Originally Posted by
Jenbel
I think the best way to de-marginalise TB is not to have it become a plethora of committees (which can be good, but also can be very long winded and slow - particularly in an IBB setting such as this, where conversations take days to be held) but instead for TB to stop trying to power grab, demonise others it feels threatened by, but start working productively, preferably in co-operation rather than in adversarial battle with those it would seek to demonise and control and not be riven by internal politics.
I agree with your underlying sentiment. Realize, however, that the idea that 'power grabs' are taking place work in both directions. Examples abound of demonization from mods directed towards any efforts to improve FlyerTalk that does not fit in the neat little box that some mods would like to keep the TB in.
So yes, the 'us-vs.-them' view that many moderators and posters seem to hold is unhelpful. We are all ON THE SAME TEAM.
Team FlyerTalk.
I believe that everyone wants FT to be the best place it can be, even if we sometimes have different ideas of what that might be and how to get there.
It would also be good if TB could be a bit more proactive again - which I admit, kokonutz and some others are trying to be, but also not brush off genuine concerns where mods/members have sought assistance, and where TB has refused to help.
I know, I'm off to write my letter to Santa Claus now as well!
I think that there is a hell of a lot of room for better collaboration between the TB and the mod corps. It seems really stupid and inefficient to me that this iron curtain hangs between them. I think Randy created a system of governance that is set up to fail in the long run, with collaborative input allowed on the cosmetics but not on the meat. Can you be more specific as to the areas where mods have sought assistance where TB refused to help?
Here are some ideas that I have suggested to improve TB/mod corps collaboration:
- Joint projects between the TB and Mod corps in dealing with 'problem' forums. Not sure why TS/S was not handled this way, but that's water under the bridge now. As I say above, I believe one reason NOT to work with the TB is the ridiculously high bar required to get anything recommended. We ought to fix that and make a simple majority recommend rather than 2/3.
- Make the private forums of the TB and Mod corps read-only available to the other group so each group can know what the other is dealing with/working on.
Unfortunately, there is so much distrust. It's a real black helicopter war out there sometimes.
I also still think there ought to be more opportunities for more formal input by posters.
And here's another area for deep and long consideration:
- What does 'commercial' mean?