simonshack wrote:I've decided to reinstate Swedish member "Patrix" - on the strength of a couple of earnest personal mails he has sent me. Hope you don't mind me doing so, Hoi : I agree that his less-than-cogent posts on our satellite thread were an annoyance, but it seems to me he has a genuine interest in many other topics covered in our forum. Btw, "Patrix" didn't ask me to be reinstated - this is just my personal initiative which I feel is a fair thing to do at this moment.
Well, on the strength of your earnest post here, I guess I have to trust you again for reinstating members that don't give us a whole lot except vague reassurance that we're not banning people who like to start shit.
I am not sure why that's important to you, and I would ask you in this case, as all the cases: "What does it
benefit the public to have this member on the forum?"
Is their trolling and/or digs at the members really welcome? Will they be respectful? Is having a genuine interest in our
broadly interesting topics all that's expected of members here? I thought we were looking for, firstly, sound contributions, and secondly some basic appreciation for this project ... and definitely not any kind of resentment about the need for a forum to be moderated?
I hope people have fun reading patrix's insightful annoyances with the very platform we've given for his opinions. Or his annoyance with me? Or other members? Perhaps we are now to expect that kind of content won't continue? Did they even offer an apology or just ask for membership back because now people know that if they are banned, they can just complain to you about it and you'll take some form of "pity" (or is it mistrust of me again?) and bring them back? Are my moderation decisions really all that bad? I've been thanked personally for "letting go" of people you bring back, Simon. We are thanked almost constantly for making a reasonable place on the Internet for people to post, and that
is work.
I must have a much lower threshold for conflict than you. But it's fine I guess. That's how you want to run the place. That's the kind of exchanges you want to highlight, maybe? Not sure why. I don't like when we have to get feisty or keep members around that increase bad attitudes. I think it's incredibly distracting. I appreciate your sort of asking if I mind, but obviously I do. I mean, will I even be permitted to move insults and digs to the DERAILING ROOM? Or will a "pity" e-mail also restore that obnoxious content too?
Let's see what they really add I guess! Wee!