Site Update!

[XTreme]

Just to update you all that we are now looking at ways to improve the site in terms of a more regular moderator presence to deal with any situations that may arise.

I know there has been concerns in that area and the point is well taken. The situation is that a number of the original Mod team from 2003 no longer visit the site, so we now have to make changes to reflect this.

And those of us who are still left have all had major changes in our circumstances over the years which have contributed to us spending less time on here than in the past. However, it's all going to change very soon!

If any of you have any ideas for the site in terms of new sections etc then just let us know and we'll do our best to make it happen!

[Airhead]

Just to update you all that we are now looking at ways to improve the site in terms of a more regular moderator presence to deal with any situations that may arise.

I know there has been concerns in that area and the point is well taken. The situation is that a number of the original Mod team from 2003 no longer visit the site, so we now have to make changes to reflect this.

And those of us who are still left have all had major changes in our circumstances over the years which have contributed to us spending less time on here than in the past. However, it's all going to change very soon!

If any of you have any ideas for the site in terms of new sections etc then just let us know and we'll do our best to make it happen!

Just a thought, mods circumstances do change like everybodys do, why not invite a mod who is not visiting the site and is not likely to, to hand over the reigns after some pre defined time period, that way situations like this will be avoided in future.

[YamaHead]

A worthy suggestion well-noted there OldGit.

[ShoKz]

I have advanced knowledge of mysql etc and forum management, if you need a mod.

I work as a gfx designer/web developer and a student as some many know, so i am on my pc non stop.

[Goff]

Just a thought, mods circumstances do change like everybodys do, why not invite a mod who is not visiting the site and is not likely to, to hand over the reigns after some pre defined time period, that way situations like this will be avoided in future.

In my experience this is a VERY bad idea.

Bringing in someone who doesnt know the forum or the regular members who post here can have catastrophic consequences.

This happened on another forum i moderate on last year and it caused no end of problems - granted it is much larger than this one but my god what a headache it caused.

The mods were banning folk and moderating folk because they had no idea of what they were really like, and in actual fact, they meant absolutely nothing bad by the posts they had made.

Bringing someone with no experience of this site is not going to work - they would need to be online a lot and can you imagine moderating a site you know jack shit about? I wouldnt want to be a mod on a site i hadnt been on before.

I think it would be better to firstly PM the folk who admin think might be suitable, then put up a poll so the members of the forum can decide who they want as moderators.

These would have to be people who know the site well, and know many of the members posting styles, and ho are online a lot. They would also need a bit of common sense so they dont start hitting the "delete" button every time someone reports something, and preferably someone with a lot of experience of forums.

Give them a couple of months trial and if its not working then think again.

I know i wouldn't want someone who didnt know us and who we didnt know comie in and start moderating us.

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

you ae looking for someone who doesn't get the wrong end of the stick, doesn't make postings that upset people, doesn't get in arguments - is there such a person?

It's atough job, time consuming and needs dedication to make it work.

I think Goff and Oldgitonabike have good ideas, a nomination followed by an on-line vote. New members are unlikely to get voted through by virtue of the fact they are new and few will know and understand them. (listen to me! only been on here since June.......).

They would also need a bit of common sense

Sorry Goff - you need to get out more, this was rationed a long time ago..........

[Goff]

Sorry Goff - you need to get out more, this was rationed a long time ago..........

oh believe me i get out enough thanks - what i meant was common sense where posts are reported - its all to easy to hit that delete button. If they can sit back and think about whats actually been posted then they wont go far wrong.

And i agree with you on the newbie front - but i do feel strongly that unless admin knows of folk who are perfect for the job (and i do believe there should be several new mods not just one) outside of the site, who actually know how we all tick, then a poll should be set up and let the people decide lol

[Airhead]

Goff, I think you have mis-understood what i said (or at least what i meant), i didnt mean invite someone who does not visit the site to come in and start moderating here, what i said was ask a mod who has moved on to hand over the reigns. that way we will not have mods who havent been here for a long time and dont know the membership. I also think the poll of members would be a good idea, sort of a vote.

[Goff]

Goff, I think you have mis-understood what i said (or at least what i meant), i didnt mean invite someone who does not visit the site to come in and start moderating here, what i said was ask a mod who has moved on to hand over the reigns. that way we will not have mods who havent been here for a long time and dont know the membership. I also think the poll of members would be a good idea, sort of a vote.

For that i apologise

Hob nobs anyone?

[oldtimer]

oh believe me i get out enough thanks - what i meant was common sense where posts are reported - its all to easy to hit that delete button. If they can sit back and think about whats actually been posted then they wont go far wrong.

And i agree with you on the newbie front - but i do feel strongly that unless admin knows of folk who are perfect for the job (and i do believe there should be several new mods not just one) outside of the site, who actually know how we all tick, then a poll should be set up and let the people decide lol

have i missed something ? but in the short time i have been on this site i cant recall having seen any major problems but from what i have seen the folk on here seem to do a good job of self monitering, if it aint broke dont fix it , like goff i have seen on other forums moderators and rules introduced that have devistated the forums and created problems where problems didnt really exist, we all have our own views and ideas and different sense of humours this is what makes a good forum, it is only where personal verbal attacks get out of hand that moderators should interject , because a moderator doesnt agree with somebody elses view doesnt make it right ,yamaheads style of moderating from what i have seen laid back and not condecending seems the right level for me,but that is only my point of view and i am sure we will hear many more and different views from young and old alike,we all have one common interest bikes leave politics to the idiots that think they run our countrys and not get bogged down with internal wrangling, all have a safe day out on your bikes and enjoy it

[drewpy]

I was suspended from one forum all because i didn't put the info I was asking in the the right order!!!

soon moved on from there, noob heads!!

[YamaHead]

I was suspended from one forum all because i didn't put the info I was asking in the the right order!!!

Sure glad we don't have that problem here!

[Beezkneez]

have i missed something ? but in the short time i have been on this site i cant recall having seen any major problems but from what i have seen the folk on here seem to do a good job of self monitering, if it aint broke dont fix it , like goff i have seen on other forums moderators and rules introduced that have devistated the forums and created problems where problems didnt really exist, we all have our own views and ideas and different sense of humours this is what makes a good forum, it is only where personal verbal attacks get out of hand that moderators should interject , because a moderator doesnt agree with somebody elses view doesnt make it right ,yamaheads style of moderating from what i have seen laid back and not condecending seems the right level for me,but that is only my point of view and i am sure we will hear many more and different views from young and old alike,we all have one common interest bikes leave politics to the idiots that think they run our countrys and not get bogged down with internal wrangling, all have a safe day out on your bikes and enjoy it

well said, anything goes apart from personal attacks, that's when the cane comes out

[Goff]

Fuckin hell calm down folks.

Its got fuck all to do with politics or anything else like that and everything to do with having people online who can not only deal with the assholes and fuckwits that sometimes appear, but who can offer help and advice on all things forum related too.

Having several mods who are online regulary helps the site chug along happily both to nip any trouble in the bud and also to be available to help folk who might not wanna ask stuff in the forum, and they can turn to each other if theres an issue they arent sure about.

People are assuming that moderators are only there to sort out any forum fighting, but thats not the case. Theres been times when ive wanted to ask something about the site and i wasnt able to get hold of a moderator - ok it was early on in my membership and i THINK it was Beezkneez who helped me out, but he cant be expected to do it all now can he.

[YamaHead]

People are assuming that moderators are only there to sort out any forum fighting, but thats not the case. Theres been times when ive wanted to ask something about the site and i wasnt able to get hold of a moderator - ok it was early on in my membership and i THINK it was Beezkneez who helped me out, but he cant be expected to do it all now can he.

Well said my dear

Exactly why we're trying to assemble a good Moderator crew....to deal with that very type of situation.

[oldtimer]

Fuckin hell calm down folks.

Its got fuck all to do with politics or anything else like that and everything to do with having people online who can not only deal with the assholes and fuckwits that sometimes appear, but who can offer help and advice on all things forum related too.

Having several mods who are online regulary helps the site chug along happily both to nip any trouble in the bud and also to be available to help folk who might not wanna ask stuff in the forum, and they can turn to each other if theres an issue they arent sure about.

People are assuming that moderators are only there to sort out any forum fighting, but thats not the case. Theres been times when ive wanted to ask something about the site and i wasnt able to get hold of a moderator - ok it was early on in my membership and i THINK it was Beezkneez who helped me out, but he cant be expected to do it all now can he.

i cant see where you think people are not calm? and as for the politics i was talking about the internal politics of the forum and how they are run, i also understand the role of a moderator as i have been doing that on a forces site for 5 years, of course its not just to stop fighting its a multifunctional role, a moderator can not always be on line the same as any member but if any member needs help there is a facility in place for this, on the main page or home page of most forums there is a help button and when pressed should give you the answer to most things you may need to know including how to contact a moderator or how to report something you think is out of order, as you say you couldnt contact a moderator when you were new to the site but it is all there and i am sure you were not on your own most people new on a forum have similar problems, compared with the forum i moderate on this is a very friendly forum and i have not seen any trouble on here but have only been on here three months and you seem quite able to deal with any one who might get out of line in your own special way

[Goff]

you seem quite able to deal with any one who might get out of line in your own special way

Can i be the "official" forum spanker then?

[Beezkneez]

Can i be the "official" forum spanker then?

you may have to spank Mozzy for that one, but he hasn't been around for ages

[pilninggas]

One thing i think we need is links to model specific forums. we get lots of threads with queries bout specific yamahas and it would be nice to provide links to forums that would also provide answers about those queries.

probably a dumb suggestion, but hey i think it wud be gud

[mervin]

Can i be the "official" forum spanker then?

Now where did you,. put that picture Goff

merv :D :D