BAEC focussed trip reports.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:18 am
#61
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Fair enough Prospero, although I'd just point out it was another mod who invited my OT participation...
I realise that this post will involve discussion of moderation, but if the BA forum mods would permit me to explain it might be helpful to a wider audience.
As the moderator that locked the thread I want to explain why the lockdown was necessary. I don't think that many of you realise how much time and effort I had to put in clearing up all of the meta-discussion posts (some rather nasty). I locked the thread to stop the run of comments on the move which only would have had to be cleared up later. In other words I locked the thread to stem the flow and make life easier for me. I was very clear when posting on the thread that the closure was temporary. It also was no reflection on the OP or those of you whose posts were within the rules. Calling a time out is just sometimes the best way to go. I invited anyone who had concerns or questions to PM me and some of you did for which I am very grateful. I hope that those that did went anyway satisfied with my response.
This all happened whilst I was at work in Germany. I started clearing up the thread but it took many hours. I think that I spent about 5 hours in total tidying the thread and dealing with the disciplinary issues and responding to people's PMs. I sent over 35 PMs in that period. I also had to go to lunch which meant that the thread was locked for a longer period that I had hoped. I'm sorry, but FT isn't my life and I chose not to miss lunch with my colleagues over keeping the thread locked for another 40 minutes.
Honestly, it was the worst day that I've ever had as a moderator. I don't believe that many of you can appreciate the amount of stress that was caused because of this issue and the amount of work (volunteer) that I had do to bring things back around. Not withstanding the fact that I was actually supposed to be doing my job at the time too.
I hope that this might help some of you understand that your actions have direct consequences for the moderation team as well as other users on Flyertalk.
As the moderator that locked the thread I want to explain why the lockdown was necessary. I don't think that many of you realise how much time and effort I had to put in clearing up all of the meta-discussion posts (some rather nasty). I locked the thread to stop the run of comments on the move which only would have had to be cleared up later. In other words I locked the thread to stem the flow and make life easier for me. I was very clear when posting on the thread that the closure was temporary. It also was no reflection on the OP or those of you whose posts were within the rules. Calling a time out is just sometimes the best way to go. I invited anyone who had concerns or questions to PM me and some of you did for which I am very grateful. I hope that those that did went anyway satisfied with my response.
This all happened whilst I was at work in Germany. I started clearing up the thread but it took many hours. I think that I spent about 5 hours in total tidying the thread and dealing with the disciplinary issues and responding to people's PMs. I sent over 35 PMs in that period. I also had to go to lunch which meant that the thread was locked for a longer period that I had hoped. I'm sorry, but FT isn't my life and I chose not to miss lunch with my colleagues over keeping the thread locked for another 40 minutes.
Honestly, it was the worst day that I've ever had as a moderator. I don't believe that many of you can appreciate the amount of stress that was caused because of this issue and the amount of work (volunteer) that I had do to bring things back around. Not withstanding the fact that I was actually supposed to be doing my job at the time too.
I hope that this might help some of you understand that your actions have direct consequences for the moderation team as well as other users on Flyertalk.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:21 am
#62
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I do not think it was an invitation to discuss moderator recruitment. He was just expressing his feelings/what he had to do as a moderator of Trip Report forum.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:23 am
#63
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
I do not think anyone was complaining about the amount of time spent moderating on most routine days. However, when the forum has an issue that takes up an extraordinary amount of work, it gets to the point when it creates an extraordinary amount of work. On some nights I gave up on my sleep for the night to deal with forum issues, although thankfully such a situation is unusual.
No doubt Matthandy has had to give up a lot of personal time to deal with the issue. He's probably not doing it for personal gain (there is basically no benefit to being a moderator) and probably does not expect thanks, but being a mod is a thankless task - you get attacked more than you're left alone or thanked, often quite unreasonably attacked - if you read some of the very abusive and unpleasant attacks some of us have received, I think you may realise that there are extremely unpleasant side to being a moderator.
I would say that Matthandy is entitled to air his side of the story without being effectively told to resign. Since many members appear to feel free to attack the moderators or at least criticise how moderation is carried out (fair enough to present your criticism by PM but not in a nasty way) perhaps allowing him to present his feelings as a moderator without effectively being told to resign would not be unfair. Remember, you can say the same thing about participating in FT...
No doubt Matthandy has had to give up a lot of personal time to deal with the issue. He's probably not doing it for personal gain (there is basically no benefit to being a moderator) and probably does not expect thanks, but being a mod is a thankless task - you get attacked more than you're left alone or thanked, often quite unreasonably attacked - if you read some of the very abusive and unpleasant attacks some of us have received, I think you may realise that there are extremely unpleasant side to being a moderator.
I would say that Matthandy is entitled to air his side of the story without being effectively told to resign. Since many members appear to feel free to attack the moderators or at least criticise how moderation is carried out (fair enough to present your criticism by PM but not in a nasty way) perhaps allowing him to present his feelings as a moderator without effectively being told to resign would not be unfair. Remember, you can say the same thing about participating in FT...
Also you partially quoted me, leaving out my sincere praise of mods, including you. I am very sure that matthandy is also a highly capable mod, it just doesn't feel right when mods complain about the role they signed up for.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:25 am
#64
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
If they are that unhappy, then maybe they should move on
Aug 23, 2014, 9:30 am
#65
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
That was a generalism that you have made specific both contextually and personally.
I think it was unedifying but clearly this is a raw nerve and I'm going to back off.
I think it was unedifying but clearly this is a raw nerve and I'm going to back off.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:32 am
#66
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,223
In general, this forum is overly concerned with organization issues. The desire here for regimentation is pronounced and, for some, off putting. This is meant constructively although pounced upon and denigrated no end it will be.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:34 am
#67
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,213
Whilst accepting the difficult job that the mods, ambassadors and the other upper echelons of the FT team do for us - the vast majority of them unpaid for their community efforts - I do think that moving the live TR type threads after they have finished is the way to go.
I have a very similar travel profile to CWS and it was a very entertaining read to see it through someone else's eyes so to speak. I don't think I would have followed it as closely in the TR forum as it tends to be somewhere I drop into when I'm looking for a review of an airline that's new to me whereas the BA forum I drop into at least daily.
If the approach is open to debate then I'd like to cast another vote in the direction of moving them when they've reached their natural conclusion.
I have a very similar travel profile to CWS and it was a very entertaining read to see it through someone else's eyes so to speak. I don't think I would have followed it as closely in the TR forum as it tends to be somewhere I drop into when I'm looking for a review of an airline that's new to me whereas the BA forum I drop into at least daily.
If the approach is open to debate then I'd like to cast another vote in the direction of moving them when they've reached their natural conclusion.
The mod team considered the big picture and drew a line in the sand but we could revisit the short tenancy question. As a starter for ten, reports (live or otherwise) would need to contain a high component of BA activity. Without which the foundations for focused BA/EC discussion are flimsy. Discuss!
Aug 23, 2014, 9:35 am
#68
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,741
Thanks for the reply CWS.
All internet discussion inevitably results in huge topic drift. Take look at any thread that reaches multiple pages - look at the last contribution and see if you can relate it to the original post!
I find trip reports that are specific to BAEC travel very informative, and therefore cannot understand why they must be banished to a generic 'trip report' forum full of postings that have no relevance or interest to me.
All internet discussion inevitably results in huge topic drift. Take look at any thread that reaches multiple pages - look at the last contribution and see if you can relate it to the original post!
I find trip reports that are specific to BAEC travel very informative, and therefore cannot understand why they must be banished to a generic 'trip report' forum full of postings that have no relevance or interest to me.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:42 am
#69
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: BAEC Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata, Turkish Elite... oh yeah, and of course: Starbucks Gold :P
Posts: 232
). i was trying to find the said post of him in the C-W-S thread, but strangely the wording seems to be now much nicer than it was originally or am i totally off my mind now?now, if you feel there was the need for even another new and stricter reglementation... ok, its your board. but the big consensus seems to be that most of us would be fine if a ba-relevant live report is in here as long as it is "live" and when the trip is done (so at the point where it becomes a normal TR) move it to the TR forum. imho this would be the most sensible thing to do. during the trip the BA-flyers might have some good input for the TO and after that, as soon as it is a real finished trip report, all other ppl can read it in the TR forum, too. why can't we just agree on this? most of us would be happy, the anger is gone and we can go on with our lifes....not?!
Aug 23, 2014, 9:51 am
#70
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Based on what is still coming up as part of the discussion after Prospero's last post, it's probably best if we start a focused thread on location of trip reports when all of the dust settles down.
Therefore I am closing this thread. Once the dust has settled, we will post a thread to discuss the issues of where best to place BA-focused Trip Reports and what the criteria should be.
Until then, please think about pros and cons of leaving them here or posting them on the trip report forum as objectively as possible and keep them noted for yourself for the thread. The thread will only be posted after some "dust settling" time.
Until then, it would be appreciated if you refrain from discussing the trip report issues and place all trip reports in the Trip Report forum, but put a signpost if you wish to on http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...4-edition.html.
Thanks.
LTN Phobia
Moderator: BA forum
Therefore I am closing this thread. Once the dust has settled, we will post a thread to discuss the issues of where best to place BA-focused Trip Reports and what the criteria should be.
Until then, please think about pros and cons of leaving them here or posting them on the trip report forum as objectively as possible and keep them noted for yourself for the thread. The thread will only be posted after some "dust settling" time.
Until then, it would be appreciated if you refrain from discussing the trip report issues and place all trip reports in the Trip Report forum, but put a signpost if you wish to on http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...4-edition.html.
Thanks.
LTN Phobia
Moderator: BA forum