Bridge Commander Universe

**RCgothic** · **Posted**: 05-10-2006 10:23 PM

There has recently been a large rise in Vigilantism on the boards. That is, users acting as if they were moderators.
In one particular thread in modding today (and it wasn't the only thread with evidence of vigilantism) there were:

1 admonishment for an on topic post in a slightly old thread.
2 admonishments of the admonishment.
4 votes for a lock
1 moderator intervention
3 users involved in a discussion of the moderator intervention
1 final intervention.

This is not acceptable, as it creates more off topic posts for the moderator trying to sort things out. In addition, a moderator's decision on any matter is final, and there will be no public discussion, though feel free to use the PM system in a respectful manner.

From this point forward and until further notice, Non-Staff members engaging in the following activities will recieve an immediate warning to be displayed above their avatar for a period of thirty days.

-Anyone posting: "OMG HOLY POST RESSURECTION BATMAN! or a variant thereof.
-Admonishing another user for a breach of rules.
-Voting for a move or lock on a thread that is not their own.
-Discussing a Moderator's decision on any matter publicly.
-Anyone pointing out to another user how they are going to get a warning for breach of this rule.

Feel free to bring up any matter regarding threads (whether to lock, move, or point out a rule breach) by PM. Patrons are also reminded of the post report button.
Do not post in a thread telling a user how wrong they are, use the PM system or Post report buttons instead to report a post to the forum moderators. Continue the thread as if a rule had not been broken, an off topic post had not been made or the moderators had not intervened.

In Summary:
A: Don't tell other users what they can or can't do, tell the moderators what they shouldn't be doing by PM or post report instead.
B: Never question a moderator's decision publically. (But feel free to use the PM system and always in a respectful manner.)

**Armondikov** · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 02:20 PM

Can I add that this should definitely extends to R&R and the general forums as well. And it also applies to everyone, even if they think they're doing the right thing because they've been here for a long time or have a high post count.

And RC seems to be liking the word "admonish" a lot recently Razz

Gareth · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 06:40 PM

What if someone actually DOES bring up a really old post [and if it was on topic as well]? would the moderator automatically lock it?

I'm just thinking about users who have posted a thread, and haven't had the replies/answers they needed about it; so if it became a really old topic and it got bumped up - asking for help [obviously it could range from a polite "no-one has answered my help" to "hello? I want an answer! no-one has answered it!!!11" or something of the sort, anyway.

Then there's threads like the "Finishing up the CG Sovereign 2.0 Smile

" that people bring up again... what would happen to them - and the person who brings it up [if it becomes an old post that gets resurrected]?

One last question: I'm guessing it doesn't include the spam forum? not that many people would bring up old posts from THAT one!

Pegasus · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 07:27 PM

**RCgothic** · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 07:35 PM

No on-topic posts will be locked just because a thread is old. Bumping a post to say:

Hey, nobody answered my question, I'd really like to know!

is reasonable, and not particularly annoying. unlike the hordes of people posting: Good Grief! this thread is two months old!

And even if you do think a thread deserves to have action taken because someone bumped it, PM the moderator instead of posting about it in the thread.

The Best thing you can do in public if soeone else breaches rules or etiquette is ignore it and remain on topic.

MickJo · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 09:49 PM

**RCgothic** · **Posted**: 05-11-2006 11:48 PM

You have plenty of free speech, just take a look at political debate forum for what we let people say.

Where you have no (public) say is how to run other people's threads, or any right to tell other patrons what to do or what they shouldn't have done.
Multiple off topic posts genuinely makes moderating harder and it is not unreasonable that we ask that the moderating be left to the moderators.

And if there's something that absolutely does require our attention, we aren't saying you can't tell us how to go about it, just to do it BY PM.

This is not a difficult concept, and is no different from how any military unit in the world is run. No different to a high street for that matter. Argos has no right to tell Marks and Spencer how to run its affairs, but the Town Council does, and Argos may complain to the council if Marks and spencer are pissing them off for some reason.

The view of BCU staff on this matter is unanimous. And as we've made ourselves extremely clear on the subject and we're not being unreasonable, I'm going to lock the thread before anyone else accuses the staff of being Nazis.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-12-2006 03:25 AM

And he is right....this is not a democracy.

I am the ultimate authority here, what I say goes...period. I am uninterested in the fairness of my policies, nor the complaints of censure of any and all comments or opinions that I do not feel are appropriate, prudent or warranted.

This community was in chaos when I took over. Now it is not. What I do is definitely unfair...that is why I am here.

So any and all negative feelings pertaining to how the boards are run should be directed toward me.

....just don't expect me to pay your complaints any mind.