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Subject: Re: Moderation: Political posts

Author: Chessfun

Date: 20:11:52 12/03/00

Go up one level in this thread


On December 03, 2000 at 14:27:16, Bruce Moreland wrote:
>
>I will complain them later in this post, since I started the thread.  I'll also
>send my complaint via email.

Does this mean an end to the US president threads?.

>>Thorsten's thread was abusive, plain and simple.  That was the problem with it,
>>and I assume that was why we got the email complaints.  I personally read
>>maybe 20% of what is posted here.  Which means by _my_ judgement, 80% is not
>>interesting.  ... to me.  I don't try to impose my interests on others by
>>whacking that which is outside my 20% interest.  We have had (recently)
>>some abusive (anti-US) posts that we reacted to.  Some flagrant commercial
>>posts...  etc.
>
>I don't know that the post about hardware was a flagrant commercial post, I
>think it is possible that it was misinterpreted, and I'm a little worried that
>just because the post came from Taiwan, that people reacted more harshly than if
>it had come from the US or Europe.
>
>If someone writes a post telling people that you can get CM8K for $24.99 at
>Toys-R-Us I doubt anyone would object, and certainly not as strenuously.  I
>don't know if this guy is the seller, but just because he is from Taiwan, and
>the computer is from Taiwan, does not mean that he is the seller.  It is a big
>place.

This person had quoted more computers a couple of weeks ago.
I have seen no other posts from him/her. Though you make a valid
point with CM8K where specifically a large US chain was named I
think there is a difference and I myself think the deletion of
the computer posts was valid.

>The perils are to the one discussing it, and I think that if that is the only
>issue, it's not a moderation issue.  Telling someone that they can't post
>something, because you think their lawyer wouldn't like them posting it, is a
>bad idea.

They are all adults they can decide themselves whether legally they should
be careful and IMO the subject is totally on topic as it quotes various match
and game scores as well as other computer chess info.

>Topicality is something that couldn't be argued against, so you used that then.
>Now it makes no sense for you to argue based upon topicality, since this
>directly contradicts that point of view, so you redefine those posts.
>But you can't edit the archives.

Darn moderators need more power :-)

>I am complaining, and here is why:

Complain if you like but he still posts on those same subjects.

>1) The election really is off-topic, and it's a serious topic so it's going to
>get attention and discussion.  I don't think this place should be a Hanoi prison
>camp, where you get in trouble if you are caught tapping some small off-topic
>aside in code on the wall.  But these larger topics invite the group to divert
>its focus more permanently.  I don't think that any topic is fair game here as
>long as the discussion remains civil.  I would hate to see this place turn into
>a debate club where we regularly discuss politics and religion *for their own
>sake*.  The idea of online moderated debate is perfectly fine, but this isn't
>the place.
>
>2) Enforcemet of topicality in this case has been inconsistent and this has
>caused confusion.
>
>The reason I brought this up in the group is that I thought that there might be
>a bunch of people who wanted to comment one way or the other.

We have in the past to no avail.
The subjects you raise are the same with the now addition of
the CM8K and Computer posts. The policy is not consistant especially
when a moderator is contributing to those threads. I find it odd that
none of the other moderators mention it.

To let the thread just die as Dr. Hyatt has often stated about off-topic
requires that he himself must stop posting on the subject.

>My only argument here is a point of detail.  I do agree that people shouldn't
>get upset about something unless they've complained.  And I do agree that the
>moderators should be forced to read everything.  But I think that we shouldn't
>become completely complaint-driven.  If there is something wrong with a post,
>please get rid of it.  And if there is nothing wrong with a post, please let it
>stay, even if there are a dozen complaints.

That may well all be true but I doubt for a second that these threads
have not been seen by the other moderators. They should be pro-active
and deal with these issues rather than wait for complaints to come in.

If something is wrong it's wrong, it don't need a complaint for it to be
wrong. And with Dr. Hyatt contributing it's a little backward.


Sarah.



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