Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 2 2009, 10:45 AM
Hi Barry,
This isn't a suggestion of names persay but some things you might want to think about.
Multiple moderators that you know to be fair people. Why should you have a greater selection of people? Well, a couple of reasons. Face it, we all like to travel so during peak times, like gatherings, there may be a lack of coverage.
Also you might want to consider the proposed moderator carefully. Things such as conflict of interest (moderating another forum for example) as that can spread a volunteer too thin if there ends up being a lot to do. We had issues with that over at OAC.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and hopefully I don't anger too many here... but it shouldn't be a reader decision. You should pick people that you trust and that you know can handle the technical end of things. Bottom line. Picking a moderation team isn't about keeping the masses happy but more about who is going to get the job done at the end of the day and keep on top of things.
Just my two cents from a been-there-done-that point of reference.
Thank you Laurie. The voice of experience is always valued.
Like I wrote in my original posting .. "Obviously, any acceptance will depend on both their and my agreement."
Also, I'd want to know who I was dealing with .. like full name, phone #, etc (for my own private knowledge). It would be nice to be able to confer with them on a local line (416, etc.). Chatting with someone long distance can sure add up the fees LOL!
If anyone reading has a suggestion for moderator, but doesn't want to post it, please just drop an email.
"As for moderators, I think this is also a great idea and long overdue. Even if only to lesson your burden Barry.
If you are looking for mod candidates, I don't think you should have any problem finding many people here who would be perfect for the job. But may I suggest:
-Mark
-Sean of Ajax
-Racoon
-and Jeffrey M
...all very well versed in all things Algonquin and would bring a fair, balanced approach to resolving any issues IMO"
I second his recommendation of Marcus, Sean of Ajax, Rac n, and Jeffry M., most of whom I suspect fit your preference that they be in your area code for relatively low cost phone consultations. You might also want to consider Lauri Ann and Barbara, who can add some helpful gender perspective (and perhaps moderate the testosterone levels when the guys start throwing off their gloves). Both seem to have knowledgeable experience with other sites as well. Finally, I might also suggest Stainless, whose quiet good humor fits the profile of someone whose career required both patience and resolution in dealing with non-compliant personalities.
Mark S.
http://www.ABRweb.ca .. Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists - Caring for Algonquin's Backcountry
99.239.44.223
Re: Bo?
June 3 2009, 7:23 PM
AA rarely requires constant moderator attention. It speaks well of the members who post here.
The software also dictates the actions available to the moderator.
In a recent kerfuffle, I could have shut the thread down pretty quickly, instead of asking the folks to back off. And I would have...it's often pretty easy to see when a thread is going to go bad.
Barbara
70.49.181.182
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 3 2009, 7:33 PM
"
it's often pretty easy to see when a thread is going to go bad.
"
Yeah, when I start posting!
Definitely to the credit of the members & Barry himself. When boards grow past a certain size moderation becomes inevitable.
I'll put my vote in for:
- Markus
- JeffreyM
- Barbara's always a good choice, heck she put the first smackdown on me here!
24.31.131.125
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 3 2009, 8:33 PM
Barbara?
Dont you EVER want the poor woman to be able to go on a canoe trip?
Trainman
216.46.133.14
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 3 2009, 8:48 PM
My votes are for:
Jeffrey M
Markus
Barbara Formerly Foxco, now ???? :P
Trainman
Take everything as it comes; the wave passes, deal with the next one. -Tom Thomson
99.246.62.69
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 3 2009, 9:41 PM
Hey Barry,
Just a few suggestions in requirements (mandatory or rated) you may wish to consider in selecting moderator(s):
1) must/should be someone you've met and have existing friendship with
2) must/should be an existing (long standing?) ABR member
3) must have proven track record of patience and open mindedness in forums
4) must be unbiased and not strongly opinionated (that leaves me out, lol)
5) should be someone who initially doesn't seek moderator responsibility
6) CAN'T be a leaf fan (contradicts point 4)
7) 10 extra points for being a SENS fan (lol)
I do like Laurie's comments, and it's unfortunate it's come to this + adds another level of long-term management to your already busy schedule, sigh..
SM
69.17.189.31
Very slight change in forum format
June 4 2009, 11:53 AM
In preparation for moderators being selected, I've changed the forum format in one slight regard.
In stead of "fully threaded" it is now "linear". This will make two visual changes ...
1)Each posting made in response to a thread's original, won't have its own "Respond to this message" link. Instead, you'll have to go right to the bottom of the thread to find the "Respond to this message" link.
2)All postings will appear flush to the left margin-line. We shouldn't have any more "creeping-to-the-right" of consecutive responses' beginnings.
"Linear" format also allows moderator(s) to delete individual responses to the original posting. The way it was before, moderator(s) couldn't delete individual postings because all subsequent responses to it were automatically flushed along with it. This change to "linear" will allow for more precise "deleting", rather than what would be viewed as an awkward "gone-from-this-point-on" approach.
I have a couple of tentative moderators lined up. I'll be finalizing my selection shortly.
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 4 2009, 3:59 PM
A
w
w
w
w
!
!
!
I'll
miss
the
creeping
threads.
.
.
.
N
O
T!!!
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 4 2009, 7:21 PM
i think the tweakings are very good Barry.
for the reasons you have stated (about more efficient monitoring)
but also for the look and feel: in my opin it was a bit of an eye sore to read down unevenly placed responses. now it'll be grid, which is pretty slick lol.
the only downfall i see is that it will be impossible to respond to a post in the thread directly, where your response falls under the post to which your response was made. some effort is now required to write the person's name and use of quotes, but it's all good-- keeps things clear. on the other hand, i think many of us like to 'skim' toward newly added posts, and not have to seek them out via memory or date. this is now fixed, as we can scroll down to the bottom straight up, and see what new things have surfaced.
the only other difference that i imagine is how the Message Title system works. say that i wanted to respond to person 12 of 30 posts, and so, to maintain their message Title. i would have to re-type their message title on my own post, unless post 30 was carried from 12 already. anyway it's no big deal.. i'm just thinking about what kinds of things are now different.
i like the new system, especially for, as you say, the benefit of being able to make more precise corrections along inappropriate threads.
(not that the benefit will be mine. though, folks, feel free to vote me in ehh? dont be shy)
i was a bit surprized not to see my name on the list
i have taken a few courses in mediation
im also a flatwater instructor.. and have my safe food handlers,
cheers,
Alex
(formally algoalex)
Rory
66.184.126.9
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 4 2009, 11:56 PM
Alex, I apologize for not speaking up sooner, which would have unburdened you from volunteering yourself. I have always found your observations thoughtful, carefully crafted, and sensible. I have not seen a bad suggestion for moderator yet, and would also like to add Jeff P. I know that teachers tend to have a lot of patience, and the arguments on these forums are not nearly as heated as some of the things heard in a school hallway. I wish I knew the regular posters beyond the online world. I'll have to do something to remedy that...
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 1:44 AM
Hi Rory,
that was very nice of you and i completely didn't expect it. to be honest i was not sincere with my saying that i was surprized not to have been listed. wanted to give folks a laugh at my 'relevent experience' of handling food and instructing flatwater canoeing lol (which i meant as a joke--though my jokes are often too disguised to be clearly jokes lol). not to mention that i know that my volunteering of myself would in itself make my admittance unlikely lol. i do feel that i would do well as a moderator though, but is not something i would seek out, because i do believe in numbers (that along multiple opinions a safe and smooth effect glows out-- which process seems to be undergoing here). i think quite a large number of regulars here would be very excellent at moderating, many of whom i think would, as a result of being chosen, develope a kind of higher ethic toward being unbiased and patient and even sensitive toward others. Barry, of course, is very sighted and cautious himself. I'm only positive that we will get ourselves a superb crew to help maintain a fun and safe atmosphere here at AA, as it was, and as it always returns to be. I am a bit looking forward to seeing who snags it, partly for that, but also so i can mail them something camping related to get in their good books. lol. just kidding. I think this is a very bright move, and am excited for that, alone. thanks very much again for your kind words Rory-- it's people like you that make places like this warm, on top of being fun and informative. i'd bet that a lot of people return here for more than a method to keep cheese.
though cheese is so worth keeping!
even for the fun of keeping it.
biting through it on day 12 is like magic in your teeth.
you swallow accomplishment.
and it tastes so good that when you write about it like this you gotta get up and search your fridge.
Alex
(formally algoalex)
69.17.189.31
First co-moderator is chosen ...
June 5 2009, 8:11 AM
Hi everyone.
Jeffrey McMurtrie (of map fame) is our first co-moderator. I trust Jeff to help keep the Algonquin Adventures forum a "warm and fuzzy" online community of Algonquinites.
I'm anticipating that we'll eventually having a team of four or five co-moderators (myself included). We won't be held to any kind of schedule, just there when we can be.
Suggestions and comments regarding the forum are always welcome.
When replying to a post is it possible for the software to automatically populate the Message Title field with the message title you're replying to? I find it annoying to have to type it in even though I don't want to change it. If it was automatically populated you'd only have to type it in if you wanted to change the title.
Just a thought!
Michael
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 10:29 AM
michael im pretty sure that message titles DO automatically load into your new post (when no new title is typed by you), and that the message title that loads is always a copy of the last message title that exists in the entire thread. you are responding to the last post by mechanic, even if you are responding so some earlier post by desire. the link to "respond to post" is attached to the last post of the thread--and no where else; therefore, if you click to respond, the software understands that you are responding to the last post, and so carries that post's message title into your post. this was the problem that i mentioned in my above post.
tho a slight one
you will have to re-write the message title if an earlier one is what you want (unless that earlier one has continued on through added posts, so much that it still exists as the title in the last post).
Alex
(formally algoalex)
69.17.189.31
Where the "message title" comes from ..
June 5 2009, 11:24 AM
Hi Alex
Previously, when the forum was "fully threaded", if one chose to respond to the latest posting in a "thread", the forum would pick-up the title from that posting, unless you typed-in a new message title.
With this new "linear" arrangement, the forum picks-up the title from the very first posting that established the thread in the first place, unless you type in a new message title .. like I've done here by typing in Where the "message title" comes from ... into the "Message Title" input field.
Gee, am I getting everyone confused? Too many commas and dot-dots!
Unfortunately, this forum package doesn't have that feature.
However, opening the "respond" option into a new "tab" (if you have a newer web-browser) will allow you to dash back to the original post and use an old-fashioned "highlight-copy-paste" .. like I've done here, starting and finishing it with a "run" of dashes ...
--------------------------
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 12:41 PM
Being able to quote the text from the post you are replying to would be great way to know who the post is replying to.
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 3:56 PM
Hi Alex,
You are absolutely right, it does populate the last message title you are replying to. I just tested it and now I feel like a real doofus. Thanks for the feedback.
Michael
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 7:13 PM
sorry Michael, i think i may have confused you in the process of confusing myself.
how this works is this:
whenever you type a response, your message title will turn out to be what
the message title was for the first post of that thread, as Barry said.
that message title will not 'show itself' in your little message title box
where you type your response, but will be your message title once you
have sent your response. this assumes that you leave blank you message
title box. if you dont leave it blank, your message title becomes whatever
you have put in.
so consider this: i am the last poster of a thread (say poster 28), and i
want to respond to poster 27. if i leave my message title blank, i may see
that my title becomes the same title that post 27 was, but this is not
because of post 27's title: it is because post 27 looked to post 1 for a
message title, which is where i have looked too. all posts look to the same
place for their own message titles, and that place is post 1.
so if you (poster 30) wanted to respond to SlimyDude who was poster 13, and
who designed his own message title, you would need to remember his title and
insert it into the message title box in your response place, if you wanted to
have the same title as him. otherwise, your title would become the same as
the title of post 1 (assuming you leave it blank).
sorry for the confusion,
Alex
(formally algoalex)
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
on Quoting
June 5 2009, 7:37 PM
Hi Barry,
i don't think you even have to make a new tab, to quote someone. i think people usually begin to respond after already knowing who they are going to respond to.
so, you could, before clicking to respond, copy the person's text that you want to respond to. then click respond, and paste the copied text into your type-box.
for cases of where you need to refer back to the original thread, yes, you could work a tab.
Alex
(formally algoalex)
99.249.50.209
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 7:46 PM
If only running the country was this easy... perhaps we can be a model for future democracies or benevolent dictatorships?
Alex Thompson
99.253.106.106
Re: Receiving suggestions for forum moderators ...
June 5 2009, 8:06 PM
lol..!
ya.... it's actually pretty simple all this. just when you explain it out you end up noticing how many parts there are to it (many of which would be skipped across by intuition).
Alex
(formally algoalex)
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