It’s nothing to do with personal attacks targeting that one poster …. if it was, every thread she’d posted on would be targeted, but she’s made several posts on a thread asking for IT advice and no one has disputed what she’s said … she obviously knows about IT and that has been accepted.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@Topbird you make some valid points about over-zealous user mods removing posts ‘just in case’ they get offensive and potentially stifling reasonable debate. I think that is about training the volunteer mods to abide by the code of conduct set by the forum provider and apply their criteria over when it is acceptable or not acceptable to remove posts in terms of offence, abuse etc. This is certainly the case on other forums I use, the user mods are themselves overseen by the chief mod employed by the forum provider. There are checks and balances in place and if anyone feels a user mod is getting unnecessarily officious and controlling they can appeal to the chief mod. The latter retains the right to ban users, no volunteer mod can do that.
I think we also need to consider why posts aren’t being moderated as well now as they were in the past. It’s possible there are valid internal staffing or economic reasons at present. As the site is free and funded by advertising, perhaps advertising revenue has fallen dramatically? Plenty of people use and recommend ad blockers too, which may be a further deterrent. It could be the online world is just getting nastier. I don’t know. It would be good to have an explanation from IM.
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@Topbird you make some valid points about over-zealous user mods removing posts ‘just in case’ they get offensive and potentially stifling reasonable debate. I think that is about training the volunteer mods to abide by the code of conduct set by the forum provider and apply their criteria over when it is acceptable or not acceptable to remove posts in terms of offence, abuse etc. This is certainly the case on other forums I use, the user mods are themselves overseen by the chief mod employed by the forum provider. There are checks and balances in place and if anyone feels a user mod is getting unnecessarily officious and controlling they can appeal to the chief mod. The latter retains the right to ban users, no volunteer mod can do that.
This has been my experience as a volunteer mod also.
My advice would be to simply post a correction when something that is patently wrong gets posted so the OP gets a clear answer to their query but not to fan the flames with any attacks if that person comes back trying to justify their wrong answer - just ignore that. We have learnt that trying to teach this person doesn't work. Simply post correct info.
On 20 September on this forum the person in question informed us that they qualified in EE and Computer Science, specialising in A.I.
They had worked as an electronic engineer and data scientist for a long time. They are now Head of R & D at an engineering company. And moonlighting as a writer, published.
I wouldn't dispute any of that, as I don't know the person. I wouldn't offer advice on any of those sciences either, as I have not the experience in those subjects. I only ever offer advice or information on here if I have personally had experience of the subject being discussed. Otherwise there's no point.
That's true @SlipperyElm but I think there are enough knowledgeable people on the forum on a regular basis who can, and do, post corrections. I just think it would be best to simply do that and make no reference to the person posting the incorrect stuff.
Obviously (I hope) I’m over stating the point to make it clear, but the personal elements add nothing and the people chiming in with more personal stuff do nothing but fan the flames. The first example avoids the whole kerfuffle.
Now we have a whole thread dedicated to just attacking that one person!
Whilst I agree that "fanning the flames" isn't always a good idea, could I just say that you appear not to be taking into account a basic fact of human nature? Not only can it be tempting to respond - especially when it is raining all day
It is that human nature that I am specifically taking account of!
But yes we can all get annoyed, and the best way to minimise the occurrence is to always play the ball and not the man, or “ object to someone's argument by attacking the argument itself instead of them or a facet of their personality”.
@JoeX - you're forgetting something, and I'm not sure you've actually read everything that has gone on. Are you saying that I should just lie down and accept it when someone accuses me of abuse [and calls me names]
We all do what we want to do, but as I have learned over twenty years of online forums is that as soon as something has become personal there is literally never a positive outcome to be achieved. There will be no coming together of minds and there will be no justice - it’s an anonymous online forum. Click ignore and move on with your life, it is simply the only way to stay sane - engaging just makes it worse.
I think the problem arose initially because some posts were disagreed with and the poster in question took offence and was rude and aggressive to all those whose posts contradicted hers. When they provided evidence backing up their posts the attacks became very unpleasant indeed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
'Don't feed the troll' is always the best course of action, but it is a counsel of perfection when on the receiving end of some of the vitriol we have seen, and quite a hard course to steer when there is no back-up from moderators.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
They are now Head of R & D at an engineering company.
And moonlighting as a writer, published.
I wouldn't dispute any of that, as I don't know the person.
I wouldn't offer advice on any of those sciences either, as I have not the experience in those subjects.
I only ever offer advice or information on here if I have personally had experience of the subject being discussed.
Otherwise there's no point.
But yes we can all get annoyed, and the best way to minimise the occurrence is to always play the ball and not the man, or “ object to someone's argument by attacking the argument itself instead of them or a facet of their personality”.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.