Have you got what it takes to be a moderator?

It's not that clear cut.

Think about the police. They need to make decisions about what to do in certain situations. If they did everything as set down in the big old book o' laws, things wouldn't be good.

Just as the police have to use discretion, so do mods.

If you see a kid throwing stones at a public wall, do you a) arrest him for vandalism, b) ask him not to do that and explain why c) kick his face in?

There are variables. If the kid is being cocky, the kid hits the cop, the kid is naked and rolling his eyes, the kid is apologetic.

Then you may arrest him, you might phone the men in white coats, you might take the kid back to his house and speak with his parents or you might tell him to go on his way.

 

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The questions in general should have some very straightforwards answers, although some will be more indepth to respond. If I was to present my own answers or that of other moderators it would make it actually difficult to see "Who" would be a good moderator, afterall it takes concentration to develop an answer and those that just want to abuse power would have to... "seriously pay attention in class".

I believe that there have in the past been cases with some moderators (not ones that you have available right now) however the majority of sciforums rallied and started camping the preverbial gates with pitchfolks in regards to a "Lynching".

I have to admit on the very rare occasion I can sit for 5 minutes plus, deleting a response post multiple times... my reason for the deletions is because my posts wouldn't be balanced, they would be unfair, they would be condesending, however I have to "Rise above" the occasion or be downtrodden for my retort.

 

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Good question. If I were a mod, I think my guidelines would be something like:
1) Restraint
2) Vicious abuse, blatant bigotry, content-free spam, and obnoxious trolling is bad
3) Restraint
4) Intelligent discussion is good
5) Restraint
6) Deleting threads is bad
7) Restraint
8) Intelligent discussion doesn't always look like intelligent discussion.
9) Restraint
10) The first tools of the mod are the same as the tools of a poster. On topic posts, and PMs.
11) Other mods give good advice. Use it.
12) Administrative tools (edits, bans, moving threads, and deletions) have their place, but should be used with extra caution with members who have been around more than a day or two, and extreme caution with anyone who's been around for more than a couple of weeks.

Depends on how abusive, how off topic, and whether the original topic was dead or not. And other stuff. Is the argument constructive,or just abusive? Is one or both members genuinely upset, or are they enjoying the battle? Are the posts coming once per minute, or once per five minutes?
If the abuse is over the top, then edit it out.
If the original topic is not dead and it is being derailed, then make a post (something wonderfully insightful with a touch of controversy

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) on the original topic.

If it's a single line at the bottom of each post, then it's not a prima facie problem. Maybe if people complained about it, I'd consider further and ask the other mods.
If it's more like spam (long "signature, little post content), then a gentle in-thread reminder of what spam is might be appropriate.

Ah... so it is causing a real problem. Tricky!
Again, it's going to depend on whether it feels like spam, or like trolling.
If it's a single-line URL signature, then I'd expect the problem to die away on its own after everyone has had their bite.
If the poster seems to be deliberately goading people, or "pushing a barrow" in off-topic threads (ie more than just a URL signature), then a warning would be in order.
Perhaps I'd make a new thread specifically challenging the claims in the poster's website to try and concentrate the conflagration into a single thread.

Ugly stuff. Notify supermods and admins immediately. Discuss briefly with other mods if any are online to confirm a course of action.
This looks like the sort of thing for which administrative tools were created.
Locking, cesspooling, or deleting threads might be the appropriate course of action, depending on how new the member is (hours?), whether all posts made are rants, and whether they can be linked to the banned member. Can mods see poster IP addresses?
Perhaps one thread could be moved to Open Government, if one isn't already there.

Notify supermods and admins immediately.
Edit or delete the post in my forum. Post a warning advising everyone of the danger.
Report posts made in other forums, and post a reply warning of the spyware.

Advise supermods and admins immediately. Perhaps make a post or new thread explaining the situation to all.

Read the thread, if possible

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. If any vicious abuse is apparent, deal with it. If not, reply to the complainant recommending that they put their opponent on ignore.

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I should participate in the thread in just the way I would now.

Seek advice from a supermod.

 

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You should make a sockpuppet and let 'em have it!

Oh... wait..

 

I disagree, to an extent.
Very new members (less than a couple of days) need to be treated differently, with caution and with patience.
Developing members (newbies) who are feeling their way into sciforums or oniline forums in general should also be treated a bit differently. Patience and encouragement, sometimes with some feedback about what's not appropriate. (This is the job of all posters, not just mods.)

But anyone who's made over a hundred posts and been around more than a month gets equal treatment, I think.

 

Give me a "pacific" definition of spam.

And trolls.

Also, if you do not mind... tell me how I am wrong.

If you think you are "so the right stuff" for a moderator position (and might I add.. one with all the answers), you should be able to help me with these matters.

 

my class is empty

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which way to the bar ?

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1: If the older members normally behave well - one warning - then lock of thread - otherwise: lock of thread

2:Ban the poster for a week - if he continues one month ban - if he still continues permanently ban ....

3: Check the new posters IP - he might be a sockpuppet - give him a warning in his last thread that he risks permanent ban - and then ban him for the same period as the original banned poster.

4: Spam and spyware !! - delete posts with links to spyware adds and inform other mods so they can delete the posts in their subforums.
Ban the poster permanently...

5: tricky one : the poster might be a hacker (using a 0 day exploit gives an indication of that ) - often hackers gets VERY ugly when you deny them acces to a page - also lying about beeing in Kuwait though IP is in UAE.
First you contact the owner of sciforums , then consider downloading some very,very good software protection and then ban the poster
( entering through illegal channels and claiming to be a hacker , is not the wisest thing to do if you want to stay in a forum )

6: I will read the thread again - then probably lock the thread - offtopic and flamewar......

7: Dont worry - I wont abuse power - no lock on this thread .....
Just have to do some homework and find some evidence for my point of view...

8:Everybody is entitled to a fair judgement - also troublesome posters -
I will have to read the PM s and the threads again - perhaps the other poster
has overstepped some border ......if so: one week ban for a start...

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I just find it hugely amusing given the HUGE lack of moderation on the forum when these scenarios actually present. Hugely amusing. If your existing mods aren't er 'moderating' or worse, moderating with bias, or worse doing their own 'trolling, stalking and abusing of their position in general' why are you asking the new mods to present anykind of cv other than what they apparantly did...did not as the case may be?

From what I see the criteria based on your existing band of merry men should merely be:

Knowledge of the subject they are moderating and an
agreement to refrain from ad hom, insults, flame wars in threads they are or are not moderating.

Beyond that, simply examine their posting style and their own behaviour on the forum. IE their track record. If the 'applicants' have a record of trolling, flaming, derailing threads, swearing, insulting, adhoming, then clearly they are unsuitable mods. If however they are unbaised, excercise self control in all situations and have a strong character to delete despite unpopularity and intelligence to know what should not be tolerated they would be good mods.

IE clear mods would be:

Samcdkey, Pete, Fraggle all super mod material

also

Wesmorris
Sargentlard seems fairly civilised
Superluminnal
Invert

And a few others who generally always conduct themselves well despite the opposition they face.

Absane is well behaved but then he may be too weak to make a decision

t

 

I nominate ToR for moderator of Physics&Math subforum!

 

lol!

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I take that as an acceptance of my nomination!

Excellent. Together (as in humanity) we can evolve sciforums beyond what it can be and never was!

 

Can I moderate the Cesspool? I've seen some stuff in there mildly interseting and informative - we can't have that! Delete delete delete!

 

Irrelevant.
The rules for rules remain unchanged, and apply to all situations.

 

Garble garble garble.
What for?

 

what's that then? I would say

"what evolve it into a bona fide science forum?"

BUT.......... with moi moderating physics and maths think it is more likely to become some new 'horror science forum' the first of its kind..........ahhh this is what you speak of, the FIRST science horror FORUM!

Meanwhile, don't think I haven't recognised your nomination for what it truely is............................a bid to keep me away from moderating ...................................THE.................................................BIOLOGY FORUM!!

Have no fear, I have already declined that offer *







*disclaimer...some stuff in this post is not strictly accurate*

 

agreed!

 

Are you a robot, lix?

Maybe I'm confusing robot with another word.

Twat, maybe?

 

I would like to submit my genuine bid for moderator of free thought section:

I would as moderator do the following:

occassionally read a full post (unless it is inverts

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)
sometimes glance beyond the titles of threads even those that are of no interest to me...............ie most
Promise to move every thread muslim and serendezi start to cesspool
Leave all insults in situ unless I find them personally offensive or they offend my friends *

*you can join my 'friend list' by sending gifts to:..........post box address supplied upon reaching mod status*

re-edit all ad homs so they reflect praise for the poster instead

Delete and ban at random, perhaps pick names out of hat once a week.
We could call it The 'Ban lotto'

I will obey no one, and contribute in my own way but with the new power will of course use that power to really annoy some really annoying people! Grrrrrrrr

 

I'm sure I can't make it any clearer than I said. We will evolve the forum beyond what it can be and never was.