New Forum-wide Rule

[carl418]

Ladies and gents,

For a long time, this forum has prided itself on being one of the friendliest, if not the friendliest, forum around. And for the most part we still are. However, the other mods and I have noticed a certain amount of rudeness and bickering has been going on. Maybe it's because of the influx of newer members and the forum has grown. Or maybe it's just that not everyone gets along with everyone else. Regardless, we've had some complaints lately about this and we've decided to institute a new program to deal with it.

Starting immediately, if someone (let's say person A) is rude or offensive, that person will receive a two week suspension. If someone else (let's say person B) in turn retaliates to person A, then person B will also get a two week suspension.

If person A or B does it again at a later time, that person will get a one month suspension. If it happens a third time, that person will be banned.

I wish we didn't have to have rules like this, I really do. But the fact of the matter is that just one person can, and does, ruin it for others. The vast majority of members will never have to worry about this new rule, and I hope it never has to be enforced. But the rudeness and bickering will no longer be dealt with by just closing a thread.

[DHENRY]

Carl,
It's never easy running anything, especially a public forum.
I respect the decision you and the other mods have made, and I suspect you'll see very few occasions to use the new policy.
Friendly is better.
Don

[gearchecker]

I wish I could carry this simple rule over to another forum I visit. I was just burned for trying to eliminate this type of issue yesterday, and so it'll continue over there.
It almost seems ridiclous that a rule like this needs to be imposed. But sometimes it's necessary to keep everything running smoothly and without the negative bantering.

Thanks,
Gearchecker

[JohnFox]

I've had no problems with the prior "knock it of or I'll lock this thread" method. I have found that using the 'ignore' button solves most of my issues with folks I personally have found to be rude.

Such rules can be difficult in practice, what is rude to one person can be teasing or leaving off a smiley face to another. I've seen plenty of posts where one person misinterprets the words of another, and they manage to work it out.

While I appreciate the intent, as with all of these types of rules, the implementation can be problematic.

[Hunter]

John, we will do our best to treat each issue fairly and without bias.

[s&wtoter]

Nobody has been rude with me yet, but if they do then whatever. Just like an earlier post said, its how the rule is implimented is what makes it good or bad.

[willie]

I tend to agree with John Fox. I do not like the idea of someone else, or for that matter anyone else deciding what may be considered rude behavior or inappropriate remarks. Of all the qualities of this forum which I have admired, the complete lack of Political Correctness was foremost! I think that the new policy will simply encourage folks with strong feelings to find another place to express those ideas.

All in all this is a foolish policy, not well reasoned and insofar as I can see, completely unwarranted! There are those of us who feel that we are a bit too old to be given detention by anyone without a really big club, and you haven't one!


Willie

[Hunter]

I tend to agree with John Fox. I do not like the idea of someone else, or for that matter anyone else deciding what may be considered rude behavior or inappropriate remarks. Of all the qualities of this forum which I have admired, the complete lack of Political Correctness was foremost! I think that the new policy will simply encourage folks with strong feelings to find another place to express those ideas.

Willie

Well Willie whether you like it or not we have been doing it all along only now it is in writing. We have a responsibility to keep this place a nice place to come to. You can still speak your mind, all we ask is that it is kept civil and non personal. As always people have a choice to stay or leave it is up to them.

All in all this is a foolish policy, not well reasoned and insofar as I can see, completely unwarranted! There are those of us who feel that we are a bit too old to be given detention by anyone without a really big club, and you haven't one!


Willie

We see things you don't so please understand it is nessary to have some basic rules.

[Erich]

I've mod'ed a couple of forums, and - well - once you get above a certain level of traffic and a certain number of members, it's likely you'll have some rudeness issues. I've been real impressed with how little of that I see here, which is a credit to the quality of both the membership and the moderation. This sort of moderator punishment is always really traumatic to the moderators (who don't want to be put into such a position and are just trying to keep the place in good shape), the spirit of the place (it always gets quiet when such happens), and the perception of the place by the members (some like it, others are intimidated - I've found that it slows posting).

One forum I'm now on avoids the issue by having a very small group of members. Everyone is "family", so everyone cuts one another slack and folks get along without moderation. Of course, that's not an issue here.

I wonder whether the time-out proposals herein might result in resentment of the moderators and the forum (remembering why this place started to call itself "The Friendlier Forum"), though, and - of greater concern - increased stress for the moderators. There's no question, though, that there has to be order and that the bonhomie of the place has to be maintained. Perhaps a much easier thing to do would be to have the moderators simply disappear any offensive post. That way there's no argument and whining, and there's immediate feedback for the offending poster (which, all of us who've trained a dog know is important) as to what constitutes acceptable behavior.

I don't really anticipate having issues one way or the other (though I'd not be shocked to find myself going beyond what I should - I've done it before, Lord knows), I just mention this in the interests of keeping the place feeling the way it does. I certainly recognize that I have no "say" in running the joint and I don't know everything, I just wanted to throw out a suggestion based on my moderation experience in case it might be useful.

[Gizamo]

Carl,

Having been a Mod on this site, once upon a time...

I am glad it was you that put this up. I have a lot of respect for anyone that takes on a position that just needed doing. Not lots of folks left these days, willing' to lead with their chin....just to say what needed sayin.

You Sir,... I'd be well pleased to shake hands with, someday.

Gizamo.