Is This Forum Been Ruined By Imature New Users?

[MBOU]

While i desperately want agree with you 100%, it isnt just this forum with the problem, its pretty much every forum be it for fish, hamster, bloomin stamp collecting and suchlike (i dont even know if there are stamp collecting forums but who knows! *goes off to google*) i have left so many forums that have gradually been taken over by noobies to the point the original crowd has wandered off.

HOWEVER...

I dont think this is a good, helpfull or particularly kind post No offense but the mods have a friggin IMPOSSIBLE job on their hands as it is and whilst some of them are obviously making mistakes, it will be hard for individuals not to take offense to the tone of this thread when they work their backside off to keep this forum going.

At least we still have a forum to congregate on!! Imagine what we would all be like with nowhere at all to share our fishy madness??? *shudders*.

In all fairness, there isn't a whole lot the mods can do about noobies short of saying 'use the bloody search button and work it out yourself' and i have seen mods make post to that extent. They can hardly ban new members on the site or refuse to let them post!!

I just think this is a bit of a flaming post.. or maybe grilling... mmmhmmm poor mods!

Its only my opinion but having been a mod on several small and large forums myself, i had to stop when i got ill and i couldnt cope with the stress it caused some days!


Gemma

 

[mixmaster jay]

no but warnings and certain measures can be took if you like as a punishment and the mods could be a little more vigulant too much does seem to get overlooked imo

 

[england]

yes there are some trolls lurking but it is school holidays so with the weather...
i also spy the forum bully lurking

 

[JenCliBee]

While i desperately want agree with you 100%, it isnt just this forum with the problem, its pretty much every forum be it for fish, hamster, bloomin stamp collecting and suchlike (i dont even know if there are stamp collecting forums but who knows! *goes off to google*) i have left so many forums that have gradually been taken over by noobies to the point the original crowd has wandered off.

HOWEVER...

I dont think this is a good, helpfull or particularly kind post No offense but the mods have a friggin IMPOSSIBLE job on their hands as it is and whilst some of them are obviously making mistakes, it will be hard for individuals not to take offense to the tone of this thread when they work their backside off to keep this forum going.

At least we still have a forum to congregate on!! Imagine what we would all be like with nowhere at all to share our fishy madness??? *shudders*.

In all fairness, there isn't a whole lot the mods can do about noobies short of saying 'use the bloody search button and work it out yourself' and i have seen mods make post to that extent. They can hardly ban new members on the site or refuse to let them post!!

I just think this is a bit of a flaming post.. or maybe grilling... mmmhmmm poor mods!

Its only my opinion but having been a mod on several small and large forums myself, i had to stop when i got ill and i couldnt cope with the stress it caused some days!


Gemma

To be fair thats not what im was trying to get at lol, the repetative posts about, how do i cycle a tank etc etc? doesnt bother me in the slightest, its the basic advice given and rudely thrown back, many post and threads are going like this and members as said above are starting to leave becasue it it, people been rudley attacked in threads and been brought directly to the mods attention should be delt with... there not been!!!!... so more posts with that sort of behaviour by the same individuals are happening over and over again

Edited for terrible wording .. andy is about so thought id better pmsl

 

[BigC]

There is more to mod life than just sitting around moving & deleting posts.
A certain amount of self help and self policing within the sections by the membership goes a long way to helping us do our job too, If you feel something is not right then hit the Report Button. We will answer and take the appropriate actions. But you have to be aware of the time differences and so forth but help will arrive as soon as possible.
If the truth be known the TFF experience is spoilt somewhat (speaking from my own personal experience) for me because of all the extra duties you have to perform and be vigilant about. Reports to be made and further advice sought before acting on something or someone. That's all before I even get to look at the boards for my own enjoyment. It's not all a bed of roses and I really think others should be aware of the above facts before commenting. I/We do this for free, sometimes it may seem like heavy handed tactics are being used and cliques form and the mods get slated. A lot of the time unfairly.
My question to you is Do you like TFF (you must do because your here making comments and posting) then we must be doing something right. We are only human, we help where we can, we are only Mods not Gods. So sit back and give us a chance to do what we feel is right to take TFF forward. We do listen to your comments, we debate them all the time upstairs. If we feel something is a good idea and we can manage and cope with it within our framework then we will do our very best to implement it.
On the topic of newbies, they have to start somewhere, what may seem like a dumbass question to you so called self professed experts might mean all the world to someone just starting out.
Your antics towards some of these newbies may be enough to put them of keeping tropical fish if this is the way folks behave.
I have kept killifish for over 35 years, I have many international friends and colleagues, and hear this I'M NO EXPERT in this field and will never profess to be. I still have time to talk to folks with a guppy and that's what fish keeping should be all about, the williness to share and advise not chastise and take the P.
BigC

 

[rdd1952]

I have cleaned this thread up as I can understand the original point of the thread. Unfortunately, the thread went severely off topic from the outset. Please keep posts on topic so that we can keep it open.

We always have our share of trolls and such. Unfortunately, deciding when someone is trolling isn’t just cut and dried, black and white. Newbies don’t know the things that experienced people do so a question or statement that looks to be a troll to us could be a very legitimate questions. As mods, we try our best to follow those type threads to see if they truly are trolling or asking an honest question. We certainly can’t ban everyone that asks a question that’s already been asked or that asks a “stupid” question. If you all go back and look at the first question you asked on the forum and then do a search fro the same thing, I will bet that almost everyone will find that they did the same thing and asked before searching.

As to cheesy’s statement that he hates noobs, just remember we were all new to the hobby once and probably a large number of us, me included, found TFF in trying to get answers to our questions and help for our problems. We should be grateful that we got that help and be more than willing to help those new to the hobby learn about and enjoy their fish.

Summer, when kids are out of school, always brings a new rash of trollers as kids get bored and decide to have some fun. Nelly has already mentioned it. We also see it around Christmas when so many kids are out of school. As I mentioned, we try to give the benefit of the doubt until it becomes obvious that they are trolls and keep in mind that there’s a difference between a troll and someone that’s just hard-headed and won’t take advice. We were all kids at one time and so many of the ones that won’t listen are just kids. As for not taking advice, there is little we can do about that. If it bothers you, simply don’t reply to their threads. If they get no replies because they are being stubborn, they’ll either start listening or leave.

Once again, please stay on topic and watch the language.

 

[JenCliBee]

I have cleaned this thread up as I can understand the original point of the thread. Unfortunately, the thread went severely off topic from the outset. Please keep posts on topic so that we can keep it open.

We always have our share of trolls and such. Unfortunately, deciding when someone is trolling isn’t just cut and dried, black and white. Newbies don’t know the things that experienced people do so a question or statement that looks to be a troll to us could be a very legitimate questions. As mods, we try our best to follow those type threads to see if they truly are trolling or asking an honest question. We certainly can’t ban everyone that asks a question that’s already been asked or that asks a “stupid” question. If you all go back and look at the first question you asked on the forum and then do a search fro the same thing, I will bet that almost everyone will find that they did the same thing and asked before searching.

As to cheesy’s statement that he hates noobs, just remember we were all new to the hobby once and probably a large number of us, me included, found TFF in trying to get answers to our questions and help for our problems. We should be grateful that we got that help and be more than willing to help those new to the hobby learn about and enjoy their fish.

Summer, when kids are out of school, always brings a new rash of trollers as kids get bored and decide to have some fun. Nelly has already mentioned it. We also see it around Christmas when so many kids are out of school. As I mentioned, we try to give the benefit of the doubt until it becomes obvious that they are trolls and keep in mind that there’s a difference between a troll and someone that’s just hard-headed and won’t take advice. We were all kids at one time and so many of the ones that won’t listen are just kids. As for not taking advice, there is little we can do about that. If it bothers you, simply don’t reply to their threads. If they get no replies because they are being stubborn, they’ll either start listening or leave.

Once again, please stay on topic and watch the language.

I couldnt agree more and again i will say its not the noob questions that this thread was aimed at, i know i dont mind answering the same question over again, this is a forum and its to be expected, i also find it very rewarding to be able to share my experiences with members and them take it with the repect and thanks that a forum is supposed to be about.

HOWEVER.....

Some people are just out to basically slag certain members off and basically be abusive, arrogant and threatening... this is what the thread is aimed at, these members have been doing it on more than one occasion and im sure you know who the members are, the right protocol has been done with the report button and still that or them particular members are still starting new thread which end up the same way just simply becasue they wont listen to reason... then when others basically tell them there wrong aswell they go to all out aggression, come on mods if nothink else this is the sort of behaviour you should be controlling before anythink else.

 

[gary1990]

There is more to mod life than just sitting around moving & deleting posts.
A certain amount of self help and self policing within the sections by the membership goes a long way to helping us do our job too, If you feel something is not right then hit the Report Button.

I used the report button to report an abusive post about 4 days ago. The poster told another member to "shut their mouth"...........the post is still there!!! I was also under the impression that "self-policing" was frowned upon by Mods/Admin?

 

[Weimster]

I must admit....it seems that the focus is more on people filling out forms to sell items than mods actually responding to and addressing issues. That said, I wouldn't fancy being a mod on this site

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

It's not the immature new users IMO. Lately the word to sum up the vibe I am getting from the forum is high school. Seems like a few users have formed a click, and are kind of shutting other people out of the circle. Not sure if I am the only one that feels this way...

And one more thing I need to say and I don't care if I am going to get into trouble for saying it. It seems to me like all the new moderators have gotten elected, because they won a popularity contest, rather then their fish based knowledge.

Just my .02 and I am glad I finally have a reason to post it. Maybe I am just looking at things the wrong way, but this is how I feel.

Also, whats the point of the "Oscar Club" being pinned?! I mean why is it pin worthy, I don't see the point in it. All you do it say you own an oscar and then say your number... sorry don't mean to offend anyone maybe I am missing the point, but then why is it only an "Oscar club" that gets pinned and no other fish? Just seems sort of ridiculous to me and felt I had to rant about it as it seems like another popularity thing so it gets pinned for that reason alone...

 

[BigC]

I was also under the impression that "self-policing" was frowned upon by Mods/Admin?

Well I for one certainly wouldn't frown upon it as long as it didn't go too far and was reported.
Sorry I haven't been around as much as I would like lately but as I said I do what I can when I can.

I must admit....it seems that the focus is more on people filling out forms to sell items than mods actually responding to and addressing issues. That said, I wouldn't fancy being a mod on this site

I take the blame for the form filling idea, its essential along with the photographs. and will become more apparent why it was done at a later date as we seek to implement future enhancements.

And one more thing I need to say and I don't care if I am going to get into trouble for saying it. It seems to me like all the new moderators have gotten elected, because they won a popularity contest, rather then their fish based knowledge.

Would you like to elaborate further as its not all about fish based knowledge why a mod gets elected. There are many many mod potentials out there who have declined the post

ATB
C

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Would you like to elaborate further as its not all about fish based knowledge why a mod gets elected. There are many many mod potentials out there who have declined the post

ATB
C

Don't really want to name names, if you are insterested feel free to PM.

 

[mixmaster jay]

i think the severem appreciation is pinned too mate i think species clubs aren't a bad thing as you can relate to people with the same fish as you have got and chat about them i don't see that its pointless myself but thats just me and im not haveing a go at you discusluva and i dont mean it to sound that way im sorry if it does mate

 

[~T~]

It's not the immature new users IMO. Lately the word to sum up the vibe I am getting from the forum is high school. Seems like a few users have formed a click, and are kind of shutting other people out of the circle. Not sure if I am the only one that feels this way...

And one more thing I need to say and I don't care if I am going to get into trouble for saying it. It seems to me like all the new moderators have gotten elected, because they won a popularity contest, rather then their fish based knowledge.

Just my .02 and I am glad I finally have a reason to post it. Maybe I am just looking at things the wrong way, but this is how I feel.

Also, whats the point of the "Oscar Club" being pinned?! I mean why is it pin worthy, I don't see the point in it. All you do it say you own an oscar and then say your number... sorry don't mean to offend anyone maybe I am missing the point, but then why is it only an "Oscar club" that gets pinned and no other fish? Just seems sort of ridiculous to me and felt I had to rant about it as it seems like another popularity thing so it gets pinned for that reason alone...

Balls I was about to ask for a zebra danio club pin thread

 

[mixmaster jay]

lol