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  1. #1

    Moderate the moderation please

    First off, thanks to everyone who serves as a moderator. Your presence and actions make this a worthwhile forum.

    That said, let me suggest that the phrase "everything in moderation" also includes the activity of moderators. Specifically, I am talking about moving threads. There was an interesting thread about Bill Simmons up yesterday. It had approx 20 posts the last time I checked. This morning I find it is lumped in with the 347 posts about Henderson's suspension. Any discussion about Simmons' article is basically muzzled by that action. I think that is wrong.

    In contrast, there were two threads started about All-ACC this morning. One of them was moved after it had just one or two posts. That is a great example of how and when a thread should be moved.

    I propose the criteria for moving a thread be as follows:
    1) If a thread is started that is about the exact same topic as another AND
    2) It is caught before it has reached "critical mass" (say 10 or less posts)

    My two cents. Thanks

  2. #2

    Word

    I quit looking at that huge G post becasue 1) it's huge and 2) it's highly incongruent and disparate. Plus, I'm tired of the subject.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Skinker-DeBaliviere, Saint Louis
    We're discussing this on the mod board.

    I just want to remind everyone that this post-NoseGate period has probably been anomalous. People won't get this wound up all the time; it'll only happen a few times a year, and likely not quite to this degree. With times of great board turmoil, many new posters unfamiliar with the culture of a board will post tons of duplicate threads, all at nearly the same time, all on the same topic. (Check out the mess TDD is in right now). But that isn't likely to happen every day.

    So I doubt there will be a need for such active moderation 99% of the time. Please be patient and remember that this too shall pass. It's been less than 48 hours since elbow met nose.
    Last edited by throatybeard; 03-06-2007 at 11:24 AM.

    A movie is not about what it's about; it's about how it's about it.
    ---Roger Ebert


    Some questions cannot be answered
    Who’s gonna bury who
    We need a love like Johnny, Johnny and June
    ---Over the Rhine

  4. #4
    Right. When a thread gets unbelievably long, it's natural for someone to start a new thread that picks up perhaps a new aspect of the conversation. I trust the moderators to make these calls, but IMO several threads were moved way too quickly.

    I think it's reasonable to see how users respond to a new thread; if after many views a new thread hasn't spawned any interest or conversation, then maybe it should be moved into an existing larger thread. Otherwise, the moderators should trust the users to shape the board.

    On the old board, threads that sparked little interest quickly fell off the front page. Also, I would hope that the mods don't inject their own feelings about the topics being discussed; i.e., many are tired of the Henderson/Hansborough topic, but that's really no reason to try and confine the topic to a single thread. I'm not saying that happened, but just advocating for a maximally user-directed environment.

    Obviously, there's a balance required, and I'm sure the mods are working toward the right balance.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    In Jumbo I trust.

  6. #6
    Bioware (a computer game developer) imposes a 10-page limit on posts in its forums. After that, the thread is locked by a mod, with the comment that if the subject warrants further discussion, a member should create a new thread.

    While that can result in more threads, it also means that each thread is more manageable to readers. There is also a bit of a self-editing by the posters not to restart a thread to rehash the same posts of the old thread, but only if there really is more to say.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Northern Virginia

    I agree with Zeb

    Quote Originally Posted by Zeb View Post

    I propose the criteria for moving a thread be as follows:
    1) If a thread is started that is about the exact same topic as another AND
    2) It is caught before it has reached "critical mass" (say 10 or less posts)
    I second the motion. I actually emailed DBR last night about this. It's really difficult and confusing to follow threads once they are moved into one giant thread like the Henderson suspension one. They may fit into the same general subject area, but they are specific, unique conversations. I was very frustrated last night trying to make sense of it all, especially because in the original smaller threads people had not quoted each other (and they didn't need to do so). Maybe wait to move threads until they disappear from page 1 of the bulletin board? But I still wonder why it's necessary to move threads at all unless they are identical in nature.

    Just my $.02 as well.

    Thanks again for all your hard work, moderators! And thanks for keeping the trolls away!

  8. #8
    I guess one could make the argument that the Henderson thread should have been divided up instead of combined. Any really long thread contains several different conversations; but, once the thread becomes unmanageable to navigate, those conversations die.

    I guess it comes down to philosophy: should moderator actions be geared toward maximizing users' interests in contributing to the board --- i.e., the more people posting, the better. Or, are we after more coherence.

    From your experience on Bioware, it seems like the best boards are those that achieve coherence via the self-editting of the users. I think this community is developed enough to do the same; as throaty suggested, the emotions of the past 48 hours represent a special case.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Northern Virginia
    I think if several conversations are originally started in one large thread, people tend to quote others. So it's more manageable to follow the individual conversations. When a small thread is moved into a larger thread, people were not necessarily quoting each other in the small thread, and their conversation disappears into the large thread. That's what's happened in the Henderson suspension thread, and that's why it's been so frustrating to follow the small threads once they've been moved into the larger one.
    Last edited by Susan; 03-06-2007 at 11:46 AM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by Susan View Post
    I think if several conversations are originally started in one large thread, people tend to quote others. So it's more manageable to follow the individual conversations. When a small thread is moved into a larger thread, people were not necessarily quoting each other in the small thread, and their conversation disappears into the large thread. That's what's happened in the Henderson suspension thread, and that's why it's been so frustrating to follow the small threads once they've been moved into the larger one.
    I actually noted it this morning before this thread ever popped up. Trust me -- it's being discussed and we're working on a good resolution. A lot of us are new to this, so we're learning as we go.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Brooklet, GA
    Quote Originally Posted by Jumbo View Post
    I actually noted it this morning before this thread ever popped up. Trust me -- it's being discussed and we're working on a good resolution. A lot of us are new to this, so we're learning as we go.
    I just wanted to say kudos to you guys for being flexible, open to suggestion, and learning as you go... as opposed to having a "this is the way it is. deal with it beeyotches" mentality. I think this place is going to do pretty well because of that attitude.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by Jumbo View Post
    I actually noted it this morning before this thread ever popped up. Trust me -- it's being discussed and we're working on a good resolution. A lot of us are new to this, so we're learning as we go.
    Thanks so much for all your work on this and for the work of the other moderators. This is one of the many reasons DBR has been my favorite site for so many years (dare I say it-- 10 years?)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham at heart
    Quote Originally Posted by Jumbo View Post
    I actually noted it this morning before this thread ever popped up. Trust me -- it's being discussed and we're working on a good resolution. A lot of us are new to this, so we're learning as we go.

    Who are you?

    Anyway, I second the above. We are aware of the problems with our new roles, the new boards and the current influx of Nosegate reactions. We are working on finguring all this stuff out, and thanks for all of you input and patience.

  14. #14
    I would not recommend merging two threads, ever, unless it's specifically requested. Otherwise it just confuses things.

    1) If a thread is started that is about the exact same topic as another AND
    2) It is caught before it has reached "critical mass" (say 10 or less posts)
    If these conditions are true, simply lock the duplicate thread.

    /long-time moderator

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Richmond, Va

    First post

    in the new forum, wow, what a change. I've been too busy or tired to do much other than open a new store, so I've occassionally lurked, but only a little. Off today, only to find this has changed again. Don't even know what status I have. So many changes here on the DBR and plenty in my world as well. This seems like a good solution, but today's my first day looking around. Thanks to all who have and are helping. I almost felt like I lost my DBR. I hope that's not the case. GO DUKE!!! I hated having to sell my four books of tix this weekend, but I had little choice. Should be a fun weekend of games.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Skinker-DeBaliviere, Saint Louis
    Good to see DT.

    Berg's got a point. Only the fact that this software will merge threads made me aware that you can merge threads. I'm perfectly happy with how TDD locks all the duplicate threads immediately. For one this, it serves to validate that the first one is the "real" thread on the topic, by leaving the slew of locked threads as visual negative examples of what can happen when you don't exercise reading comprehension skills.

    OTOH, locking doesn't, utlimately reduce board clutter, at least not immediately. Volume eventually pushes locked threads down.

    The mods are currently discussing (1) less merging and (2) how long to leave the "ghost" relic of the old thread that leads to the merged thread.

    There's probably some lurking off-topic argument to have about free markets and limited government.

    A movie is not about what it's about; it's about how it's about it.
    ---Roger Ebert


    Some questions cannot be answered
    Who’s gonna bury who
    We need a love like Johnny, Johnny and June
    ---Over the Rhine

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    First, let me reiterate what other have said in thanking the moderators. I appreciate your efforts. Personally, I agree with moving all the Henderson threads together. I actually avoided the board for a while after the game because I knew it would be crazy. The deluge from Hasnblahblah striking GH in the arm with his nose was expected and I'm really glad it was lumped together. It allowed me to read as much of the BS about that as I wanted without having to surf 22 different threads and it allowed me to ignore the subject and read interesting posts on things like our next game vs NCSU without wading thru the repeated threads.

    Long term and with a normal amount of traffic, things will obviously be less heavy handed. Or at least it seems obvious to me since I've been reading message boards on different subjects for years (MR2's, Miata's, WRX's, Softball, football, volleyball, etc). At the same time with this new format, more posters, more threads, etc., I'm all for merging duplicate and nearly duplicate threads. The other day as I read the board I couldn't help but wonder if half the posters around here had ever participated in a good forum before? I was wondering this after seeing so many people start duplicate threads.

    Anyway, great job Mods.

    Elvis

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