Banned! Let's discuss, shall we?

Precisely. Set the entire forum to read-only, but keep the threads unlocked. And perhaps even updated. Like perhaps linking to this discussion at the bottom of the Banned User Guide thread. Sort of a "Wanna discuss it?" link.

No, no... I think once a thread is posted in a read-only ANYONE can post in it, setting it to read-only only allows VIPs and above to post a NEW thread in the Forum...

... unless there's some higher-up powers I'm missing...

 

No, you set it up as a forum, disallow posting, public cannot create replies, public canont create threads or polls, take away pruning, etc... and you have it.

EDIT: ... unless there's some higher-up powers I'm missing...
Yes, it's all at the manager level.

 

Genghis12,

That sounds like a very acceptable and applicable plan of action.

 

Well, Sape...
That's actually pretty much exactly the way the Informational Threads forum is currently set up, though.

None of that's the problem. The problem is that the thread auto-lock system/duration is not something we can control at the board level.

 

How about just upping the threads once in a while so they're not locked? (I'm assuming that they're locked because of non-activity ... )

Aunecah

 

Then given the number of managers and higher we have, we could make a very small but concerted effort to periodically peer into that forum and unlock threads that have become locked due to the passing of the sand in the hourglass.

 

And I beat Sapient to it.

Of course, it would be easier to keep track if you update all threads on the same day....

Does anybody have any idea about how many months of inactivity will lead to automatic locking of the thread (is it 6 months ... ?)

Aunecah

 

If the information contained within the thread is accurate, then it doesn't need updating.

 

I meant "upping."

Aunecah

 

Link it to the update calendar? Every time someone posts the ModSquad update, go up the last Informational Forum thread and remove all prior posts except the original one. This is something that will be done each week, in six months all threads will be unlocked and will remain so forever, until more threads are added to it.

Make the "update calendar" an "administrative action calendar" in case other similar things need to be added?

 

That is an excellent idea. Accountability for the updates worked quite well and I think if you tie this into it, it would also work.

 

Great idea Genghis - I assume that this would be in the Mod Squad, of course? NOT that there's any reason for it to be available for public ...

Aunecah

 

Yes, it would be in Mod Squad but it would be used. The calendar holds someone responsible every week for writing the update.

 

Heck, for that matter, why not just make whomever's week it is adopt the bottom Informational Forum thread and be responsible for it's information. Ensure that whatever dynamic information it may contain (say specific user names which may change over time) is updated appropriately at that time. With 21 threads, it will take a little over five months to cycle all the way through the forum.

This way, the Informational Threads forum does in fact become a "moderated" forum, even though there may not be a single specific mod doing that moderating.

 

Excellent ideas. Great progress.

See? Communications can function.



Vertical

 

On that note. Thanks to those, both staff and users, who participated in the discussion. I am sure that there is room for more debate on the issue of bannings, but as Vertical indicated, this particular vein was handled very professionally.

 

Here's a question. When your ban time is up are you automatically unbanned, or do you have to send in an unban request to get unbanned?

What is the proper protocol mods must follow when dealing with this?

 

It's not automatic. The mod has to manually unban you. We're human, and sometimes we make mistakes, and if we forget, a simple unban request should help get you unbanned.

 

No offense, but if a mod takes the time to ban, they should take the time to unban when the time is up. This should be true regardless if it is an accidental ban, a justified ban, or a highly questionable ban (such as in my case.) If the time is up before they log back on, fine. But once they log back on, take care of business. Write a note or something.

In short, mods should finish what they start. Some may legitamately forget, others will "conveniently" forget.

 

Most legitimately forget. If you aren't online when the ban is up, then there isn't much you can do.

Yes, writing little 'notes' is a good idea, but not everyone can have "Unban StarWarsIsGay at 4:00PM Tuesday" written around their office. The best thing to do is just check the unban list periodically, and try to remember how many people you have banned, and roughly what time they should be unbanned.

 

The one time I was banned, I actually got unbanned a few hours early, because the mod wanted to make sure that he wouldn't sign off and forget. I don't think that mods "conveniently forget" very often, if ever.

 

I barely noticed my ban... Except it was my Birthday . But I was cool with it, it was my fault.

Jedi Benji, In Lack of a Better Manual Sig

 

Most legitimately forget. If you aren't online when the ban is up, then there isn't much you can do.

This is true, at least for me. With mrslush above I knew for a fact that I wouldn't be around when his ban was up, so I unbanned him a couple of hours early and left him a note saying so (and why). Conversely, another time I completely forgot someone's ban was up but was reminded by another Mod who got a request so I just went and unbanned the user immediately.

Typically, there's no malice behind forgetting. It's either just being distracted by doing something else or just, plain dough-headedness at the time. If you submit an Unban Request when your ban is supposed to be up, someone is usually on the lookout...

 

There's no reason for the Mods to "conveniently forget" a ban, I would say, in most cases. So, if a Mod forgot - it's probably because (s)he legitimately forgot.

Aunecah

 

There's no reason for the Mods to "conveniently forget" a ban, I would say, in most cases. So, if a Mod forgot - it's probably because (s)he legitimately forgot.

Yes, or want you to stay banned for sometime longer In either case, I think as you do, they do not do so on purpose but rather truely forget and need a reminder.