[SOLVED] WebForumz Absurdities

So almost every regular contributor is either a moderator, an advisor, on the admin team, on the newsletter team or has been one of these in the past. There are a million little rules which will get you banned very easily, even if you are a trusted and valued member who would never offend anyone.

I think the folk at webforumz seriously need to take a look at themselves, giving everyone under the sun and 'advisor' tag id not even nearly necessary (don't people just help out cos they like helping people? IS this 'reward' really necessary?). Rules, rules, rules; I am never surprised at how easily posts will get deleted or edited nor do am I shocked anymore at the ease with which the admin team will ban members.

I may have counted slightly wrongly but it looks as though we have 18 members of staff here, some mentors other advisors etc but 18? Please, that is ridiculous.

Have we got some megalomaniacs in our midst?

This will probably get deleted, and I will probably get some kind of ban for disrespecting the powers that be, but hey ho!

Pete.

They'd be breaking the law if they banned you as you've paid $40 for the supermember status :P they'd have to repay you

I was rather surprised when I was offered mentor-hood.

It makes perfect sense from a psychological perspective. Handing out badges acts both as a pat on the back and as a subtle method of obligating contributors to maintain or extend their efforts. You'd be amazed how hard people will work to maintain the slightest sign of prestige.

I have no intention of allowing the badge to influence my behaviour, but to fulfil such intentions requires a certain hard-headedness and willingness to displease those who have previously complimented you (and who have the power to withdraw your token of prestige).

However, I don't see the harm in an extensive group of "staff". If nothing else, mentor-hood and advisor-hood (and the rest of the hierarchy) allow users unfamiliar to the forums to recognise members who are more likely (than average) to give good advice.

I am confused about whether I have "powers". I thought mentors didn't, but it appears I could add infractions. If so, I have no desire to use such power.

As for the bans, it does seem rather nazi-like to me; but since the bans are short-term it could function as a slap on the wrist. Or it might upset members, who then leave.

Ultimately, I don't really care. But I share some of your cynicism, and thought you deserved some support for speaking up.

i have had some posts changed and don't even know what there about :S

but principly if it helps people it works, when i first came here in look for help someone replied by obligation to their duty, if not for the warm fuzzy feeling.

It helped me and it helps other people.

aslong as you contribute back it goes on.

And when im any good at anything apart from photoshop i hope to help out and if im rewarded great!

if this is about alexgeek, he does start alot of threads and posts when he doesn't actually know the answer :/

lol!

I do agree some things seem excessive...and some of the thread closures and that seem a bit pointless and harsh...sometimes. Especially in the cafe, I think things in there really should lighten up a bit...

But that said, the staff work hard to keep spam out of the forum, and to keep the forum easy to navigate and find what your looking for, and to keep everything running smoothly.

Some forums you find through a google search every thread is completely runied by everybody going off topic.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the new changes...whether things tighten up more or loosen up...

Nobody can be perfect, and although I agree with soem points you make, Pete, I do think the staff do a great job of keeping the forum running smoothly.

Good to see someone speaking their mind for a change though. You have my respect! And I'm sure you wouldn't get a punishment for this...your speaking your mind and being honest...nothing wrong with that...

I think hes just a young mind hell bent on racking up as bigger post count as possible!

A good point, people come here and most like what they get.

I am the same, when I first signed up I loved it, I loved helping and I loved the help I was receiving. Over a period of time its come through some negatives of the forums and it seems to have got even more 'petty' with whats acceptable and whats not recently. That said I won't be leaving anytime soon - although there is negatives, there is also a lot that makes me want to hang about!

I think this thread is excellent feedback, rather than a 'slagging off' of the forums and it will be interesting to see the staff/admin reaction.

Mike

I aint saying anything as I get snapped at when I voice my opinion

and I think thats wrong that your made to feel that way Daniel.

Thats what I mean, will be interesting to see how admin take this constructive criticism.

I think its wrong that they wouldn't want us to tell them our honest opinions.

I have no problem with this thread, and I will address everyone's points shortly. But please go ahead and vent your anger, and bring out other points!

Great to see that Jacob!

Hey Pete! How's it going?

I'm not too sure where to start with all this so ... I'll just start with this.

On Staff, we have 10 members (split between Administrators, Team Directors, Team Leaders and Advisors) + 5 Mentors (which have no moderator rights) So I'm not too sure where you got your 18 there

As for the rules ... we don't have a million little rules. The rules are quite simple and they are basically the same rules you will see on any other Web development and Design forum.

As for the titles, they are just there to identify the members that go above and beyond and help out a great deal with answering the many threads on Webforumz. I remember you being very happy when you were given your Mod and Super Mod title What's so different now?


Wow ... it's funny how we ban 2 people in 24 hours ... something we rarely do mind you ... and apparently it's like we ban people left and right Simon and Alex got ban (only for 3 days so don't loose your shorts ... they'll be back) for breaking the rules.

And like MikeHopley said, it's more as a slap on the wrist. When warning after warning doesn't work ... you have to do something for certain people to understand and unfortunately, the 3-day ban had to be used. It's not something we like to do, contrary to what certain people here think. But sometimes, it needs to be done.

It wasn't the (apparently short-term) bans of alexgeek and simonb that made me post but these things are certainly factors/ I believe alexgeek to be young and enthusiastic about the subject but he is young so he should not be expected to be mature at all times. If you will allow younger members then this will always be a problem. I am not interested in the reasons for the bans as they have little to do with me. It is the general reactions of the staff to certain behaviour that really irks me. My time on the staff offered me an insight and I won't comment on anything that went on 'behind closed doors' as it were but my view is definitely that WF staff is a little harsh in many cases. The staff do a great job and run a tight ship but I really think there is room for some relaxation.

Pete.

Thats hit the nail on the head...

KArinne, I got my numbers from the VIP page and as I said, I may have counted incorrectly. I just think the sheer number of 'titled' members is mad. Almost every regualr member has a title of some sort (not including the SuperMember status here). I don't see why, that's all.

It's the strict adherance to the rules that irritates me. Surely there are other options other than to ban as it always seems like a serious punishment to me. The conotations of being 'banned' are not akin to those associated with being 'slapped on the wrist'. A slap on the wrist is a simple but effective reminder that someone os stepping out of line, do it publicly if you must, but a ban is a complete removal of certain privileges. If I were banned for posting off-topic or breaking any rules (which to me are not particularly serious offenses except for the obvious ones - seriously offending others or discriminating in any way) I would certainly not be impressed and would demand an exceptional explanation.

I was honoured to be asked onto the staff team, Karinne, yes but I didn't stay long, did I? And my reasons for that were clear, same with the newsletter position. I wasn't going to discuss either but since you brought it up...

My attitude towards the forum changed considerably after my time on the staff and for good reason.

Pete.

I feel like I am between a rock and a hard place. I agree with some and disagree with others. I assumed I received my position because I was contributing in someway to the success of the forum. I am an apprentice web designer, but a master business woman with lots of experience in the 'real world'.

We staff don't always agree, but if there is something you don't like or don't understand...it does not hurt to ask and I, for one, promise to only bark....(I was told biting was forbidden.lol)

Your concerns are neither petty nor unimportant. Until and unless things change this is a democratic forum. But you have to tell us what you think... I flunked mind reading.

So how's about this..... keep an open dialog going, be specific with your concerns, if you don't want to post the concern, PM one of us and we will bring it to staff. And I for one will promise to keep you totally involved with the decision making.

Oh and one more thing, just so you know.... the majority rules here. Seems fair to me.

Why not?

I don't see why you keep putting SuperMembers in this category as they have nothing to do with Staff

We want to show the regular posters that help day in and day out that they are appreciated ... so why not give them a Mentor badge, or an Advisor badge and make them part of the Staff Team?

I definitely agree that a ban is a strong statement.

Surely a "serious" PM would have done, you can make clear that you are serious and mean what you say. I must say the constant posting of one word posts was annoying and got on my nerves but like Pete says he is somewhat eager to be a fantstic member...and as I said earlier he is hell bent on racking up a huge post count.

To be fair it is a great forum and well kept...and its not just the banning of the two members, I think that was just a reason to speak out.

I too have had similar feelings to Pete that its getting a bit like being back at school with can do this cant do that...

I specifically said not including SuperMembers. A misunderstanding, I think.

Pete.

I agree a serious PM would have surely done. Maybe the first time someone does break a rule they get a PM. If they do it again, they get another, and if they do it a 3rd time they are banned for x days. I would be doubtful of alex returning personally. However, I do not know what his ban is for, so the severity of it I cannot say. I know if I was banned for a small rule break I wouldn't rush back in a hurry.

I don't agree with the comment on huge amounts of staff - that's just how it goes. Newsletter members do not get any powers here, they are just like ordinary members but they just help out with the newsletter.

Jack

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I would expect alex to be BUT due to the fact he now has a ban - a serious infraction against his name - maybe he wont want to come back...

As jack says we don't know what he did...for all we know he could have tried to hack the WF database...although I would be suprised if it was anything more than accidentally advertising his new forum which I saw he got scalded at for...he didn't even mean to break the rules...

I know if I got a ban for something relatively small compared to insult or racism or the things I would expect a ban for...I wouldn't come back. I'd find somewhere else witrh my primary thought being stuff you...

Just to clarify although alexs ban is being used as an example it is a general thought I've had over the past couple of months.