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At risk of being a pain in the arse.

Discussion in 'Communications' started by Thraxwhirl, Mar 2, 2004.

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  1. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    Sorry, my bad, but I've just had another idea to do with 'sticky' threads.

    Would it not be a good idea to have threads like "complete color listing" and other utility/'need-to-know' threads made into 'stickies'? ?[face_plain]

    I hate going and looking for that one several pages back.

    Naturally I appreciate that threads - like this one - where we the general usership ask questions of Mods and oldbies are best suited to be 'sinkies', and once our queries have been met, it's quite right and proper that they disappear, but for informational purposes, like 'how to's and important FYI's, might it not be a good idea to make a few more of 'em 'stickies', like Mara's "Mods" one(above)?

    Just a thought. ?[face_plain]
     
  2. Grilled-Sarlacc

    Grilled-Sarlacc Former Head Admin star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    Can you list which threads you would like to see in the header? It needs an update and I think the Color Listing is a good idea.
     
  3. beezel26

    beezel26 Jedi Master star 7

    Registered:
    May 11, 2003
    Thraxwhirl, See the WNU forum. Its there well it was there, Check with the forum mods there for the info. It seems they just replaced them with a flag. Not good at the moment.
     
  4. Iwishiwasajedi

    Iwishiwasajedi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2002
    Yeah, It would be nice to have the listing of colors in the header, although I don't think it needs a sticky thread.

    Basically Thrax, any thread in comms that has basic questions from a regular user is closed as soon as logical answers have been provided. Although, I did have a thread of mine closed yesterday, even though the questions I asked hadn't been fully answered.
     
  5. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    "Can you list which threads you would like to see in the header? It needs an update and I think the Color Listing is a good idea."

    I confess at present I can only think of that one at the moment. It just came to me. Perhaps it might not be a bad idea to have a general 'suggestions' thread? ?[face_plain] I wondered about that.

    If I have a scour through the first few pages, I'll see if i can put together a wee list.

    You see, in essence, it mightn't be a bad idea to have a seperate Comms forum for purely informational threads and announcements - all of which could be 'stickies' and all LOCKED. That way, none of us mere mortals could post in there asking questions/making suggestions(we'd continue to do that here), but it would be a good place for Mods to keep us informed of public 'need to know' and FYI...

    ...but because none of us could post in it, it wouldn't need 'policing'(thus no extra modding required), 'cos it would be "Read only" for us, but "Read/Write" for Mods.

    In short, you segregate "ask the mods" from "tell the users". It would make it easier, I believe, for all concerned to find their way areound and get at the info they want.

    Whaddya reckon?
     
  6. Grilled-Sarlacc

    Grilled-Sarlacc Former Head Admin star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    "I reckon" the header has been in poor neglect for months. And any good thread ideas you may have for fixing that problem would be welcomed and appreciated. :)

    So far, the Color Listing is an outstanding choice. If there are no others, so be it. But if you have recommendations, please post them. I will let this go for a day or two to gather the ideas before making a header change. But I feel this forum is enough to post/feature those informatiopnal threads rather than having some other forum to link to additional info threads. In fact, this forum could use an Index thread. Sorry this was not done previously.

    Thanks for your initiative! :D
     
  7. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    "Icons", perhaps? Current "Mod Squad"?

    Thing is, my thought on having a purely informational Forum - all locked threads - for only Mods to post in, is that it requires no patrolling, 'cos none of us lot can spam, troll, flame etc. so you don't need to take on extra staff(maybe one at most if absolutely necessary), BUT it means that informative threads never get lost in the deluge of our inquiries.

    Edit: Funnily enough, I just found this thread by farraday back on page 4.

    Seems there was an info forum very much like the one I envisaged, that I didn't know about, :eek: but it closed because no one used it. ?[face_plain] Apparently it wasn't updated very regularly. However, it strikes me that, with "Colors", "Icons" and "Mod Squad updates" being handled here, it's easy to see why it became defunct...

    ...or have I missed something?
     
  8. JediMaster22

    JediMaster22 Jedi Knight star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 1999
    Oh yeah, 'complete color listing' is a thread I like to see sticky too :)

    Plus 'the Mods contact list'
     
  9. padawan_schlicher

    padawan_schlicher Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 7, 2002
    An "Index" Sticky listing all the important threads is the way to go.
     
  10. LoyalJedi

    LoyalJedi Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 22, 2002
    what about bannable offenses? I'm actually being serious. I know when I first started, there was a lot to read in the TOS, and it would be easier, I imagine to just look it up real quick in terms you can understand.
     
  11. JediMaster22

    JediMaster22 Jedi Knight star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 1999
  12. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    what about - either header or 'sticky' - a thread that was simply a complete list of all mods/admins, with their Forum designation, and each name was also a link straight to their bio, so we could easily look for a mod who's definitely online right now, right across the board - all forums?

    For example, the entry for GS(I pick you, Sir, since I know it's you who's attentive to this 'suggestions for header' topic) would look like this:

    Grilled-Sarlacc (Administration >> Communications)


    Then next would be...well, whoever comes next alphabetically.

    Or... better still, do it by Forum category. For example, here's what it would read for this Forum:

    Administration >> Communications

    Raven (Administrator)
    Grilled-Sarlacc (Administrator)
    Kimball_Kinnison (Administrator)


    Then another section for YJCC, for Senate, for Amphitheatre etc.

    But all in one post, a complete list of all mods, Admins, FF Reps - anyone one with powers of Edit, Lock and/or Ban basically, so that...

    if it's in a header, identical and universal to all Forums, it doesn't matter where the user is, or whether or not any of that Forum's Mods are online, the user can immediately access this post in the header, and find a Mod who's logged in. He she can then PM them with a request. Any Mod, any board. All stored in the same single post entry, on the header.

    Perhaps between 'Help' and 'TOS'. Essentially, it would not be disimilar to Stridarious' Newbie Adoptions list, but with names clickable, and we could call it, what, maybe "Mod Roster"? ?[face_plain]

    A worthwhile thought?

     
  13. JediMaster22

    JediMaster22 Jedi Knight star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 1999
    Forum Mods for the current forum, or any other forum is already up at the top!

    I see what you are saying though, you want a thread with complete listings.
     
  14. mac-nut

    mac-nut Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2001
    we have one, but I think it got buried somewheres in Comms.
     
  15. Jedi Greg Maddux

    Jedi Greg Maddux Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 1999
    In the non-spoiler (and presumably other SW forums as well) there's a sticky thread which includes a thread listing and a short description of a sampling of the more important threads of a forum.

    Perhaps the same could be done here.
     
  16. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    "I see what you are saying though, you want a thread with complete listings."

    Aye. All in one place, and all in one single post. Permanently locked, therefore 'editable' only by mods, as and when there are changes/reshuffles. And if it's in the header, it is accessible whatever forum the user is currently browsing, and eliminates this problem too:

    "we have one, but I think it got buried somewheres in Comms."

    And if each name is a link to that mod's profile... the user can very quickly find a mod who's online if the mods responsible for the forum he/she is viewing are absent.

    I grant you that it would be a hassle setting it up initially, but once it's done, it would be pretty much constant; only needing updates as and when a mod steps down or is replaced, or moves from one forum to another. Updating the list, as and when required, would take maybe 15 mins work per mod change. ?[face_plain]

    I honestly think it would be a very useful tool, and would mean that forum abuses could be reported far more quickly than at present. There's always gonna be a mod online somewhere - just perhaps not in the forum you're currently browsing. But this way, you can find one without having to move to a different forum or journey from one profile to another to another, following links in mods' WULs.

    :D

    I'll give you a "for instance", based on a real experience last night. I spotted an inappropriate thread in YJCC. I tried the "Forum Moderators" links upt top(which should always be first port of call). Dagsy, j-m-t and Bria were all offline(though it turned out Bria was actually experiencing a computer problem and returned soon after, but that's by the by), so I had to jump out of YJCC and come to Comms to find Grilled-Sarlacc.

    Now, if we had this "Mod Roster" link in the header, all I'd have had to do was open that link, and click a mod's name - straight to his/her profile. If he/she was offline, all I'd need to do is click 'back' and try another name in the list. Repeat as required, until I stumble across one who's online, and then PM him/her with the details of the problem. And if I'm sensible enough to provide that Mod with a link to the very thread(which of course I was), he/she doesn't even have to search outside his/her own forum to get there and mage a judgement upon the complaint.

    Far quicker than moving around Forums or following links via profile to profile. Especially if, like me, you're on a 56k dialup. In the header, never sinks, accessible from any forum - no search required -links direct to Mods.

    Handy, no? :)

    I think it would be beneficial for most users, and infringments could be dealt with(or at least reported) far quicker.
     
  17. jedi-mind-trick

    jedi-mind-trick VIP star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 6, 2001
    If I understand correctly, you are asking for a current list of mods to be added to every header in every forum, yes?

    I think that is a very nice idea. I would be willing to put the time into doing such a thread. However, I do think one already exists in the Information forum. Have a look here (obviously this needs to be updated....I can work on that this afternoon after work).....if this would serve the purpose, then I think adding this link to the header of every forum is a good idea. If this list is too long (too much info? Lists all of the retired mods, etc), then I would be happy to whip up a current list. Thoughts?
     
  18. Thraxwhirl

    Thraxwhirl Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2002
    Perfect. :) Though, yes, I'd agree, perhaps retired Mods are unnecessary for the purposes I'm thinking of.

    Also, are e-mail addresses necessary? ?[face_plain] Those who want them made public will have 'em in their profiles. Besides, the 'mail to' links don't seem to be working.

    One option would be to put it in the "Logged in as" line, which is universal whichever forum the user's currently in. Currently, it reads:

    "Logged in as: [USERNAME] | Logoff | Private Messages | Search | Options | Help | Terms of Service | Faces | Markup Codes"

    Updated to read something like:

    "Logged in as: [USERNAME] | Logoff | Private Messages | Search | Options | Help | Mod Roster | Terms of Service | Faces | Markup Codes"

    Something like that. ?[face_plain]

    OR perhaps better still, on the "Forum moderators" line(more obvious place to look), to the right of the Mods who are specific to the forum itself, it could read "Complete List - All Forums". It would look far neater that way too.

    The only problem with that is that it means popping the link in every "Forum Moderators" line...doesn't it? However, it's more user friendly, and I guess it's only got to be coded in once for each Forum. After that, it's in place forever more. The list would need updating from time to time, but the link itself would remain constant.

    Only the emergence of any new forums would require a new link. That's very rare, and probably the smallest job required in the building of a new forum.

    Many thanks, j-m-t. :)
     
  19. AmazingB

    AmazingB Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2001
    I honestly think it would be a very useful tool, and would mean that forum abuses could be reported far more quickly than at present. There's always gonna be a mod online somewhere - just perhaps not in the forum you're currently browsing. But this way, you can find one without having to move to a different forum or journey from one profile to another to another, following links in mods' WULs.

    In such cases, the Users Online list is the best option. Very easy to spot mods what with their purty colors and all.

    Amazing.
     
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