Well it had to happen

[Lactodorum]

Off topic threads are generating a lot of heat in this forum, especially since I had the temerity to go away for the day.

 

I have tried in the past to moderate this forum with a light touch and despite misgivings recently I have let a number of topics flourish which perhaps I shouldn't have. I have tried to ignore my own feelings about such threads, not wanting to let personal prejudice cloud my judgement. However I've now decided to apply the forum guidelines more strictly and I have closed a number of threads which seem to have no relevance to Geocaching. I will take similar action in the future if I feel a thread does not have at least a passing geocaching content.

 

For premium members there is the Off Topic forum and there are also the GCUK and GAGB forums.

[alistair_uk]

No, no, no, no and no. I am sorry Lacto, but no.

 

Hopefully you realise I do have a certain amount of respect for your judgment on such matters, but what I see has happened here is that a few who do not like the way things have gone a bit mad and proved a point by abusing the systems themselves to force your hind.

 

Rather ironically I am arguing against my wishes, but please consider the situation and hopefully you will realise that what you should do is not change your moderation technique because of the actions of a few.

 

Alistair {who is rather annoyed at the childish behaviour of the few, who know who they are}

Edited August 17, 2006 by alistair_uk

[+Johnmelad]

but what I see has happened here is that a few who do not like the way things have gone a bit mad and proved a point by abusing the systems themselves to force your hind.

 

It's the same in all walks of life, the silent majority are ruled over by the vocal minority. Censorship by any other name!

[+mongoose39uk]

Sorry but there is an Off topic area for such threads.

 

Worse than congrats threads to me.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

[+naffita]

It's the same in all walks of life, the silent majority are ruled over by the vocal minority. Censorship by any other name!

 

Nah, it's one man, one vote. Lacto is the man and he has used his vote.

 

( with apologies to Terry Pratchet)

Edited August 17, 2006 by naffita

[+bhodisatva]

Will there now be a spate of "frivolous" congratulations threads in the hope that they too will eventually get banned or locked?. Friendly forum? hah, how long before the topics up for discussion start getting repetitive and the only answer supplied will be "Do a search"?.

[+Donmoore]

As Most people who use this forum from the UK seem to gather in this section of the forum i think it should not be mad into such a big deal using this section for some light hearted OT threads. Obviously people are enjoying them and if you don't want to read them don't as most are clearly labeled game.

[+Johnmelad]

Sorry but there is an Off topic area for such threads.

 

Worse than congrats threads to me.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

 

No doubt that reply was meant to solicit some form of abuse or flame, whilst I respect your opinion I don't agree with it. Best regards to you and yours.

[+The Golem]

Will there now be a spate of "frivolous" congratulations threads in the hope that they too will eventually get banned or locked?.

 

What a great idea!

 

Anybody?

[+The Blorenges]

As usual, our Moderator has moderated with a light hand: He picked up his secateurs, trimmed out a few wayward shoots, leaving the healthy "Pub Quiz" branch to remain and hopefully provide continuing "colour" to this Forum.

MrsB

[Lactodorum]

I won't be changing my moderating style and I will continue to allow what I consider to be "moderately" off topic subjects to be discussed here. I will not be swayed by a vocal minority, indeed those who know me can testify that I can be a stubborn old Git if pushed

 

No, I shall be using my judgement to decide if I think something is "trival" enough to kill. If you consider this censorship then so be it, you'll have to live with it.

 

Can I suggest that if you want to raise the question of "Congratulations" threads again (after all it must be at least a month since someone mentioned them) you start a new thread. I promise not to close it!!

[+bhodisatva]

Can I suggest that if you want to raise the question of "Congratulations" threads again (after all it must be at least a month since someone mentioned them) you start a new thread. I promise not to close it!!

LMAO, after that maybe we could go back onto the merits/demerits of micros or should it be the return of "why oh why did virtuals ever get pulled?" type threads?

[+Johnmelad]

I won't be changing my moderating style and I will continue to allow what I consider to be "moderately" off topic subjects to be discussed here. I will not be swayed by a vocal minority, indeed those who know me can testify that I can be a stubborn old Git if pushed

 

No, I shall be using my judgement to decide if I think something is "trival" enough to kill. If you consider this censorship then so be it, you'll have to live with it.

 

Can I suggest that if you want to raise the question of "Congratulations" threads again (after all it must be at least a month since someone mentioned them) you start a new thread. I promise not to close it!!

 

Lac we are a team, there is no I in team.

[SlytherinAlex]

Will there now be a spate of "frivolous" congratulations threads in the hope that they too will eventually get banned or locked?.

 

What a great idea!

 

Anybody?

Been there, done that.

[alistair_uk]

I won't be changing my moderating style and I will continue to allow what I consider to be "moderately" off topic subjects to be discussed here. I will not be swayed by a vocal minority, indeed those who know me can testify that I can be a stubborn old Git if pushed

Good, I am pleased about that.

 

...and sorry if I came across a bit strong. I read your first post is if you will be cracking down harder on everything than I now believe you are going to be, and was rather annoyed because of the way it came about.

 

{Alistair now goes home to chill for a while}

[+Simply Paul]

You can please some of the forum users all of the time, and all of the forum users some of the time... Whatever TPTB do in the forum, someone won't like it.

[+Johnmelad]

No, I shall be using my judgement to decide if I think something is "trival" enough to kill. If you consider this censorship then so be it, you'll have to live with it.

 

Lac,

 

Trivial? You locked a thread that 7,968 people took the trouble to read, a thread that has been going since 1 July 2006 and had 1,641 posts.

 

You call that trivial?

Edited August 17, 2006 by Johnmelad

[Lactodorum]

No, I shall be using my judgement to decide if I think something is "trival" enough to kill. If you consider this censorship then so be it, you'll have to live with it.

 

Lac,

 

Trivial? You locked a thread that 7,968 people took the trouble to read, a thread that has been going since 1 July 2006 and had 1,641 posts.

 

You call that trivial?

Yup! Live with it.

[+davy boy]

BUT what has a pub quiz got to do with geocaching?

Congrats threads DO have something to do with geocaching and thats why we are all on this forum!!!

Lacto had good reason to lock those threads and i hope he will lock any other NON geocaching threads!

[+Simply Paul]

He calls it "trivial". Given this is a Geocaching forum, and the thread in question wasn't 'caching related, in the context of gecaching in the UK, then many could regard it as trivial. I think

 

Edit: A bit slow, but you get the picture.

Edited August 17, 2006 by Simply Paul

[+Johnmelad]

Yup! Live with it.

 

Yeah, like I have a choice. Stupid, arrogant and completely unnecessary reply.

Edited August 17, 2006 by Johnmelad

[+mongoose39uk]

Yup! Live with it.

 

Yeah, like I have a choice. Stupid, arrogant and completely unnecessary reply.

 

Ouch!

 

gather you didnt like our unpaid reviewer/moderators response.

 

You want the job or something? Can do it better can you?

[+Johnmelad]

Yup! Live with it.

 

Yeah, like I have a choice. Stupid, arrogant and completely unnecessary reply.

 

Ouch!

 

gather you didnt like our unpaid reviewer/moderators response.

 

You want the job or something? Can do it better can you?

 

Ignored

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Lac we are a team, there is no I in team.

 

No, but there's a ME if you look hard enough

[+mongoose39uk]

Yup! Live with it.

 

Yeah, like I have a choice. Stupid, arrogant and completely unnecessary reply.

 

Ouch!

 

gather you didnt like our unpaid reviewer/moderators response.

 

You want the job or something? Can do it better can you?

 

Ignored

 

How can you be Ignoring it if you reply? DOH

 

Edited August 17, 2006 by mongoose39uk

[+Johnmelad]

Yup! Live with it.

 

Yeah, like I have a choice. Stupid, arrogant and completely unnecessary reply.

 

Ouch!

 

gather you didnt like our unpaid reviewer/moderators response.

 

You want the job or something? Can do it better can you?

 

Ignored

 

How can you be Ignoring it if you reply? DO

 

I ignored only the rather silly attempt to solicit some sort of flame/abuse you were so obviously hoping for.

 

Have a nice day.

 

PS.

 

didnt is spelt didn't

[+mongoose39uk]

No attempt to solicit flaming or abuse only to add levity and extract some urine

[+Johnmelad]

No attempt to solicit flaming or abuse only to add levity and extract some urine

 

Levity and extracting the urine/taking the piss is not exactly the same thing. Give it some thought!

 

Feel free to reply, I will completely ignore it no matter how it is worded and then can we agree that, that is the end of our conversation and move om Or on even!

[+t.a.folk]

No, I shall be using my judgement to decide if I think something is "trival" enough to kill. If you consider this censorship then so be it, you'll have to live with it.

 

Lac,

 

Trivial? You locked a thread that 7,968 people took the trouble to read, a thread that has been going since 1 July 2006 and had 1,641 posts.

 

You call that trivial?

 

July til mid August ? Even a game of monopoly doesn't last that long !

[+Brenin Tegeingl]

but what I see has happened here is that a few who do not like the way things have gone a bit mad and proved a point by abusing the systems themselves to force your hind.

 

It's the same in all walks of life, the silent majority are ruled over by the vocal minority. Censorship by any other name!

 

Johnmelad I think you've missed the point of this forum. It was created by Groundspeak the owners, to allow the discussion of Geocaching and Geocaching related issues relevant to the UK Geocaching Community. Not as a general topic forum.

 

Lactodorum was appointed as a Moderator for this Forum to act on their behalf, to insure that the Forum Guidelines and TOU that they set, and you agreed to abide by are followed. Groundspeak decided that this forum should be for discussing Geocaching related topics, and have created a separate OFF TOPIC forum for Non Geocaching discussions.

 

Lactodorum when Moderating this forum is acting on behalf of Groundspeak, and I can assure you that his Moderation is extremely light when compared to the Moderation of most Groundspeak forums. Where any off topic post or thread is either deleted or moved to the Off Topic forum. If he was to follow Groundspeaks Moderation Policy's to the letter, not a single Off Topic Thread would be allowed to exist at all.

 

Both GAGB and G:UK have Off Topic sections and both are aimed at the UK caching community.

 

Dave

[+Moote]

I guess that I better post more often again, and liven up this place like I did in the past.

[+Johnmelad]

Mancunian Pyrocacher,

 

Everything you said is true. That said, what is the problem with a bit of variety?

 

Nothing, absolutely nothing should be written in stone. Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes, not the total elimination of fun/humour by one persons interpretation of the rules.

 

I have no problem with all but one of the threads Loc chose to lock. I believe that his decision to lock that thread was wrong. Once again, the vocal minority have won the day over the silent majority, and that will always be a shame.

[+t.a.folk]

We've never known ANY answer on the pub quiz so self esteems in this house would stop sinking further if that thread also was locked . hedging bets on what smilies to include

[Deceangi]

Everything you said is true. That said, what is the problem with a bit of variety?

 

Absolutely nothing as long as it is in the appropriate place.

 

Nothing, absolutely nothing should be written in stone. Moderation is the process of eliminating or lessening extremes, not the total elimination of fun/humour by one persons interpretation of the rules.

 

Your interpretation of the guidelines is a hundred miles away from that of the owner of this forums interpretation of his own guidelines and TOU. Lactodorums interpretation falls in between and favours the UK community. And he has my full support over his actions, and the way he interprets the guidelines.

 

I have no problem with all but one of the threads Loc chose to lock. I believe that his decision to lock that thread was wrong. Once again, the vocal minority have won the day over the silent majority, and that will always be a shame.

 

No the Vocal Minority did not win, the forum Moderator decided that it was time he applied the guidelines slightly closer to the way they should be applied. What would be a shame is if the guidelines were applied totally the way they should be.

 

Once again you seem to have to be reminded that this forum is for the discussion of geocaching and related topics. The fact that there has been Off Topic Threads is solely due to very tolerant Moderating by Lactodorum.

[+Eckington]

I have to break my holiday here to echo what Deceangi has said.

 

Lactodorum has acted absolutely as he needed to ensure that the forum operates as its owners wish it should.

 

The UK forum is moderated very liberally compared to others and, as such, has been a generally steady place to be.

 

Both Lactodorum and Deceangi have my full support in this.

 

Cheers and Cache Well,

 

Eckington

[+Happy Humphrey]

This might be a good moment to request that the off-topic forum is opened to all (rather than just the Premium club)...would the team of moderators like to pass this on?

 

HH

[SlytherinAlex]

I have no problem with all but one of the threads Loc chose to lock. I believe that his decision to lock that thread was wrong. Once again, the vocal minority have won the day over the silent majority, and that will always be a shame.

You have it the wrong way around. The silent MAJORITY have put up with off topic drivel in these forums for a good while before deciding today to become vocal. You want quizzes and word games? Go down the pub.

 

And I'll echo what HH said above^^^^^^^^^^

Edited August 17, 2006 by SlytherinAlex

[+mongoose39uk]

Well melad hic

 

Look at the finds to posts ratio!

 

Go out and find a few caches and see what this pastime is about!

 

That would be having fun and finding Tupperware by the way!

[+stora]

This might be a good moment to request that the off-topic forum is opened to all (rather than just the Premium club)...would the team of moderators like to pass this on?

 

HH

 

I don't think its just the free loaders that are posting in the off topic threads ;-)

[+Kitty Hawk]

I wonder if it's possible/feasible to have a UK off topic area, or a sticky directing to the GAGB or G:UK off topic areas.

 

Might tidy this forum up and perform a service by boosting awareness of the other sites.

 

Then everyone is happy

[nobby.nobbs]

so much angst!!!!!

 

keep up the good work.

[+little-miss-naughty]

i think that a majoraty of people who use to post now use the chat room wich gets rid of most of the off topic threads. only reacently has the foram been filled with these word games, though i must say it was nice to have a read of the goings on's wilst trying to franticly search the answer to one of ther questions. one word game on the page was fine an a bit of fun but now it seams that everybody wants to have thier own word game an its takinig over. i dont think the off topic foram will work unless there is a link to it. but for all the others who wish to play silly games can i sugest the hokesters chat room as its always really friendly an a good laugh also sometimes we do answer serious caching related questions to.

 

keep up the good work guys.

 

lmn

[+Happy Humphrey]

I don't think its just the free loaders that are posting in the off topic threads ;-)

You misunderstand: the problem is that only Premium Members can post in the off-topic forum. If everyone could then we'd be able to use it for word games etc.

 

It has been pointed out that most of the threads recently started in the UK Forum (including those about geocaching!) don't really belong in the area reserved for UK Geocaching topics.

 

i dont think the off topic foram will work unless there is a link to it.

lmn

 

There's a link at the top of this page - click on "Groundspeak Forums" and then "Off Topic".

 

HH

Edited August 18, 2006 by Happy Humphrey

[+currykev]

Lets vote....Me 1st.

Lightheated diversions-YES.......Only post what they want us to post-NO

 

PS,if they ever ban micros then I'm off to find another pastime.

Edited August 18, 2006 by currykev

[NickPick]

I think that anyone who disagrees with what the moderators have done should:

 

1- Set up a sock puppet account to slag them off

2- Immediately suspend all their caches, and only reactivate them when the mods apologise.

3- (when 2 doesn't work) Archive their caches and threaten to move to Navicache.

 

None of these actions have worked in the past, but they're quite entertaining to read later

 

edit:

i forgot to put:

4- Lots of acrimonious PMs and emails between the main protagonists of each side

5- Some bloke in a white lab coat getting involved and banning people

Edited August 18, 2006 by NickPick

[+mongoose39uk]

There is an off topic area in the GAGB Forum

 

Its not premium members only. It is open to all.

 

Feel free to have your games in there.

[+Johnmelad]

Your interpretation of the guidelines is a hundred miles away from that of the owner of this forums interpretation of his own guidelines and TOU. Lactodorums interpretation falls in between and favours the UK community. And he has my full support over his actions, and the way he interprets the guidelines.

 

Having just visited the GAGB forum I am glad that this forum is better moderated. I just have a problem with the Nanny approach to moderating. No I am not calling the mods nanny's, (rules are rules) but can't the mods talk to the forum owner and explain to him the difference between the UK and his native US of A and our needs/right to different?

 

If we want an off-topic forum for the UK why can't we have one?

 

I have three websites two of which have discussion forums so I appreciate the difficulties of moderating, that said, one seems to self moderate and the other needs very little.

 

Come on, have a word with him, appeal to his better nature and if that fails, threaten him (the last two words were a joke)

[+stora]

Your interpretation of the guidelines is a hundred miles away from that of the owner of this forums interpretation of his own guidelines and TOU. Lactodorums interpretation falls in between and favours the UK community. And he has my full support over his actions, and the way he interprets the guidelines.

 

Having just visited the GAGB forum I am glad that this forum is better moderated. I just have a problem with the Nanny approach to moderating. No I am not calling the mods nanny's, (rules are rules) but can't the mods talk to the forum owner and explain to him the difference between the UK and his native US of A and our needs/right to different?

 

If we want an off-topic forum for the UK why can't we have one?

 

I have three websites two of which have discussion forums so I appreciate the difficulties of moderating, that said, one seems to self moderate and the other needs very little.

 

Come on, have a word with him, appeal to his better nature and if that fails, threaten him (the last two words were a joke)

 

 

HELLO anybody in there ?