Hey Dredd, Slow your roll bud.....

This should have been sent to the moderator in question via PM instead of this... foolishness.

war-robots-forum.freeforums.net/post/41792/thread
"On another note, will someone with the power lock this thread? It's turned into another poo slinging wall." -TinTheFiend, original poster.
We were warned, the OP requested locking, the thread went off the rails again a day later, it got locked.

war-robots-forum.freeforums.net/thread/2210/losing-interest-game?page=3
A minor flame war erupted between 2 participants, filling up most of a page with off-topic and mildly offensive posts. I would have locked it too, but I would have used much harsher language to describe the situation. Prolly why Dredd was invited to be a moderator, but I was not, and I'm fine with that. He's doing a much better job than I might be willing to.

Judge not, least ye be judged.

Couldn't moderators just remove offensive or flaming posts?

I suppose they could but when an entire page of a thread starts to degrade then its easier just to shut it down. When multiple iterations of the same meme show up its a good indication the time has come.

If offenders kept on cutting and pasting their comments, then it is spamming and they could be banned for that. 
And option would be to edit the post and put the moderation tag on it. 

I feel that the staff here are too little.

Pardon the pun, but there's a lot to unpack here. 

First, I'd like to dispense with any concern that 6pack or anyone else has with regards to questioning administration. Yes, we're all unpaid volunteers, but message board communities can live and die on the quality of their administration. I don't mind you making this thread one bit. A few pointed out this should have been handled by 6pack via PM. I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't see anything out of sorts with making a thread about it either. This way, others who may share the concern can see and participate in the discussion. Huzzah for transparency!

Now, I'll first get into the specifics of the thread, then- if anyone's still awake- briefly mention my moderation philosophy. 

In two cases today, I locked threads that threatened to go off the rails into incivility. In one of these threads, a forum user had reported another forum user for borderline flaming. 

In the other case, the original poster (OP) messaged me saying it was devolving into insults, and would I mind locking it. Although I'm not sure where I stand on the matter of "OP ownership" (in other words, does the OP even have the ability to request a thread be locked, because once it's in the public domain it's sorta public property)... I complied with his request because I found it more than reasonable. 

Now, 6pack contends that we have a forum code of conduct that calls for banning. Sure, I suppose we could go that route, but for reasons I hope are plain I choose not to. I completely understand that with some issues, tempers and frustrations can run high. Clubbers. The new matchmaking system. Rating tankers. People feel very strongly about these issues in one direction or another, and left unchecked, it's not difficult for a disagreement to devolve into an argument, and then an argument devolve into insults. 

I could certainly convene the admin team and recommend someone for banning, but we live in different parts of the world. We're not always all on. And while we're waiting for court to convene, people are still arguing and flaming on the thread in question. And that sets a tone for the rest of the forum, in terms of what is normal, and what is beyond the norm. 

This is the Wiki Forum. Like as not, there's a certain standard of expectation for conduct here, because it's seen as a place where folks come to learn about the game. This is not unlike a library. The Facebook Group, well, that's the pub. 

So I consider myself the friendly volunteer law enforcement officer who lets people off with a warning (which- oh irony- I suppose is pretty rich for a guy with the avi of Judge Dredd). The guard who says, "c'mon, buddy, don't make me have to do my job." 

Personally, flaming and arguing doesn't bother me. The last time I was a moderator on a message board, many years ago, was on a board for "banter" between Celtic and Rangers fans. If I can hang in that toxic stew of bile, vitriol, and sectarianism (and that was just the Rangers fans!), then the occasional jab here is nothing to get the knickers in a twist about. 

Since none of this bothers me, I prefer to regard everyone as the adults they are rather than having to feel like a nun with a ruler, rapping knuckles with three-hour bans. Besides, in addition to modding here and writing Gepard Diary, I have four kids six and under to attend to. A wife. Two dogs, two cats, and three guinea pigs. And every now and then I might actually like to sneak in a game of War Robots. Locking a thread is a quick, harmless way of telling the folks slugging it out that the bell has rung, now catch your breath and hug it out. I ascribe to a "less is more" approach with moderation, so I try and do the least necessary to resolve the issue. And then in the interests of transparency, I always leave a note mentioning the action I've taken and why. 

Anyway, enough rambling. I hope that addressed your concern to your satisfaction, 6pack , and I appreciate the opportunity to address them. 

That's an excellent point, and I hadn't considered the possibility that someone might try to deliberately torpedo a thread. Something to bear in mind. 

Enjoy the fight! 

Scottish soccer. Two teams in Glasgow. Imagine a bar full of Yankees and Red Sox fans, except they all did bath salts in the parking lot first. 

I still love you Dredd. Ive never been locked. Moved to Off Topic? Couple times a day... But the moderators have been extremely patient with my borderline offenses to The Code of Conduct. And for this I firetruckin love you buncha strong independent women.

Its a forum, cant expect hugs, kisses, roses, and chocolates all the time. Pluses and minuses, thats the way it works. If people cant deal with negativity, they need to grow up.

After reading this thread, my 2 cents is that I support Dredd's locking of those threads. However, I personally do agree that pre-emptive locking sometimes is not helpful and can be frustrating. And I do agree that sometime giving warning and allowing contributors to behave themselves might be the better way to go but only IF that thread was serving a valuable purpose of discussion. But if it was another venting about the MM threads, then I can understand the locking. We have been trying hard to streamline the ranting that has been going on regarding the MM. Lets be fair, we dont need so many threads ranting on the same things.

Emotions can run high and our job is to moderate it while not ignoring the needs and voices. That is a hard job and I thank you all for your patience and understanding.

and Australians

I have an odd urge of wanting to vote Dredd77 for president after that speech.

I propose a flame subsection. Threads that go off the tangent into flames can stay in the naughty corner where the arsonists can duke it out. Popcorn will be consumed.