[hciman77]

I have seen an alarming amount of censorship on this community - I find this quite depressing. A thread I posted today questioning Mod behavior was deleted and this is far from the first time that fairly innocuous threads have been disappeared by unilateral mod action.

Sadly I feel I have no option but to quit this forum, this is a shame as I have enjoyed my time in this community here (since 2004) and have had contact with several members and engaged in a lot of lively yet good natured debate, and I have received a lot of good advice.

There are a lot of interesting folks here and a great interchange of perspectives that have made this a rich experience for me - on the whole.

So long and all the best to everyone and thanks to Jude for all the hard work he has put in in making this community successful.

Cheers.

 

[braillediver]

Bye Bye!


Mitch

 

[ecclesand]

I'm sure this thread will get deleted too.

It's a shame that you feel compelled to leave the forum, but I certainly understand your reasons!

 

[SR-71Panorama]

 

[krmathis]

Bye bye!
I am sure you will be missed.

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SR-71Panorama /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have no idea what that was, but I am some how drawn to it.....

NK

 

[darkninja67]

New to forums are you?

B7

 

[Jeff Guidry]

I will use the occassion of my 2000th post to say:

Oh noes! Call the Waaaaambulance!

 

[Wmcmanus]

I don't know the thread in question but how, other than "unilateral", should "mod actions" be taken? I'm confused by this. Should we be asking members if it would be Ok with them to delete their offending posts or threads before doing so? As in, "You've violated Head-Fi's rules. Would it be Ok with you if I deleted your thread/post?"

I just don't get it. Maybe because I'm on the other side of the fence, but none of us are here for some sort of power trip. It just doesn't work that way with a handful of volunteers who are trying to keep the peace while allowing it to be as much fun as possible for everyone.

If someone starts a thread with the sole purpose to debate a moderator's action, we close it. That's pretty simple. We don't really want to hear what everyone has to say about each and every action we take. We have a few, basic, rules at Head-Fi, as spelled out in our Terms of Use. We try our best to enforce those rules as even handedly as possible.

If someone can suggest better ways for us to go about our business, we're always more than happy to hear what they have to say, but privately, since it's not our intention to debate publicly how the site should be run. There is nothing that any of us are "afraid" of, it's just that there can only be so many cooks in the kitchen.

So if someone doesn't agree with a moderator's decision, he should take it up via PM with that moderator (if he knows which moderator made the decision) or with Jude, but again, via PM. We don't discuss publicly why threads or posts have been deleted, nor do we publicly discuss the status of any member with other members. So why should we allow a public opinion poll every time someone doesn't agree with a decision that one of us has made?

You've been an excellent member in many ways; you've always provided mature and insightful comments, as well as kind and thoughtful replies to people who have asked for help with one thing or another. It would be a shame to see you go. Yet, if you're reached this decision because you don't understand why we won't allow threads that publicly challenge and criticize rather simple decisions (like which thread or post to delete) made by a volunteer moderator in the best interest of the site, then I can't really help you with that one.

 

[Bigguy]

Head-Fi! Love it or leave it! GTFO!

 

[darkninja67]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Head-Fi! Love it or leave it! GTFO!

Leaving with wallet intact is the hard part.

 

[plainsong]

There are plenty of forums that are a lot more open, and you're going to have to be prepared to put your Internet Tough Guy suit on. I don't buy the "love it or leave it" attitude, as it's ok to give criticism to something you enjoy in order to improve it.

Whether less censorship would improve the place, I don't really have an opinion on it anymore because it's been done to death. There are other forums I can go to if I want more freedom, and even more forums I can go to if I want less.

As for ham-fisted modding, mods are people so the law of averages alone says it happens. I know it's happened to me here - BUT, to a much much much lesser extent than on other forums. Here a mod may not like you, but shouldn't get in your business (much) because of ONLY that.

But on other forums, it's perfectly acceptable for a mod to lead a gang of Internet Stalkers against you, to threaten you off the forum, so when I compare head-fi to that, there's no contest. Head-fi mods don't (usually) make personal grudges into quests for power.

But as was said the Somethingawful podcast, forums are serious business (to the tune of Sonic the Hedgehog background music).

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif There are plenty of forums that are a lot more open, and you're going to have to be prepared to put your Internet Tough Guy suit on. I don't buy the "love it or leave it" attitude, as it's ok to give criticism to something you enjoy in order to improve it. Whether less censorship would improve the place, I don't really have an opinion on it anymore because it's been done to death. There are other forums I can go to if I want more freedom, and even more forums I can go to if I want less.

I agree with this as there is nothing wrong with suggesting ways to improve things here (or at any other forum) but I think there are ways in which it can be done more appropriately than simply starting a thread to criticize a moderator's action every time someone doesn't agree with something. Allowing those kinds of threads would just serve to undermine whatever impact good moderating can have to begin with.

Quote:

As for ham-fisted modding, mods are people so the law of averages alone says it happens. I know it's happened to me here - BUT, to a much much much lesser extent than on other forums. Here a mod may not like you, but shouldn't get in your business (much) because of ONLY that.

Case in point, I haven't liked some of the things that you've said in various threads, and I've said so publicly, as a member, since we're all members first. You, in turn, didn't like what I had to say and felt rather insulted by it, but unless your memory is better than mine, then you too will have no idea at this point in time what that was even about. I've long since forgotten the details and only vaguely remember not agreeing with you and then (very much) insulting you because you (probably rightfully) felt that my position on the matter was much too strong, even bullying, or whatever, and that this (in your eyes) was an abuse of my moderating power. But as you say, mods are people, so these things will happen. That doesn't mean that we'll carry it forward. I know that I don't, and I can't think of anyone else who does, either.

Quote:

But on other forums, it's perfectly acceptable for a mod to lead a gang of Internet Stalkers against you, to threaten you off the forum, so when I compare head-fi to that, there's no contest. Head-fi mods don't (usually) make personal grudges into quests for power.

As stated above, I agree with this, but would take the (usually) out of it because I can't think of a single instance where this sort of thing has occurred. Plus, without exception, if one of us happen to have a personal dispute with a member, we will step out of the decision making in terms of whether a temporary ban should be put in place, or whatever. In other words, we all realize that our emotions can get in the way, so we let the others decide what is the best course of action when that (very rarely) does occur. Anything else would be unfair.

 

[The Actual]

^ wait is 'you' hciman77 or plainsong?


And to you, hciman77, I understand why you must leave but want you to know I have enjoyed and noticed your postings on this board. Come back to visit if you ever feel like it.

Happy listening.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Actual /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^ wait is 'you' hciman77 or plainsong? And to you, hciman77, I understand why you must leave but want you to know I have enjoyed and noticed your postings on this board. Come back to visit if you ever feel like it. Happy listening.

Plainsong, but that was long ago and just once that I can recall and the details are completely gone, a total blur at this point, to me anyway. She may well recall because I was the one who made a big deal out of a position that she had taken, not the opposite. She only reacted after feeling as though she was attacked, and I suspect she did so rightfully.

The point wasn't about the specifics, but just that, yes, these things do happen. All moderators are also members, and as members, we do care about the place and will have our opinions as well. So at times, sure, you can get carried away and even emotional about something. But that doesn't mean that you will lose any respect for that person. Although I've never met plainsong, I would very much enjoy doing so one day, and would hope that she feels the same way toward me, even though I had obviously insulted her at one point.

I've never had any disputes with hciman77 that I'm aware of, and if he decides to stick around, I hope that he won't view my participation in this thread as something to be held against me. I've simply reacted to his comments in his opening post. Again, without knowledge of the thread or post in question that led him to starting this thread.

Anyway, gotta go for now.