Questions to Moderators.

[boatdoc]

Good morning; Where on the Forums can I find information which would help me better familiarize myself with general rules, and get a good understanding concerning those who post, and the Moderators. Do Airstream Forums have a existing written guidelines for Moderators, or are they made up on "as we go basis" and individual discretion of Moderator? If a written form of [Forums Constitution] exists [as it should] where can I find it? Thanks "Boatdoc"

[byamcaravanner]

Here is where I find "the rules"

http://www.airforums.com/?page=rules

It's listed near the bottom of the "quick links" pane along the left side of the portal/forums pages.

[Janet H]

You can view the forum rules here and the terms of service here. These links are at the bottom of every forum page

A list of moderators is available here. Moderators are volunteers and expected follow the same posting rules as every other member. If you have a complaint, suggestion or just want to send chocolate you can message a mod or Andy R, the forum owner. If you have a concern about a specific post, please use the "report post" button at that post.

Hope this helps.

[53flyingcloud]

boatdoc..
I tried..

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to boatdoc again.

You raised a excellent point..Thanks~!!

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by Janet

If you have a complaint, suggestion ... or just want to send chocolate you can message a mod

Send chocolate... gotta keep those mods happy. LOL!

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by byamcaravanner

Send chocolate... gotta keep those mods happy. LOL!

Forget the chocolate - send axles, paint, cherry ply, a new fridge, new wheels and an extra week end or two.



disclaimer: this post was intended to be humorous and is not an actual solicitation for stuff.

[Blue Pearl]

Chocolate helps with the weekend projects. Teresa

[boatdoc]

Originally Posted by Janet

You can view the forum rules here and the terms of service here. These links are at the bottom of every forum page

A list of moderators is available here. Moderators are volunteers and expected follow the same posting rules as every other member. If you have a complaint, suggestion or just want to send chocolate you can message a mod or Andy R, the forum owner. If you have a concern about a specific post, please use the "report post" button at that post.

Hope this helps.

Good morning Janet;
With all sincerity I do not wish to stir up any whirlwinds but there are things that I need to address with the Forums management. It is my understanding that Forums were created for specific needs. If I were the one who set up the perimeters for such, I would try to set up agendas that are educational, meaningful and helpful to the community of Airstreamers, and they would be known as "Airstream Forums" and not as a "Different Word Game Forum" or show me your "Exploding Trailer Forum". Did anyone really enjoyed watching a dangerous stunt of blowing up a SOB? Yes, even if it was SOB. For those, I would give blessing to create their own "Darn Forums". Our Forums are littered with Off Topic posts, which are meaningless as far as I am concerned in relationship to the Airstream Forums.
Overbearing the Moderators with such, does not serve any purpose on our Forums. If we must have it, I recommend that separate Main Page is created and a volunteer Moderator is found to take responsibility for it.
To tell the truth, I do not like the direction in which the forums are headed.

Sometime in the past [do not know when or how] I must have upset a Moderator, because my posts disappear from the main page as soon as I can post them while others such as "Exploding trailer" stays on the main page for a day. I am not complaining because even some of my posts and/or replies are emotion activated which may have tendency to be meaningless and hiding such post for the respect of more valuable posts is agreably, very proper.

My aim in posting is not to prove my capabilities in restoration process to anyone. I am the only one who needs to be pleased with my work, because I will be the one to spend time in it. My choice of materials may be different because I have been dealing with corrosion and rot for four decades. This experience allowed me to search out best choices which may come with a higher expense, not suitable to every pocket but nonetheless offers another choice to those who wish to do it. If my suggestions are hidden where no one can find them, why should I bother to post them on the "Airstream Forums" where multiple "Word Games" take priority every time. I am aware that many will be upset by my comments and so be it, but I am not retired with nothing to do, but if I were, I would enter the chat room to kill my time.

There has to be some sort of justification of how the posts are moved or removed. It should not be up to a individual Moderators choice, to delete a valid and fitting post of a member that they do not like for personal reasons. We are all bound to not to like someone, but this should not reflect on business at hand issues. What I wanted to know by my original post, if there were any guidelines [since none exist in print on the forums] by which the Moderators must abide by. I have received 3 replies from the Moderators but none answered my question. If I have to just go away, I will, but for the sake of peace on the Forums certain perimeters should be set which should encompass the Moderators as well, so that the members are familiar with their responsibilities. Thank you, "Boatdoc"

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I just skip over "Word Games" and "It's Thursday..." because that is not my bag. I go looking for meat... The nice thing about the forums is you can chose what you read and what you don't. With so many members, many of which tune in daily, there are sure to be conflicting points of view. It is real easy to piss someone off with so many different points of perspective. I would think that the job of the moderator is to keep things from getting out of hand not censoring content. I am shocked to hear that your post have been removed. It has not taken me long to figure out who is who. To find out who has something constructive to add and who is wasting everyones time. Boatdoc, I think you should let the "word games" folks have their fun, but I also think you have a good voice that should be heard. I personally have searched your posts and read many. You are very insightful and I want to read what you say. If for some reason you do go somewhere else, let me know so I can follow the progress of your Argosy.

[bobchevy89]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I just skip over "Word Games" and "It's Thursday..." because that is not my bag. I go looking for meat... The nice thing about the forums is you can chose what you read and what you don't. With so many members, many of which tune in daily, there are sure to be conflicting points of view. It is real easy to piss someone off with so many different points of perspective. I would think that the job of the moderator is to keep things from getting out of hand not censoring content. I am shocked to hear that your post have been removed. It has not taken me long to figure out who is who. To find out who has something constructive to add and who is wasting everyones time. Boatdoc, I think you should let the "word games" folks have their fun, but I also think you have a good voice that should be heard. I personally have searched your posts and read many. You are very insightful and I want to read what you say. If for some reason you do go somewhere else, let me know so I can follow the progress of your Argosy.

Hey boatdoc you do a great service posting your repairs and follow ups. but you have to have a little fun along the way.if not you become dull and boring and people don't want that.as far as your posts getting removed ask Andy who and why is doing it.just go to the head honcho. but in the mean time just stay and keep up the the good info..

[Jim & Susan]

Boatdoc, I, too, have read your posts with great interest, and have enjoyed them very much. Your contributions are very welcome here. Please continue to add your insight to the forums!

If you’ll PM me with the details of the posts that you believe were deleted, I’ll take a look at the threads and see if I can figure out why that may have happened. The moderators will normally only delete something if it is offensive in some way or completely inappropriate to this forum (for example, the spammers that turn up from time to time). Please let me know and I’ll be happy to look into it.

Jim

[Aerowood]

My posts also do not stay on the mainstream page for very long either, also with very few replies, but the people that follow my post do see them judging by my PM. I also bypass all of the chafe that is not important to me and key in on the restoration posts, which one of, is yours. You are a goldmine of info and I will most likely incorporate some of your ideas on my Globetrotter project. Your Argosy project is very unique and impressive to me, so I would really like to see the end product. I think a lot more people see your threads then you realize, but with no advice to offer, we just set with awe and envy in our eyes wishing that we too, had your skill set.

[flitzwhopper]

Just goes to show you how out of step I am. I stop by the forums for a little humor and silliness a few times a day. When I need some help with a technical issue, I use the search functionality but beyond that, the forum is a source of entertainment and relief from the constant barrage of serious and scary stuff that gets into every communication venu. Don't get me wrong, the serious technical advice and vendor participation has saved me from disaster more than once. I'd have disabled my camper more than once were it not for the posts by the technical wizards. That being said, I still go for the "We're all Bozo's on this bus" nature of the forum - no offense intended.

[byamcaravanner]

Originally Posted by boatdoc

...my posts disappear from the main page as soon as I can post them while others such as "Exploding trailer" stays on the main page for a day.

boatdoc,

Just so I (and others) can understand what your are saying... are your posts deleted? or do they just not show on the the "portal" page?

My understanding is that each time a thread is posted on,
it gets "bumped" to the top of the page. This is an automatic feature that happens without regard to any Mod intervention. Considering there are hundreds of members online at any given time and only the 30 most recent threads on the portal, it may be that your posts get pushed off of the "main page" by 30 other posts that occur right after yours. It's one of the negatives of a forum as large as this one.

I agree with 62overlander... even though it can be a pain, just skip over the threads you have no interest in. What you might try is to go to each specific forum... the "meaty ones" and look for new posts. This way the "fluff" does not get in your way.

Lastly I'll say, hopefully none of the moderators are deleting posts without any notification as such. It's my experience that this kind of heavy handed action can create bad blood that spreads like wildfire. Each Moderator action should be accompanied by an explanation.

For what it's worth... many folks here value your contibution and hope you keep it coming.

[CanoeStream]

The New Posts link on the blue menu bar overhead will show all recent posts that a member has not yet looked at -- page after page of them. This can help one understand the posting sequence and the pace at which threads are posted to.

Mods can move threads between subforums; eg, a polishing thread would be moved into Exterior Restoration if it was originally placed under Boondocking. Moderators cannot alter the date & time stamp on a post or thread -- this is important to understand. The latest 30 time-and-dated posts show up on the portal page and mods cannot affect that either -- it's just not in the software.

[Jim Clark]

Using the New Post option works great for see post which may of scrolled to the bottom of the Portal page due to high activity.

I am a owner of a Sailboat which I rebuilt and get to do again because of Katrina and I can attest that the methods Boatdoc is using in his rebuild work are the best and he knows his stuff. Boatdoc I know you don’t need my approval but it made me feel good to say it. I hope Boatdoc is not singled out unless he is posting in a manner I have never seen him do.

I like all the messages on the Forum it is a Community and we should have some fun and silliness mixed in with the technical issues. I vote with my mouse and select what I want to read some days I am silly some days I am serious, you know mood swings.

Some topics get heated like which TV is best or the never ending saga of the Hensley Hitch, but that is for my combative mood day. The different topics and views are what make it a Community and make Airstream Forums.

[CanoeStream]

Aerowood & Jim -- I also have been impressed with boatdoc's work and his willingness to share his methods.

boatdoc is a ... boatdoc. And summer is his high season. He has put up the following new threads since he's been able to spend more time here the last month:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f454...dow-35834.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f427...ess-36175.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...ble-36224.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...ler-36209.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...two-36284.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f38/...ect-36938.html

[Sky]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Mods can move threads between subforums; eg, a polishing thread would be moved into Exterior Restoration if it was originally placed under Boondocking. Moderators cannot alter the date & time stamp on a post or thread -- this is important to understand.

And Bob, correct me if I am wrong, but Mods filter posts and remove "Inappropriate" posts immediately until further review. A PM is sent to the poster explaining why it was removed, and that further review is required before the post is allowed.

I personally like this because it keeps a lot of crap and taboo topics out of here. But it is something I think everyone should be aware of.

[Janet H]

boatdoc,

I understand your concerns. One of toughest things mods are asked to do is balance members individual requests and wishes with those of the forum membership as a whole. It is true that we have many off topic posts, but as many members participate in those forum areas it would seem that they are valued.

About post removal: It's relatively rare that mods remove posts or threads. Examples of times posts are removed include outright spam (free cell phone ads), duplicate posts and posts that violate the forum rules. This last group of posts is fairly small. Threads that have wandered really far or gotten out of hand are usually closed rather than being removed and again, this doesn't happen very often. When a post is removed for a rules violation, it is our practice to notify the poster with an explaination.

Posts are not screened prior to posting to the forum with one exception, threads posted to the "In the News" forum are screened prior to posting and that screening is to make sure they are actually news.

Many forum members view the portal page for thread updates, but it moves very quickly and so you are very likely to miss new content viewing this way. Each thread that is posted to goes to the top of the portal page and the thread at the bottom drops off. This happens automatically (as mentioned earlier) and mods can't alter that process.

Moderators are volunteers and the site owner ultimately sets the tone and topic for the forum but often change is made in response to member need. To date, new sections have been added in response to member requests or many posts about a specific topic e.g. we recently added a subforum for Airstreams around the world in response to numerous posts from the EU. This is member driven change.

If you have specific questions about a post or thread please message a moderator and we'll try to help.

[dmreilly10000]

Originally Posted by boatdoc

If I were the one who set up the perimeters for such, I would try to set up agendas that are educational, meaningful and helpful to the community of Airstreamers, and they would be known as "Airstream Forums" and not as a "Different Word Game Forum" or show me your "Exploding Trailer Forum". Thank you, "Boatdoc"

One solution to this problem is to go directly to the forums. Click on the "forums" tab at the top of the page and bookmark it. You can then look at only those topics you desire. DO NOT GO TO THE PORTAL as this is the latest posts from all forums, including "off topic" posts.

Then, DO NOT CLICK ON THE COMMUNITY FORUM. Its stated purpose reads, "This is an open forum to share whatever is on your mind!" So I don't think that word games or "blow up your trailer" are "off topic" if they are posted here.

I use the portal but I don't usually bother with the word games or Airstream games posts. I did, however, enjoy the exploding trailer, though.

I hope this helps.