Having been seen the demise of more than one chat site I can sympathise with the things Flames is saying but nostalgia won't bring the good days back. I think Dunk needs to adapt and do things a bit different.
Any social site will always change - so pining for better times a couple of years back is a waste of time. So is expecting people to use the notify button sensibly. Obviously there are some who will always abuse it. Would that we could make it administer an electric shock to someone's testicles when they mis-use it - but obviously we can't so there's no point banging on about it. The more important questions and concerns are the following:
1. Given what Flames and Wakka say about their mod experience - what is the point of mods at all? It seems that we're asking for a couple of barflies to stool up 24/7 and watch things... but with no real administrative power.
2. Also, again taking into account the experience of past mods, what is the advantage in picking popular posters or asking the members to vote on moderators? Surely it would be better to employ lesser known, less controversial, and less attention-seeking posters, which wouldn't probably come through a popular vote.
3. Now we know that the notify button sometimes works but usually causes more trouble because many members can't be trusted to use it properly - shouldn't we abolish it and come up with an alternative system. Fowler proposed some sort of tribunal thread - or a place where disputes can be cordoned off from the main conversation and just fizzle out. Wouldn't an ignore button be more useful?
4. What level of censorship are we looking to implement on this site? I reality, the only thing we should really be protecting people from is discrimination by race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. and perhaps physical threats. Aren't we getting a bit PC about some of the banter and jockeying that goes on - and can't we find a sensible but less invasive system? Flames himself says that people have got soft in recent times, objecting to things that used to be tolerated in former times. While some of this is due to trouble makers - perhaps the site itself should bear some of the responsibility for this in that the rules seem stiffer on some days than others and people are encouraged to snitch? I've seen people get banned rather mysteriously - and some of the strongest language go unpunished.
5. Lastly, why is there so much resistance to change? If what we are doing is not working - then shouldn't we try other things? I know some change is logistically difficult - especially for the person that has to maintain the site - but there are some simpler things that could be tried. A few decent suggestions have been made in this thread.
You're right, anyone who doesnt think the forum needs radical changes is just a sycophant trying to get on Dunk's good side. Anyone who can seriously suggest that we dont need a "combat zone" is just trying to become a moderator for a power rush.
