My rant about backseat moderation.

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Bigboi

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I'm not exactly mad, but I'm a bit annoyed with the administrators having a rule against backseat moderation. Why is that a rule? Backseat moderation doesn't have any negative effect, in my opinion. I think it could even have a positive effect. Here's an example:

New Guy: hy guy's im new here so dont yel at me ok
Veteran user: Please use proper grammar.
Anonymous Edit: Don't backseat moderate. I'm the administrator. Not you.
New Guy continues to make posts with bad grammar.
Mod: Listen, if you don't know how to type in proper English, don't come here. *bans user*
New Guy: GOD I HATE MYSTIC! >:( *Starts a GKWX2-like tyranny of slandering all of the SRB2 community*

As funny as the GKWX2 thing was, I'm sure none of us want that to happen again. Now, there could be another scenario.

New Guy: hy guy's im new here so dont yel at me ok
Veteran user: Please use proper grammar.
Another user: Yeah. You could get banned for that.
New Guy: I guess you're right. Sorry for acting like an idiot before.

I know there's a 1/10 chance of that happening, but still, it's power in numbers. Plus, ever notice how some users like people who don't yell at them? (GKWX2's "cool people" section on his website as an example) Well, imagine if one of those guys told the person to stop. It'd almost be like peer pressure.

There's 3, 4 moderators/administators, but only 2 of them take action on a regular basis. There's many a time where I'm watching an out-of-control thread, waiting for FuriousFox or Mystic to show up and do something.

I see 2 possible solutions to these issues. You could either add more moderators, or just take away the rule. With all of these new users coming in, I think we could user another moderator or two. And if you took away the rule against backseat moderation, we could have scenarios like the one above.

And another thing...

The Rules said:
7. Don’t ask for a lock or other administrative action if you aren’t an admin. The administrators are fully capable of moderating the board without your help.
Click to expand...

I don't think "Please type properly" counts as an administrative action. If I'm wrong, you should update that rule.

If any of the mods have something to say about this, or could enlighten me on the existance of the rule, reply. (Also, I'm not complaining about the rule. I just see some flaws in it that could be fixed)
 
I concur. I hate to see all the experienced members being pushed around by admins because they can't backseat moderate.
 
Bigboi said:
New Guy: hy guy's im new here so dont yel at me ok
Veteran user: Please use proper grammar.
Another user: Yeah. You could get banned for that.
New Guy: I guess you're right. Sorry for acting like an idiot before.
Click to expand...
Yeah, except it almost never goes down like that. This is the more likely scenario:
New Guy: hy guy's im new here so dont yel at me ok
Veteran user: Please use proper grammar.
Another user: Yeah. You could get banned for that.
New Guy: hay do u gyz no wer i can get shdow i rly like him hes my fav char
Veteran user: ...Someone just ban this idiot already.
New Guy: who u callin idiot i own u
Veteran user: Please, somone!
New Guy: **** u man u suk :evil: :evil: :twisted: :twisted: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: tell me were shadw is i ned it !!!!!1!!!!111!!!!11!!!!
Click to expand...

If people won't listen to Administrators, who have to ability to take them off the board forever, what makes you think they're going to listen to someone who has absolutely no power over them? Most idiots just tend to not listen to anyone. Trying to step in and be the Admin yourself usually only leads to the n00b and the backseat moderator flaming each other.
 
The backseat moderator and the offender argueing would happen either way, depending on who the backseat moderator is. Someone will always heckle n00bs, the rule in effect or not. In that case I agree. However, in most cases it's something as simple as "Hey, you shouldn't do that; you'll get in trouble."

Stuff like "Lock!!" shouldn't be allowed, but there hasn't been much of that lately.
 
Well, as far as I know, telling people they shouldn't do something is okay, just as long as you don't go around yelling stuff like OMG BAN or LOCK! The main thing we want is for people to just leave bad topics alone and let us handle them when we get to them.
 
I see your point, but I still think we need another administrator.
 
I wish everyone who came here made and introduction. It's not much, but I always say "Welcome. Read the rules." I think that's a major issue. There should be a way to have that manditory to join. And by that I don't mean "Click here if you agree to the terms and conditions"
 
I'm kind of neutral on this subject. I get the idea why admins wouldn't want people backseat moderating; the situation could actually get worse, depending on how the backseat moderator words his post. "Ban him already. We don't need any more of these illiterate noobs invading the message board, and I'm quite sick of them appearing anyway," most likely won't do any help, and it's forbidden by the rules anyway.

However, I also see the point Bigboi is trying to make. If someone were to just say, "Just thought I'd let you know, but bad grammer isn't smiled upon the forum, and it ticks off the admins. It'd be very appreciated if you can type properly. Thanks! :)" then things will probably smooth out well. I think it could be accepted - with limits - and would probably help the message board out if people don't flame the noobs.
 
The people who do backseat moderate are the ones who are smart enough to know not to flame n00bs.
 
Bigboi said:
The people who do backseat moderate are the ones who are smart enough to know not to flame n00bs.
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Not always. You and Dark Warrior have ruffled a few feathers here and there. But other than that, I agree with you 100%.
 
Maybe when this community grows bigger we could have a Report Abuse button under each post.
 
That'd be too much work for the mods. And I can see people abusing that.
 
Bigboi said:
That'd be too much work for the mods. And I can see people abusing that.
Click to expand...

Abusing a "Report Abuse" button...funny.

But really a terrible idea. Some n00b decides that he hates everyone trying to tell him what to do and reporta abuse on everyone who made a post after he did. Very frustrating for the admins. For them it'll be more like leaving a bell on the messageboards and saying: "Ring this if you need seomthing."
 
A good example of backseat moderation and heckling the users was when RE4FAN asked "WHY IS THIS IN INTRODUCTIONS?!?"

That wasn't really backseat moderation. That was just yelling at a n00b.
 
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