I posted this as a response to tekkev's topic, though at over 100 messages in size it is clear that some people didn't see my response. I'm seeing posts in other threads and just got a 'what happened' email. So I'm posting it here. It's repetitive for some of you.
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A message was posted yesterday afternoon entitled 'Where is Spaeth?' A few legit responses followed, including a mention that he was seen online elsewhere.
Post #6 someone commented in response "...I don't care too much about the political views or day-to-day ramblings, but I appreciate the technical discussion Mark puts out."
Post #7 teckkev responds with "???? Technical ????" [Which could be seen as a personal attack, though I said nothing about it.]
Post #9 someone posts "i emailed him a few days ago. he replied that due to the stuff that'd happened, he's all done with klov and will be moving on."
* Post #11 - teckkev responds with "I guess he ran with everyones pcb's too, lol"
* Post #12 - arcrevival responds with "Ya, because not posting here anymore automatically means he just bailed with everyones stuff... Pretty d!ck comment to make. "
* Post #13 - teckkev responds with "Not going to start.. just clicking the report button." [and he did report Post #12]
Other people critique or jab at post #13
The thread continues and moves on...
Meanwhile, back to yesterday, teckkev and I exchange email and pm about moderation and the forums in general in what I would call a mutually respectful and constructive manner.
I woke up today with a screen and a half full of 'post reports' from nearly two dozen people. 10% were about old threads. 90% were about Posts #11 and #12 above.
I read teckkev's last email to me (from last night), and read the posts, and sent him a message which basically continued the previous discussion (about guidelines in general), and then called him on his Post #11 above.
I wrote about the Post #11 above: "When someone asks 'where is mspaeth', and you simply write 'I guess he ran with everyones pcb's too, lol'. It was a 'pretty dick comment to make' [a reference to Post #12], and added no value. We already have plenty of messages about mspaeth and the boards already." [my statement to him was private until he started this thread]
I then explained that I thought it was a personal attack, that numerous other people responded to those posts, and that I was thinking of banning him for the day. I added " Don't take it personally as a big deal."
I finished with "If we don't try to keep some consistency the attacks will just keep creeping back and getting worse again. The boiling effect. If I'm not a hard-ass about the personal insults the forums will just drown in the cesspool they have become." [EOM]
As far as the threads mentioned, one of the moderators moved the whole thread offline.
Since teckkev hadn't actually been banned he had no problem logging on and creating this thread. He also sent me a measurably longer email that was simply a 'richer' version of his post that started this thread.
After posting this thread, I put a one day ban on his account. A new user would have got a permanent ban thread, and this thread would have been deleted. Since he isn't a new user, he is getting a little more latitude*. [*=kids, don't try this at home. Posting McLemore FUCK OFF! threads is inherently dangerous, and may result in personal account injury or account death].
So, in short, I wrote him a msg saying I thought his post wasn't helping and you have seen the public side of his response.
I have a thick skin and I'm happy to move on. It's up to him though whether he wants to come back and be a productive member of the forums.
I have some other thoughts about moderation in general, warnings, guidelines, and bans (temporary and permanent), but I'm heading into a meeting now so it and I should probably post a new thread anyway (I'm still going to move this thread offline).
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A message was posted yesterday afternoon entitled 'Where is Spaeth?' A few legit responses followed, including a mention that he was seen online elsewhere.
Post #6 someone commented in response "...I don't care too much about the political views or day-to-day ramblings, but I appreciate the technical discussion Mark puts out."
Post #7 teckkev responds with "???? Technical ????" [Which could be seen as a personal attack, though I said nothing about it.]
Post #9 someone posts "i emailed him a few days ago. he replied that due to the stuff that'd happened, he's all done with klov and will be moving on."
* Post #11 - teckkev responds with "I guess he ran with everyones pcb's too, lol"
* Post #12 - arcrevival responds with "Ya, because not posting here anymore automatically means he just bailed with everyones stuff... Pretty d!ck comment to make. "
* Post #13 - teckkev responds with "Not going to start.. just clicking the report button." [and he did report Post #12]
Other people critique or jab at post #13
The thread continues and moves on...
Meanwhile, back to yesterday, teckkev and I exchange email and pm about moderation and the forums in general in what I would call a mutually respectful and constructive manner.
I woke up today with a screen and a half full of 'post reports' from nearly two dozen people. 10% were about old threads. 90% were about Posts #11 and #12 above.
I read teckkev's last email to me (from last night), and read the posts, and sent him a message which basically continued the previous discussion (about guidelines in general), and then called him on his Post #11 above.
I wrote about the Post #11 above: "When someone asks 'where is mspaeth', and you simply write 'I guess he ran with everyones pcb's too, lol'. It was a 'pretty dick comment to make' [a reference to Post #12], and added no value. We already have plenty of messages about mspaeth and the boards already." [my statement to him was private until he started this thread]
I then explained that I thought it was a personal attack, that numerous other people responded to those posts, and that I was thinking of banning him for the day. I added " Don't take it personally as a big deal."
I finished with "If we don't try to keep some consistency the attacks will just keep creeping back and getting worse again. The boiling effect. If I'm not a hard-ass about the personal insults the forums will just drown in the cesspool they have become." [EOM]
As far as the threads mentioned, one of the moderators moved the whole thread offline.
Since teckkev hadn't actually been banned he had no problem logging on and creating this thread. He also sent me a measurably longer email that was simply a 'richer' version of his post that started this thread.
After posting this thread, I put a one day ban on his account. A new user would have got a permanent ban thread, and this thread would have been deleted. Since he isn't a new user, he is getting a little more latitude*. [*=kids, don't try this at home. Posting McLemore FUCK OFF! threads is inherently dangerous, and may result in personal account injury or account death].
So, in short, I wrote him a msg saying I thought his post wasn't helping and you have seen the public side of his response.
I have a thick skin and I'm happy to move on. It's up to him though whether he wants to come back and be a productive member of the forums.
I have some other thoughts about moderation in general, warnings, guidelines, and bans (temporary and permanent), but I'm heading into a meeting now so it and I should probably post a new thread anyway (I'm still going to move this thread offline).

