Mods

[Crossy]

Someone said the mods get alot of stick. I thought we were forbidden from commenting on them. If we weren't I would ask questions like why are threads that seek comment on a contribution made slightly off topic on another thread. Cos that seems overzealous to me.

But seeing as I thought we were not aloud to discuss Mods and modding, I had not asked. Even though it seemed like a reasonable question...

This thread has a specific subject, Mods and why you became one, we are allowing discussion of only this subject.

You are NOT permitted to discuss moderation itself, either in general or specific examples, on the open forum ('tis in da rulez as I'm sure you are fully aware) if you have comments on moderation please PM the mod in question or email admin[at]thaivisa.com .

[Mario2008]

I was Mod for a Bike magazine website. I was compensated for my contribution. Then the mag got bought out by Germans who closed down the forums. But lets not blame them cos they were german. They could have been twunts of any colour or creed.

Someone said the mods get alot of stick. I thought we were forbidden from commenting on them. If we weren't I would ask questions like why are threads that seek comment on a contribution made slightly off topic on another thread. Cos that seems overzealous to me.

But seeing as I thought we were not aloud to discuss Mods and modding, I had not asked. Even though it seemed like a reasonable question...

Signed: Confused and much less enthusiastic about a certain forum, while being glad there are others.

We don't allow it on the forum. But if you disagree with a decision or just don't understand it you can always ask the moderator in question or contact support. That is the way in which we prefer to deal with complaints and sometimes we are right and sometimes we are (partly) wrong.

We do sometimes adjust our decisions because a member contacts us.

[NADTATIDA1]

A good moderator on any forum should not be spending to much time moderating,very tiresome and most times unrewarding!

Everything in moderation,including moderation.

[Desertexile]

I'll make no real bones about it. I think the forum owners have done some amazing kind of job in getting volunteers involved in a for profit business. OK, so the Princes Trust, Oxfam etc attract loads of volunteers with no much going on to help them out but I rarely see a for profit business achieve the same. From a business point of view, practical and academic, its some feat.

So, I am more interested in how Mods feel about that question.

Dont be shy.

You likely aren't rich, this isn't a charity - yet you still volunteer. What evokes that level of organisational commitment?

In a general sense, is it your psychological attachment to the forum. Can it be contrasted with other forum-related attitudes, such as Mod satisfaction?

As a Mod are you affectively committed to the forum and strongly identify with the goals (as you perceive them) of the forum and desires to remain a part of it; or is the Mod's continued commitment to the forum because he/she perceives the high costs of losing Mod membership?

I am interested from a practical and theoretical perspective. How can I get skilled people to work for free in a for profit business. From a Management perspective, its nothing short of amazing.

I am assuming that the forum makes money.

[Lite Beer]

They gave me a whip

I signed up because sbk has a whip.

[Desertexile]

YOu can do better than that.......

[Slaps]

They gave me a whip

I signed up because sbk has a whip.

I joined because she had a whip But most of all the ankle straps

[Lite Beer]

They gave me a whip

I signed up because sbk has a whip.

I joined because she had a whip But most of all the ankle straps

A deadly combination.

[MiG16]

How can I get skilled people to work for free in a for profit business. From a Management perspective, its nothing short of amazing.

I am assuming that the forum makes money.

alright, since you seem to have a genuine interest from an organisational and management viewpoint, Ill give another attempt as to why (or at least what I add might add a dimension to your equation)

you must keep in mind that what MODs do is not a full time job (albeit there will be days when crazy events take place and we sorta know we have to put in more time), but it does not take priority over what goes on in our real lives.

and if it gets to be too much, we each take a break

so in that regard, there is a lot more flexibility than in a real job. dont get me wrong, the level of commitment is tremendous. and Im not saying this cos Im a MOD. I have thought about the time some of the MODs give and Im amazed too

in many ways I think George adopts the concepts that you will hear lots about in typical management/leadership styles - participative, respect for the team, allow input and feedback, autonomy, blah blah (all the right buzzword one can think of in management books)

ofcourse in real life, with a real job it wouldnt all quite work as smoothly, because people will take their jobs much more personal. for instance, with work if I put in at least 8 hours a day (thats one third of my life) - if something goes wrong then I would get VERY upset. However, with the forum 'job' if I were to not agree with management policy, the cost of walking away is much lower. and hence I have less personal stake than I would in my real job.

hope this helps?

[Slaps]

They gave me a whip

I signed up because sbk has a whip.

I joined because she had a whip But most of all the ankle straps

A deadly combination.

Say that again, Worse than some of Rimmers posts

ooh Sorry

[Jingthing]

Someone said it is a thankless job. Let's prove them wrong. Thank you mods! (Better you than me.) I always thought it was kind of like serving on a condo board.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Jingthing

[DeathbyDurian]

and hence I have less personal stake than I would in my real job.

This opens another interesting side to this discussion, what do the mods do for 'real' jobs? (and how do I land one of these jobs which gives me gobs of free time?)

[MiG16]

durian

perhaps I speak mostly for myself

I dont have much of a personal life

and as said....I need the attention

[Slaps]

2

Easy being a Mod

Before you become a Mod are you a Sheriff?..

[soundman]

I think at least some of the mods do it as compensation for an unhappy childhood.

This one is the best answer.

I also enjoy torturing small animals.

[MiG16]

^ Im so glad Im not small

[ladyboy69]

is it respect, from others on this forum or are they, worried of being banned?

notice mod have the last word. and are hardly challenged when they reply to a post.

i there a rule book you follow?

[MiG16]

i there a rule book you follow?

we use the forum rules as framework and guide to what we do

when in doubt or grey area, we discuss amongst MODs and ADMINs

by the way, I disagree that MODs are not challenged when we make posts

most of the time its quite clear if a MOD is replying as a MOderator, or whether simply stating an opinion/view from personal perspective ie. simply being a member.

I get challenged for my football views all the time and am given absolutely no mercy I have to add! so no, I dont think anyone is intimidated by the red status when a MOD is posting as a member

[ladyboy69]

each mod as there own personalty, my favorite mod by far is BOO, down to earth

[saintofsilence]

I would like to be a mod and every time a redshirt supporter like some people on here that are not very Level Headed I could ban them for life , I guess we could lose a couple of hundred.

[tgw]

MiG16:

with work if I put in at least 8 hours a day (thats one third of my life)

funny you see it that way.

8 hours in a day are for me 80% of my usable time.

roughly:

24

- 8 hours of sleep

- 2 hours of hygiene tasks

- 2 hours of eating

- 2 hours of transport

= 10 remaining hours for work & leisure...

I am the owner and admin/mod of several forums and I can say the job is difficult.

Sometimes I have to be a bit heavyhanded because doing the job properly would cost me too much time.

Also, explaining a decision is time-consuming and very often pointless because a lot of people are just too thick.

I explain/discuss decisions only to members who are polite and able to properly formulate a thought.

I had other people as mods for some time, but they were abusing their powers in a disloyal way, and when I found out I banned them both.

I believe most people who become MODs don't ask for it, but they rather get asked to join the team.

An intellectually honest and loyal MOD who demands no money or other privileges to do the job is precious.

Edited April 29, 2010 by tgw

[MB1]

is it respect, from others on this forum or are they, worried of being banned?

notice mod have the last word. and are hardly challenged when they reply to a post.

i there a rule book you follow?

Why respect Ladyboy, where I come from you don't demand respect you earn it, as to a mod being challenged in a thread/post IMO no mod should ever use MOD power as an intimidation to win a debate or ban some one because they disagree during a debate or they dislike what a poster has posted,as long as it's abiding by the rules of the forum it should be okay, as to a mod having the "last word" I notice that quite often, "CLOSED" so yeah they do have the last word occasionally.

Problem with most forums is that some people join and for some reason seem to think they have the right to free speech and say what they want on the forums, that's why it's always best to have an understanding of the rules before you post things that get you banned.

One forum I was on the mods gave a 3 day ban and sent a PM explaining why to any newbie that broke the rules when posting to give them time to read the rules before posting again, after that if they broke them again it was 7 days or more..

If there were no mods on a forum it would soon decend into chaos, so love em or loathe em forums need em, especially on TV at the moment with all the political threads..

[ladyboy69]

most of the peiole on this forum can be very rude at times, towards each over, but would not do so too a member off the mod team. why?

but, yes i agree we do need them.

[bina]

As a Mod are you affectively committed to the forum and strongly identify with the goals (as you perceive them) of the forum and desires to remain a part of it; or is the Mod's continued commitment to the forum because he/she perceives the high costs of losing Mod membership?

I am interested from a practical and theoretical perspective. How can I get skilled people to work for free in a for profit business. my answer: socialism: as most of u know, i am a kibbutznik of the old variety (we still dont get salaries here, still have common dining room, kibbutz covers certain costs of daily living); i have to work 48 hours weekly plus one saturday a month : im a cook, and im a hotel manager on my saturday stint. we also volunteer for different duties for general kibbutz parties/funerals/holidays-- so yes, it is possible that poeple do stuff without getting paid (well, we get a lot of our material needs taken care of by the kibbutz, but still, its mostly just really voluntary work for the community we lie in. w/o it, we wouldnt have musical /cultural events or holidays together (300 memebers plus 20+ more residents)... and the kibbutz makes money From a Management perspective, its nothing short of amazing. thats what we think every year also, amen amen....) amazing!!!

I am assuming that the forum makes money.

as a mod, i also dont make money but i have fun and get satisfaction with helping out people . if i didnt agree with the forum rules, i would not stick around. its something different from peeling carrots and making quiches, and less stressful than dealing with hotel problems on a saturday ntie. its a sort of hobby, its not physcally tiring, its free, and keeps me in touch with 'the real world ' as opposed to kibbutz inner politics etc.

bina

israel

[tgw]

ladyboy69:

most of the peiole on this forum can be very rude at times, towards each over, but would not do so too a member off the mod team. why?

but, yes i agree we do need them.

Isn't it obvious why?

The Admins and the Mods run this place and deserve respect on the public forum.

You can complain privately to them without showing respect if you so wish.

To be rude to them in a public area is not just a lack of respect, it is an insult that calls for a sanction.

People who are rude with me on my forums get banned for life.

And I got all the necessary tools to detect alternate usernames, connections by proxy or anonymizing services...

Edited April 29, 2010 by tgw

[philw]

I wonder why I have never been asked?

I daren't answer...........

phil

( please try and retain a sense of humour.........)

[artie]

I am interested from a practical and theoretical perspective. How can I get skilled people to work for free in a for profit business.

I am assuming that the forum makes money.

I would presume it's quite a bit of money as that is what various websites that can help one determine the worth and income generated by a website would indicate.

I am also particularly intrigued by the aspect of having employees that do work for free in a for-profit business and am interested in hearing more about how the employees feel about that, hopefully a bit more than the general fluff replies (with mig and bina excepted).

[tgw]

I am interested from a practical and theoretical perspective. How can I get skilled people to work for free in a for profit business.

I am assuming that the forum makes money.

I would presume it's quite a bit of money as that is what various websites that can help one determine the worth and income generated by a website would indicate.

I am also particularly intrigued by the aspect of having employees that do work for free in a for-profit business and am interested in hearing more about how the employees feel about that, hopefully a bit more than the general fluff replies (with mig and bina excepted).

I think discussing how much money the forum and related sites make is unhealthy as long as you are satisfied with their services and the price you pay (nothing!)

[ladyboy69]

ladyboy69:

most of the peiole on this forum can be very rude at times, towards each over, but would not do so too a member off the mod team. why?

but, yes i agree we do need them.

Isn't it obvious why?

The Admins and the Mods run this place and deserve respect on the public forum.

You can complain privately to them without showing respect if you so wish.

To be rude to them in a public area is not just a lack of respect, it is an insult that calls for a sanction.

People who are rude with me on my forums get banned for life.

And I got all the necessary tools to detect alternate usernames, connections by proxy or anonymizing services...

are you looking for a job on thaivisa forum.

the people are what makes a fourm, are you looking for long term members or browsers.

its all about keeping your members happy, depending on hits.

[Tywais]

most of the peiole on this forum can be very rude at times, towards each over, but would not do so too a member off the mod team. why?

If you could see some of the PMs we get, rude would be good.

My career is in computers, networking, programming, physics and engineering (electronics) all rolled into one and when I joined I was heavily supporting the computer forum trying to help members out with their problems. My vocation and avocation are the same, I enjoy my work immensely and as such passing on my knowledge to others if I can is enjoyable to me.

After the surprise invitation to join the mod team and my increasing work commitments, my time to support individual forums has reduced, however the number of knowledgeable members has grown helping support each sub-forum. As has been mentioned, we all have individual personalities, thresholds, experience and interpretation of things and are fallible. But we work with checks and balances behind the scene to try and minimize or remedy issues.