Ever run into your teacher out of school? Usually, it’s kinda awkward, right?
It’s sort of the same thing when you run across a moderator posting in a thread simply as a poster. I can see where some people would be reticent to respond to them as full-throttle as you would another “regular” poster who disagrees with you. (Personally, I get over this reticence quickly. :D)
So my suggestion would be (if technically possible) that mods have the ability to “toggle” whether they are acting as a poster or as a mod at any point in time.
BTW, I’m fully aware that this is more appropriately an ATMB thread rather than a Pit thread. However, since this is about dem evil, nasty, hate-filled mods, I’m sure someone will be along shortly to make a Pit-worthy comment, so I’m saving the mods the trouble of having to move this later.
Actually this is a very good point. Doubt there’s a workable toggle, though.
General rule is if we’re posting as a mod we indicate it clearly. The “mod hat on/off” is one way; signing full name w/ “moderator” after is another. Kind of a bummer, really, ‘cause we’re just posters who do clean-up as well. Kind of a drag to be noodling around, rockin’ and rollin’ and realize you just sucked the air outta the room just by being there.
Euty handles this really well; got a gift, that lad. And Coldy and UncleBeer are eminently kiddable.
This probably is more ATMB material but maybe it’ll get a wider range of opinion here. I’m sure open to suggestions for preferred ways of indicating “normal dork foolin’ around” vs. “fascist oppressor”. (<–that was a joke!)
Can’t you just get another userid that’s only for official stuff? Then you could post as “Moderator12” for closing threads and pointing to the rulebook, and the stigma goes away from the main username.
Same idea as wearing a title nametag at work “Asst.Manager” instead of the one you use at the reunion "Scooter (Osgood) Jones- Class of '80)
Or I could wear a fake moustache too! :rolleyes: Look, if you know who it is anyway, what’s the point of a new username?
I think it’s very easy to tell when we’re being moderators and not just posters. In case you’re finding it difficult, try taking this pop quiz:
Which of the following quotes is from a moderator posting in Moderator Mode?
a) “I think the outcome of a Trinity vs. Xena free-for-all depends on whether Xena has a sword…”
b) “…according to IMDB, his full name is actually Steven Quincy ‘Steve’ Urkel”
c) “Please refrain from calling another poster a ‘fucknut’. Consider yourself warned.”
d) “Does anyone here like Toasted Almonds? Boy, I sure do.”
Well, yeah, for people who’ve been here a while and know how things work. But for Mr. Newbie who’s just posted his first GQ thread, it can be pretty intimidating for someone titled “Moderator” to come in and provide their two cents.
Perhaps the FAQ should be updated to provide some extra info about the more pedestrian posts of the Mods? Something along the lines of “Moderators aren’t machines, except Czarcasm, so they’ll often interact with the boards as regular posters.”
Well thats not strictly true either. Even with lightweight titanium alloys, cybernetic implants make up 60% of my total weight.
I guess it can be intimidating to the new folks and a FAQ addition is worth considering. But still it should be somewhat intuitive that we’re posters with additional powers.
It’s like if some guy who’s a cop is a part of your book club. He’s just another guy with something to contribute. But if one of the club members brains another club member with a hardcover copy of Susan Faludi’s Backlash, the guy is obligated to intercede.
In 99% of all cases, I use the “Moderator Notes:” phrase to indicate I’m about to go medieval on yo’ ass.
Sort of knicked it from UncleBeer, really. Hey, you can’t invent the wheel twice, and it works fine.
I think it’s pretty easy to tell whether or not I’m “posting” or “moderating”. Newbies, or in fact all posters, need not be intimidated by me, or any other moderator. As long as the rules are obeyed, we’re as sweet as li’l kittens.
Well, maybe not Winkelried. That dude’s seriously aggressive, harrassing people with his “Welcome aboard, you squickface! Provide a fucking link next time, huh, shit-fer-brains!”-schtick… scary, really.
Oh, please. You know damn well that in order to be considered a machine, the organic/mechanic ratio must be at least 9:1. I OFFERED to replace your digestive system for you, but NO-O-O-O-O, “I’m too attached to my large intestine”, you said. Whiner.
But, on the other hand, the P-488 Concussion Rifle built into your left arm IS pretty intimidating… and let’s not forget the matched KY-9X Guided Missile Rack (with Moon Roof) on your left shoulder. Which reminds me… the servomotors in your knees need a tune-up.
That’s been discussed, too, in the past. For one thing, our mods are drawn from the pool of posters, and most of us have pretty distinctive writing styles. For another thing, that would violate the “one name per person” rule. It’s been talked out very thoroughly, and the drawbacks seem to outweigh the advantages.
Besides which, I’d HATE to post under the name of “Moderator12”, I’d feel like a machine.
And this is one of many reasons that I really enjoy these boards. The democratic application of rules where they do not have to be democratically applied is very admirable. It makes it a whole lot easier to take the occasional spanking.
Okies, thank y’all. I think SPOOFE’s suggestion of a FAQ addition is a sensible one.
And BTW, ya morons, know yer deviancies. Spanking is only properly done by hand. Use of an instrument is paddling, whipping or (I guess) in Biggirl’s example, extending.
