Selection of Mods

Earthhorse

Time Magazine wrote: »

With absolutely no disrespect to My name is URL, we don't know that. There could be a good reason and we (but more importantly, he) haven't been told.

seamus wrote: »

The second opens up a whole can of worms where said evidence gets twisted into speculation and the severity of the screw-up becomes an issue etc etc etc.
So it's easier to try and not make people mods who might open the can of worms in the first place

Ah, but it's kinda the same thing; there could be a good reason for a mod being demodded but we haven't been told. Anyway, the pac smiley at the end of my sentence indicated it was just a hoomorous observation.

The real issue here is communication, I think.

Time Magazine

Thaedydal wrote: »

Is there? Cos last time that was raised it was said there is not, there is a breakin in period where mods have to train in their new mod but thats it.

Yurp:

An admin, in a PM sent in June 2009 wrote:

<new mod name>,

Please find below all the forums you will need to help you through the world of Moderating.
If you have any questions ask your fellow Mods via PM or in the Mod forum.

<snip>

You are on a probationary period which will be reviewed over the next three months.
I would like The Economist to be your mentor over this period.

<Admin name>

6th

I never saw the poll or the thread with it .... did I get a mention?

Quazzie

6th wrote: »

I never saw the poll or the thread with it .... did I get a mention?

Yea there was 7 nominations so someone had to be 6th

Nevyn

Time Magazine wrote: »

Yurp:

That was resolved already, it was questioned in the mods forum in July and the answer was there is not an official probationary period.

Time Magazine

Oh right, my mistake

super_furry

Seems that, again, with a bit of communication and thought all this could have been avoided.

Dav

Hey there URL.

I'm sorry if I've left things unclear when I spoke with you - I thought I'd explained it pretty well, but obviously not. Certainly I wasn't giving you a generic answer - we did give it some consideration as obviously you're a popular member of the AH community

I don't want to get into the specifics without getting an OK from yourself URL as whilst there's nothing to hide here, it's not typically the sort of thing we discuss in public.

Dav

Nevyn

Time Magazine wrote: »

Oh right, my mistake

Duuuude, you posted in that thread.../facepalm.

My name is URL

Dav wrote: »

Hey there URL.

I'm sorry if I've left things unclear when I spoke with you - I thought I'd explained it pretty well, but obviously not. Certainly I wasn't giving you a generic answer - we did give it some consideration as obviously you're a popular member of the AH community

I don't want to get into the specifics without getting an OK from yourself URL as whilst there's nothing to hide here, it's not typically the sort of thing we discuss in public.

Dav

Thanks, perhaps generic wasn't the best way to describe the reasons you gave me, which were fair enough for the most part. I do think that perhaps my history was focused on too much and any good points were completely overlooked.

My main issue is with the fact that Mods and Cmods reckoned I'd be a good mod, and they're the ones with a better scope on how the forum the oversee runs.

I know I have a checkered past, and that Admins see me as someone that just uses the site to have a laugh, I just don't see how they can determine from that that I wouldn't be Mod material if given a chance

oscarBravo

My name is URL wrote: »

I know I have a checkered past, and that Admins see me as someone that just uses the site to have a laugh, I just don't see how they can determine from that that I wouldn't be Mod material if given a chance

How should we determine from that that you would be mod material if given a chance?

IITYWYBMAD

oscarBravo wrote: »

How should we determine from that that you would be mod material if given a chance?

Well, how do you?

oscarBravo

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Well, how do you?

We make a judgement call. It's not always a popular one, but it's our call to make.

phasers

oscarBravo wrote: »

How should we determine from that that you would be mod material if given a chance?

Aurely the opinion of forum mods and Cmods would be looked at here?

My name is URL

oscarBravo wrote: »

How should we determine from that that you would be mod material if given a chance?

Working under the assumption that a user cannot make a transition to mod just because of how they used the site as a user is shortsighted, and a little unfair, because as a user I used the site in a completely different way than I would as a mod

I've never done anything that endangered the site, so why would I be a danger if I was Mod?

mike65

Keep your nose clean and don't end up in any Admins black book.

oscarBravo

phasers wrote: »

Aurely the opinion of forum mods and Cmods would be looked at here?

They are taken into account, yes.

My name is URL wrote: »

Working under the assumption that a user cannot make a transition to mod just because of how they used the site as a user is shortsighted

So, what criteria should we use?

Ponster

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Well, how do you?

Past posting history; Does the person post in a way that makes the forum "a better place" ?; interest in respective forum ; cross-site behaviour...

would be some of mine...

My name is URL

oscarBravo wrote: »

They are taken into account, yes.

So, what criteria should we use?

Recommendations from those involved in running the forum in question, mostly

And a trial period if an agreement isn't reached.

It's not as if I have any interest in harming the site, why would I want to do that?

If I didn't genuinely like this place I simply wouldn't be here

The Recliner

My name is URL wrote: »

If I didn't genuinely like this place I simply wouldn't be here

Sadly whilst that is true of you the same cannot be said for others

IITYWYBMAD

Ponster wrote: »

Past posting history; Does the person post in a way that makes the forum "a better place" ?; interest in respective forum ; cross-site behaviour...

would be some of mine...

Really? There was a time when the person suggesting the forum, was considered for mod. I didn't realise that boards had gotten into the the full blown "interview" stage with their moderators.

I think wayyyy tooo much credence is been given to the site being pulled down, due to a mod being a Muppet (uneducated probably), but bringing the site down out of some sort of malice, I don't think so.

We've had people who have been banned before, become mods, and I don't remember the site being down due to them. Also, this whole idea of easier to de-mod as opposed to mod, I don't really get it. Was PH not made mod (of Prison I think) by Gordon in the recent past, only for another Admin to veto that decision? There didn't seem to be much hassle then?

oscarBravo

My name is URL wrote: »

Recommendations from those involved in running the forum in question, mostly

We take those into account, but they don't have ultimate responsibility for the decision. At the end of the day, we have to look at the bigger picture, and being a popular AH poster doesn't necessarily make you a good moderator.

It doesn't necessarily make you a bad one either, but - like I said - we have to make judgement calls, and sometimes they won't be popular ones.

Ponster

oscarBravo wrote: »

At the end of the day, we have to look at the bigger picture, and being a popular AH poster doesn't necessarily make you a good moderator.

I think that URL's point is that should the mods and chmods pick someone to be the next mod (no idea if it happened in this case) then they aren't doing so due to popularity but because they feel the person can do the job, and that this recommendation should count for a large % towards the modship.

My name is URL

oscarBravo wrote: »

We take those into account, but they don't have ultimate responsibility for the decision. At the end of the day, we have to look at the bigger picture, and being a popular AH poster doesn't necessarily make you a good moderator.

It doesn't necessarily make you a bad one either, but - like I said - we have to make judgement calls, and sometimes they won't be popular ones.

That's fair enough, but when it's a case of Admin opinion of a user vs Mod experience of a user, surely there should be some compromise?

It's quite alienating for a user to have a decision taken against them based solely on opinion

Splinter

I don't know if I'm the only one, but i really don't believe the admins did anything wrong here. At the end of the day, its their decision at the end of the day as they are the people that ultimatley keep this site running.

From what I have read, URL was approached and asked "if" he would be interested if the posistion was put forward to him. It wasn't a "listen, we are gona take you as mod". The Mods and CMods of AH put forward their recommendations of who they think should be considered and the admins make a choice. Maybe a curtosey email should have been sent, but if only by the person that approached URL in the first place. I'm sure there is plenty of others who were thought of as well and possibly asked and yet i don't see any posts by them here.

As it stands, i think the admins made good strong choices and if anything, your reaction here, URL, shows that they made the right choice in not giving you mod status.

IvySlayer

oscarBravo wrote: »

We take those into account, but they don't have ultimate responsibility for the decision. At the end of the day, we have to look at the bigger picture, and being a popular AH poster doesn't necessarily make you a good moderator.

It doesn't necessarily make you a bad one either, but - like I said - we have to make judgement calls, and sometimes they won't be popular ones.

What was the mentality among the admins when Zohan and Frada were nominated? They took a shot, and it worked out quite well.

Did you just appoint 3 mods who were already just to save hassle?

Nevyn

IvySlayer you and I can't know the full extent and range of interactions the admins have with any mod.

The admins were made admins because they could make such calls and discriminate for the good of the site as a whole.

Ponster

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

Really? There was a time when the person suggesting the forum, was considered for mod. I didn't realise that boards had gotten into the the full blown "interview" stage with their moderators.

Oh that still happens from time to time. Having a member suggest a new forum and for that suggestion to be accepted is a great sign that we've found someone who has something to add to the site.

My name is URL

Ponster wrote: »

Oh that still happens from time to time. Having a member suggest a new forum and for that suggestion to be accepted is a great sign that we've found someone who has something to add to the site.

Only in some cases I guess

Nevyn

Ponster wrote: »

Oh that still happens from time to time. Having a member suggest a new forum and for that suggestion to be accepted is a great sign that we've found someone who has something to add to the site.

Yes but people were then proposing forums just to be made a mod and that had to stop.

My name is URL, it's a honour to be nominated, just like the oscars but you didn't get it and sometimes that's just how the academy/admins roll.