Hello all,

I wish I could be writing to you all in better circumstances, but it seems that we have had a spat of issues arise on our forums as of late. I can assure you that these events have triggered much needed discussion on the Modlist as we decide how to proceed and where we can learn from our mistakes.

I have read each and every Goodbye thread, and all the suggestions in the I Got a Question thread, and we will review our options going forward.

Some feedback that I can provide you with at this time are as follows:

If you have a user on ignore, exercise some self-restraint and don't click on the Show Post link. You have the person on ignore for a reason. While we could re-write the forum code to disallow this and make all posts from that person completely invisible, such a technological solution won't solve the true problem. After all, anyone that concerned with reading a person's posts whom are currently filtered (ignored) can just as easily un-filter that person to read their posts and re-filter as needed. A technological solution isn't the answer here. Self control is.

I tend to agree with Eric's position on multiple accounts. Since SETI@home doesn't use email account verification procedures, anyone can sign up as many accounts as they wish. I have no problem with multiple accounts used by a single person as they may have their reasons for having them. The only time I have a problem is if those alternate accounts are used to get around a ban or to mock other users, masquerade as other users, or generally troll the forums. Such accounts may find themselves permanently banned from posting.

The Mods can start a ban vote which automatically results in a 6 hour ban on the person they're voting on. If the vote fails, the person will be able to post again after the six hours is up. The Mods can use this as a 6 hour time-out 'feature'. If the vote passes, the person is put on a two week banishment. If the Mods feel two weeks isn't enough, I would like them to put into the banishment notice the length of time they'd like to see, and if it isn't too aggressive, I will have the ban extended as requested. We will start utilizing extended bans as necessary for repeat offenders, in hopes that this provides some relief to the rest of the posters who wish to come here and share in open discussion with other SETIzens. This project has brought us together. I do not want a very specific few to drive the rest away under their personal guise as "Free speech". As in the real world, there are limits to free speech, and we will be enforcing those limits going forward.

While I could be more aggressive as an Admin and take matters in my own hands, I feel such a move would be unwise, autocratic, and heavy-handed. We have a great team of Mods with diverse views. We have a system in place. The system works most of the time when we follow the proper procedures. Yes, there will be times when we don't do as well as we should. We're only human. This does, however, give us ample opportunity to learn from any mistakes made and move forward.

As always, please keep the feedback coming, good or bad. It allows us to know how you feel, and it allows our team to make any adjustments in application of policy if needed.

Thank you for all the feedback so far,

-Fred
SETI Forums Admin
setiforums at ssl dot berkeley dot edu

Thanks, Fred.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Thanking you Fred. (^8

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...

Thanks, Fred.

+1

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Pluto will always be a planet to me.

Seti Ambassador
Not to late to order an Anni Shirt

Thanks, Fred.

+2

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TimeLord04
Have TARDIS, will travel...
Come along K-9!
Join Calm Chaos

Thank you, Fred. That was a very enlightening post.

And I do appreciate your team using a light touch rather than a heavy hand. Thanks much.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

Thank you Fred for posting. I know first hand that moderation isnt easy or clear cut.

And that you have read all the posts,In the stated threads says a lot of your commitment to make the forums a better place.

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[/quote]

Old James

Thanks, Fred.

+2

+3

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Thanks, Fred.

+2

+3

+4

Cheers

Fred, you absolutely rock!!!

perfect

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...

Well that's a little weird. I hope Eric isn't the jealous type, and I'm not certain Angela is the "smooching other men" type. ;-)

Angela wrote:

Fred, you absolutely rock!!!

Would that be sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic?

-Fred
SETI Forums Admin

Well we were all rooting for Angela's RAC not that long ago ;-0

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

I am reminded of an oooollld Andy Capp strip. In the first panel, a cop shows up at Andy's house and tells Florrie Andy's in jail. As she gets her coat, the cop says, "Now don't you be goin' down an' bailin' 'im out. Let 'im learn from a night in the cells." In the last panel, she's walking down the street and saying, "The only thing 'e learns from a night in the cells is that 'e never learns from a night in the cells."

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I offer my thanks to you and the Moderator team for the volunteer work that you all do, without which we wouldn't have our forums.

+1000

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

I offer my thanks to you and the Moderator team for the volunteer work that you all do, without which we wouldn't have our forums.

+1000

+1001

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The Kite Fliers

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Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

I offer my thanks to you and the Moderator team for the volunteer work that you all do, without which we wouldn't have our forums.

+1000

+1001

+1002

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