Getting things right on RootsChat

[kerryb]

May I be permitted to say then my reaction to your post Gadget is that there are two distinct groups needed?

Administrators and Moderators.

Kerry

[Lydart]

Are we starting to go round in circles here ? 

We've had lots of things explained; we've aired our views; apologies have been made and understanding reached.

Maybe its time for Julian to sum up and close the topic now ? 

[Gadget]

Hi Kerry

Iwas just going to add a Post Script to my posting saying that it seemed to me that we might have a system of Mods and sub-Mods - a bit like in school  - Prefects and sub-prefects. If the Mods are feeling overloaded, it would be one solution.

Gadget

Added - Lydart - Julian has done that above and moved the discussion on

[julianb]

I think that only a very few people have "been upset" by "inconsistency" in the way the Mods have acted.

This thread has been viewed 1209 times but there are only 42 posts, some of which argue for the status quo.

...................

 My own view is that there is no need for the Mods to change their modus operandi and that those of you who do are in a tiny minority of rootschatters.

This is your view, and you are right to express it.

But I think the ripples arising from this of all this are greater than you have assessed them to be.  That's my view  

And, I'm glad I've asked for more contributions because Gadget has just set out a very sensible analysis of the different components of the moderators role.

Are we starting to go round in circles here ?

We've had lots of things explained; we've aired our views; apologies have been made and understanding reached.

Maybe its time for Julian to sum up and close the topic now ?

Sorry, Lydart, if this appears to be me getting tetchy  .  But I have sought more contributions in my very recent post, and am very glad I have.   I don't think an understanding has been reached  

[peterbennett]

Hi

      Just a couple of observation on what as been added over the last few posts.

       It is a fact that some moderators do feel under pressure, but not by the fact that we are overworked, most days it is an absolute joy to sign on and get stuck in to our hobby and "work" with no problems. Then there are the days when things do not go according to plan as as been the case recently it is then that we feel the pressure, it would not matter how many mods there were these situations will crop up from time to time.

     Another fact I would like to throw in is that there are very few problems in the genealogy based boards of Rootschat, except for odd copyright ones.I would be very interested in what the membership think is the reason for this, and why do the off topic boards seem to need more moderating.

Hopefully this request will not exceed the original intention of of the thread.
     
Thanks for your time

peterbennett
   

[Tephra]

Hi

          Another fact I would like to throw in is that there are very few problems in the genealogy based boards of Rootschat, except for odd copyright ones.I would be very interested in what the membership think is the reason for this, and why do the off topic boards seem to need more moderating.

Hopefully this request will not exceed the original intention of of the thread.
     
Thanks for your time

peterbennett
   

Excellent question Peter . ..  .. Now if you could also find the location of the Holy Grail we'd all be happy!!


Sorry, I digress.

It really is an excellent question and one I'm not sure any one person could answer - but I'll give it a bash. And this is purely from my perspective.

I think there are two distinct groups of people here on RC, one group which hardly ever strays out of the genealogy side of RC and another group who use not only the whole of RC as a learning and teaching facility, but also as a friendship 'club' - if I may put it that way.  This is very noticeable on the L.S and ToT.

My sense of humour is  . .. .  shall I say weird!!    Gadget's got used to it, Pels has got used to Gadget's sense of humour, Julian is used to Pels sense of humour and on and on we go.    Perhaps if someone who is not used to our way of posting suddenly comes across one of our threads, to them, it may appear we are straying into forbidden territory.   But that's all it is, a group of friends coming together to discuss various topics on ToT and those topics are of a lighter and perhaps more personal nature than say the London board or the 'How To' boards.  I've noticed the same kind of camaraderie on the Photographic Restoration board - everyone does a marvelous job there, but they also have a laugh . . .. that's great.

I've seen threads on Lighter Side and Totally of Topic, where I wasn't particularly enamoured of the content, but I don't jump up and down and complain about it.    I might not like what has been said, but as long as what they say is within the rules I'll fight to the death - with sword raised, shield polished and banner flying - for the right of that person to say it.

If I may end on a funny note (I hope!! )   It's  not all that long since table and chair legs were covered for modesty's sake . .. . I think we've come a long way since then   

I do hope I've explained myself fully . ..  .. probably not, ah well!!


Barbara

[trish251]

     Another fact I would like to throw in is that there are very few problems in the genealogy based boards of Rootschat, except for odd copyright ones.I would be very interested in what the membership think is the reason for this, and why do the off topic boards seem to need more moderating.

peterbennett

Apart from agreeing with all that Barbara has said (apart from the "weird" sense of humour - it is a most amusing/entertaining sense of humour that she has)  I would add

There is really nothing that is said that is likely to cause stress or upset  on the genealogy boards - except perhaps for those of us who discover that our ancestors are not the "lily white" souls that we thought they were       - if items are mentioned that do not directly relate to genealogy they are quickly moved to the "off topic" boards, thus there will be a 99.9 % chance that any contentious  issues will end up on said boards.

Trish

[Tephra]

Thank you Trish, both for the sense of humour bit - but you have to admit, it is a bit weird!! - and for clarifying the ToT side of things.   I've come to regard RC members as family, and as with all families there are bound to be contentious issues from time to time.   But we have to remember we're not all the same, wouldn't it be boring if we were     


Barbara

[Gadget]

In the light of earlier comments (that Moderators have jobs, homes, families and even lives to run and their own FH research to do, as well as managing our environment on here), someone asked me the question "have we enough moderators?".  They haven't got round to posting that, so I've stolen their question.

Given the extensive views already expressed here (for which many thanks to you all), I thought it would make sense to drive all this out to some kind of conclusion - hopefully a bit of "time out" for the Moderators as a group to reflect on what has been said.

So, taking into account this new question, I seek further comments from my esteemed colleague Rootschatters  (with a view to concluding the thread within the next few days before it gets to twenty pages/runs out of steam).