# I Really Used to Like ATMB **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 3, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251 "2012-08-03T03:37:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/41 "2012-08-04T02:17:02Z")
> [@Confused dart cum](#): > > But there’s no way that I would contact another moderator if the first moderator’s decision was unacceptable to me **unless** the initial moderator had explicitly said I was free to do so. It would feel sneaky. Hell, it **is** sneaky. Taking it to the board would be the only option. I don’t think most of us would view it that way. Like I said, we regularly run any of our decisions we feel may be questionable by the rest of the moderators to get feedback. (However, I’ll say that I don’t recall ever having been contacted by a poster regarding another moderator’s decision). ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/42 "2012-08-04T03:01:01Z")
I will accept that you wouldn’t find it sneaky if you say so; however I do think that you (whether it’s you individually or if you are speaking for all moderators) are slightly pecuilar in having that viewpoint - I think my way of thinking is closer to the “norm”. Perhaps it is something that could be added to a “complaints procedure” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/43 "2012-08-04T05:36:10Z")
> [@Confused dart cum](#): > > I will accept that you wouldn’t find it sneaky if you say so; however I do think that you (whether it’s you individually or if you are speaking for all moderators) are slightly pecuilar in having that viewpoint - I think my way of thinking is closer to the “norm”. I can’t imagine a whole lot of people who are in any sort of position of authority (even one as minor as “Volunteer Message Board Moderator”) who would prefer a public airing of someone’s grievance with them, over an attempt to work it out in private with another person in authority. If I were an office manager, and one of the people I managed was upset about one of my decisions, I’d much rather he talked to another manager, then complain about it all over the office. I mean, if I were a cop, and I gave a ticket to a guy who thought he didn’t deserve it, I’d much rather he talked to my supervisor, instead of trying top organize a protest rally. If I were a politician, and one of my constituents were angry at me, absolutely the last thing I’d want him to do about it is make it a public issue. I don’t think your way of thinking is anything close to the norm on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/44 "2012-08-04T05:49:37Z")
> [@Confused dart cum](#): > > I will accept that you wouldn’t find it sneaky if you say so; however I do think that you (whether it’s you individually or if you are speaking for all moderators) are slightly pecuilar in having that viewpoint - I think my way of thinking is closer to the “norm”. I’m speaking both for myself, and from what I know of the other moderators (most of whom I’ve worked with for five years). Moderators are chosen in part for having fairly thick skins. We’re generally pretty receptive to the viewpoints of other moderators. As **Miller** says, in the real world almost anyone would prefer to deal with a dispute in private rather than in public. Most public complaints in ATMB seem to be more for the purpose of garnering sympathy from other posters, rather than for actually getting a decision reversed. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/45 "2012-08-04T14:30:29Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > What I don’t get is the page after page pointless stuff in this forum. Take the current avatar offence thread. 7 pages now. Because people like to bitch, even if the original participants have gotten their answer and have moved on. People come late to the party and want to have their say as well, even if all they have to say is the same things that were said earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/46 "2012-08-04T16:09:23Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I can’t imagine a whole lot of people who are in any sort of position of authority (even one as minor as “Volunteer Message Board Moderator”) who would prefer a public airing of someone’s grievance with them, over an attempt to work it out in private with another person in authority. > > If I were an office manager, and one of the people I managed was upset about one of my decisions, I’d much rather he talked to another manager, then complain about it all over the office. I mean, if I were a cop, and I gave a ticket to a guy who thought he didn’t deserve it, I’d much rather he talked to my supervisor, instead of trying top organize a protest rally. If I were a politician, and one of my constituents were angry at me, absolutely the last thing I’d want him to do about it is make it a public issue. > > I don’t think your way of thinking is anything close to the norm on this one. I think you are right with respect to something like an office manager. However, I don’t consider message board moderator to be a position of authority and even if it is, the main “job” of a moderator, here anyway, is to be a poster. This is a social space after all. If moderators here did nothing but moderate and were paid members of staff I would agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/47 "2012-08-04T20:17:54Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I really used to like About This Message Board, back when it was mainly about interesting technical issues. But nowadays – or is it just me? – it’s nothing but a bunch of whining. Now here **I** am whining! Ye gods! > > I know some people think we’re a little forum heavy already, but maybe we should have a separate one just for bitching about moderators and return ATMB to technical issues. Gosh, you’re _right_. O how I long for those glorious olden days of ATMB\* where we’d have indepth discussions of technical issues of the most super-interesting variety. Let’s return to those happy golden days of yore. Poster 1: Im new here does html work? \bold\ \blink\ \underline\ Poster 2: We use VB code here. So it’s [b]for bold [/b] and [i] for italics [/i] but without the spaces. Poster 1: LOL so html is off lame!!! But I get it. how do u do underline i dont use itacs. How do u do blink??? Poster 3: Spelling and punctuation is an important part of our culture here too. Maybe you should lurk a bit. Poster 1: u r so stupid–im txting this on my phone lol! poster 2: Underline is [u]like this [/u] without the spaces. Blink sucks and everyone hates it. Mod 1: Poster 1, this is ATMB and we don’t permit flaming here. Please don’t call people stupid or other names outside of our Pit forum. Poster 1: This _is_ **STUPID**. i was attked first by poster 3 who said i cant spell or punctutate. _why cant i figth back??_ Also every cool mssgbrd uses blink. Mod 2: Perhaps you would be so kind to list every one of these “cool” messageboards that allows the blink tag? Poster 1: Y? If i do, youll just ruin it too cuz your stupoid. LOLOL 😃 Mod 2: So you’re saying that anyone who doesn’t spell or write like you is stupid? Could you validate this theory by showing us your degrees in English? and so on. I heartily invite you to print out the above exchange, post it to your monitor and read it whenever you long for those pristine days when ATMB was all about pure intellectual pursuit. \*Keeping in mind that I think the new “Discussion of mod action is ATMB fodder” rule is terrible for the board. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/48 "2012-08-04T20:25:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > most boards I’ve visited would never allow their volunteer staff to be treated like shit. [Those would be all those messageboards that you visit that don’t allow avatars, right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15184339&postcount=101) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/49 "2012-08-04T20:29:41Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > [Those would be all those messageboards that you visit that don’t allow avatars, right?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15184339&postcount=101) > > :rolleyes: It’s off topic for this thread, but why are you rolling your baby blues at me when I all I did was ask a question that nobody would answer? edited to add: On second thought, I don’t care about your off-topic attack-this thread isn’t about me. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/50 "2012-08-04T20:52:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s off topic for this thread, but why are you rolling your baby blues at me when I all I did was ask a question that nobody would answer? > > edited to add: On second thought, I don’t care about your off-topic attack-this thread isn’t about me. If it’s off topic, why aren’t you reporting me instead of apparently playing junior moderator? You were a mod (albeit the worst mod I’ve ever seen), you should know that the “correct” SDMB response to off-topic posts is to report them. ETA: On second thought–I don’t care about your mean ol’ post either. I’ll just leave my reply up though, so I can do a douchy passive-aggressive rebuttal like you. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/51 "2012-08-04T21:31:10Z")
Okay you two – take your argument elsewhere. (This is why we can’t have nice things.) Any more of this bickering from anybody and I’ll close the thread. Once again, if you have a disagreement with another poster on the board, ATMB is not the place to air it out. Go to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/52 "2012-08-04T21:49:19Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The mods seem to clamp down hard on some threads in ATMB, and others are allowed to drag on for no good reason. > > Once the official opinion is stated or it’s clear it’s going nowhere, just lock the thing. I don’t really understand this point of view. If people are still talking about an issue and nobody’s breaking any rules or being a jerk, why close it down just because someone arbitrarily decides “you guys have talked about this enough now”? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/53 "2012-08-04T23:37:48Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m speaking both for myself, and from what I know of the other moderators (most of whom I’ve worked with for five years). Moderators are chosen in part for having fairly thick skins. We’re generally pretty receptive to the viewpoints of other moderators. > > As **Miller** says, in the real world almost anyone would prefer to deal with a dispute in private rather than in public. Most public complaints in ATMB seem to be more for the purpose of garnering sympathy from other posters, rather than for actually getting a decision reversed. No, they are about gaining sympathy so that you will see that you are being unreasonable. Sometimes you are, sometimes you aren’t. But for some reason, with a few exceptions, the ability to actually rethink what you believe in light of everyone else disagreeing with you is not a trait desired in moderators. For some reason, you like your obstinate people who confuse having a thick skin with never being wrong. Note: the “you” here is plural, not singular. The point is that any reasonable person would see that, if everyone disagrees with you, nine times out of ten I’m wrong, and there’s nowhere near nine times out of ten where moderators reverse their decisions. And, anyways, you punish people in public, so it’s not exactly fair that we have to deal with you in private. People also prefer to be punished in private, as a general rule. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/54 "2012-08-05T02:15:08Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > No, they are about gaining sympathy so that you will see that you are being unreasonable. Sometimes you are, sometimes you aren’t. > > But for some reason, with a few exceptions, the ability to actually rethink what you believe in light of everyone else disagreeing with you is not a trait desired in moderators. For some reason, you like your obstinate people who confuse having a thick skin with never being wrong. > > Note: the “you” here is plural, not singular. The point is that any reasonable person would see that, if everyone disagrees with you, nine times out of ten I’m wrong, and there’s nowhere near nine times out of ten where moderators reverse their decisions. > > And, anyways, you punish people in public, so it’s not exactly fair that we have to deal with you in private. People also prefer to be punished in private, as a general rule. Unreasonable assumptions here. If by “everyone else disagreeing with you” you mean that the 10 people who post their discontent in a thread in ATMB as to why a moderator made a bad decision, then you’re relying on those people’s perception as to the rightness or wrongness of the decision. And, of course, that’s wrong. There are possibly 40 posters who are reading the thread, but don’t post their opinion. Perhaps 30 of them believe the moderator to be correct. Just because you and your other ten sycophants believe the moderator decision was incorrect doesn’t make it incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/55 "2012-08-05T02:30:53Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Just because you and your other ten sycophants believe the moderator decision was incorrect doesn’t make it incorrect. \< And Justice For All/Al Pachino \> You’re incorrect! _YOU’RE_ incorrect! This whole _forum_ is incorrect! They’re all incorrect!! That mod, that sick, crazy, depraved mod, insulted and humiliated that poster there, and he’d like to do it again! He _told_ me so! It’s just a show! It’s a show! It’s “Let’s Make A Deal”! “Let’s Make A Deal”! Hey Sam, you wanna “Make A Deal”? I got an insane mod who likes to publicly moderate the shit out of posters! Whaddya wanna gimme Sam, 3 weeks suspension? \< /And Justice For All/Al Pachino \> This dramatic recreation was brought to you by FenCo[sup]tm[/sup]. FenCo[sup]tm[/sup]: A supporter of the arts, however badly mangled. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/56 "2012-08-05T02:31:38Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But for some reason, with a few exceptions, the ability to actually rethink what you believe in light of everyone else disagreeing with you is not a trait desired in moderators. For some reason, you like your obstinate people who confuse having a thick skin with never being wrong. And, to put a finer point on your post, are you suggesting that Ed Zotti, who passes on the final selection of moderators suggested by the Mods/Admins, is chosing them based upon “the ability to actually rethink what you believe in light of everyone else disagreeing with you is not a trait desired in moderators.” If this were the case, **Diogenes the Cynic** would be a moderator today. Do you see him around here? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/57 "2012-08-05T02:35:29Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > \< And Justice For All/Al Pachino \> > You’re incorrect! _YOU’RE_ incorrect! This whole _forum_ is incorrect! They’re all incorrect!! That mod, that sick, crazy, depraved mod, insulted and humiliated that poster there, and he’d like to do it again! He _told_ me so! It’s just a show! It’s a show! It’s “Let’s Make A Deal”! “Let’s Make A Deal”! Hey Sam, you wanna “Make A Deal”? I got an insane mod who likes to publicly moderate the shit out of posters! Whaddya wanna gimme Sam, 3 weeks suspension? > \< /And Justice For All/Al Pachino \> > This dramatic recreation was brought to you by FenCo[sup]tm[/sup]. FenCo[sup]tm[/sup]: A supporter of the arts, however badly mangled. Nah! You’re on of the good guys, no matter what you may think. Wish you’d post here more often, although not in ATMB. That get’s tiredsome. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/58 "2012-08-05T02:39:31Z")
[I hear and obey, mon capitan! o\>](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15349831#post15349831) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/59 "2012-08-05T02:47:07Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > [I hear and obey, mon capitan! o\>](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15349831#post15349831) > > 😉 Hey! 10:30 at night, some scientific mumbojumbo, and you expect me, after six beers and a bottle of wine(required for reading the board on a Sat. night) to respond? Maybe when I sober up. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251/60 "2012-08-05T02:48:32Z")
Hey, I posted it while drunk, least you can do is answer it the same way! And it’s only about 8:30 at night in the important part of the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-used-to-like-atmb/630251.md?page=4)