AAAARRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHH! Stop it!

Hayley · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 344 Location: Geelong

Stopitstopitstopit!
Shocked

Where are the Administrators and Moderators and why isn't anyone closing some of the ridiculous threads which have deteriorated into name-calling, schoolyard bullying and a developing culture of 'I know you are, I said you are, but what am I?'

For *&%# sake, it is embarrassing, destructive and anti-intellectual. I can be ridiculous and immature with the best of the best, (it's a favourite pastime of mine actually), but the sense of humour has been lost and now this is all getting plain stupid. I feel like sending everyone to their rooms and grounding the worst repeat offenders for a month.

If you are going to threaten to stop posting through disenchantment, disapproval or offence caused to you, then do so. Stop, cool off and come back after a good break, refreshed and when you are ready to play nicely.

Silence would be worth our combined weight in diamonds in order to eliminate the negative petty rubbish. I notice lots of great members whose value and input I personally appreciated have stopped posting lately. I can understand why.

gggraph

Hi Hayley - a descent into drivel is always on the cards when a bunch of people express their opinions.

I don't know what Brad or the other Moderator's positions are, since there doesn't seem to be a manual. Mine is:

I won't edit or remove a post just because I disagree with it, or think it's stupid. A forum that only reflects my opinions would be pointless and have very few posts.

I will remove or edit if it's clear the intention is only to be disruptive.

I will remove or edit if the post is personally abusive. This includes questions about sexual preferences even though they may not be intended as a form of abuse.

I will remove or edit if the post is offensive.

I will remove and delete the user if the post is spam.

That all sounds clear, but in practice is as fuzzy as hell. For instance, I'm pretty hard to offend with sexually explicit material or four letter words, so I judge it by an imaginary 'Average' user. A post with a smiley is probably a reasonable reply, but post after post of just smileys is getting close to being 'disruptive'...

My preferred option is always to gently poke fun at something in the hope that others may see how silly it has become, rather than threatening with the big stick.

I've moved this topic to Administration - discussion on Moderator interference is always useful.

Cheers

Grant

gggraph · Last edited by gggraph on Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:34 am; edited 1 time in total

michael whillier · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 488 Location: Queensland

Well done Grant

We all have different opinions (there are mine and then there are wrong opinions), but there is no need to debase it with name calling

Keep up the good work - it is great to log in and get some ideas when travelling

KarlH · Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Melbourne

There are people who take great pleasure in testing the boundries of forum rules and the patience of their admins.

I see no reason for admins to go off writing special rules for each infringement. In my opinion if people are off topic, illegible or immature it's at the admins discretion to block, warn and ban them.

Why should admins and genuine forum members have to put up with smartarses?

Jo Tyler · Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 489 Location: Newcastle

THANK YOU GRANT

gggraph

Brad Buchel

I always want art forum to be friendly, helpful and supportive as I provide the forum platform I feel this is not alot for me to ask... and so if threads start going down a track that I feel is not the above, and I see them I'll generally just delete them without comment.

BB

Hayley · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 344 Location: Geelong

Thank you, thank you all! Wow Grant, locked threads all over the place! Very Happy

Phew and Hooray.

I don't like cencorship generally, but it seems most agreed that some threads were becoming tedious. I do agree with leaving them intact (with edits only on offensive material) for historical reference and just closing them to further discussion.

Is it just wishful thinking, or have we quickly established a greater equilibrium over the past few days and some old faces are posting again?

gggraph

The Pook · Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 2904 Location: Tasmania

Hayley · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 344 Location: Geelong