When to moderate and when not........?

[mascamps.com]

I think that coco is by far the best example of the reason why this thread shouldn't be deleted.

She started as incredibly negative about the mods and I was on her side of the argument then too as the deletion did seem a bit over the top. As we heard why it was deleted, it was clear that the mods were operating in what seemed a very reasonable way using the information that they had to hand at the time.

Deleting this thread will just go to show that you're not really that reasonable when you get hit with what was quite reasonable criticism from coco with the information that she had to hand at the time.

Even if this thread had nothing to do with France at all (and I don't accept that), so what? I hardly think that it's going to fill up the LF discspace; it's certainly hard to argue that it should be deleted because it's not about France when you leave an assortment of non-French topics on.

Of course, us relative newbies will be asking: if you've deleted this one, how many more similar threads did you delete in the past?

Open-ness is definitely a better way to go.

 

Arnold

 

[Russethouse]

I can assure you that the opportunity to be anything less than open hardly exists with you lot !

Yes, of course sometimes we are privy to information that other members are not, but I hope that we are worthy of members trust and exercise appropriate tact and discretion.

I have been on holiday in France and my access to the forum has been sporadic and limited to a French keyboard, and I am not too au fait with that, however IMHO this thread contains some comments that are overly personal in a derogatory way - just an example of how the minority spoil it for the majority.

I will also say that there are many forums where posts or memberships are just deleted or edited without any warnings or correspondence, we may be far from perfect but we at least try !

[mascamps.com]

Yes, of course sometimes we are privy to information that other members are not, but I hope that we are worthy of members trust and exercise appropriate tact and discretion.

We all accept that. The issue is that by deleting this thread enblock, you give the impression that you're saying "trust us, we are perfect and what right do you plebs have to criticise us?". Yes, I know that's a hard comment but so is the "we're going to delete this thread" not because it's breaching any rules but because we don't like this kind of comment in open forum. The thing is that this thread is one of those that actually shows that you do operate how I always assumed that you did operate!

Yes, it did start off with comments that were derogatory and for good reasons given the information that was available to the normal members at the time. As you guys have come along and explained things why things happened given the information that you had at the time, they have swung to the opposite extreme. As I say, it has given you guys a rare opportunity to show that you do operate in a reasonable way to everyone. Up to now I've mainly seen you guys in association with "post deleted by a moderator because of X" in open forum and this has given you the chance to show that you're human.

I will also say that there are many forums where posts or memberships are just deleted or edited without any warnings or correspondence, we may be far from perfect but we at least try !

Definitely, but by deleting this thread it looks from this end like you are taking a step towards acting in the same way.

I also know that this thread has probably taken up a fair deal of time on your part. I think that it's been a worthwhile use of your time as it's going to head off a number of problems that would otherwise have cropped up all over the place. It's given you the chance to deal with issues enblock that would have eaten up time in little bits all over the forum.

 

Arnold

 

[Russethouse]

Arnold, I think you have misunderstood - its not the comments about moderating that are in question, rather a personal derogatory remark aimed at another member, however on balance the thread will remain.

[Tourangelle]

The thread has not been deleted so perhaps it is staying?!?

BUT, back to the important issue great yellow Arnold, how do you do that?

[Will]

The thread will stay, I may try to lock it. Inaccurate personal comments about another forum meber, and a reference to those comments have been removed.

If there are other points, such as further questions about the forum's advertising policy, or how to highlight text, can these be continued in new topics? I think this one has gone on long enough.

[Teamedup]

Please don't go to any trouble on my account. I'm all for leaving the thread.

[Motorhead]

As one who has been banned by another forum (one so crap its moderator has to come here whenever he wants to find sometihing out or even do a bit of surrepticious advertising for his site) for an awful lot less then some of the shennanigens you sometimes get here and without warning or even notification - all I can say is that this forum is run by big people.

As someone who has always tried, often found it hard and sometimes failed to be a big person I respect that a lot

[Iceni]

They are big people and are willing to do a job that many others would not or could not do.  This thread has been an eye opener - keep it up Mods.

[Coco]

Looks like the Mods are getting quite a bit of praise for their hard work now on this thread, so worth keeping perhaps?