How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

[KaRcop]

Right, to start off with I need to be clear; this is NOT a place to whine about your personal gripes and specific situations that you hold a grudge for.

What this is intended to be is a place for constructive criticism and, when right, praise for how our hard-working moderators moderate this forum.

I want to open saying that this must not be an easy job (especially with us lot!) but I do think that a little bit of feedback can help the mods to be more efficient and/or effective in the way they moderate this forum.

There are just one or two things that I'd like to make suggestions on.

1. Whilst deleting threads, be it because they have been a breach of the forum rules or are going down a bad route, it would be good to send a PM immediately explaining why the thread has been deleted. This will save people being angry or confused about why their opinion has been removed from a public forum. I would suggest that if you cannot send a PM immediately then wait until you can before deleting the thread. Also, to state what might be obvious, only the OP need be PMed.

2. If somebody has posted something in breach of the rules in a thread (like the name of a competitor) then go ahead and edit it as I've seen done before but please send a PM to that person afterwards. However, please do not apply a blanket rule to any kind of advertising (I've seen mentioned that someone has a baby shop... I don't think Z1 sells babies so... Not a competitor ;-p) so that non-competitors are not penalised.

3. If someone has something in BREACH of the rules in their signature then, by all means, remove it. Please do not replace it with something else! Instead, PM the person informing of the removal and reasons for it. This keeps it out of the view of everyone else, so that it's not like a big flag saying "I'M A RULEBREAKER" at the end of that person's every post.

4. If a person has something in their sig that the mods do not look favourably upon, however it is not breaking any specific rules, then speak to that person via PM! I imagine that almost always that person will not be aware that their sig isn't ideal for a public forum and will be happy to modify or remove it themself. If not then it gives that person the opportunity to defend themself and to feedback to the moderator attempting to do their job.


I'll leave the list there for me. I've seem several threads from individuals complaining about how they feel hard done-by. I am not trying to attack anyone personally and I am not attempting to reference specific incidents. Please take this as constructive criticism as that's how I intend it to be.

If you wish to post in this thread then please keep it concise and helpful. If you are reading this and you are a moderator (inevitably at least one will) then please feel free to feedback to me (and anyone else). I realise that you may already be striving to do one or more of the things I have suggested - just hoping to help based on my personal and observed experiences.

Thanks for reading!

[Ominous Slayer]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

...someone has a baby shop... I don't think Z1 sells babies so...

Don't think the shop does either

[brewer17]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

2. If somebody has posted something in breach of the rules in a thread (like the name of a competitor) then go ahead and edit it as I've seen done before but please send a PM to that person afterwards. However, please do not apply a blanket rule to any kind of advertising (I've seen mentioned that someone has a baby shop... I don't think Z1 sells babies so... Not a competitor ;-p) so that non-competitors are not penalised.

One thing id like clearing up, If Z1 does not stock a specific gun/accessory BUT another company does, would it be a problem to let people know that company? Its not costing Z1 business, all its doing helping a fellow Zeroin member.

Can someone clear that up for me.

[Utrinque Paratus]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

Yes, but they might then buy another product from that company.

[brewer17]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

Yes, but they might then buy another product from that company.

True, but thats only a 50/50 chance. I thought forums where about helping other people out, regardless of the company that owns/runs it.

[Jez Armstrong]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

To be fair, were not stupid and know that other companyies exist, so why not offer a paid membership scheme where we pay x amount a year and in return we get 10% or x amount off products

[crotmate]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

The rules are if that shop stocks anything that Z1 stock you can't link. Which makes sense, with regards to this.

I thought forums where about helping other people out, regardless of the company that owns/runs it.

This forum is free and Z1 foot the bill, so its only fair that we don't link to other retailers. Pretty much anyone with some sort of google fu can find any airsoft item if they look for it properly, they don't need it linking to them all the time.

To be fair, were not stupid and know that other companyies exist, so why not offer a paid membership scheme where we pay x amount a year and in return we get 10% or x amount off products

I doubt that'll happen.

[brewer17]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

I doubt that will happen too

[aribos]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

1. Whilst deleting threads, be it because they have been a breach of the forum rules or are going down a bad route, it would be good to send a PM immediately explaining why the thread has been deleted. This will save people being angry or confused about why their opinion has been removed from a public forum. I would suggest that if you cannot send a PM immediately then wait until you can before deleting the thread. Also, to state what might be obvious, only the OP need be PMed.

3. If someone has something in BREACH of the rules in their signature then, by all means, remove it. Please do not replace it with something else! Instead, PM the person informing of the removal and reasons for it. This keeps it out of the view of everyone else, so that it's not like a big flag saying "I'M A RULEBREAKER" at the end of that person's every post.

4. If a person has something in their sig that the mods do not look favourably upon, however it is not breaking any specific rules, then speak to that person via PM! I imagine that almost always that person will not be aware that their sig isn't ideal for a public forum and will be happy to modify or remove it themself. If not then it gives that person the opportunity to defend themself and to feedback to the moderator attempting to do their job.

Hey mate,

now this is from an assistants point of view with the rules.

1. Generally we try to pm the OP if it is being closed due to something minute but if it is generally a case of a huge lot of rule breaking or the thread going so far off topic it gets locked. During my short time so far as an assistant in the general airsoft section I can safely say most of the threads have been due to retailer discussion or flame wars starting on a thread.

As far as signatures go, these are seen as a privilege function wise on the forum as they can be disabled by the admins. They are generally removed for either a)showing offensive material b)promoting other retailers/sites and c)indecent language.

They are generally removed, the owner told by pm and then the note left on the sig so the owner can see if they choose to ignore pm's. The user can remove the bits as far as I know and replace with a more appropriate image.

Hope that helps a bit and remember this is according to my own knowledge sorry if any of it is wrong, I'm sure rampage will be along soon.

[BALBOSA]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

the problem is that there are some admins/mods on here who just like a clean well kept forum for some strange reason regardless of rules. i think a good overhaul through the administration and detachment from the shop would let this forum prosper all the time its linked to a shop these problems will always come up

[Machaon]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

i think a good overhaul through the administration and detachment from the shop would let this forum prosper

The problem with that is that the server space has to be paid for, in order to run these forums, and who's going to foot that bill?

[BALBOSA]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

well that i cant answer im afraid all i know its that its stifling to the future of this forum, the way some mods go about there duties definitely damages its future anyway with there rudeness to the user and lack of communication its a shame because getting past all the problems this is a good forum its a shame it cant thrive properly. and an answer for your question maybe a 1 off membership fee with special privileges or advertisements i dont know im spouting without thinking once again

[Machaon]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

Yeah, sorry, it wasn't directed only at you, the question was as much rhetorical as anything. I'm not sure how it could be funded if it did go solo either - I guess advertising revenue would solve it, but I personally hate being advertised at.

Having been a forum moderator (for a gaming clan with a forum membership of >2000), I understand the pressures of moderating something on this scale, and you learn pretty quickly that you can't please everyone all the time. These guys have thier own lives to live, and I understand them wanting to keep everything as simple and clean as they can, as it makes thier lives easier, and means they can ultimately contribute to the smooth running, and success of the forums.

I've not had any great run-ins with the moderators, only the occasional tidy up of spammy/off-topic posts, so I've no great bug-bears with the moderation. Good commucation and common courtesy go a long way, and I do agree, it would be nice if, when threads are closed, or posts deleted, a brief explanation of the reason was given - it doesn't take much more effort.

[BALBOSA]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

Yeah, sorry, it wasn't directed only at you, the question was as much rhetorical as anything. I'm not sure how it could be funded if it did go solo either - I guess advertising revenue would solve it, but I personally hate being advertised at.

Having been a forum moderator (for a gaming clan with a forum membership of >2000), I understand the pressures of moderating something on this scale, and you learn pretty quickly that you can't please everyone all the time. These guys have thier own lives to live, and I understand them wanting to keep everything as simple and clean as they can, as it makes thier lives easier, and means they can ultimately contribute to the smooth running, and success of the forums.

I've not had any great run-ins with the moderators, only the occasional tidy up of spammy/off-topic posts, so I've no great bug-bears with the moderation. Good commucation and common courtesy go a long way, and I do agree, it would be nice if, when threads are closed, or posts deleted, a brief explanation of the reason was given - it doesn't take much more effort.

hear hear!
and in reply to your earlier comment i agree i dont enjoy being advertised to but i think id prefer that than what there is at the moment after all this is one big zero one advert

[crotmate]

Re: How the moderators deal with breaches of rules

Its been said before like it or lump it, I don't see any of the guys complaining on here posting on UKAZ or Arnies all that often.