Shutting down topics

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

All I am saying is that sometimes, it goes too far, just like sometimes posters go too far. Instead of their posts being plainly edited, or deleted most of the time, or efforts made to steer the topic back on track, it is simply closed.

 

I don't know about you, but I haven't got 24 hours a day to baby sit these forums and neither do any of our mods. Sometimes we have to make quick decisions without the benefit of counsel from 10 other people. And, more to the point, why do any of the mods here have to take responsibility for other people's posts and edit them, split them, refine them or whatever, so that they adhere to our terms of service? Why can't the person posting a message take responsibility for their own content? Suggesting that we need to do that so that we don't come off as "heavy handed" is crap and you know it.

 

Since you linked this particular thread: This place has been around since 1996 thanks to doing things Tom's way. That's gotta say something, surely?

 

Zach, a small correction.. It is not "Tom's way", it is the result of lessons learned over the last nearly 16 years by dozens of moderators that have contributed here. It is their collective experience embodied in our ToS'. We have learned, in very painful ways, what works and what doesn't. Our ToS' reflect those lessons.

[kannwar 47]

What other answer are we supposed to give? "Sure go ahead and play here anyway you want to"?

 

 

 

Because some folks don't understand tongue-in-cheek humor and immediately want to see hints and announcements in it. I shut it down before those types started to cast aspersions on my parentage.

 

Fair enough, it was interesting while it lasted =).

[William J.S.S 173]

Tom, you are not paid to do this correct? That means that you volunteered. By no means is anyone saying that you have to be on 24/7, but yes, as you agreed to do the job, you must in fact do the job.

And, more to the point, why do any of the mods here have to take responsibility for other people's posts and edit them, split them, refine them or whatever, so that they adhere to our terms of service? Why can't the person posting a message take responsibility for their own content? Suggesting that we need to do that so that we don't come off as "heavy handed" is crap and you know it.

 

So yes, in fact, that IS your duty. That is what a moderator is. That is what you accepted to take on when you agreed to be a moderator. Nobody is forcing you to be online all the time, but when you are and moderating, stop with the broad sword sometimes, and yes, take the time, or edit a post or two instead of killing the whole thing.

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Tom, you are not paid to do this correct? That means that you volunteered. By no means is anyone saying that you have to be on 24/7, but yes, as you agreed to do the job, you must in fact do the job.

 

So yes, in fact, that IS your duty. That is what a moderator is. That is what you accepted to take on when you agreed to be a moderator. Nobody is forcing you to be online all the time, but when you are and moderating, stop with the broad sword sometimes, and yes, take the time, or edit a post or two instead of killing the whole thing.

 

What a bunch of sanctimonious BS. My job here is whatever I decide it to be. And it is not up to you to preach to me what my job should or should not be. And if you want to press the point please feel free, but you are pushing it my young friend.

[William J.S.S 173]

Obviously via PM now....as I agree, this is not the place now.

[tf51d 284]

This is not PMDG's forums per se. They are AVSIM's. We host the PMDG support forum and have done so for years; since nearly PMDG's beginning. The rules that apply to all other AVSIM forum categories apply to the PMDG forum as well. They have their own, more specific rules, but underlying all are AVSIM's Terms of Service. YOU AGREED and continue to agree to those Terms of Service as long as you are using the system.

 

Hi Tom, while we are talking about Avsim and PMDG rules. I was wondering what AVSIM's position on PMDG's rule of requiring Full name on all posts were. AVSIM never had this requirement in any other forum section, and being a Software Engineer I am very conscious of the security concerns of providing any personal information on the public net. It's one thing to give it to AVSIM in administering the forums membership DB, which I'm sure you keep secure, it's another to require to give it where anyone in the world can read it, who's intentions may be less honorable. Look what happened with the stolen info that guy that hacked AVSIM caused. I believe this policy is also is in conflict with AVSIM's on privacy policy, the one that says "Practice safe Interneting; don't post personal or identifiable information here or anywhere else for that matter." To me there is nothing more personal then your name!

 

Thanks

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

Hi Tom, while we are talking about Avsim and PMDG rules. I was wondering what AVSIM's position on PMDG's rule of requiring Full name on all posts were. AVSIM never had this requirement in any other forum section, and being a Software Engineer I am very conscious of the security concerns of providing any personal information on the public net. It's one thing to give it to AVSIM in administering the forums membership DB, which I'm sure you keep secure, it's another to require to give it where anyone in the world can read it, who's intentions may be less honorable. Look what happened with the stolen info that guy that hacked AVSIM caused. I believe this policy is also is in conflict with AVSIM's on privacy policy, the one that says "Practice safe Interneting; don't post personal or identifiable information here or anywhere else for that matter."

 

Thanks

 

The guy that hacked AVSIM stole our forum email database, among other things. By itself, all he could use that for was spam, which he stupidly did. PMDG, as far as we are concerned, is free to require anything they want of their forum attendees, as long as it is at a minimum, compliant with our terms of use. As for personally identifiable information, we are referring to the public posting of SSN's, Addresses, etc. Real names are not a risk of and by themselves. If you are silly enough to put your real name and email address in a forum posting, that is a risk, and that is the type of thing we are warning against.

[momtchil 32]

Tom, you are not paid to do this correct? That means that you volunteered. By no means is anyone saying that you have to be on 24/7, but yes, as you agreed to do the job, you must in fact do the job.

 

So yes, in fact, that IS your duty. That is what a moderator is. That is what you accepted to take on when you agreed to be a moderator. Nobody is forcing you to be online all the time, but when you are and moderating, stop with the broad sword sometimes, and yes, take the time, or edit a post or two instead of killing the whole thing.

I have seen many people (add-on creators, admins, IT technicians etc....), who volunteered here and all over FS too, simply quit because of self-centred attitudes like that (and much worse) from some.

 

Just sore that recently in another thread in fact. Its always sad to see...

 

We all have to take responsibility for what we write and say, it is unreasonable to think you can go around and say anything without any consideration and expect a mod to keep fixing things for you.

[William J.S.S 173]

Thank you for your comment/opinion momtchil

 

Even if I don't agree with being called Self-centered, or understand the comment, I understand where moderators have issues with people posting what they want, and the feeling that they should HAVE to edit them all. In actuality my posts never where about that, or even disagreeing with that, they were more in line that I thought that it hurt the whole, as opposed to the few how will dirty up a thread.

 

You are free to look through my posts made, and I have never once been moderated, as I stick within the rules, and have never given grief to anyone, nor think that I can do as I please and have moderators fix things from me.

 

I hope I cleared things up a little with that post. Typing on my Iphone sucks when it is more than a line or two. :rolleyes:

[kannwar 47]

I think most mods here are pretty fair overall. I've noticed these forums can get pretty explosive sometimes and from their point of view it is necessary to be heavy handed when appropriate to keep things civil. As amusing as the odd stouche can be, the last thing we want is to scare off potential new members - our hobby is small enough as it is. That isn't to say the mods don't make mistakes but ultimately they are human and as such are susceptible to the same lapses of judgement that we all are. In the end they have to set a standard and uphold it as much as possible.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

..... but it still stands that this is the most heavy handed community when it comes to moderation around town.

 

If you want "heavy handed" try the ORBX forum. With all due respect to the fellows at ORBX, they will close, lock, delete topics at a moments notice with no reason posted and ban people for very slight infractions. Even Spirit Flyer who is as nice as can be was banned from their forum.

 

I think Tom and the crew here do a very good job at not being heavy handed, but will close down thread that have no use but to trash developers or other members. I think this is one of the fairest of all FS forums.

 

Besides, who wants to be part of a forum like FlyTampa's that is under moderated where people spend a great deal of time slagging off new membes and all kinds of other inappropriate actions go on all the timw with no actions from the mods. The mods here let people get away with a lot, but not go over board.

[Great Ozzie 101]

So yes, in fact, that IS your duty. That is what a moderator is. That is what you accepted to take on when you agreed to be a moderator. Nobody is forcing you to be online all the time, but when you are and moderating, stop with the broad sword sometimes, and yes, take the time, or edit a post or two instead of killing the whole thing.

 

Well as Tom said... it is up to him how he wants to run AVSIM.

 

You cannot expect how a certain moderation policy works at a certain forum (that you appreciate or admire) to be applicable here.

 

If we cannot appreciate or agree with how mod policy is carried out... we either deal with it or it is time to move on. For a variety of reasons, you will not have any impact on mod policy by discussing it in a thread like this.

 

Gotta say... you have chutzpah. :-)

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

I support Tom 100%....His house, his rules (in a way). Also consider that Tom has to operate within the laws as well. The TOS are a necessary part of life in operating a server like AVSIM.

 

Cheers

[Great Ozzie 101]

Also consider that Tom has to operate within the laws as well. The TOS are a necessary part of life in operating a server like AVSIM.

 

I can't imagine any (at least e.g. U.S. based) forum not operating under their country's "laws" or having some sort of tos. In other words... irrelevant to the topic at hand.

[Guest meshman]

The best moderator for a forum is the person with the mouse in their hand, who's getting ready to hit the Post button.

 

Many, many times I've wanted to post something. Sometimes have written it all out. Then I'll pause before hitting the Post button... More often than not, I end up clicking the back button on the mouse. Wouldn't want to upset any future customers... :lol:

 

But I also consider whether my post will add to the community and the conversation at hand or simply serve to satisfy something inside of me. I always try to leave my ego at the door and can say that most of the time I'm successful.