Moderator Visitor Message

[rnix]

Hey, i have recently got a VM from Shar, about moving my thread! It was nice to be notified about this but i really think its better suited as a PM!

I feel people shouldn't look on my profile and see VM messages about my threads getting moved.
I feel its better suited as a PM because its more private, where as forum "buddies" (:L) would post on my VM and have a conversation.


Just my two pence. :)

[Josh]

I think they post it on visitor messages because it seems more, human and less formal. Doesn't work though.

[rnix]

I'd rather it not be on my wall and be PM'd even if it does seem robotic :P

[Josh]

I agree. The attempt doesn't work so it should just go back to PMs. What needs to happen is the less formal PMs given out (excluding the actual forum messages saying you got infracted.)

[Jin]

Care to rewrite a pm you may have received to show us how informal it should be?

[Jamesy]

I believe the change occured because people believed they were being punished for having threads in the wrong place, so a lot of moderators changed to using the VM system. They are free to do either and it doesn't hurt which ever way is done.

[Yupt]

Personally, I don't think it needs to be too informal, as long as it doesn't go on an bore you to death with details.

[rnix]

I think a PM is far more suited as you can delete it after, as with a VM people can't delete them! (Except VIP?)

[Josh]

Care to rewrite a pm you may have received to show us how informal it should be?

Got one for removing a thread merge tag (lol) which is perfect almost.


Hey Josh,

In your post here: -snip- you have removed a moderator's edit. Just make sure you don't do this again so I don't have to hunt you down again. :P -- [Not necessarily this... had a mind blank.]

Cheers,
James

Just a usernote I think. Have a small little joke to break some of the tension because often, the PMs often make you feel inferior to the person who gave it for some reason which I don't like. I only had to edit that a little as Jamesy's are alright.

I would show some other ones I have, but they aren't to be shown all over the forum for the world to see and this should apply to any moderator action.

[Alex3213]

I'd rather have a nice little visitor message, they're less "grr" imo.

[Inseriousity.]

I think this is one battle mods can't seem to win. Formal, less formal, nah now you're not formal enough. PM, nah PMs are too formal, VMs are better, nah VMs are too public. There are so many directions that mods are being pulled in that it's probably better if they just went back to the beginning and started again.

Personally, I think mod PMs should increase in 'formality' as the PMs go on. First rulebreaks/new members = not very formal. Second = a bit more formal but still fairly informal. Third = formal

[Hecktix]

I think this is one battle mods can't seem to win. Formal, less formal, nah now you're not formal enough. PM, nah PMs are too formal, VMs are better, nah VMs are too public. There are so many directions that mods are being pulled in that it's probably better if they just went back to the beginning and started again.

Personally, I think mod PMs should increase in 'formality' as the PMs go on. First rulebreaks/new members = not very formal. Second = a bit more formal but still fairly informal. Third = formal

That's how it should be working at the moment, it's certainly the system I put in place as Forum Manager and it is what it says in the mod guide, moderators are also instructed to be more formal for serious rule breaking and less formal for say a pointless post.

The system of using a visitor message to alert a member of a thread being moved is mainly to show the member that there's nothing wrong in posting in the wrong place, as a lot of people when they recieve PMs think it is a punishment when really it's just a moderator being helpful.

[Inseriousity.]

That's how it should be working at the moment

Yeah I don't think it's changed tbh but 'formality' is such a subjective term.

[Hecktix]

Yeah I don't think it's changed tbh but 'formality' is such a subjective term.

I completely agree, for instance the PM style Josh suggested in this thread, I know members who would be quite pissed at recieving a PM like that.

[Josh]

I completely agree, for instance the PM style Josh suggested in this thread, I know members who would be quite pissed at recieving a PM like that.

That wasn't completely a suggestion. That was basically a PM sent to me. I found it fairly relaxed and wasn't annoyed by it at all.

[triston220]

I would rather receive a friendly message, at the moment the messages have no emotion.

[Nemo]

Negh, i personally think the mod messages are too long. I got told off for my PMs being too short when i was a mod, but is that really a bad thing? I explained the rule they broke, no need to be so formal and be like "YES YOU BROKE SECTION A12 OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT RARARARARARAR", and it essentially got the job done in a more friendly way. Not sure what the people who received them thought of them but i personally thought they were a lot nicer than the stuff id received before.

[Jamesy]

A lot of the points in here are really just nit picking. We give the moderators a lot of freedom in what they PM as long as it contains the relevant information. You only have to read it once and then you either keep it or delete it. PMs are going to differ from person to person and how they are perceived.

[Mrs.McCall]

Yeah I think this is a bit much on Mods. They can't win. I would much prefer a nice VM to let me know I posted in the wrong place. It's just a friendly message. I understand this is feedback and each to their own but they do so much work, give 'em a break.

[Chippiewill]

Can we just go back to the tried and tested:



Dear Buffoon,

You broke this extremely naughty rule here, for this I have written a strongly worded usernote and I'm going to bite your bloomin' head off because you're wasting my time.

This better not happen again or I'll have to write a strongly worded letter to your mother as to why you had to be removed from the forum for five minutes. If this happens further times I will release the attack dogs and they now insta-kill so there's no second chances!

Yours,
Asshat, Forum Super Moderator aka 'Your Pimp'


It was so much simpler..

p.s. you'll never win, I assure you of this.

[Martin]

I don't think there's anything wrong at all with the current system. Moderators are simply letting a member know that their thread has moved. It's not a punishment, warning or any other kind of formal message- it's simply a friendly note. It's never been an issue before, and is far more easier and laid back than doing it through a PM. Normal replies we get back are things like "thanks" and "oh ok" etc and it's just nice to have a bit of dialogue between members/moderators. It also gets members familar with who moderators are.

In regards to Moderation PM's. This is an ongoing battle and it would be impossible to find the perfect balance here. There are only so many ways you can convey a rulebreak in a PM, and the vast majority of these will be similar. The PM's do their job of alerting what rule was broken etc, and I believe if you make it too "jokey" the PM won't be taken seriously and the rule will simply be broken again. We try to help members by making PM's crystal clear as to what rule was broken and ensuring that members are familiar with that rule.

PM's sent to newer members (who have previously not been contacted) are often a lot more friendly now compared to previous times, and we do ensure they are made to feel welcome whilst at the same time being nudged in the right direction regarding the rules.

[Chippiewill]

I don't think there's anything wrong at all with the current system. Moderators are simply letting a member know that their thread has moved. It's not a punishment, warning or any other kind of formal message- it's simply a friendly note.

If it's just a moved thread why not PM saying

Subject: Your thread
Content: I moved it HERE

Simples. It's laid back and it's not clogging up my visitor messages.

[Stephen]

I find that infraction and warning pms clog up my inbox, I'd rather have a vm about something than a pm. You'd only not want a vm cos it makes you look like a noob for not knowing what section to put your thread in

[rnix]

I find that infraction and warning pms clog up my inbox, I'd rather have a vm about something than a pm. You'd only not want a vm cos it makes you look like a noob for not knowing what section to put your thread in

Hardly :L
I'd rather not have it clog up my profile actually.

[Martin]

Hardly :L
I'd rather not have it clog up my profile actually.

See this is where we're never going to win. Some people will prefer visitor messages since they dislike PM's/their inbox being filled and some people will be the opposite.

At the end of the day it's only a quick note from another member of this forum letting you know where your thread has gone- it's nothing major/not a rulebreak and if you post in the correct forums it won't happen too often either. Visitor messages are more relaxed, easier for communication and it's not going to hurt having the odd visitor message saying "hey, your thread has been moved here" etc.

[Rapidshare]

Not being funny or anything but what the point of using a vistor message when they dont even reply back to ya via PM.

[HotelUser]

Not being funny or anything but what the point of using a vistor message when they dont even reply back to ya via PM.

I'm not so sure the contact should have a disciplinary gist to it, but more of a notification feeling of sorts. I always post on profiles when I move threads; t's not a big deal that a thread had to be moved and a PM increases the scare factor. A user could interpret a private message as more intimidating than a visitor message due to its nature. If they don't reply to either it's alright, because it serves as a notification, a safety so that someone doesn't say, hey, where did my thread go-- I can't find it.