Banning questions?

[ZAPPER]

Please excuse me, I know that this is in somewhat poor taste, but is there any way to find out the reasoning behind a members banning? I mean on an official level not just the scuttlebutt that goes around. I don't think that I have ever used the PM feature excecpt to reply to PMs that I have received long ago. And I have nothing to hide, that is anything that I say here is OK to be in the open as far as I am concerned, as this site is about sharing information. I feel that PMing anyone about general info is akin to keeping secrets.

What I may be getting at, is it seems that, as of late, there has been a rash of bannings or at least changes that could use some clearing up for me personally and I am sure others as well. I would like an open responce if possible from any Mod or higher. Please do not PM me on anything confidential as I would not like to be held to keep it secret.

I can not follow every post as it comes and goes, and I guess that I keep missing the last straw post. And yes this is mainly to answer questions about gossip but it could go a long ways toward showing examples of banable offences. I do not wish to increase anyones workload or incite bad feelings toward any Mods but is it possible to put a description of the banning in their profile or something to that effect.

Also, as much as I have talked about not having secrets, I have been kicking an idea around in my head. It seems that sometimes when a Mod does his job he may catch a little flak for his efforts. I was wondering if Mod powers should be made annamous(SP) that is just give the Mods a number and keep their identity secret. I know that this an open forum and that most members respect the Mods for their known expeirence but it seems that once someone volenteers to become a Mod they become a target for personal attacks. Just a thought.

Anyhow back to the reason I started all of this. I think that it will go a long way with the rank and file if a mod steps forward and explains the reason for a member being banned, any member and very shortly after the banning if not clearly shown the existing post.

Thanks, Zapper, just another confused member.

[lordsmurf]

Since I appear to be the only one awake, I'll be glad to answer.

There are a handful of people that have gone over the line, and what was once good fun is now simply an exercise in annoyance, vulgarity and selfishness. Some of them are also your typical breed of Internet trolls, the ones that refuse to drop a subject (typically causing locked/closed threads), post personal attacks/threats, and are often seen demanding "answers" or "freedom of speech".

It's as simple as that. No complexity, no conspiracy.

(Most of this seems to be confined to the Off-Topic Forum, but some of it has spilled in the "on topic" part of the forum too.)

It seems that sometimes when a Mod does his job he may catch a little flak for his efforts...... but it seems that once someone volenteers to become a Mod they become a target for personal attacks.

This is sadly very true.

[Faustus]

I'm awake also. (as usual) but I figured I'd let someone else answer this one. I've not banned anyone.... recently.

[lordsmurf]

You sneak. :P
Making me answer all the serious ones.


Anyway..
This is all in the rules:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=124514

General
This site hopes to promote a safe and educational environment for people to gather to discuss and share ideas that relate to video creation and playback. To that end this site will do whatever is necessary to keep the environment free from illegal or disruptive people or discussions.

and

General rules
You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-orientated or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to you being immediately and permanently banned (and your service provider being informed). The IP addresses of all posts are recorded to aid in enforcing these conditions. You agree that the webmaster, administrator and moderators of this forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time should they see fit.

and

All disputes that arise from conflicts or vagueness in the AUP are to be decided soley by the webmasters or their moderators.

So none of this is new.
The fact that their have been several recently is simply coincidence.

[BJ_M]

i was here - just let you all handle it instead ..

[ZAPPER]

So at what point do silly replies become annoying or not good clean fun. I mean I do remember when I first found this place, years before I joined, it seemed like every thread had some kind of banter going on if not a full blown screaming flame war. Are we no longer considered an adult site? (Not that our behavior is all that adult) but even ruff language has its place in the real world. Maybe me not being able to see the cards that others have aquired is what causes the shock of finding out that someone has been banned.

I think that I do know most of the rules and I admit that I may push them to the edge of the envelope(profanity, religion and others, not to shoot myself in the foot) But it can seem that others have not been as lucky as I have in their adventures.

And not to ruffel any feathers, but couldn't locking threads sooner help keep us from losing some of our membership. I don't know, but it does seem like the banning has gotten harsher, maybe a suspension period may help cool offenders off and upon their return we could once again benifit from their humor or expeirence.

Yes this thread was kind of created to stir the pot so to speak. I have never been carded and the events that are going on around me don't really involve me. But I do think that some others would have liked to address this issue but feared the results. I think it best if these issues see the light of day in a civil manner. If it is just a coincidence(SP) then the mud is on my face. And maybe I am paranoid or maybe I have started to take this place too seriously. In truth it is not the place that matters it is the people. I would not like to see many more go. We need to find a way to calm things down to a point where it is still fun and keep and gain new members. I hope that we can.

Thanks, Zapper

[Faustus]

And not to ruffel any feathers, but couldn't locking threads sooner help keep us from losing some of our membership.

Thats a double edged sword, you lock the late and passions have flared. You locked them preemptively and everyone gets angry over locking a thread where "nobody has done anything wrong" or "the conversation might NOT have gone there"

[Cobra]

I would also rather not have to lock threads, but be able to trust the user base not to cause problems. In the old days of OT, this was pretty much the case. Now, we have certain members (four or five users only) who seem intent of bending, breaking or twisting every single rule to cause problems for us. They have single-handedly destroyed OT, and are currently wrecking any chance of a new community growing up.

Unfortunately, you might see some more bannings until they are removed. We are giving them plenty of oppotunity to change their ways - it isn't a heat-of-the-moment thing.

Just now, I feel that every move I make to help OT or a group of users comes under attack. Personally, I am tired of it. This is, after all, a private website and they have no right whatsoever to be giving us as much trouble as they do. We lost a great mod (and I a friend) to this. I used to be proud to show other VideoHelp, but now I'm not so keen. That shouldn't be the case just because of a few users.

Thanks for being so polite about it - it really isn't often we get such a well thought-out question.

[gmatov]

"They have single-handedly destroyed OT, and are currently wrecking any chance of a new community growing up. "

"Just now, I feel that every move I make to help OT or a group of users comes under attack. Personally, I am tired of it. This is, after all, a private website and they have no right whatsoever to be giving us as much trouble as they do. "

I have to say, this is just so much BS.

The posters, not the MODs, are any Forum.

If you have a hundred mods and 10 posters, noone is going to pay you for an advertisement.

If you have A mod, or an Administrator, aka, a Boss, and a thousand posters, perhaps you will get ad revenue.

If you have a dozen or two of MODs who think they are the arbitors of all that is right, as I can name a few here, then, ditto, the advertisers will back off.

Those of you who are censoring this site to extinction are doing Baldrick no favor. You may be feeding your own egos, but you are losing us by the dozen, that is, those you do not outright ban, for your own pusilanimous reasons..

This thread, at the moment, is the only thing that is keeping ME here. I'd like to know if you kill the site, or if Baldrick comes back TO the site to see what you all are doing to it.

You are destroying it, and blaming it on "disruptive" members, and, as Cobra says:

"In the old days of OT, this was pretty much the case. Now, we have certain members (four or five users only) who seem intent of bending, breaking or twisting every single rule to cause problems for us. They have single-handedly destroyed OT, and are currently wrecking any chance of a new community growing up. "

The "new" mods bear no blame for any loss of members, though they banned more of them than any mod since baldrick banned King John.

I see more new names than old names, lately, probably because the oldtimers don't want to be associated with the site anymore.

And, it is not because the questions are so repetitive. It's because the "SuperMODS" will jump on a newbie and tell him to go here, there, or elsewhere, or RTFM.

The place really sucks, anymore, and I am sorry I got pissed when, after 30 or 40 posts, the REAL boss, Baldrick, said he couldn't tolerate any more guns or politicks.

Compared to the new regime, he was tolerance incarnate.

Cheers,

George

"This is, after all, a private website and they have no right whatsoever to be giving us as much trouble as they do. "

Cobra, I missed this on my first perusal. You are one imperial prick, are you not? It is not a "private" website, or the owner would not have an open enrollment. He does not ask your political affiliation, nor your bloodtype, nor your religioon, nor sexual persuasion, nor even your OS of choice.

In case you missed it, he is a Swede, probably a hell of a lot less bigoted than you are. Which shows, as I think you have already banned more people in your couple months than he has in 4 years.

Of course, also, he is pushing 30, where you start mellowing, rather than a teen who has suddenly gotten the power of life and death, like you.

Sorry, it is not all them pricks who are killing this site, it is just a few of you guys, with the help of half a dozen regular rats who post to the RTP thread.

Cheers,

George

[fritzi93]

I sympathize, Zapper, seems I miss all the good ones too. Not a dumb question. Seems to be a policy decision to tighten things up a bit.

Aw, the Mods are alright, it pains me to say. I'm always on the lookout for inflated egos that need pricking. Opportunities are scarce.

[EDIT] Jeez, George!!! I love your contrarian posts, but you're sure cranky today. :P

[gmatov]

Fritzi, you prick, that was only up half a minute before I read Cobra's other outlandish "We tolerate you" statement, which I had to answer. You read it in 30 seconds, got me an "edited" at the base of the oriiginal.

Hey, it's no bullshit, as you know. I haven't seen you here, near as much, either.

You shootin' much, bein' the middle of winter? Just how good are you with mittens?

What the hell you shootin' now, any how, I know I could go back a 1000 posts and search, but, just what the hell kinda gun you got?

Still partial to my Browning, then my 870, and, if I still had it, my 1100 shot like hell.

Where are you ? You close enough to visit in better weather on a Sunday Afternoon on a trapshooting day?

Cheers,

George

[fritzi93]

Just kidding George. Still shooting my Krieghoff, but not when it's cold out. Screw that.

Wow, I just read the fine print at the bottom. C'mon, George has contributed a lot to this site over time. I confess sometimes I'm not entirely sure myself when he's really mad.

With respect, I would suggest this rather than a warning: "George, pretty pretty please stop being so goddamn grouchy, wouldja?" "OR ELSE."

[pacmania_2001]

I'm sick of this public brawling.

If you don't like Video Help then don't come here. You aren't being forced to come here by anyone and their are thousands of forums on the net where you can voice your opinion.

This thread has run it's course. If you want to know why a user was banned PM the moderator who did it and they'll be more than happy to answer your questions. By creating public threads all it does is create a soap box for people who see it as an opportunity to whinge and personally attack others.

This message isn't directed at anyone in general.

[Cobra]

rather than a teen who has suddenly gotten the power of life and death, like you.

It's only text on a screen. Hardly the "power of life and death" as you put it.

Chill out, George.