MS Update Mod Squad Update for week ending 21 June 2006

I absolutely agree with England. A lot of the times, when I post that the update is nice, it means I appreciate the work involved in keeping me informed of what's going on in the Mod Squad, and if the HTML is clearly something that took a lot of work, I want to let the mod who did it what a good job they did. I don't really see the harm in allowing it.

It's comparable to somebody posting "nice update" in fanfiction on a chapter update. It's not spam and while you might wish there was a little more, perhaps the user was in a hurry, or there wasn't much to debate about that particular update and just wanted to let the person know their work was appreciated.

I agree though that perhaps the rule should be revisited so that the policy is more clear and constructive as to what's allowed, what isn't, since we don't have the problem spammers in comms that there used to be.

 

but absolutely no one is suggesting that. I'd never ban, or even edit or warn someone for simply posting "nice update".

However, my point stands - it clutters the MS update up, and I'm talking about an established policy, I'm not suggesting it as a policy.

edit and you really can't blast a mod for pointing out that an existing policy isn't be adhered to - that's the purpose of having mods, isn't it? (irrespective of the particular policy in question).

There are proceedures for updating and reviewing policies - you simply can't say "I don't like this established policy, so I'm just going to ignore it".

There is a point (imo) for having this policy - if others disagree then there are ways to review things.

Suggesting a mod has their knickers in a twist for simply point out that an existing policy isn't be adhered to is poor moderating if you ask me.

 

However, if you're not going to ban, edit, or even give a warning not to do it anymore, why even have it as a policy?

 

I explained that already.

It's not there to give individual warnings (i.e. specifically warning you by name and entering it into your notes). It's there to use in giving general warnings to the thread as a whole when it starts to get out of hand.

One or two people saying "nice update" isn't really a problem. However, when you get 5-10 doing it in a row, especially when there's a policy discussion ongoing, it can cause confusion and other problems. It's an attempt to limit the negative aspects that occur when it's taken to excess.

Not every policy exists to use to edit or ban users. Some of them exist to make the boards simply run smoother in general.

Kimball Kinnison

 

Wouldn't a reminder from a mod coming in and saying something to the effect:

"Please keep the nice update posts to a minimum and discuss anything that is raised by the MSU?"

similar to a mod going into a topic that has gone offtopic and reminding people to post on topic?

 

Probably, but I'd doubt they'd ever lock a MS update, like they would a normal thread that might have several warnings before locking. Especially, when the MS update might be discussing important issues.

All I was hinting at, up above, was that the policy should either be made official(with possible consequences), or just deal with it. If it's considered spam in certain instances, than edit or delete a post, or ban where applicable.

Personally, it's not hard at all for me to scroll down by a few posts, to get to the meat of the update.

 

EDIT: Never mind. I can't hack getting further involved in a debate about people posting 'Nice Update'.

 

Nice post, Everton!

 

Strilo, nice update!

Now I want to be a mod, if only for OPP15s and being able to use HTML in my posts.

 

Well, the best way to become a mod is to campaign strongly, and bug the admin as often as possible.

 

Of course. I've also heard that a foreign substance...called "money"? makes a big difference as well. Do you know where I can find some of this "money"?

 

Not from a Jedi.....errr mod.

 

essentially thats what I did on page 1

 

It's still stupid, though. The mods usually put a lot of effort into some of the update so they should be complimented.

 

Except that the MSUs are for dissemination of information, not a place to show off skills at HTML and/or googling pics. Those posts are essentially spam, in a forum that is supposed to be (mostly) serious in nature.

 

Suggesting a mod has their knickers in a twist for simply point out that an existing policy isn't be adhered to is poor moderating if you ask me.
My comment, "I sincerely hope we wouldn't waste time getting our knickers in a twist because someone posted, "nice update" is a general statement about the MS in general, not any particular mod in this thread.

 

Don't worry, I certainly don't think pointing out a flaw is bad modding. However, being extrememly legalistic is.

 

I demand that you repost your original post in full so that I too can comment on it's goodness.

For the moment, just let me say that ^that is a very nice EDIT.

 

KK is dead on with this. It's not that users will be punished, it's not that the appreciation for our work is not nice to have (it is nice actually). It's that when there gets to be a little too much "nice update"ing and not enough discussion of the issues within the Update (if there are any) then we can say "Hey let's nudge things back on track shall we?" This enables the dissemination of information from the MS to the users run smoother in general, which everyone should agree is a good thing.

 

Sorry... getting involved again... but MS Updates do often have a lot of colourful effort put into them, and have become a place for a bit of a show... and the vast vast vast vast vast majority seem very happy with that. Over seriousness be damned, 'dissemination of information' can take place in surroundings other than a simple dry listing. Yes Comms has many threads that are serious only and that's absolutely fine, but IMO MS Updates form a bit of a boundary to that. They are the only place where the forum's edge is softened slightly. They have genuine effort put into them (rather than "I'm going to have a swipe at something") therefore inviting praise, and they are telling people what they need to know. A good package. Comms benefits enormously from the lighter tone the first and occasionally subsequent posts in the threads, provide. If there's a whacking great issue to be discussed festering away within the update, then it will almost always dominate the thread after the first page has passed, or even leap out into it's own thread (where seriousness will of course, be the watch word). 'Nice Update' is nothing to be bothered about unless it's clearly being abused, in which case the multitude of existing JC rules can cover the forum's ass, and html in the opening posts is a great thing. I only regret I never had the chance to do one.

 

Colors/titles = html usage = "good update" posts

completely interchangeable. no, really, do it and you have a Comms/MS post from last year. which would suggest they have the same solution....

 

Really, cause I seem to find all the ones from former managers filled with HTML completely unreadable.

 

The thing to remember is that something like the "nice update" rule is one I personally would see as a guideline. When I'm modding Comms, it's something that I personally would have to see being really abused, but the rule/guideline has been around a while and other mods have opinions of the degrees of severity before Sape, gabe or I (or other mods in our absence) step in and ask those to adhere to it and not post in this fashion. To be sure, no one would be edited/warned/banned unless it was out and out spamming/trolling with it, and I don't think we have to worry about it too much.

 

I think if you see an old Update like this, you could easily PM a mod and have them edit out the code so it's readable again. I'd be willing to do that.