New General Mod.

[Catterjune]

"Hurr, I think I should be general mod!"

... On a serious note though, I don't know the skype of it all, or how infrequently LZ posts (it looks like his last public post was mid-November) so what I'd like is to hear from LZ. What does he think the General section should be or should have?

If he's not available and really did disappear off the face of the earth...

How about instead of a "Price Is Right" approach, where we try to get as close to the "right" answer without going over, you try telling us what the job would entail?

[Night]

How about instead of a "Price Is Right" approach, where we try to get as close to the "right" answer without going over, you try telling us what the job would entail?

 

If we knew exactly who we wanted and what we wanted out of them there would be no need for this thread. 

 

I could list off a dozen bullet points stating exactly what we want from a potential candidate but where exactly is the benefit in that? We'd just get people re-stating everything I say .

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Just as a heads-up.

 

Given the nature of the General section, the rest of the staff has decided that having 2 new moderators for the section, instead of the lone one that was proposed at the beginning, would be ideal for keeping order in the section. 

 

So if you think you (or someone else who put their name forward for consideration) are capable of handling the General section, then please speak up. 

 

Once we see who's interested in the position, we can start narrowing the potential candidates.

(In a day or two's time, you'll all receive a PM with some specific questions asking why you should be chosen + your plans for the section once promoted)

[Lunar Origins]

I don't think I have to say that I'm still interested in the position.

[Goose]

I'll throw my name into the ring.  I'm obviously not an ideal candidate but I've done my fair share in helping out the forum.  I'll be honest.  My policy for general would be laissez fair.  I think the section needs less moderator intervention rather than more.  

 

Mostly I'm just making the candidate pool bigger so that the winners feel better

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

I don't think I have to say that I'm still interested in the position.

Yeah, you've said quite a bit about what you plan on doing for the section.

Outside of it, also flagging down a lot of spam posts in General for quality control.

 

I think Night's already explained what part of your job description looks like: manage the section so it doesn't become Misc. 2 and make sure members don't get their feelings hurt when opinions get challenged [and it does happen].

 

 

Once the PMs go out, we'll see what your thoughts on the position are, and your plans to make it more orderly,

 

 

EDIT: After further discussion, we'll try it out with a single mod at first (and not promote two at once, though that would be the ideal amount).

If things escalate to that point, a secondary one will be promoted to assist them. But for right now, let's see how one of you can manage the section on own.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Okay, I guess it is time to break my silence about this. While I really like the chance to be a General mod, I don't think that I'm ready for the job considering the issues that resulted from the last one. And I bet this is a thought that a lot of people hold about that.

What I am willing to do is vouch for Ashley (Spike/What ever name she goes by now). She is one of the most blunt people I know, and that translates to the ability to speak and act clearly. Heck, she does not dance around issues like I usually would (typically in order to find the route of least resistance in my case) and that is what is really needed.

And no offense Kate, but I do think Ashley is a better fit. Though since 2 mods are being considered, there is room for you and that would help a lot.

So yea, I kinda want the job, but I know that there are better fits than I will ever be.

[Kazooie]

Well, seeing as there are now two positions open for this, I feel more comfortable throwing myself into this. Before, I didn't think I could handle the section as a single moderator, but now this gives me a bit of reassurance that I would have help, or I would be providing help, and that sits better with me than the idea that I would be doing it mostly alone. ^^''

 

I still greatly support Kate in her attempt at the position, so if I'm not going to be considered for one reason or another, I still want my support for her to be noted for sure!

 

Some things for the applicants to answer. Would make it easier for us to make a decision.

 

1. Define at what point you believe it would be necessary to step in, and detail how you would deal with it.

2. Do you think you will be active and attentive enough to step in when necessary and before things get out of hand?

3. Any ideas on what you would do to improve the section?

 

1. As Kate mentioned, I also feel that knowing that the section has a regular moderator(s) would help lower the amount of the pointless arguing and such that goes on. The worst of it would be cut short as there would be a presence there that is meant to be there, rather than another moderator stepping in from elsewhere. Of course, not all of it would be stamped out, that would be silly to assume, but the most pointless of it (spamming, flaming, personal arguments, ect) would decrease from there.

 

As for threads getting a bit off-topic, this is a fuzzy area in some regards, as just because a topic gets a little off the main path, it doesn't mean that what's being discussed has no merit in that topic. If it's blatantly obvious that the topic that it is drifting to has no business in that thread, then it's obviously time to step in and push the thread back towards it's intended topic, probably with a warning that continuing that off-topic discussion would be followed by warns. That much is clear. If people continue to push the thread off after that warning, the warns would be issued, and if it kept going, obviously it would be time for more severe punishments. I liked the idea that Kate had of keeping a strike system that was purely in General, so I would like to do something with that to be honest.

 

2. I don't do much. Most of my time is spent here doing nothing as is, so I have plenty of spare time. Even with my college work, I'm not usually too pressed for time, though if I have a big test I'm working on studying for, I might have to warn the other moderator I might not be as active for those few days. But when I am free, there's rarely a time I'm not checking the site. ^^''

 

3. I really, really liked Kate's idea of the moderated debate, as the debate section in the past had a few interesting discussions and attempting to revive them could be interesting. I also liked Kate's idea of a strike system for General, and if she got the position, I would like to work with her on that even if I wasn't picked for the other one! In the end, I'm not exactly the most creative person, but I am more than willing to work with the other appointed person and see what we can come up with for the section.

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

I would like to mention that I'm still very much interested in the position, I was just busy with exams for the last week or so. But now I'm free, and I'm feeling confident I can get the position and do my share of moderating that position and helping out this site as much as possible.

 

1. Define at what point you believe it would be necessary to step in, and detail how you would deal with it.

2. Do you think you will be active and attentive enough to step in when necessary and before things get out of hand?

3. Any ideas on what you would do to improve the section?

 

1. Seeing as the point has been beaten to death already... The best course of action is to step when the argument starts brewing, or when a flamewar is just on the horizon. When things start to get a bit hot, the mod should step in with a verbal warning to hopefully calm things down before it even starts. Of course, having the presence of an active mod watching the section 24/7 would drastically lower the chances of drama happening in the first place.  As for punishments, it should definitely follow a set of rules and not from that moderator's own judgement. A clear set of rules acts as a moderator keeping things in order while that moderator is away. Additionally, it also lessens the chances of a moderator being called out for being impartial. Basically, a clear set of laws to keep things in order, and a moderator to enforce said law. A mod is the police, judge and leader all in one. They have to be just in accordance to the law, and they also need to be wise enough to lead those behind them.

 

2. Yes, definitely. Starting next semester I should be far less busy and I already spend all of my free time here anyway, so yeah. There's rarely a time I'm not checking this site unless I'm dealing with an exam, but even then I still have the place open on my phone.

 

3. I would love for general to be more than just a news section. I want it to be a place where people share their thoughts on things that has no subsections. Sciences, medicine, alternate energy, space travel, everything. It doesn't even have to be intelligent discussion, just a place where people are free to share their opinions, are rewarded for doing so, and they can do so freely knowing that there are rules to protect them from being flamed. A subsection where people can voice their opinions freely, as long as said opinion are inoffensive.

 

If possible (And I've been told it isn't), I would like for general to have an upvote system similar to reddit. Basically, another button close to the "Like this post" button with a thumbs up. Getting your threads and comments upvoted would give you points, and to encourage people to upvote, they would also be given points, just a smaller percentage of it. This ties in with the economic revival plan and would hopefully push people to be more active in General. To prevent upvote spam, I think having a daily limit of upvotes that can be given should be enough.

[Blake]

I'd like to say that, after reading the applications thus far myself, as well as accounting for who submitted, I'd have to say the Bree/Birdie/Kazooie and Adora/Kate should get it.

The thing here is that when you hire more than one moderator their... compatibility should be considered. This case is actually a paired promotion, which will cement them as a pair in peoples' memories and opinions, effectively making them a single unit if they do the job together correctly.

I feel as if Bree and Kate would tend to the section and their jobs similarly to how I worked with Koko, though on a milder scale. Kate's definitely a hardass when needed, and Bree's a supporter that is another bridge to the people that the mod team still needs.

Bree admitted she'd be a supporting moderator overall, and given how much people love Birdie she'd be a great mod to the people, so that gives her a certain niche to fill as a mod that I don't think anyone on the team fills bar Night and sometimes Aix. And a mod who's down to the ground with people in a section like General seems perfect. Bree's wanted to contribute to the site for ages, and wanted to take the helm as a moderator, but never had the means or chance to really do so. The drive is there, but the proper opportunity was not. This section is the perfect fit to allow a shot at trying to improve the site as well as relations with the memberbase.

Meanwhile, Kate is the visionary and the one that can keep people in line. A position like this is prone to receiving some hate from the members (though far less than CC I'm sure), so having that middlemod between the team, so to speak, and the members of the section will aid the section, as one of them can clean it up and control it while another supervises on the ground level. it's a very efficient system, though one mod will generally shoulder the blame for people feeling miffed, but given the nature of general I doubt this would be an issue like it was in CC. Kate can probably whip whatever issues the section has in to shape with relative ease, and with a representative of both sides to help her out and push her forward.

You can hate how much of a hardass I was at times with CC, but you can't really deny that Koko and myself were the best the CC sections had (bar contests), and these two can offer a very similar mechanic to General, and I believe Misc./Games are under General.

Toyo seems like the same 'loose cannon' (mod words) as ever, and I disagree that general isn't already a discussion section. The front page of General is 20 discussion to 5 news, at this moment, not counting stickies. It may be a section for current happenings, but the vision Toyo offered there is what already exists, but with more moderation, so...

That's just my two cents. I just believe that when you're picking mods in a pair like this, it's best to try and choose a pair that will work well as a unit. And, for the record, Koko and I weren't really friends when we got elected together, more acquaintances with tension between us that persisted into our mod work for a good long while. It just so happened that our personalities aligned with the pairing up for the job.

[Tourmaline]

I would have wanted to try this, too, though I feel unsure as to how Black would feel about the idea (as he seems very insightful and has a sophisticated and developed opinion on the matter), though I should also note I have a stigma so reactions would be erratic among a spectrum of positivity.

Though whoever gains it means very little to me. It changes nothing from my perspective as I see no initial problem to fret over.

[Simping For Hina]

I support Birdie and Goose. 

[Smear]

Definitely interested although looks like others are more prepared. If I became a mod literally my plan would be to moderate the forum as moderators do and try to breath in a bit more life into it.

[Kazooie]

If possible (And I've been told it isn't), I would like for general to have an upvote system similar to reddit. Basically, another button close to the "Like this post" button with a thumbs up. Getting your threads and comments upvoted would give you points, and to encourage people to upvote, they would also be given points, just a smaller percentage of it. This ties in with the economic revival plan and would hopefully push people to be more active in General. To prevent upvote spam, I think having a daily limit of upvotes that can be given should be enough.

 

This is an idea I really like. I dunno if it would work all that well in practice, given how YCM is different from something like Reddit just in general (hah birdie made a funny), but if something like this is possible, I would love to give it a shot!

 

It would bring a bonus to posting in General that wouldn't be elsewhere, promoting activity in it, and once Aix's economic plan gets put into place, it would provide another way to get points.

 

That said, it seems like it could be almost too profitable when paired along the Likes system, because you could easily get a Like which would give however many points, plus the upvote if that system is added. The amount of points given would probably need to be decided with that in mind if this is possible.

[Tormented]

I ain't going to bore ya'll with a list of my past experiences about how I've worked for big companies and how I have dreams about anime, I'll keep it short and sweet because that's who I am.

 

General is an interesting place and if I'm honest it requires someone with balls, someone that isn't going to cry when someone QQs at them and someone who isn't going to cause an argument every 5 second about some imaginary card or some "topical" subjects-like if you are an idiot I ain't going to have your s***-and not in like a "oh look at how smart" kind way, I mean in a so long as you don't spout rubbish you're cool.

 

Before you ask "But tormey you don't post in General!!!!" Yes I do and I only post when I find a discussion that interests me which I feel the vast majority of people are like.

 

So yes, I'm interested for what it's worth, I've got a few interesting ideas about how I think General should be run and I think that's what you need. Someone with interesting ideas, not someone who is going to create 10 rules about each and every aspect of how they are going to ban kids or how they are going to re-vitalize the whole forum.

 

 

 

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Also SMEAR if you want something try and get it you s***-don't be a little b**** and talk about how other people are more prepared, ly bby,

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

All of the members who were interested in the General mod position (prior to 11:00 pm HST yesterday) should've received a PM, containing questions to help narrow down the field of candidates.

 

Basically, it allows you to fully explain what your plans for the section are + how you plan to implement them if we choose you for the job, among other questions about qualities needed in a staff member.

 

Please answer them honestly.

 

----

Tormy, I'll send you the questions as well to fill out, since you're interested in the position as well.

[.Rai]

Worth making it clear that I am a candidate for modship. Why not, ey?

[Tentacruel]

So if it's acceptable to outright nominate oneself, I would like to do so, assuming it isn't too late.  General is the one section I'm regularly active in.
 

Regardless, I would like to state my support for Rai. 

[Simping For Hina]

 Self Nomination, because why not. 

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Just so you all don't forget this exists, rest of the staff is in deliberation for who will succeed LZ as the General mod.

A final announcement will be made by Nai when a consensus is reached, so keep an eye out for that.

 

In regards to the new changes proposed for General, it'll be in their hands to decide what's best for it.