-Justin- Shot In The Dark....

Demiurge

Justin,

I was wondering if it was possible for us to get a moderator who was non-Polk employed. Not that there is anything wrong with the current moderators, but that it would be easier to have someone as an enforcer of some of the unwritten rules of the forum. What I have noticed is that huge battles have ensued over said rules and it's not really doing the forum any good.

Maybe these rules need to be written or we could get someone to enforce them. Maybe give them the power to handle things so that you're not being bothered for every stupid little problem someone has. Maybe allow them to check with you if someone needs some time-out or to be banned, ect.

I guess there is a good possibility i'm not using enough foresight here, but I think this could work. The biggest road block is who would do this. Some of us are too biased and opinionated to do such a job on this forum (myself included). I have a few people in mind, but i'm a little afraid that there may be some ego issues as well. Not necessarily with the new moderator, but with the other long time members. In all honesty I think F1nut would be a good fit. I'm not really looking for this thread to turn into an argument about him or anyone else, but just to get this idea out there and hear others opinions on the matter. Suggestions included.

Thanks,
Dave

nadams

Not a bad idea.... I've thought about this in the past, but never said anything to Justin about it. It seems that the employees of Polk have enough to do besides policing the forum...

Demiurge

Originally posted by nadams
It seems that the employees of Polk have enough to do besides policing the forum...

That's kinda what I thought. It also takes awhile to get problems fixed. Not their fault...as you essentially stated above...they got other stuff that's more important.

I do worry that this may cause more problems than it would solve, but we'll never know until the idea is out there as it is now.

PhantomOG

I would just be happy if the ignore function was more powerful. If I couldn't see the threads started by the idiot on my ignore list, life would be grand.

Anyone want to guess who that idiot is??? :rolleyes:

shack

This is a bad idea. This is POLK'S forum and they should not let anyone else have any control. Posters come and go...POLK is the constant. Just ignore the idiots and trolls and all is good...or go somewhere else.

Demiurge

Originally posted by shack
This is a bad idea. This is POLK'S forum and they should not let anyone else have any control. Posters come and go...POLK is the constant. Just ignore the idiots and trolls and all is good...or go somewhere else.

I used to manage a major label bands message board. I was never employed by them, yet restricted by their policies. How would this be any different????

dorokusai

Good idea, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

shack

Originally posted by Demiurge
I used to manage a major label bands message board. I was never employed by them, yet restricted by their policies. How would this be any different????

It may not be any different ...but just because you did it doesn't make it a good idea IMO. I would think that Polk would want anyone acting on their behalf (in any capacity - no matter how small) to be accountable for their actions directly back to them. How can an non-employee volunteer moderator have ANY accountability?

brettw22

Ok, since y'all insist......

I'll volunteer for the job......

PolkWannabie

Originally posted by shack
How can an non-employee volunteer moderator have ANY accountability?

Simple ... you're fired ! ... can I have another volunteer please ?

Originally posted by brettw22
I'll volunteer for the job......

LOL ... uhhh, no ... moderators EXTINGUISH flames ...

fabian1

Bring on Micah

brettw22

Originally posted by PolkWannabie
LOL ... uhhh, no ... moderators EXTINGUISH flames ...

I don't like your implications......bastage.......;)

TechChallenged

The forum by design will not please all the people all the time.
Demiurge what you may define as a stupid little problem someone has may be very important to the author and of value to me. I am thankful that Polk maintains their own forum. It keeps them in tune with the views of their core customer. I also get very concerned when individuals start offering ways to better enforce or regulate power to control views that counter to thier own.

gmorris

Demiurge,

What is it exactly that you think needs more moderation? I have seen a few flame wars, most notably the recent bout with Bullwinkle. And some people don't like Spyderman's constant political posts, but what is so bad about this forum, in your opinion?

I think your idea is certainly a good one, but find it unnecessary. Flame wars are a part of any forum. If someone starts making personal attacks, i.e. Bullwinkle, the situation is quickly called to Justin's attention. But we are all adults here. I don't think we need a babysitter.

spyderman

makes an excellent point.

It's sort of like the FCC making decency laws for the entire country. If people don't want to watch, then they will change the channel. The market regulates itself, the broadcaster won't be able to sell the advertising and will dump the programe.

Did you hear they now want to go after cable tv, in particular The Sopranos?

Demiurge wants someone, other than Polk, to referee the boards "unwritten rules". It's like saying: The Police should have someone enforce unwritten laws... That's just moronic.

Demiurge, this board is enough of a popularity contest already without having it mandated. There is an ignore feature, learn how to use it.

"OFF TOPIC is OFF TOPIC"

brettw22

Originally posted by spyderman
Demiurge, this board is enough of a popularity contest already without having it mandated. There is an ignore feature, learn how to use it.

"OFF TOPIC is OFF TOPIC"

You're not going for popularity of any sort, so the vicitimization routine will get you nowhere. People have tried it in the past and it only ends up getting people to laugh at what a loser you are. Trust me, you've been laughed at for quite a while here now.....

What do you think is worse..........President Bush shoving his Point of View down the countries throat or you shoving your POV down ours? If you can't recognize that both show a lack of respect for the general consensus, then you're as dim as you believe him to be.

This is OFF TOPIC, yes......on an AUDIO board, not a POLITICAL board. If you're so one faceted that you only have one thing to talk about, as you've shown yourself to be, you might as well just post a thread owning your stupidity and let everyone off the bat know how ignorant you are. Tell them that you have nothing to offer, that you are an attention ****, and that you won't leave until you have everyone on the board doing nothing other than ignoring you for being such a loser.

I have no problem interracting with stupid people.......it's just sad that they're so stupid that they don't recognize it......get it? I didn't think so.........

Demiurge

Originally posted by gmorris
Demiurge,

What is it exactly that you think needs more moderation? I have seen a few flame wars, most notably the recent bout with Bullwinkle. And some people don't like Spyderman's constant political posts, but what is so bad about this forum, in your opinion?

I think your idea is certainly a good one, but find it unnecessary. Flame wars are a part of any forum. If someone starts making personal attacks, i.e. Bullwinkle, the situation is quickly called to Justin's attention. But we are all adults here. I don't think we need a babysitter.

I think the "unwritten rules" need to become written or enforced for real. There isn't anything unreasonable about them and I think they would help curb 90% of the confusion that always turns into flame wars. While I think Bullwinkle was a moron and that all came out in due time....read the start of it all. It all started because he had gotten his thread stickied. If the rule was written we would have avoided all the other crap.

Yes Bullwinkle would still be here, but at least he would have gotten himself banned in a different capacity rather than dragging 100 people into his mess.

I also think there are things that need attention sooner than -Justin- or Micah have time for. That is not an attack on them at all...I think we all realize their job expands well beyond this forum and that this forum should be the least of their concerns. This proposal does not mean that they should not be moderators, because that IS a good thing as Tech pointed out, but rather that there are simple questions that could be mediated through someone else that would be willing to devote more time for the forum. I think these people exist on this forum and I think they'd do a great job.

I don't know how this is a threat to the forum or to Polk to do this. They're esentially an employee that doesn't get paid. I fail to see the difference. If someone like Russman is hired by Polk to forsee something on a voluntary basis that makes him an employee of the company. He's just not recieving monatary compensation for his time. Big deal. Site is still run by Polk and all is well. Those people can still be 'fired' or 'let go' like anyone else.

I also feel the reigns should be tightened. Spats are fine and should be tolerated, but I do like the timeout idea. It obviously shouldn't be abused. Threads need to hit the H.O.S faster. Allowing threads to be open for a day or 2 is damaging to the forum. The longer that crap has to prepetuate the worse off the forum is, IMO. I guess i'm open to argument there, but I believe it. That's my main concern. Things need to be addressed more quickly.

We're all a little guilty of getting into those kinds of flame wars and stuff, myself included. It's just that we've had some real mental cases lately and someone needs to put their foot down. I don't care what anyone says about Spyderman, but the guy is a complete idiot. He has NO respect for the inhabitants of this forum. I feel that's unacceptable. If people of his walk of life are telling him to can it he should can it or we should be able to have his **** banned. It's kind of a decison the collective would be making. I don't know why the whole should have to suffer because of the few. He's ignored people constantly and people like that need to go. I started my share of political threads. I was asked to stop, I did. I got into fights as well, but I didn't start 20 threads about politics and nothing but. I've bought stuff from the flea market, I own Polk Products, and I try to get involved in the audio stuff when I have questions.

So I feel it's necessary or -Justin- and Micah need to be here more, which I think we all know isn't possible. I just think giving the 2 of them an intermediary would be a good idea.

shack

There is a HUGE difference between an employee and a volunteer. This forum is not just a nice little perk that Polk has set up for our benefit...it IS a marketing tool that has POLK plastered all over the forum. I can't imagine that they would want to give someone the oportunity to piss-off a broad section of their customer base (which a moderator could certainly do) and have no real control over that person. It is STUPID let someone represent your hard earned, good company name without any accountability...and the ability to "fire" an unpaid volunteer is NOT control.

Everybody can **** and moan about whatever...Unless this is something that Paul or Micah decide to do (and I seriously doubt they will) it is a moot point...It isn't going to happen.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by shack
There is a HUGE difference between an employee and a volunteer. This forum is not just a nice little perk that Polk has set up for our benefit...it IS a marketing tool that has POLK plastered all over the forum. I can't imagine that they would want to give someone the oportunity to piss-off a broad section of their customer base (which a moderator could certainly do) and have no real control over that person. It is STUPID let someone represent your hard earned, good company name without any accountability...and the ability to "fire" an unpaid volunteer is NOT control.

Everybody can **** and moan about whatever...Unless this is something that Paul or Micah decide to do (and I seriously doubt they will) it is a moot point...It isn't going to happen.

Man who crapped in your corn flakes...it was just a suggestion...Jeez...

shack

It was a suggestion...I stated my opinion and was taken to task for it. I simply replied.

I'm not really looking for this thread to turn into an argument about him or anyone else, but just to get this idea out there and hear others opinions on the matter. Suggestions included

This is my opinion....no more....no less.

Demiurge

Originally posted by shack
It was a suggestion...I stated my opinion and was taken to task for it. I simply replied.




This is my opinion....no more....no less.

You could calm down a bit. It would make me respect your opinion more. Either way I don't agree with you, but I do respect your opinion. I, of course, think you're overreacting quite a bit.


Micah and -Justin- are both audio enthusiasts. No different than anyone else. They were hired by Polk and get paid by Polk. Only a person who is of the authority to make such an appointment to someone here would be able to do so. That is a business decision they would have to make. So i'm not sure why you're all loud and boisterous about the suggestion.....only Micah or -Justin- can make it so THAT is the only moot point I see.

This is a discussion about the benefits or negatives of such a change...not whether or not it will happen because from what I know right now nobody said it was up to us.

spyderman

have this big sense of entitlement here.

Who do you think you are to tell someone they can't do something on the off-topic boards, or anywhere else for that matter? Where do you get this sense of entitlement?

I know, this is your treehouse and only the popular boys/girls can play??

This is what happens when clubs get out of control, and try to impose "unwritten rules", they start donning white sheets and hoods. Then when they start trying to control what others think and say, well then they start wearing uniforms and marching like the Gestapo or SS.

It's time to realize that there are other people in this world. Just because you have an opinion, doesn't mean that it speaks for everyone.

If you feel the need to control something, that's not within your control, then you my friend have a problem in your life and it's bigger than me.

Demiurge

Shut the eff' up you moron. I'm pretty much a nobody here. You're just an idiot and thats why people talk to you the way they do. Nobody agrees with ANYTHING you say. So sit down and shut the hell up because it's time to recognize that pretty much this entire board thinks you're a moron, not just the 'popular' ones you damn troll.

For god sakes I bet even Brettw22 agrees with me on that one....

shack

I am no more overreacting than anyone else....you asked for thoughts and opinions...I gave them. I don't need to calm down...I am perfectly calm. I don't believe that I have said anything out of line or broken any of the written or "unwritten" rules. The LAST thing I get upset about are issues brought up on an audio forum via the annonimity of the internet. (look for my name in the HOS...it doesn't happen...because I don't get involved it that BS!)

Ya'll feel free to go ahead and fix all the problems here on the forum....I've got some cables to compare...

F1nut

Originally posted by spyderman

Then when they start trying to control what others think and say, well then they start wearing uniforms and marching like the Gestapo or SS.

Pot, Kettle, Black :rolleyes:

nadams

I feel sorry for you, Demiurge. You made a simple suggestion, and suddenly you're the bad guy. It just as easily could've been me, as I stated in my original post. I've thought about posting about this before.

Anyway, there are some valid points here. This is a company website, and what goes on here reflects on the company. Other message boards I frequent are staffed totally by volunteers, almost always trusted senior members of the forum who have been around since ever...

For whatever reason, this forum seems to be a lot less a group of people who are open-minded and interested in the same thing as a group of people who are always on the verge of getting at each other's throats. It's odd to see senior members of a forum dislike one another, but it happens here.

It seems anymore that I just come in to read whatever useful posts there are. I dunno... it just seems to be an unhappy place to spend my time. Sorry, this post is wandering, but FWIW I'm prepared to leave without much concern as to losing a forum that used to be fun to hang out in.

Yes, this forum has an off-topic section, but it's still an audio forum. Many other forums I visit ban ALL political, religious, or race-related topics, period. Freedom of speech is never whined about, because you are on PRIVATE PROPERTY, and if that's what the owner wants you to do, that's what you do.

Guess I don't have a big point, except that i'm sick of it, too...

Demiurge

This is a company website, and what goes on here reflects on the company.

That's just it. I'd like to add to that. How is this forum reflecting on the company now? I see a lot of new people get turned off very quickly. It's not the majority that's the problem either, and i'm not name calling....other than with one person. I just think since we HAVE problems we may as well deal with them as fast as possible. I just don't see the big deal in that.


And Shack...No disrespect. Lets just leave it at the fact that we don't agree. No biggie. Sorry if you thought I was getting too worked up over your post....I guess I felt the same. Glad you're a big enough person to let it go. I will let it go too.

HBombToo

Ya know when I was new to this site I suggested something very similar. It was quietly let go by the core members. Since then I have come to realize that "we"(as a group) are a self moderating club and need no titles other than our user names and contribution. We have very serious hobbiests through real corupt individuals and our core continues to grow. That said, I believe our core is TIP TOP and the bad are chased away fast and sometimes we are assisted by Polk.

I say leave whats not broke alone.

1/4Twin

dcarlson

Originally posted by HBombToo
Ya know when I was new to this site I suggested something very similar. It was quietly let go by the core members. Since then I have come to realize that "we"(as a group) are a self moderating club and need no titles other than our user names and contribution. We have very serious hobbiests through real corupt individuals and our core continues to grow. That said, I believe our core is TIP TOP and the bad are chased away fast and sometimes we are assisted by Polk.

I say leave whats not broke alone.

1/4Twin

Well said, I agree.

Demiurge

I say leave whats not broke alone.

What about what is broke.

Can't have people bitching about starting NEW boards and then say there is nothing wrong with what we have now.....

goingganzo

i will do it but you would need my decoder ring to read the message i left lol


if we do do this i hope for a newtral party or maybe a 3 strikes and you are out and have to get all your posts screned.