The Tutu Rule

[petepeterson]

How about rules in writing for the moderators????????
I got put in the Dog House "which I wear as a badge of honor",, But I'm not sure why, don't really think I care much as to why either...
But the way you moderators let the BS flow last year with the Sandy leaving Vince coming in thread and how the conspiracy to over throw Sandy went on forever with you moderators picking sides as bad as the common folk were....
Anyway I was out of line on my post about the financial stuff I read it totally wrong........
Just try as moderators to type on here like you would talk sitting across the table having a sarsaparilla ............Pete

[Visian]

How about rules in writing for the moderators????????

that's what's gonna happen. the idea of this thread is to collect your thoughts and mesh them with ours to create a use policy that members are comfortable with.

Just try as moderators to type on here like you would talk sitting across the table having a sarsaparilla ............Pete

well, i think that they do. have you any examples to the contrary? if so, please let us know.

ian

[Bike_Rat]

I admin and mod another site that gets a great deal of traffic and discussion. So, let me throw a few things out here...

• Trust your mods... if you can't, they shouldn't be a mod.
• Do you really need a moderator policy? I've found that by becoming a mod these folks have already shown a common sense approach and dedication to the site.
• A moderator really use a separate account. This allows a mod to get tough if need be and not affect their personal persona.
• You will always have people out there that want a policy for just about everything. It really isn't necessary and will simply tie the mods hands if and when they need to come up with a creative solution with a user.

[SHERIDESABEEMER]

If you wouldn't say it to someones face, while sober, don't say it here.

[Visian]

• You will always have people out there that want a policy for just about everything.

this is a very good point... the objective here isn't to define everything you can't do, it's to communicate what the group sees as acceptable behavior for the purpose of helping everyone understand what the norms are.

ian

[HODAG]

I got a few idea's.......

[Visian]

I got a few idea's.......

[bigrider]

Why put a limit on it? Be brief, to the point, but let it take up as much room as is necessary.

Dave H
San Antonio, Tx

[OHScot]

If you wouldn't say it to someones face, while sober, don't say it here.

There are no drunken *******s. They were *******s before they got drunk. If they say it they probably mean it. Might just be a window into what they are really about. One of my rules that seems to work somewhere in the 100% range.

[Visian]

OK, below is a draft of text that's been developed in the effort to form Policy.

• A couple of sections are still in development.
• We haven't had the chance to incorporate the comments made in this thread yet. That will come next.
• The text refers to our Terms of Service (ToS) which are published on the main web site. Some of this text is gonna require work, too.

So, here goes... and don't look for any replies from me this weekend... I am going camping!

==============================
User conduct
The BMW MOA message boards are a place for our community to come together. Here we share roads and rides, talk about upcoming events, give advice on tech issues, even just shoot the breeze on topics not even related to motorcycles. What we don’t do is attack each other or act in a way that would bring discredit to us as individuals or the organization as a whole. We cannot encourage enough the use of simple common sense – if you wouldn’t say it over breakfast with newly met friends at a neat old diner on some amazingly off the beaten track scenic road, then don’t say it here.

Hot buttons
OK, the above is vague. We know that. We intended that, we’d rather folks rely on common sense than look to a long list of specific rules. Because many of us have bosses, spouses, even kids looking over our shoulders as we read the boards, think of them as your audience. That said, it never hurts to make a few things quite plain.

1. No flaming. Just don’t do it. Clever quips and snappy retorts are part of any conversation, we mean the ill-intended, vicious personal attack.

2. No vulgar or Inflammatory Language. You know what we mean – if it is something you wouldn’t want your boss looking over your shoulder to see, don’t write it.

Code of conduct
The code of conduct began as a long list of bad behaviors, since abandoned for a single, 2-word line: Play nice. It is simple and easy to remember.

Banned topics or topics that lead to flame wars?
As winter sets in and snow gathers round our trusty steeds conversations naturally start to wander. As we look out the window and see snow and sleet instead of sun the frustrations of not riding often set in. Over the years (and many winters) we’ve pretty much been able to identify some things that inevitably start flame wars, breed ill will, and just in general make people act in ways they’d never have believed themselves capable (and yes, that is meant in the bad way.) Below are a few of these topics – if you feel compelled to debate them, there are plenty of places to do it on the Internet. In other words, don’t do it here.

1. Religion and abortion
2. Politics
3. Handguns

Moderators - Still in draft stage

1. Qualifications
2. Selection / nomination process
3. Code of conduct
4. Communication with members, staff and C&M MOA BOD members

Professional Staff - Still in draft stage

1. Recommendations for conduct
2. Policy for direct PM to members on hot threads.

Moderation, enforcement and management of threads

Cause for editing a post
We don’t edit posts. If it is bad enough to violate this ToS we’ll just delete it.

Cause for deleting a post
Posts that violate the ToS will be deleted. The moderators have a lot of leeway – if in their judgment it is incidental or by mistake they may or may not notify the poster to edit his own post. That said, there are no guarantees and if, in the best judgment of a Moderator, the post violates the ToS he can delete it at will.

Cause for editing a poll
Again – we don’t edit.


Cause for deleting a poll
Polls that violate the ToS will be deleted. The moderators have a lot of leeway – if in their judgment it is incidental or by mistake they may or may not notify the poster to edit his own poll. That said, there are no guarantees and if, in the best judgment of a Moderator, the poll violates the ToS he can delete it at will.

Suspension of posting privileges.
The BMW MOA is a large and diverse family. We have Members from all over the world, from all age groups, from all walks of life. Each brings a unique and valuable perspective. Because of this we don’t take suspending posting privileges lightly. We also take maintaining a friendly and fraternal atmosphere, and if a user threatens that with violations of the ToS, he can (and most likely will) have his posting privileges suspended. Generally (there is that common sense thing again)…

1. A user will be warned for violating the ToS.

2. The next step, for someone who cannot heed a warning, is a 1-week suspension of posting privileges.

3. Should that week not suffice and ToS violations continue, the suspension will extend to 30 days.

4. Should that not suffice and ToS violations continue, the user’s posting privileges will be suspended until such a time as the BMW MOA Board of Directors, acting on a petition by the suspended user for the probationary return of posting privileges, approves of the probationary lifting of the suspension.
As always, an user who believes action is either not sufficient or is too harsh should contact the BMW MOA Executive Director Ray Zimmerman at rayz@bmwmoa.org (it will help to have a complete explanation of your thoughts with links to specific threads and posts.)

=========================================

[HODAG]

transparency when moderators take action, if a post is deleted say why. a simple "deleted for x reason by moderator z"
Secret police actions lead to trouble. same goes for banning. Also no secret warnings, let the person know....

I like the specific time period for banning, none of this make up with the moderator who banned you stuff.

"As always, an user who believes action is either not sufficient or is too harsh should contact the BMW MOA Executive Director Ray Zimmerman at rayz@bmwmoa.org (it will help to have a complete explanation of your thoughts with links to specific threads and posts.)"
problem with that is when you are banned you can't get to those links.

bannings should be read only no posting,
not no access no reading-no posting

[scqtt]

I would really love to be the Moderator for all things related to Lunchmeat

The moderators aren't anonymous. To be anonymous, their identity would need to be hidden.

At the bottom of any forum home page is a list of moderators for that forum.

You can also click on the "forum leaders" link at the bottom of the main forum home page (not very obvious, I know). This page lists moderators at the top, administrators , and supermoderators. A moderator is just that, someone who is assigned to moderate a specific forum or forums. A supermoderator is a moderator with a little more power on the backend. An administrator is someone that can see some of the backend - some are in this group, like me, to be able to help people with login issues, maintenance, etc. A few are there so that they can take part in conversations in how we handle login issues, moderation policy, etc. Some of these reflect when this forum was founded and was built by board members and a few key volunteers.

What that page will tell you:
---------
BradfordBenn - moderator/supermoderator: Gear, How do I....., Rally Forum, Ride Reports, Web Tea

BubbaZanetti - moderator: Campfire, Chartered Clubs & Local Events, G & F Bikes, Oilheads, Rally Forum

DATA - moderator: K-bikes

k12koop - moderator/administrator: Chartered Clubs & Local Events, Presidential Palace

phactory - moderator: Vintage

robnye - moderator/administrator: Election 200

username - moderator: Airheads, Campfire, How do I....., Rally Chairs

Visian - moderator/administrator (aka Forum Liason): Ambassadors, Clubhouse, Doghouse, Moderator Forum, Online Central


ghanlin - administrator. He's the office IT guy.
Greg Feeler - administrator
KBasa - administrator
knary - administrator and all around swell guy
moaoffice - administrator user for the MOA office
MrsKbasa - administrator
Ted - administrator and IBMWR vet
vincewinkel - administrator and media yoda

[USERNAME]

I would really love to be the Moderator for all things related to Lunchmeat

[HODAG]

can we add "harleys" to the banned topic thread

[RatSnake]

can we add "harleys" to the banned topic thread

I thought Miss Lilly liked Harleys, sometimes.