I’m an ECF moderator and just-cass asked me to say a few words. I’m only too happy to do so but just remember this is my outlook on things which may not necessarily be the same as other moderators and/or this establishment.
I moderate what I consider the main part of the forum, but at times, when I see a post that interest me, I do venture into the Outside. This goes for the Social Groups and the Vendor’s forums too. The latter two are moderated by the person(s) who started them--pretty much like The Sticky Thread is moderated by just-cass.
Although, if I do see a no-no in any of these three, I will act on it.
The Outside is a bit more rough to oversee and I praise those who take on this difficult task because they have to be a bit authoritarian. Since I don’t, I can be more lenient. Unfortunately, I’ve had to hand out infractions and I’ve had to ban so I‘m going to talk about the rules and how ‘I’ go about enforcing them.
I’ve found that rules get broken a lot because the offender(s) joined and didn’t even bother reading the rules. Don’t feel too bad, I did the same thing.
If you did this, it would be a good time to read the rules. Revisiting them now and then would be a good idea too since they are changed now and then.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ announcements-rules/
The basics of the rules at ECF are just general forum etiquette that I‘ve followed for years:
http://www.netmanners.com/email-etiquette/message-board-and-forum-etiquette/
NUMBER ONE:
The offense I deal with mostly is vulgarity. Once I’ve given the offender a Heads Up (a nonofficial warning), or an official warning, or an infraction, I’ll get a PM back. On a good day, it’s a short explanation and an apology and a promise not to do it again.
A bad day is when I get attitude or belligerent arguments with threats to leave and never come back again. If you’ve raised a teenager, you know what I’m dealing with. The confrontational comebacks makes me appreciate those who stand up and admit they did a wrong.
A couple of my worst memorable moments:
I sent off a PM giving a guy a Heads Up. I send out a lot Heads Up in an effort to stop problems on down the road. In fact I do this so much that I have variations of responses saved on my computer so I don’t have to repeatedly retype them.
In this instance, it was just to inform him that using symbols to evade the forum censor was against the rules. I also suggested that he read the rules if he hadn’t already done so.
Generally I get back a message thanking me for the Heads Up, but this time the message was downright testy. It was so bad, I could have given out an infraction just for the PM.
I didn’t though.
Then there was an old thread that someone posted to so it was bumped up. The next to the last post is where I found a cuss word. I warmed him and his response, “Hey I did this a couple months ago so I shouldn‘t be nailed for it now.”
Now, keeping that logic in mind, here’s a personal story.
My son was playing around with our riding lawnmower before he winterized it. Even though we (his parents) never told him he couldn’t do this, he knew it was a no-no. He took it for a joy ride. He lost control of it going down a hill and ran into a tree. Luckily it still moved under its own power. He got it home, did what he was suppose to do in the first place, and got it in the storage shed before we got home.
Didn’t say a word but Spring came and the damage was discovered.
Our son, like the above mentioned guy, found out that the passing of time didn’t magically eliminate the wrong.
One more thing before I continue on: Vulgarity is not acceptable in your avatar or signature---and that goes for numbers with a hidden meaning.
The second way to get in trouble for vulgarity is using symbols to avoid the forum censors. I hit on this a bit already but, and I’m using a word that is actually okay, here is an example: ....
Using a letter(s) from a word and symbols will draw a moderator's eyes like a magnet.
Here’s some hints on how to avoid trouble.
Think PG and use Preview Post to catch slipups. Just remember, the forum’s language censor is not perfect by any means.
If you Post and then catch a screw up, use Edit before a moderator sees it.
The good news is that ECF did compromise a little: ..., hell, damn, WTF and OMG are okay. They ARE NOT OKAY if used to verbally attack another member.
Another option is to use &%$#&.
This is accepted ‘most’ of the time because there is no letter or letter count that gives a clue to the word you’re bursting to say.
Just remember, to be 100% safe, think PG.---Crap and darn are perfectly good words.
Just a few last minute additions:
1. New turmoil has erupted because of vulgarity in videos---it is no longer allowed. Here’s a question that comes to mind and one that has been on my mind for a long time, “Why, would anyone actually think that speaking vulgarity was okay when it wasn’t okay to type it? “
2. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. When I’m moderating, I’m usually doing something else on the computer so my mind is in two different places. If you feel wronged, make sure you were and then PM me. Being respectful to the moderators is another rule here so be nice so I can correct my mistake.
____________________________________________________________________
NUMBER TWO:
The rule against talking about recreation drugs tends to reap a few warnings and infractions.
To explain why this rule exists is best described in post 28 of this thread:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/69061-police-ourselves-3.html
I have zero tolerance for this and posts with sexual content and racial remarks. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, I will enforce these rules each and every time.
____________________________________________________________________
NUMBER THREE:
Unruly behavior is something I rarely have to deal with. That offense comes up more in the Outside. My advice on conduct: Participate in the discussion with the intent of not doing anything that would embarrass you, your family and/or friends if it appeared on national TV.
For those who don’t care who they embarrass, be civil.
I moderate what I consider the main part of the forum, but at times, when I see a post that interest me, I do venture into the Outside. This goes for the Social Groups and the Vendor’s forums too. The latter two are moderated by the person(s) who started them--pretty much like The Sticky Thread is moderated by just-cass.
Although, if I do see a no-no in any of these three, I will act on it.
The Outside is a bit more rough to oversee and I praise those who take on this difficult task because they have to be a bit authoritarian. Since I don’t, I can be more lenient. Unfortunately, I’ve had to hand out infractions and I’ve had to ban so I‘m going to talk about the rules and how ‘I’ go about enforcing them.
I’ve found that rules get broken a lot because the offender(s) joined and didn’t even bother reading the rules. Don’t feel too bad, I did the same thing.
If you did this, it would be a good time to read the rules. Revisiting them now and then would be a good idea too since they are changed now and then.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ announcements-rules/
The basics of the rules at ECF are just general forum etiquette that I‘ve followed for years:
http://www.netmanners.com/email-etiquette/message-board-and-forum-etiquette/
NUMBER ONE:
The offense I deal with mostly is vulgarity. Once I’ve given the offender a Heads Up (a nonofficial warning), or an official warning, or an infraction, I’ll get a PM back. On a good day, it’s a short explanation and an apology and a promise not to do it again.
A bad day is when I get attitude or belligerent arguments with threats to leave and never come back again. If you’ve raised a teenager, you know what I’m dealing with. The confrontational comebacks makes me appreciate those who stand up and admit they did a wrong.
A couple of my worst memorable moments:
I sent off a PM giving a guy a Heads Up. I send out a lot Heads Up in an effort to stop problems on down the road. In fact I do this so much that I have variations of responses saved on my computer so I don’t have to repeatedly retype them.
In this instance, it was just to inform him that using symbols to evade the forum censor was against the rules. I also suggested that he read the rules if he hadn’t already done so.
Generally I get back a message thanking me for the Heads Up, but this time the message was downright testy. It was so bad, I could have given out an infraction just for the PM.
I didn’t though.
Then there was an old thread that someone posted to so it was bumped up. The next to the last post is where I found a cuss word. I warmed him and his response, “Hey I did this a couple months ago so I shouldn‘t be nailed for it now.”
Now, keeping that logic in mind, here’s a personal story.
My son was playing around with our riding lawnmower before he winterized it. Even though we (his parents) never told him he couldn’t do this, he knew it was a no-no. He took it for a joy ride. He lost control of it going down a hill and ran into a tree. Luckily it still moved under its own power. He got it home, did what he was suppose to do in the first place, and got it in the storage shed before we got home.
Didn’t say a word but Spring came and the damage was discovered.
Our son, like the above mentioned guy, found out that the passing of time didn’t magically eliminate the wrong.
One more thing before I continue on: Vulgarity is not acceptable in your avatar or signature---and that goes for numbers with a hidden meaning.
The second way to get in trouble for vulgarity is using symbols to avoid the forum censors. I hit on this a bit already but, and I’m using a word that is actually okay, here is an example: ....
Using a letter(s) from a word and symbols will draw a moderator's eyes like a magnet.
Here’s some hints on how to avoid trouble.
Think PG and use Preview Post to catch slipups. Just remember, the forum’s language censor is not perfect by any means.
If you Post and then catch a screw up, use Edit before a moderator sees it.
The good news is that ECF did compromise a little: ..., hell, damn, WTF and OMG are okay. They ARE NOT OKAY if used to verbally attack another member.
Another option is to use &%$#&.
This is accepted ‘most’ of the time because there is no letter or letter count that gives a clue to the word you’re bursting to say.
Just remember, to be 100% safe, think PG.---Crap and darn are perfectly good words.
Just a few last minute additions:
1. New turmoil has erupted because of vulgarity in videos---it is no longer allowed. Here’s a question that comes to mind and one that has been on my mind for a long time, “Why, would anyone actually think that speaking vulgarity was okay when it wasn’t okay to type it? “
2. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. When I’m moderating, I’m usually doing something else on the computer so my mind is in two different places. If you feel wronged, make sure you were and then PM me. Being respectful to the moderators is another rule here so be nice so I can correct my mistake.
____________________________________________________________________
NUMBER TWO:
The rule against talking about recreation drugs tends to reap a few warnings and infractions.
To explain why this rule exists is best described in post 28 of this thread:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/69061-police-ourselves-3.html
I have zero tolerance for this and posts with sexual content and racial remarks. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, I will enforce these rules each and every time.
____________________________________________________________________
NUMBER THREE:
Unruly behavior is something I rarely have to deal with. That offense comes up more in the Outside. My advice on conduct: Participate in the discussion with the intent of not doing anything that would embarrass you, your family and/or friends if it appeared on national TV.
For those who don’t care who they embarrass, be civil.
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