Thread: More Mods, please.

Originally Posted by pulp_chicken

I have to agree with Dizzy. And this forum works because it has great members, who are in majority disciplined.
There are mods who are daily around and they are doing an awesome job. But what's about mods who only visit the forums only one time per week (if even).
They sure are great for becoming mods at a certain time, but I guess the most of them grew up and work/ have real lifes and such. I'm not asking to demod these, but it should be clarified how long a mod should be absent.
Again, it's thanks to honest members that it's still working in the located subs.

Some sections do not require constant patrol since they don't get as much traffic on a daily basis. Also just because they haven't actually logged on to ST doesn't necessarily mean that they might not have lurked into their own sections once or twice just to see how it's going. Leaving for a week =/= end of the world and for the most part every section is moderated by regulars. I'm not even sure, what problems are you having in other sections? I only frequent a few section so I'm not totally sure but the way I see it only Mics. Section needs to get cleaned up a bit since some of the threads belong in General M/A. Sometimes mods have gone away for a few days, but it doesn't mean they're not good mods and the community for the most part keeps everything in line so I don't see the problem.

Sometimes, you don't even know a mod still exists, but she still does her job behind the scenes in the shadows. You don't have to post to be a mod, though it'd be nice.
Example: NINJAR KAZE

To be honest, I can't think of even a few people here who have been here long enough and have an interest in being mods over certain forums in which that need is present.

Well, I would like to say a few things. I saw this thread when it first went up, but I needed to take some time to step back and look at this:

Does Naruto need proactive moderators instead of reactive?

Yes, I believe it does. What needs to be understood is that high-traffic, established sections of the site with devoted user bases, such as Naruto, develop their own culture and community over time. It doesn't matter if there are report buttons, PMs, and so on. Those tools are going to be used rarely, if at all, because that's how it is in that section. Both Cold-NiTe and I maintained open-door policies with our PM inboxes - I actually went out of my way to reply to every reported post I received to encourage further use of the function - and in both our cases the PMs were few and far between. (Very few.) From their point of view, and, honestly, from mine, they shouldn’t have to constantly contact moderators to enjoy a clean and organized section.

Case-in-point: this sort of thing, in the middle of a thread, is the norm.

And could an admin please change the title to 'Naruto and Sasuke: a comparision.'

That's not to say that the members there aren't concerned with the state of the section, however. Henchy making this thread is evidence enough of that, I think. They care, but the expectation in that section is to have a moderator who is capable of addressing those concerns on their own. I don't say this to discredit Tet or Jyuu - it's simply that I think Tet favours a more hands-off approach, and Jyuu simply has more sections to monitor than just Naruto.

So, I think this means Naruto needs more moderators, and ones who employ a proactive approach.

Further to the section-as-subcommunity point, I think those moderators need to be members who regularly frequent that section. It's very difficult for someone who isn't immersed in the mindset of a section to tell the difference between trolling and a clever reference, or spam and a running section joke.

Additionally, I think that it may be a good idea to select more than one person to be a new moderator for Naruto. This would allow them to share their responsibilities and give the section more coverage throughout the day, as well as hopefully make them feel less alienating (no matter how approachable you make yourself as a moderator, there will always be people who hesitate to contact you).

Also, with more than one active moderator (by this I mean pretty darn active, I don’t mean to suggest Tet and Jyuu aren’t), they have the ability to keep an eye on each other and question each other’s decisions to keep things in line. In this case, it’s necessary to choose people who can work together. It’s also important to make sure the people chosen are held in high regard by the community.

That said - although I don't wish to stir anything up, it probably should be addressed - I still believe everything I said when I filed my own resignation. Anyone who accepts a position as moderator should be well aware of what they are getting themselves into. I consciously chose not to post a list of people to replace me, because I didn't wish to inflict on them the situation that I ended up detesting.

Regardless, I felt a need to make this post because I think the section does need more moderators, especially if the members are asking for them. I think the section deserves to be taken care of by people who have the best interests of the community at heart, and are also immersed enough in it to not require the prompting of others to act. I have to believe that promoting those who fit the bill will only serve to improve the overall structure, atmosphere, and community of the site.

As always, I'll do my best to address any questions or concerns that people have about what I've said here.

Wow, I miss Kaom. ;_;

Look at that sea of text! mom, noooo!! :d

The report button is useless. I remember CPR once saying to not use it cause her e-mail is flooded. :P



Yea, I wana fill in a complaint. No moderator takes me seriously and only gives me half ass responds/random stuff/NO RESPONSE AT ALL.


wut?


I lol'd, guys (+gals), don't say post count should matter when you pick a mod, god knows how many times would I had been modded. *shivers*


Anyway oh yeah, naruto section is too tight. Whoever the mod that lurks there, loosen the belt, I can't troll and mess with atria guy. :G

Jyuu locked your thread spurgu...

If was for the whole communities good anyways. There are only like 10 people in the naruto subforum who still remember orange sharingan.

Spruggo =/= majority

Oh I'll get you Jyuu! just watch out.. when you think you're leveling your character in peace and pretty fast too.. BAM! you'll never suspect it!!

I generally agree with Kaom and don't really think this is a general forum issue. Naruto is one of our most active forums yet is currently modded by a guy I rarely see (sorry Tet) and Jyuu, a supermod who oversees every section. Having a person(s) who is less overburdened and more active put in moderation of the subforum would quickly solve the problem. I don't necessarily think we need new mods, but having an active mod added to the roster for the Naruto subforum who can actually commit a bit would be very helpful.

And on the argument of proactive and retroactive modding, it's sort of a case by case or forum by forum thing here depending on the activity within each subforum. Naruto is one of those forums that tends to be popular and attract a sometimes rowdy and unintelligent following that needs to be actively impeded. Otherwise we have a dumbing down of the quality of the section as a whole as well as discussions within it.

Another issue rampant within the subforum is that many of the regulars in the Naruto section don't follow protocol or try to stop stupid threads after they are made, but spam it up with their flaming.