Moderating A site.

SpArKs

SpArKs

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Ive just been asked to moderate a web site forum. :O What does it take to be a good moderator and a successful one(if that's even possible)? Its based on a VB platform and i was also wondering about the In's and outs of this type of platform before i dedicate my life too it?

This is mainly aimed at the mods here, but members are welcome to apply their thoughts.

And no stupid comments like "don't act like an asshole" I'm mature enough to work that part out for myself. :thumbs:

And no stupid comments like, don't act like *InsertModsNameHere* I don't want the mods to think this thread was made to attack them!

Any links to VB information sites would be grateful
 
I'd say first and foremost is to use your own judgement - don't always abide by what the rules say 100% of the time. Each moderator on this site works in different ways, we're not all carbon copies of each other.

Oh, and the 'New Posts' feature is your best friend.
 
Oh please, all HL2.net moderators are manufactured on an assembly line.
 
Animal ejaculation avatars for the win!
 
Axyon said:
I'd say first and foremost is to use your own judgement - don't always abide by what the rules say 100% of the time. Each moderator on this site works in different ways, we're not all carbon copies of each other.

Oh, and the 'New Posts' feature is your best friend.
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Thanks! I will remember that.

Tr0n said:
Don't be a bitch.
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Cant you read?
 
SpArKs said:
Thanks! I will remember that.



Cant you read?
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You would make an awful moderator. *shudders*

What website, so I can avoid it?

Oh, and don't act like Axyon.

(<3 Axyon. I do indeed kid.)



Also, ban people like Tr0n for horrible horrible avatars.
 
SpArKs said:
Ive just been asked to moderate a web site forum. :O What does it take to be a good moderator and a successful one(if that's even possible)? Its based on a VB platform and i was also wondering about the In's and outs of this type of platform before i dedicate my life too it?

This is mainly aimed at the mods here, but members are welcome to apply there thoughts.

And no stupid comments like "don't act like an asshole" I'm mature enough to work that part out for myself. :thumbs:

And no stupid comments like, don't act like *InsertModsNameHere* I don't want the mods to think this thread was made to attack them!

Any links to VB information sites would be grateful
Click to expand...
Don't make other people feel like you're better than them, and don't be afraid do tell you own opinion.

However, you should also make clear who's the boss when is necessairy (which I hope for you is never).

Anyway, that's my advice as a community leader for a year on a different forum.
Tr0n said:
Don't be a bitch.
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I thought you were banned?
 
Make everyone hiel you when you post in a thread and if they don't ban them. They may use cheap excuses like they can't always be online but that is garbage. Ban them from life if they talk back. Also make them wear pink avatars and call you big daddy.
 
If you're not being compared to Hitler, you're not being a good moderator.
 
As a moderator you must exercise prudence and good judgement. You must show them you are the boss in all instances, even if the conversation does not pertain to you, while at the same time allowing the flow of free thought. You must rule as the two faces of a coin - one side through harsh and arbitrary rule, and the other with a laissez faire attitude to win the the people back over. You must rule as harshly as possible without scaring off or banning too many forum denizens.

You need to encourage enthusiasm in the board at all times. You can do this through making fun of idiots before summarily banning them. There are also more creative ideas. You can hide clues of random memes inside banners or the format of the boards. You can create secret societies, make flashy avatars or sigs for everyone, add random words into the word filter (such as ad.block), or just start suspending random people to make everyone else think you're so cool. Which you are; but of course, everyone needs to know it.

A good moderator will force an exact proportion of the discussion to be about their awesomeness, or how they need to be "freed". If they get good enough at this, such discussion will naturally flow, and the need to encourage it at all will cease.

In fact, you can ignore all of the above. Just do whatever you want, always keeping in mind your awesomeness. As long as you do this, your awesomeness will emit an aura through your fine words and make all the other forum members hold you as their cult god/goddess. This is what is always inevitably achieved if the forum lasts long enough without dying.
 
I am an admin on my clan forum, we don't use VB though, we use SMF (SimpleMachinesForum) However i don't have full rights, e.g i can't ban a forumite or change any part of their profile. Simply put, i have the basic sticky/lock/delete posts power

In general you should admin/moderate or whatever in the way you see fit. Ideally this should be towards keeping the site rules enforced, but doing it without being a f**kwad and deleting every bit of spam there is.

Do it as you see fit is the best way really
 
Sulkdodds said:
Well, that depends on what site you're on...
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It's here

Thanks for the advice so far guys and galls. Your opinions are appreciated!
 
SpArKs said:
It's here

Thanks for the advice so far guys and galls. Your opinions are appreciated!
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Lmao @ link :laugh:

Just be democratic (e.g. give member X a harder time than member Y), don't be afraid to ban someone for a few weeks or months (e.g. random non-clan member posts goatse) and watch your spelling (e.g. "guys and gals" :p). The last one can be tough, I still find myself typing something wrong sometimes :p
 
Yeah, make sure you get your their, there, they're right. It's so very hard to respect someone who doesn't.
 
Also, undermine the site head at every oppertunity, and make hate figures out of people you have some dislike for. Be liberal with bannings, and don't be afraid to silent-edit people's posts to put words in their mouths.

-Angry Lawyer
 
Give the impression that you ban people just for thinking about you funny, when in actual fact you ban less people than most of the other moderating staff.
 
Pi Mu Rho said:
Give the impression that you ban people just for thinking about you funny, when in actual fact you ban less people than most of the other moderating staff.
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Also, shave your head and pose for angry/hard looking pictures.

-Angry Lawyer
 
Sulkdodds said:
Yeah, make sure you get your their, there, they're right. It's so very hard to respect someone who doesn't.
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Hmm.... I got a C in English, what does that matter! I do forget their place's sometimes.

Am I right in saying:

Forget their place's

Stop there before you get hurt

And they're is a short way of saying "they are"

Ewww..... This is hurting my brain!!!

Thanks Sulks for the memory jogger.....
Angry Lawyer said:
Also, shave your head and pose for angry/hard looking pictures.

-Angry Lawyer
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:laugh: I will do just that!
 
Place's implies the possessive of Place. It should be Places.

Other than that, it's fine.

-Angry Lawyer
 
SpArKs said:
Hmm.... I got a C in English, what does that matter! I do forget their place's sometimes.
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Don't reveal your academic results on forums, especially if you're a mod.
 
AntiAnto said:
Don't reveal your academic results on forums, especially if you're a mod.
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Unless of course you get straight A's in everything. Then you need to announce it several times, especially as justification for bans.
 
Geez, you're talking as if it's some hard thing to do.

Ban the retards, don't ban the other people.
 
Angry Lawyer said:
Place's implies the possessive of Place. It should be Places.
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The Greengrocer's apostrophe. DAMN! thought I was getting over that :frown:
 
Nat Turner said:
Unless of course you get straight A's in everything. Then you need to announce it several times, especially as justification for bans.
Click to expand...

But then, you don't want to evince your extreme narcissism.
 
Don't be flimsy and weak. Don't peal to community hatred. Flex your moderation muscles and extend the ban stick.
 
If the admin is a tyrannical tyrant, don't try just topple him, best him.
 
Make fun of the Admins highly comparable facial features.
 
SpArKs said:
Done!

What about the VB platform, any info on that?
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Very userfriendly and customizable. Make sure you don't activate DHTML in posts :p
 
don't lose sight of the big picture.

You will need to deal with a lot of people who live completely on the internet, and have tunnel vision for reality.
 
Oh yeah, and sparks, don't EVER reveal you're a girl D:
 
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