A Moderator's View

[Lightning McQueen]

lm

You may have noticed from his tag that frugi has hung up his moderator boots (although he does lend a hand when he can) so he can enjoy care-free holidays without feeling naughty :cheesy:

cheers

jon

Thanks for clearing my confusion up jon, I was still under the impression that frugi was still a mod and I didn't realise that he was hanging up the post hatchet, and banning stick.

although I am confused as to what you mean by tag exactly it still says mod under his user name.....see

 

[Mr. Charts]

Perhaps frugi left on holiday not intending to delete his delete button, but then away from the mud slinging playground of infants and in the refreshing peace and space of his holiday realised that life is too short to waste on trying to control self obsessed morons.
Richard

 

[barjon]

Thanks for clearing my confusion up jon, I was still under the impression that frugi was still a mod and I didn't realise that he was hanging up the post hatchet, and banning stick.

although I am confused as to what you mean by tag exactly it still says mod under his user name.....see

lm

oh yeah, tag is still there actually frugi's been concentrating his talents on other things for some time but he still does a bit of modding when he can, hence the tag. So the recent problems are all down to me

cheers

jon

 

[Splitlink]

A thread like this must be necessary although, for the life of me, I can't see why it should be.

I, and many others, I am sure, thousands of whom are lurkers, have been following interesting debates and had to leave the computer for other things to do. On our return there have been added, in just a few hours, pages and pages of drivel, there is no other word to describe it, amongst which a poster trying to answer a serious point, is about three pages behind the one with whom he is trying to communicate.

I don't know the solution, but it goes along with rubbish in the streets, grafitti on the walls, feet up on the train seats, parking with two wheels on the pavement. A general decline in public behaviour to each other.

As Wasp, says, we can leave it and go to somewhere else, but why should we?

Split

 

[Knyyt]

Perhaps the originator of a thread/topic should be allowed to moderate his/her own thread?? Repeated problem posters would/could then be referred to a mod for the next level,would cut down the need for mods to only the most serious problems, and the site would stand on the merits of its own membership community.

regards,

 

[new_trader]

With mods thin on the ground lately, it's been difficult to be about at the right time to nip things in the bud and stop some threads lurching out of control. I was engaged last night in the somewhat thankless task of trying to pick up the pieces on one such thread and I was struck by two comments:

.....However, the bilge that passes for posts, that goes through unmolested, has pretty much destroyed the credibility of this site. I could not in all honesty recommend this board to anyone for fear of litigatable liability..... by ducati998

.......However, I think it is time for the managers of this site to stop and think what happened to it. This is pretty serious stuff, I think. There is a lot of competetion from some very well run websites out there and it is now becoming ridiculous some of the threads on this post must be driving people away in droves. At the very list, T2W must appear as some kind of lunatic asylum. Remember this is a trading site and it is incumbant upon the moderators to make sure it remains and is perceived as such. Maybe it is time to change the rules and be a bit more ruthless..... by fxscalper2

I am starting this thread, not to discuss the relative merits or otherwise of the thread on which these comments appeared, but to give members the chance to discuss the wider issues involved.

I have my own views, of course, but let others start

cheers

jon

The wider issue is the hypocrites who think they have the right to judge whether or not a thread is worthwhile. Instead of staying away from a "pointless" thread they feel they have a right to deface it with graffiti and images of scantly clad women....go figure

Nobody forces anyone to read a thread so if you think it is pointless, don't read or post in it. Simple! If everyone did this the quality of this site would improve dramatically.

 

[starspacer]

.....I mod/admin a couple of sites and take absolutely no brown stuff at all. As I essentially pay for them I figure what I say goes. Troublemakers get one warning and that's it. New members very quickly understand that that is how the site is run and, imo, appreciate it. Banned member stay banned.

And you have just succinctly described autocracy.

Progress is made through robust debate, challenge & counter-challenge, not through autocratic decision-making.

No offence meant here to you but it seems that under your rules, the likes of Socrates & CYOF could be banned. Now there is no doubting that Soc holds forthright views (I happen to agree with many of them). But equally, like it or not, it is no co-incidence that Soc has one of the highest number of recommended commendations on this site. His threads attract the most 'hits', so clearly he generates interest and he posts a very successful journal (Plain Vanilla Options).

So, you risk losing some of the most successful traders and most prolific contributors by banning members for, as you put it, posting "brown stuff".

By all means ban members who are abusive or threatening, but not for posting stuff which some subjectively believe to be "brown".

 

[starspacer]

.......ps: I do like JTrader's signature quote - "Great minds discuss ideas, mediocre minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." mmm.

No, no!

Great minds carry out great ideas, mediocre minds discuss ideas, small minds don't think.

Please. No more sloppy thinking.

starspacer

 

[Splitlink]

The wider issue is the hypocrites who think they have the right to judge whether or not a thread is worthwhile. Instead of staying away from a "pointless" thread they feel they have a right to deface it with graffiti and images of scantly clad women....go figure

Nobody forces anyone to read a thread so if you think it is pointless, don't read or post in it. Simple! If everyone did this the quality of this site would improve dramatically.

Yes, but, an interesting thread becomes tiresome for someone who, then, posts a facetious remark that sets the whole tone for a series of mindless arguments.

However, human nature being what it is, I see no solution to the problem. Take a case in point. I'll mention a name, CYOF. In his thread, A Little Circle, I thought that I would question his mention of "a stone rolling down a hill" and other things. It was meant to give the man a chance to express his views and was a harmless subject in itself. About six pages down the line I tried to bring the the subject up again, but to no avail! Another dozen pages down the line, a poster makes an insulting criticism, to which I agree, with the result that the whole group of posts ges scrubbed! I am one of those who posted near the beginning. Are you suggesting that I should go somewhere else? Wasp said the same thing, but I don't think that is fair or reasonable. Nevertheless, I have gone somewhere else.
I shall, probably, get interested and the same thing will happen again.

Split

 

[starspacer]

The Roman empire declined and fell (actually so did the British - where are the barbarians?) so why shouldn't T2W?

Yes, excellent point Kiwi.

T2W will be no more when it becomes a robotic automaton discussion forum with the collective wit of a crushed dung beatle.

At that time the posters will be bots using algorithmic code and staffed by drones.

Inevitable really.

When will we humans learn to value the creative mind, which often comes adorned with certain eccentricities, which to some, may appear to be "brown stuff", but which to others may help them attain a higher level of trading mastery.

star spacer

 

[A Dashing Blade]

And you have just succinctly described autocracy.

So? Where does it say that the internet is democratic?

No offence meant here to you but it seems that under your rules, the likes of Socrates & CYOF could be banned.

Incorrect, correct.

His threads attract the most 'hits', so clearly he generates interest and he posts a very successful journal (Plain Vanilla Options).

You have a very very strange definition of "successful"

So, you risk losing some of the most successful traders and most prolific contributors by banning members for, as you put it, posting "brown stuff".

I have no idea whether or not Socrates is successful or not.
CYOF\Bulldozer\Atlantic Ghost\Irsih Paddy whatever he calls ghimself these days is a joke, pure and simple and is the sole reason this thread exists.

 

[ducati998]

The wider issue is the hypocrites who think they have the right to judge whether or not a thread is worthwhile. Instead of staying away from a "pointless" thread they feel they have a right to deface it with graffiti and images of scantly clad women....go figure

Nobody forces anyone to read a thread so if you think it is pointless, don't read or post in it. Simple! If everyone did this the quality of this site would improve dramatically.

While I accept your point regarding *judgement of quality* I think you have missed the context somewhat.

Had the issue simply been one of my qualitative judgement based on the value of the topic, then you as I said have a point.

This however was not the issue. Content had become personalised. Abuse was being handed out left right and centre.

Whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.
If you hand out abuse, be prepared to take abuse.

Socrates & CYOF are simply schoolyard bullies, and when they get it back, start crying.
This particular thread was a continuation of a number of threads off of the Options forum.
As such they received, exactly as they were handing out.

Is this good for the forum as a whole?
Absolutely not.
It is degenerate, pathetic, immature, and any other adjectives you wish to add.
However, the result is that possibly, management might move to clean shop.
If that is the case, then it has provided a positive outcome.

As regards factual, verifiable, referenced, mathematical, statistical, content, you will find that CYOF & Socrates provide close to approaching zero.

Members of this board in opposition to them generally provided a plethora of evidence from all previously listed sources.

jog on
d998

 

[PKFFW]

Perhaps the originator of a thread/topic should be allowed to moderate his/her own thread?? Repeated problem posters would/could then be referred to a mod for the next level,would cut down the need for mods to only the most serious problems, and the site would stand on the merits of its own membership community.

regards,

I second this.

It would keep the thread on track for one. Those moderating fairly and openly would be rewarded with interesting threads open for debate and exchange of ideas. Those heavy handedly deleting posts simply because they disagreed with the reasoning or point of view would quickly drive everyone away and their threads would receive little attention.

Is there anyway the originator of a thread can be given the power to moderate that thread? Seems like the perfect solution really.

Cheers,
PKFFW

 

[options]

Unless things have changed, hasn't the power to moderate your own thread always been there?

 

[Mr. Charts]

This "solution" would result in some thread starters deleting absolutely anything anyone else said so the thread would just be a ranting monologue; rather like those religious nutters standing on Oxford Street shouting their own version of "truth" without a single one of the thousands of passers-by taking the blindest bit of notice.
Actually, on second thoughts that would be a damn good idea........
Richard

 

[barjon]

Unless things have changed, hasn't the power to moderate your own thread always been there?

only on the private boards, options

jon

 

[options]

Ah, My mistake.

 

[ducati998]

I second this.

It would keep the thread on track for one. Those moderating fairly and openly would be rewarded with interesting threads open for debate and exchange of ideas. Those heavy handedly deleting posts simply because they disagreed with the reasoning or point of view would quickly drive everyone away and their threads would receive little attention.

Is there anyway the originator of a thread can be given the power to moderate that thread? Seems like the perfect solution really.

Cheers,
PKFFW

Vote #4 for this solution.
Definitely worth a try if the software can support it.

jog on
d998

 

[ducati998]

barjon,

With the continuing need for your moderation services required, and currently no let-up in sight what have the management actually discussed in relation to the ongoing problems?

Are [you] management going to keep participants in the loop?
The longer the problem persists, the greater the attrition rate is likely to be.

jog on
d998

 

[Sharky]

Actually I've been away at the Traders Expo in NYC since Friday, having just got back today. Unfortuantely I'm out of town again tomorrow though until Mon. So realistically I'm not going to be able to make further comment until next week. But I really appreciate everyones feedback and John for taking the trouble to start the thread up in the first place. We're on the brink of relaunching the site and on the back of this making changes to the moderation - some of which has already been discussed with our focus group. Certainly now is a good opportunity to discuss this with a look to possibly implementing changes in the short-term (before the end of Feb hopefully).