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Mods in AH very Trigger Happy with Locking Threads

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  • 15-09-2009 4:24pm
    #1
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭


    Is it just me or are the mods in AH getting extremely trigger happy with locking threads? Just something I've noticed time and time again over the past couple of weeks. Mods essentially locking threads so they can write a witty comment at the end before people even have a chance to discuss it's content its extremely annoying.
    Post edited by Shield on


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    #2
    meditraitor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,207 ✭✭✭meditraitor


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Is it just me or are the mods in AH getting extremely trigger happy with locking threads? Just something I've noticed time and time again over the past couple of weeks. Mods essentially locking threads so they can write a witty comment at the end before people even have a chance to discuss it's content its extremely annoying.

    What threads?


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    #3
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    Heres just a few quick examples

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681101

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681085&page=2

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681090

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681044

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055680504

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055682321


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    #4
    meditraitor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,207 ✭✭✭meditraitor


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Heres just a few quick examples

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681101

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681085&page=2

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681090

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681044

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055680504

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055682321

    Ah, looks like house cleaning really. Those threads were locked pretty quick but I also dont think any of them were going anywere..


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    #5
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    In fairness, most of those threads were going nowhere even when they started. Particularly the race one, which looked like a car crash about to happen. It depends what you want AH to be, it does have a tendency to be a bit inane at times. Looked to me like Sharpshooter was clearing some of the more obvious chaff.


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    #6
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    Oryx wrote: »
    In fairness, most of those threads were going nowhere even when they started. Particularly the race one, which looked like a car crash about to happen. It depends what you want AH to be, it does have a tendency to be a bit inane at times. Looked to me like Sharpshooter was clearing some of the more obvious chaff.

    Whatever about the race one explain this one

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681101

    or this one

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681090

    plenty of replies on this

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055680504





    I mean these were just quick examples in the last day or two I am not bothered trawling through all the locked threads from the last few weeks but there are plentiful examples of needlessly locked threads. Its very annoying


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    #7
    meditraitor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,207 ✭✭✭meditraitor


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Whatever about the race one explain this one

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681101

    or this one

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055681090

    plenty of replies on this

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055680504





    I mean these were just quick examples in the last day or two I am not bothered trawling through all the locked threads from the last few weeks but there are plentiful examples of needlessly locked threads. Its very annoying


    Personally I would have let them die by themselves as they were all rubbish by After Hours standard.
    It does seem like a different approach is being taken to threads of low(er) quality.....:o


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    #8
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Im only replying to you, Im not going to defend another mods decision on a case by case basis. :)

    Why not take it up directly with the mod/s in question?


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    #9
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    Heres another thread needlessly locked from a few days ago that I wanted to contribute to

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055678743&page=2




    Oryx, I have seen a good few threads in feedback about the strictness of mods in AH as of late with bannings and lockings but it seems nothing has been done. I reported the needless locking of my recent thread in AH.

    At the end of the day AH is AH and the mods are trying to turn a forum known for light hearted and occasionally inane banter into a serious forum for serious opinions.


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    #10
    Handsome Bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    I noticed that the Darren Sutherland and Patrick Swayze threads were locked but I just reckon that maybe the AH mods are just trying to help out the forums that those threads in truth belong to. I could be completely wide of the mark though. You just can't let AH run wild staking a claim to every topic under the sun while other forums are suffering.


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    #11
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,900 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Those are all examples of rubbish threads, tbh.


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    #12
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    An File wrote: »
    Those are all examples of rubbish threads, tbh.

    Thats your opinion I disagree as did all the posters who took the time to post responses. You can't simply lock threads because your not interested in it's content.


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    #13
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Thats your opinion I disagree as did all the posters who took the time to post responses. You can't simply lock threads because your not interested in it's content.

    nah I agree with An File, LZ5by5 &Oryx they are all pointless rubbish threads that add nothing and require very little thought.

    Locked for a good reason imho, you can't just leave after hours go totally wild

    So did you PM the mods and ask why they were locked?
    Better yet if your not happy with the mods why didn't you post in helpdesk?


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    #14
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    Cabaal wrote: »
    nah I agree with An File, LZ5by5 &Oryx they are all pointless rubbish threads that add nothing and require very little thought.

    Locked for a good reason imho, you can't just leave after hours go totally wild

    So did you PM the mods and ask why they were locked?
    Better yet if your not happy with the mods why didn't you post in helpdesk?

    Actually LZ5by5 was referring to the locking of the Sutherland thread which I have no problem with. An File and Oryx are both mods so no suprise they are backing up the mods in AH along with you.

    Tell me how the 3 examples I posted above and the Irish language thread were going nowhere?


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    #15
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Actually LZ5by5 was referring to the locking of the Sutherland thread which I have no problem with. An File and Oryx are both mods so no suprise they are backing up the mods in AH along with you.
    Ah, so this is a mod conspiracy? My five years as a regular poster has nothing to do with my opinion then?

    Did you consider that the mods of AH probably have a wider view of the whole situation? They will also have been consistently removing spam, insults, fighting, deleting threads and other crud you didnt even know about (which will have been so ott rotten.com wouldnt host it), and generally keeping AH a safe place to play in. A thankless task, believe me. They have been chosen to mod not because they are power hungry or like to spoil threads, but because they are familiar with the forum, how it should ideally run, and boards in general. If you have a problem with a thread being closed, particularly if its your own thread, then pm the mod who closed it and request, with a valid argument, why you think it should remain open. Mods do make mistakes, and might go back on a decision if you convince em.


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    #16
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,900 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Actually LZ5by5 was referring to the locking of the Sutherland thread which I have no problem with. An File and Oryx are both mods so no suprise they are backing up the mods in AH along with you.
    Tell me how the 3 examples I posted above and the Irish language thread were going nowhere?

    I only became a mod a week ago, and even now I only moderate one small forum. It has no relevence to my opinion on the subject of this thread.

    However, I've been reading and posting in After Hours for two years (was scared to post there for ages! :o ) so I appreciate what a difficult forum it is for the mods to run. Sharpshooter, Dr Bollocko, Javaboy et al do a fantastic job. Part of that job involves having an instinct for knowing which threads are likely to cause trouble. Nearly all of your examples come under that umbrella.


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    #17
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Actually LZ5by5 was referring to the locking of the Sutherland thread which I have no problem with. An File and Oryx are both mods so no suprise they are backing up the mods in AH along with you.

    Tell me how the 3 examples I posted above and the Irish language thread were going nowhere?

    your kidding me right?
    You know mods are normal users outside of the forums they actually mod.. this is a basic boards.ie rule.

    If I agree with somebody it doesn't matter if they are a mod or not, if I disagree with someone it doesn't matter if they are a mod or not.

    I sure as hell won't agree just because somebodys a mod, suggesting such a thing is like saying all users with an A in their name agree with you by default.

    Nonsense of the highest order.

    Perhaps you should post in conspiracy theories?


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    #18
    Size=everything
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,473 ✭✭✭Size=everything


    Those threads had discussion in them yes some of them were a bit light hearted but that is what AH is for there was no reason for them to be locked and in nearly all the cases I suspect they were locked so a mod could get his/her 'hilarious' last comment in


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    #19
    dr.bollocko
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    Size=everything wrote: »
    I suspect they were locked so a mod could get his/her 'hilarious' last comment in

    I can assure you 100% that a thread is never locked so we can get a hilarious last comment in.


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    #20
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,900 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Those threads had discussion in them yes some of them were a bit light hearted but that is what AH is for there was no reason for them to be locked and in nearly all the cases I suspect they were locked so a mod could get his/her 'hilarious' last comment in

    Out of the 10 or so examples to which you've posted links, only one of them has a funny final post. Have you PM'd the AH mods about this yet?


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    #21
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    modding a contentious thread is a pain in the ass sometimes. Well, actually, it's a pain in the ass all the time.

    like for example, say in radio, someone starts a thread about a certain dj, slating them. Most people put hardly any effort into those type of threads, everyone is a fat this and an oily that, and it's just personal abuse about that dj. Next thing, someone else will come on and start slagging off the op and then the op will state that they have a right - a right! mind you - to state their opinion, and it all becomes about having the last word. Poster a will report poster b and poster c will thank all of poster a's posts because he has a grudge against poster b because poster b said something one time in this one thread.

    And a mod has to look at every feckin post and decide - "is this ok? is my personal bias influencing me here? would I like it if someone said something about me? and what if the DJ reads it and reports it? Will we get into trouble?" (that has happened btw, more than you'd think). And all the time I'm getting emails about reported posts about a thread where someone is slagging off someone else, and adding very little to the forum, and certainly giving people less of a reason to spend their browsing time on the site and filling it with stuff I find interesting to read.

    And ultimately you'll end up infracting or banning someone for a stupid remark over a stupid topic, because if you don't the person who reported the op will start making noises along the lines of "well how come he can say I hate x but I can't say y is a prick?".

    so I just lock them.


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    #22
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    Size=everything wrote: »
    Is it just me

    Yes.


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    #23
    Rev. BlueJeans
    Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭Rev. BlueJeans


    Well, that's helpful :pac:

    I was only thinking this today too, I mean I can understand contentious stuff being locked down, but in all fairness, when you have mods acting in a quality control role, where do you stop. AH seems to be a fairly laid back spot on this site, why spoil it?

    I assume the guy came here rather than PMing people, because he wanted to get opinion from everyone openly. Sarcasm doesn't say much tbh.


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    #24
    orestes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,972 ✭✭✭orestes


    Bloody hell, is it that time of the week already?


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    #25
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    OP, do you genuinely think a mod would think to themselves "Right, that thread doesn't actually deserve to be locked but I really want to make a witty comment that nobody can top so I'll lock it and use that as my opportunity"...?

    And mods don't always back each other up here - however they do tend to when it comes to stuff they've all encountered as part of their moderating, which is fair surely.

    Pointless threads get locked because they're pointless - that's what the "padlock" facility is for.


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    #26
    dr.bollocko
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    OP We are listening to what you have to say. I think many people have echoed that the specific examples you posted don't necessarily make the bones of a solid argument but your underlying point may have some validity to it. Now I know you said you weren't referencing the death of Swayze or Darren Sutherland but the reason why they were locked is that they had a more natural home on boards for them. Ditto the reason why we locked Lisbon threads. The EU forum in politics has the kind of posters and mods that are better equipped to deal with dubious claims. The problem of threads being made in AH when they should perhaps be made elsewhere is a difficult one to address because many of our regulars are just that, AH regulars who don't post in many other forums around boards. So when we stop a discussion on a certain topic they think that we are censoring discussion when in fact we are trying to push it to the right or relevant place. People have mentioned that trainwreck threads maybe could be left to die a natural death. That is perhaps true in some cases.
    But certainly there is no hidden agenda in locking any threads. No mod is locking threads for the chance at a witty last word.
    On the big topics, they are locked if things are going around in circles or AH is not the best place for them. On the small topics, after being around on AH for a while you begin to spot and notice how quickly dumb threads can become troublesome threads and the call to lock early is often the right one. Not always. I think it's something we can discuss together and have done before also. There are few hardfast rules on AH but we do take feedback on board.


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    #27
    AckwelFoley
    Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    Most threads in AH are locked because,

    a. its contravenes the forum charter

    b. the thread is nonesence - the same nonesence thread that was posted by another user recently

    c.The topic being discussed has a more suitable place in an alternate forum on boards

    d. the thread is a duplicate thread of a topic already being discussed

    e. Its a spammer

    f. Its a thread about the creation of, delivery, size or texture of poo


    Thats about it really.

    90920.jpg


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    #28
    Rabies
    Registered Users Posts: 15,258 ✭✭✭✭Rabies


    I think posters forget we have the tCN.
    It needs to be used more and more.


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    #29
    Rev. BlueJeans
    Closed Accounts Posts: 600 ✭✭✭Rev. BlueJeans


    dr.bollocko wrote: »
    ...stuff...

    I'd thank you for that if I could. Good to know someone's listening.


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    #30
    dr.bollocko
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    Rabies wrote: »
    I think posters forget we have the tCN.
    It needs to be used more and more.

    Yup TCN and the dublin forum :pac:


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    #31
    AckwelFoley
    Registered Users Posts: 12,556 ✭✭✭✭AckwelFoley


    Rabies wrote: »
    I think posters forget we have the tCN.
    It needs to be used more and more.

    Id suggest it would be if it were moved from the system category to a sub heading of AH like coolvids and teach na gealtacht, or to the rec category at the least


This discussion has been closed.
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