under the PC-desk with a packet of jaffa cakes and a jug of java and prepare to stand guard over your board all night...

There is no mod-school.
There is no mod-handbook.
There is no mod-qualification, set of exams, certificate or anything else.

The mods are riding the back of something huge that grows every day. We're not sure if it's going to break or explode or crumble or double in size or start humming "dropkick me jesus" or wtf it's going to do next. We're trying to balance good quality, readability, entertainment, freedom of speech, legality, taste, points of view and opinions of tens of thousands of users.

You cannot please all of the users all of the time.

We're not paranoid. We just know you're all out to get us.

Excellent post MAJD.:-D
Paranoid modding isnt something bad as such until it goes to far however and the forum collapses because oflack of interest in posting under x while adhering to y and accepting z as gospel.
Mods shouldt try to be the dictators of a forum unless it is 100percent nessesary (PI for example).

masteroftherealm

Eric_The_Great wrote:

the last time i quoted you on feedback ruggiebear i got sitebanned. well, here's to fate.

the above is a totally worthless and arseholish comment and in fairness, i'd expect better from you. stop wrecking the buzz ruggie.

Hi kev! How many accounts is it now? 20? 30?

Dub13

This is a good thread lads....lets keep it civil and open.

Eric_The_Great

RuggieBear wrote:

ah... but you wreck my buzz on some of my favourite forums with your ignorant commnets and your general trollish behaviour.

sorry, could you also reference a post in rugby where this behaviour happened? well tbh, they're probably deleted. i never made 1 trollish comment on rugby board. women's rugby is women's rugby so what, what's with the pretending. secondly, jamie heaslip is the next big thing.

RuggieBear

Eric_The_Great wrote:

i never made 1 trollish comment on rugby board. women's rugby is women's rugby so what, what's with the pretending. s

Ah...so that justifies the trolling you tool.

stop wrecking me buzz

Eric_The_Great

ruggiebear 1 - me 0. it was in fairness, in reference to a sexy calender the girls in a rugby club made , and to be fair, the bods were nicer then the rugby. that's all i'm saying.

nesf

Eric_The_Great wrote:

Thirdly: It should be compared to "Poker Forum" not Physics/Chemisty.

You missed my point mate. I was more talking about communities within the bigger community in general than making direct exact comparissons. To say that SD/MA is seperate from the rest of the site is to miss the point of this site imho.

Gordon

Kevin, you remind me of Dougal in the cockpit with the big red button.

DeVore

Back on topic please. Not that this thread is going anywhere particularly but I like some of the input (like Majd's and others).

DeV.

masteroftherealm

nesf wrote:

Personally, I don't think there's much need for the moderator(s) to be "well known" in the Irish MA scene. So long as they can regulate discussion well and can work well with the users then really there should be no issue. Moderating a forum requires a different skill set to training in MA or coaching after all.

I think youll find that moderators who have an active interest in their forum are much more effective and useful however.