# Clarification re: Junior Mods **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651 "2003-01-10T01:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/21 "2003-01-10T05:19:58Z")
It’s **Achernar**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/22 "2003-01-10T05:22:58Z")
[arnold horshack voice on] ooooooo ooooooooo oooooo Mr. Kot-tere![/arnold horshack voice off] scanning another forum, I noted a new thread that just posted. about the exact same newstory. now, in the past, I’d have just jumped in and noted for the record that there was already a thread in progress about the story. My rationale in the past was that: generally when there’s plural threads about the same story (when the thrust of it is the same), they’ve closed one. and if folks have posted to both, one gets closed and those comments then aren’t part of the thread that is left. So, it was better, I thought, to let folks know right away, so when the (inevitable) thread closure came, it wouldn’t be a choice between this thread w/4 posts or this thead with 3 posts sort of thing. I’m really not trying to be a pest. I know that it’s impossible for y’all to envision every potential combination of events. BUt - gotta tell ya, that thread scared me. I understand that not everyone is gonna like everyone else. I don’t expect that. But I kinda believed that, at least on the moderator level, if I was doin’ something that jerked you off, you’d let me know about it via email, so’s I’d know. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/23 "2003-01-10T05:28:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*It’s **Achernar**. 😉 \*\* (deep breath) PTBBTBTBTBTB (sheesh. and I scanned up. really. I’ve made this mistake before - my eyesight is really quite bad, and when it’s a name, I often screw it up, I swear it’s unintentional. I set the brower to “largest font” and I still screw up. :smack: sorry. ) ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/24 "2003-01-10T05:44:41Z")
People… It’s **Junior Mod Camper**. And I expect full credit 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/25 "2003-01-10T06:58:01Z")
Wow, this thread kind of went flying off into nowhere, didn’t it? Regarding the OP, what’s the official mod opinion on members doing the “Hi, here’s the link” posts in the Comments forums? I e-mailed Arnold about it, but he never replied back. Matter of fact, none of the mods have **ever** replied to any of my e-mails inquiring about policy. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/26 "2003-01-10T07:02:28Z")
Tell ya what. Blanket permission from me to all mods/admins that should I ever do anything that tweaks you, bugs you, makes you wish I’d stop (except the puns, I refuse to stop that), email me please. thank you for all you do. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/27 "2003-01-10T07:10:35Z")
Well, that won’t work for me, no sir. I’ll need a proper spanking to reinforce that. [not that I wander around doing stuff like that very much. Hardly ever, actually. Because I’m lazy.] ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/28 "2003-01-10T08:44:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zut \* > **I think I read Lynn’s comment a little differently than minty did: I assumed she was completely agreeing with Coldfire, and drawing a distinction between “policing yourselves” (welcomed) and “trying to be junior mods” (frowned upon).** Me too (I think) I read it as: Bad = “Hey **NewbieDoper987254** , that’s trolling/ad hominem/spamming/plagiarism/inappropriate linking, don’t do it again or you’ll be banned!” OK = “Um, **NewbieDoper987254** , my advice would be to tone things down a little; it would be a shame to see you get into trouble” But as you say, clarification from on high would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/29 "2003-01-10T13:11:13Z")
Yeah, that’s my take. Keep it polite and don’t imply that you have any authority whatsoever unless you do. There’s nothing wrong with helping to express the rules of the community. But don’t go putting on airs. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/30 "2003-01-10T14:11:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wring \* > I set the **brower** to “largest font” and I still screw up. :smack: sorry. ) Maybe you need a bigger keyboard, too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/31 "2003-01-10T14:15:48Z")
Sigh. Just to be explicit. Yes, Lynn and Coldfire and all the mods are in agreement. And it’s pretty much what Jonathan just said. Email reporting of posts is obviously the quickest and easiest way of getting our attention there. However, wring says (way way up there): > [@](#): > > I’ve posted stuff like “cross posting is frowned upon” > “quoting large segments of text isn’t allowed” > “if you email a mod about your request, it’s likely that they’d see it quicker than simply posting” > “this seems more like a rant than a debate” (Or “this seems more appropriate to MPSIMS”) Note the use of generalizations or citing the rules (“cross posting is frowned upon” or “quoting large segments of text isn’t allowed”). This is perfectly reasonable behavior on wring’s part, and is VERY different from saying things like “your post is a clear violation of the rules” or “your post is certainly in the wrong forum.” Note also that wring uses comments like “seems like” or “it’s likely that”… Again, wring isn’t trying to play mod, but is trying to be helpful. The mods are all pretty close to unanimous on this, and Lynn’s comments in the aforementioned thread were intended to show that the other mods all support Coldfire whole-heartedly. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/32 "2003-01-10T14:19:12Z")
_snif_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/33 "2003-01-10T14:51:30Z")
Of course, I still can’t spell worth shit (apparently :smack: ), so instead of something helpful, it may come out like “My cat likes pie”. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/34 "2003-01-10T14:55:28Z")
Okay, so informing or reminding other posters of the rules is okay, but telling them that they’ve violated the rules is discouraged. I’m not sure the difference is all that clear a lot of time in practice, but I’ll do my best to keep it to the former rather than the latter (not that I do either all that often). Thanks for the clarification. Now I’m certainly not trying to pee in your Cheerios, Dex, but that only addresses one or two of the things I raised in the OP. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s trying to get this straight, either. What about non-authoritative input in ATMB? And how about admonishing a post that’s low-grade jerkish, but not something that calls for staff action? I ask that last one because I remember, quite a while ago, that Gaudere said she appreciates it when GD posters help keep each other away from the line, and not wait until someone crosses it. Do I become Unwanted Junior Mod when I tell somebody that it’s unhelpful and unappreciated to post a vitriolic, Collounsbury-style attack on somebody’s post (but not the poster)? I’m not trying to step on anybody’s toes by asking these questions. I just want to make sure I’m not stepping on any of your toes around the forums, particularly in GD. You guys do an incredible balancing job around here, and I don’t want to make that any more difficult for any of you. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/35 "2003-01-10T15:07:30Z")
> [@](#): > > I ask that last one because I remember, quite a while ago, that Gaudere said she appreciates it when GD posters help keep each other away from the line, and not wait until someone crosses it. Do I become Unwanted Junior Mod when I tell somebody that it’s unhelpful and unappreciated to post a vitriolic, Collounsbury-style attack on somebody’s post (but not the poster)? Well, if you tell someone that their action are unhelpful and unappreciated, that’s not treading into mod territory at all, that’s using mild pressure to enforce community standards. I don’t mind so much “junior-modding” when you’re actually correct; I just hate to see “Action X will get you banned!” posts when in fact, Action X will not get you banned; that’s perpetrating incorrect information. So I tend to say “leave the modding to the mods” but I won’t generally warn anyone for telling posters that Action X is against the rules if it actually is, or if the comment is phrased in a way that makes it clear that the poster is not claiming their post is an official pronouncement. Like, “I am not a Mod, but …” or “I don’t think you should call somone a fucknugget in GD”, etc, is fine. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/36 "2003-01-10T15:15:50Z")
Thank you, Gaudere. That explanation clears up my question quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/37 "2003-01-10T15:30:17Z")
Right then! I’ll close this thread shall I? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/38 "2003-01-10T15:49:52Z")
Go right ahead, compadre! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/39 "2003-01-10T17:08:07Z")
NOooooO!! I’ve got to get at least \*\*one \*\* more mispeling, preferanbly more, and it’d be even better if I could manage to flub up some one’s name, wouln’dt you say **Misty** green? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651/40 "2003-01-10T17:20:38Z")
That would be a good name for a racehorse, don’t you think? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-re-junior-mods/147651.md?page=3)