notify people when you delete posts

[theowl 9]

Send the poster a pm or something

[Gumbo 1,563]

Gotta agree with this. As a forum mod it should be automatic that if you delete a post, you PM the offender and explain to them why. If this is too much work for you, then you prolly ain't cut out to be a forum mod. If the offender continues with the offense, then hand out punishment.  I always thought this was the #1 Mod rule, but here it don't seem that way. I would also like to point out that random forum posts by a passing mod saying something like "please stay on topic" needs this same attention. If you're not going to PM me and let me know it was my comment that was "off topic", I'm going to continue to speak on the point thinking that message was for someone else.

[Kagrenac 812]

Yeah, its rather annoying to come back to a thread and see your posts have disappeared for no reason that you can see.

 

It would probably reduce the amount of moderating if people were told why their posts disappeared, rather than just having them disappear and having to guess why.(aka why some people think criticizing Rolf is against the rules)

 

(I agree with the idea, not the actions of the guy posting it)

Edited May 12, 2014 by Kagrenac

[Alec 728]

A wizard!

[Judicator 539]

+1

[belthize 438]

Don't really care,  I've had quite a few posts deleted and it took about 40ms for me to figure out why.  

 

I'd be down with them banning your most recent spam incarnation though.  Gets vaguely annoying scanning sections for new content only to discover its you again on some new forum alt bumping posts and making stupid threads like 'help' in suggestions.

Edited May 12, 2014 by belthize

[Gumbo 1,563]

Gotta agree with this. As a forum mod it should be automatic that if you delete a post, you PM the offender and explain to them why. If this is too much work for you, then you prolly ain't cut out to be a forum mod. If the offender continues with the offense, then hand out punishment.  I always thought this was the #1 Mod rule, but here it don't seem that way. I would also like to point out that random forum posts by a passing mod saying something like "please stay on topic" needs this same attention. If you're not going to PM me and let me know it was my comment that was "off topic", I'm going to continue to speak on the point thinking that message was for someone else.

 

Shrimpiie reply in locked thread.

 

"In cases of posts being removed, it should be fairly clear on why a particular post was removed, as it would be removed if it is in violation of the forums rules in some fasion.

 

Anyways, if you notice your post was removed, then take it as a clear indication to not post the same thing again please. If anyone has a question as to why a particular post was removed, then don't hesitate to PM the nearest moderator to find out, most of the time that type of information can easily be handed out, and a specific rule(s) pointed to in which a post(s) was in violation of. I will also add, that unfortunately many extra posts do get removed when a single offending post is removed, and I'm sorry for that. It is due to the fact that it quotes the offended post or is a direct reply to it, and it is weird to see that when there is no specific post to look at that was quoted."

 

----------------------------

 

No, it's not always clear. For example, sometimes a thread has been merged with another on the same topic. I've seen people then start another new thread on the same topic as well as a thread asking why their original was deleted. A simple PM to the person would have prevented both those from happening. Not informing people of a thread/post  deletion/lock/merge, is "the lazy way". You're attempting to put the onus on the poster to figure out what they did wrong instead of (and I hate using buzz words)  being pro-active and informing them. You even state yourself that the "information can easily be handed out.". So just F'n do it in the first place, and stop making people chase staff members around looking for answers. This game needs to make its' staff members responsible for their actions. Not doing so is one of the things continually causing harm to the staff/player relationship. If it's the staffs objective to frustrate players to the point where the players don't give a rats ass no more... congratulations, you're well on your way.

[Kagrenac 812]

Removing posts because they reference a post that is against the rules seems like a really bad policy to me.

Someone breaks a rule in part of their post in a discussion thread, you quote them and say your bit about the topic, your post gets removed as well. Explains a couple of my posts that have disappeared I guess. (And why pages of threads sometimes disappear)

 

Something being "weird to see" should not be a reason to remove a post.

[Xallo 2,599]

I'm more annoyed that an entire thread gets removed after one person decides to derail it, even if there was a lot of "good" feedback in it, regardless of it being positive or negative.

[Kamill 61]

.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Kamill

[Rathgar 959]

+1

[Old_Lando 178]

I've been informed about a few of my posts that have been removed.  I would never have known they were removed otherwise, I don't spend my time going back through threads to see if my post is still there or not.   The business of ninja deleting posts does have a negative effect upon people posting.  Why post when your post gets removed without any reason?  Doesn't make sense to take time to respond to someone with a researched post when that post can just be deleted at the whim of some moderator.   So for all meaningful conversation, it's better to handle it in game or off the forums since the moderators are not held accountable for posts they delete.

 

If someone posts something that a moderator disagrees with it gets deleted, doesn't matter whether it breaks the rules or not.   It very much reflects poorly on the staff.   

[Olloch 1,318]

Most of my posts are ninja deleted these days. I guess im too edgy for the conservative fourm team. That or I say Gary too much.

+1

Edited May 12, 2014 by Olloch

[Klaa 4,872]

Gah! Olloch has uttered the G-word!!!

 

Shun!

[rosedragon 2,282]

How about no post deleting, just edit it with these:

Post deleted. Reason: blablabla.

 

As of two same topics, lock and give link to the other one, or redirect. 

[Klaa 4,872]

How about no post deleting, just edit it with these:

Post deleted. Reason: blablabla.

 

As of two same topics, lock and give link to the other one, or redirect. 

 

They use to do that for a time. Not entirely sure when or why the decision was made to remove or hide offending posts (mods above a certain level can view them).

 

Its kinda funny actually, some time ago a GM (I forget who offhand) was wondering what percentage of the skirmish log thread was made up of "offending" posts, so they asked how many pages a regular visitor can see on the thread, and they calculated it from the page numbers they can see.

 

Came out to something like twelve or twenty percent at the time.

[Vroomfondel 1,128]

I'm of mixed feelings on this one.  While I agree an earnest player that gets something deleted deserves an explanation, there are the trolls.  We just saw one last Friday.  When we all saw the name we knew who it was, and it was an old troll to these forums.  Within an hour he had made over 22 new flame threads and nasty troll posts in other threads.  He knew exactly what he was doing, and did not deserve any warning.  So sometimes, when a new player comes in with a complaint and isn't exactly politically correct in how they express their issue, they can get mistaken for a troll coming back.  The forum mods have a hard job, I don't envy them.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Vroomfondel

[Druidnature 1,118]

I'm of mixed feelings on this one. While I agree an earnest player that gets something deleted deserves an explanation, there are the trolls. We just saw one last Friday. When we all saw the name we knew who it was, and it was an old troll to these forums. Within an hour he had made over 22 new flame threads and nasty troll posts in other threads. He knew exactly what he was doing, and did not deserve any warning. So sometimes, when a new player comes in with a complaint and isn't exactly politically correct in how they express their issue, they can get mistaken for a troll coming back. The forum mods have a hard job, I don't envy them.

Cough, "they" still here with "5?" New alts since then... >_>

"Hint hint nudge nudge" :3

That's why I'll leave a -1. For the most part: YOU should know why it's deleted, in at least 80% of the ones that are - a general person can tell why. (Massive language, a pure troll like recently, something attempting to start a flame war)

[Nmenth 83]

Its kinda funny actually, some time ago a GM (I forget who offhand) was wondering what percentage of the skirmish log thread was made up of "offending" posts, so they asked how many pages a regular visitor can see on the thread, and they calculated it from the page numbers they can see.

Hmm, that doesn't seem accurate, I moderate a board that uses the same software as this one, and hidden posts turn red. It should be very easy to count them without having to do any calculations.

[Klaa 4,872]

Not sure offhand what options are available to mods on this newer forum base.

 

He didn't want to take the time to count the posts, the skirmish threads in Theatre can number in the hundreds of pages.

[Nmenth 83]

Oh, I suppose if it was a matter of hundreds of pages, it probably would be faster to just calculate off post numbers...

I should add, since it is relevant to this topic:

Moderators should not delete topics and not say anything, but it is annoying enough having to clean up garbage, especially if it comes from an individual who repeatedly posts garbage, but then having to explain why their post was garbage without offending them (offending the plebs is very bad) when it should be pretty obvious just adds onto the inconvenience.

Of course there is a matter of responsibility that comes with the authority, but moderators are usually volunteers (or maybe always, I've never heard of a paid forum moderator), so there is a temptation to shrug off some responsibility, a temptation that escalates with the more garbage one has to deal with in a day.

It may seem slightly paradoxical (or completely logical), but the better behaved a forum's members are, the more dedicated the moderators are.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Nmenth

[WTSsomestuff 16]

You people are insane. Expecting moderators to actually be accountable for their actions is pure lunacy. Also, remember to smile and thank them when the ban hammer is applied.

[Alec 728]

By the way, I always find funny how here you get your posts deleted and warning points without a word.

 

Is like "why are you mad at me?" "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID.

[Nmenth 83]

You should definitely not get warning points without a word. I think that would be crossing the line on moderator irresponsibility. If what you say is not an exaggeration (to be honest, I'm not convinced it isn't) and actually happens here, then perhaps this forum does have a problem with moderators not doing their jobs properly.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Nmenth

[Khalija 48]

I disagree. Moderators sometime have to delete numerous posts and for them to have to send a PM to each person would be ridiculously time-consuming. Not only that, but it would open up a can of unnecessary drama. If your post was deleted, check the rules to find out what rule you may have broken. If you can't figure it out, or still have questions, then PM a Board Moderator and ask.

 

Edit: If the board is set to where you don't get a PM (automatic or otherwise) for a warning, then yes, that is a terrible way to moderate. Points add up to a ban and you need to let the person know what they did wrong so they can try to correct their behavior. IPB has a fairly decent warning system and we should all be able to see our warning bar and click on it so that we can see when and why we got warnings, as well as get a PM explaining why as soon as it happens.

 

Edit#2: Just clicked my "0 warning points" text and it does indeed take you to your warning page. From there you should see all your warning details.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Khalija