Just to set things straight, I used to be Notthemama, Mr. Cynical, and The Artist Formerly Known As Prince*. Additionally, I was the second gunman on the grassy knoll.
All kidding aside, when a problem turns up, just be honest and tell us about it, okay? We shouldn’t have to ask nicely or yank the info out of you like a cut-rate dentist, either one. A simple announcement and explanation is all I ask. It might not do much to dispell the hostility between moderators and regular posters, but it would be a start.
I don’t think the relationship is that bad, don Jaime. I’m also not sure why the mods should have to publically justify every decision. Sure, it might help mollify posters aggrieved at a perceived lack of accountability. On the other hand, I don’t recall electing anyone here, and (more pertinently) I doubt it would stop a single “mod A is an utter B” thread.
Thank you, Lynn!
Where is exactly is the dishonesty here? We just don’t make a public announcement every time someone is banned. If we listed every person we banned because of sockpuppetry we’d have one really long ass thread. It happens all the time. Much more than you’d think.
Plus a lot of these puppets get off on the attention. They’d love to think that the board will suffer due to their loss. Once some of these banned posters see that the board is doing just fine without them, they will often get off on trying to piss on our boards from a far by using sockpuppets.
By banning these puppets without fanfare, and by occasionally deleting the more blatant posts we are doing the best thing we can do to starve these juveniles of the attention that they apparently need. If they want to feel special, they should give mom a call. They shouldn’t come to a message board.
And I think the fact that we’re constantly but quietly skimming the scum out of the shallow end of the pool makes this MB a better place to be for all of us.
We can’t give these guys a life. But we can thwart their pathetic MB tantrums enough that they might actually consider getting one.
I hope that adequately explains the justification behind our methods.
Oh yes.
While SPOOFE was those three, You might have known me as Santa Claus, Democritus, and Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. I am a three-time lottery winner, and have set foot on Antarctica.
Hmm…yea.
The mods are honest. When we get curious about one tiny portion of the huge amount of crap we spew, they take a moment and explain what they can. ML had a sock. Socks get you banned. Ergo, MLis now banned.
Or should the mods make public announcements every time they do any little thing for the board. “Oh, by the way, we banned another sock of XXX. And another. And another…”
They keep us in touch with what we want to hear. they could do a lot less, and doing more would be tedious and not useful to anyone.
You know what? I’m too stupid to risk using a sock puppet (not to mention, I never get so fired up about something that I have to bring in faux support to bolster my side). I’ll bet that within 3 sockpuppet posts, I’d forget which identity I was signed in under and commit some obvious blunder. You’d all mock me so openly, I’d leave in shame, no banning required.
Know your limitations! I have enough trouble fooling you guys into thinking my one self is witty and intelligent. No way could I extend the charade any further.
Makes perfect sense for the run of the mill trolls to be banned without comment, but not for an established poster. From now on, of course, Morrison is just a run of the mill troll and will rate the same treatment. Not giving the reason strikes me as dishonest, that’s all.
Alpha, If I have any other comments like this, I’ll take them to e-mail. And CC them to Zotti and the Reader.
Hey donJ,
I like to consider myself a “regular poster”. You wanna fill me in on what this hostility is that I should be having here? I’d hate to not be part of the club…
If y’all don’t mind I am going to believe that ML was actually a commie spy sent to spread propaganda and to test American sympathies. I am going to believe that the reason you banned him was becasue some men in dark suits from the CIA asked you to. I am going to continue to believe all this, even though it certainly isn’t true.
Another instance of people objecting to administrative actions without knowing the facts that led to the action. Haven’t seen that for a little while.
Hmmm… I’ve got an idea for that Straight Dope Message Board drinking game thread.
Incidentally, a little known fact: the moderators and administrators are available by email to answer questions dealing with boaard matters not exactly suited for public discussion.
The first comment: how is not disclosing information dishonesty? I really cannot remember any part of signing up where I expected to be informed of the reason for each banning which within my own subjective opinion did not involve a simple troll. Was there some options saying check here if you wish to be infomed when a(n) (established) poster with 100/200/300/400/500+ posts is banned? What is an established poster? Who decides?
The second comment: this is what you should have done in the first place. If you have a problem, email a mod, if it is not solved to your satifaction, then start whining on the board.
As much as I hate the whole “It’s their house” argument (not to say it’s invalid, mind you), the Admins really can do whatever the hell they want. Heck, they can ban me with the justification “SPOOFE was taking up too much bandwidth” and I’d just have to live with it (seeing as how I’m one of the most prolific daily posters, this wouldn’t be faulty reasoning, admittedly).
The simple fact that they disclose as much as they do indicates a higher level of trust than some people believe exists.
That’s it! Into the briar patch with you!
Well I guess we’ve answered the OP.