livious

Just keep the old private forums and make them read-only for the current set of moderators/TB. Open up two new read-only forums for the public to be used from whenever such a motion is (of might be) passed. Old skeletons remain from public sight and everyone gets a fresh start. The history remains for the continuing moderators/TB to see.

If the mods don't want open up their forum, TB can be a start and show them that it works.

kokonutz

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” -- Walt Disney


Past is prologue. Well, it can be if we fail to learn from it.

This thread is meant to be about improving the management of FT by making the TB more efficient and having the TB and the mod corps collaborate more (heck, at all!).

I don't think it's healthy to wallow in the past. But if there are lessons to be learned we should learn them.

essxjay

Incredulous as it may seem, members do PM mods for reasons unrelated to moderation. It's not just my opinion that TB needs to move on from these silly strung out convos, but rank and file members who are beginning to wonder what's "really going on" here, whether it's just friendly differences of opinion or old vendettas. Perhaps it's time to rethink the tactic of banging on and on about matters that really aren't within the board's purview. Yeah, I know it rankles some to read that but there are limits to others' patience. For your own sake and those you claim to represent please consider whether the continued hostility is good for the membership and the future of TB itself.

essxjay

Appalling. Has it occurred to you that others don't view TB as your plaything?

livious

Whom, other than yourself, are you speaking for? I do not remember seeing your name on the ballot. At least Koko had x amount of votes for TB, so clearly others may also agree with Koko and would not mind seeing him succeeding in de-marginalizing TB (which was the topic of the thread).

However, I can agree that you don't view TB as his plaything. Two different statements IMHO.

essxjay

I'm expressing my view as a regular member.

kokonutz

Hostile? Where do you read hostility in anything that Rich (or I) have written?

To the contrary, I have tried very hard to remain positive and constructive. Can you say the same about your own posts?

I very much understand that some folks like the status quo. I'm sorry if my looking for ways to improve the FT experience is threatening to you or spiff or cblaisd or other posters.

But as I said in post 6 of this thread:

If you don't have the patience to read these threads, you are free to not read them. But I hope you will bear with them, because I do believe that we can all work together to make FT an even better place than it already is. ^

Speaking of which, do you have any ideas how we can improve collaboration between the TB and mods? Any suggestions to make the TB more efficient!?

PS, FYI, telling me to, in effect, shut up without addressing the actual issues only motivates me because it tells me that I may be on to something.

RichMSN

I'm sorry, but if members feel this way, they can PM *me* or other members of the TB. I guarantee I'll listen and even guarantee a reply.

PMing you about the TB is about as useful as others PMing me about the weather or US politics. You're not on the TB.

And we are trying to make things better around here (and better doesn't mean that things change drastically -- there's always room for improvement). Open, productive dialogues about *anything* can only make things better.

SkiAdcock

I can't speak of moderation, which has different responsibilities than TB.

But I can speak of TB. There is no requirement to check in daily. Most of us do, or at least a few times a week, because we feel a duty to our roles as TB members and to FTers, whom we serve. There are also times when we're unavailable, and as you know having been a TB member, there's a mechanism in the private TB for that.

I have been one of the most active TB members in both the public & private forum, and will continue to be one. To imply that I shouldn't be standing as a TB member because occasionally real-life/job intervenes is both insulting and absurd IMO.

Now - if you wanted to say that to the 2 TB members last term who only showed up for voting, I might agree with you.

I think the 2 week window for voting is fine, both for the reasons I stated and which bhatnasx did as well in his 3 points.

Cheers.

livious

I get that. But you said "others", suggesting you were speaking for someone else as well. Have I read that wrong?

A bit OT, I cannot see why the mods are so outspoken against de-marginalizing TB. Maybe there is a history in the past that I am not aware of, but from what I have seen Koko is being quite open and diplomatic.

Is there any way to de-marginalize TB without encroaching on the moderators territory? At least that would be a starting point.

kipper

I've found that often, telling someone they can't do something, or something will not happen means that they will find a way to make it happen.

RichMSN

Anything that doesn't preserve the status quo threatens some people. It's doubtful that will change. It's doubtful it will change me doing my best to help improve the FT experience for everyone.

essxjay

What I don't have the patience for is pretense. Power grabs dressed up as collaboration (as if that notion is some intrinsic good) are still bad faith power grabs at the end of the day. No sale.

essxjay

That's the essential, unqualified question, isn't it? And isn't it interesting that those who slime the volunteer mod corps with all sorts of ill-intent and misdeed can't see irony in their own intentions? Seems to me TB has dealt themselves the moral high hand at the expense of their own credibility.

livious

Although I would like to see change (which is how I voted in the last electrion) , I understand both sides. I really do. However, surely there can be changes made that do not rile the various moderators (not all!) that are very outspoken against certain TB members and their proposals.

As I mentioned earlier, open up the private TB forum as a way to de-marginalize TB (at least we know what our elected leaders are thinking). This has no effect on moderation and would only draw more interest to TB and its activities.