Elites, read it.

[Clogz]

Okay, lets recap for sanity's sake what we do know...this LPF SUCKS situation is getting a little out of hand...so I've decided to step and get at least some solace from a SOLID discussion on the issue.
Nothing may get done, but at least we will have some answers.


This is a post I made in the Site Talk thread ATTN: MODS


1. Coredump sucks. He owns the site, and he controls layout/improvement issues. If you want a new look, an updated interface, or new anything involving the physical site itself - he is the guy. Except he isn't, because he sucks at his job.

2. The Administrators have more power than mods, but are meant to be a second-string to the Mod team: They supervise and approve Mod actions, and have limited control over the site - VERY limited.

3. The Mod Squad are currently apathetic and uncaring about the situation, minus AZEM and UNHINGEDMOUSE/Um0. Mods moderate - they filter out bad posts and content, and stomp out spammers and porn bots (yuck). However, Mods also have a unique duty of being the community leaders and establishing solid community and good moral - something many of us believe they have slacked on.
But don't be so quick to blame the Mods for EVERYTHING. Alot of this still goes back to Coredump, who sucks.

4. Elites - we are glorified members, we have no power. Our purpose is to be community leaders and support the Leadership's intiatives. We were meant to be the main source of moral and encouragement for LPF, though this never took hold and is still something the Mods are looked to for.

Here is how LPF would IDEALLY function.

Coredump would be on every few days to address concerns and also update the site.
The Admins would work as liason between Coredump and the LPF community, while also working with the Mods to keep things running smoothly.
The Mods would foster community, filter out bad content and posts, and stomp out spams and hand out bans.
The Elites would work to keep morale high on the site, and help alert Mods and Admins to site concerns like spammers and ideas for site improvements.

...

I think this is a good map of how LPF is meant to work, so lets discuss how this idea impacts our current state.

 

[Ravynlee]

Agreed on all counts.

What to suggest?

Well considering us Elites have no real power (besides a spiffy green username ) realistically there's not much that can be done. But if the only Mods we have that are currently active and WANT to participate etc, what say they brainstorm here too, tell us what they want to do, if anything, and if there's some way we as glorified members (semi-mediators perhaps?) can do to help them.

So far it's all talk and no action. No action stems mainly from CoreDump himself.

I say first and foremost get rid of ALL members who don't want to be here etc. Disregarding alliances for a second, their negativity is helping to bring this place down.

Second overhaul Mod Squad. Yes, paring down members when we're rather thin on them as it is probably seems weird, but again as stated above, we can only afford members moderating who WANT to moderate. Granted it's a boring thankless job no doubt and people will get stressed over it, but how can we expect unity from the site on the whole when those higher-ups can be seen as less than enthusiastic? Smacks of hypocrasy to me. The mods that stay and UMO of course can decide amongst themselves who they want to work with and for reasons of their own accord. Poll it if you think people can look beyond their own egos and favouritism. Just throwing ideas out, is all.

PLUS Is there any feasable way Elites can get rid of spam? If mods aren't on, or if the above suggestions aren't considered, is there a way you mods can allow us Elites at least to delete spam and so forth when you guys aren't around? Would save a lot of bitching, and lets face it, as the old adage goes, many hands make light work, huh?

Besides all that, as Elites, the only real thing we can do is what we have been doing. Post and talk. I'm doing my best to enforce rules (esp, Sig rules at the moment, that's about all we can do) but aside from that what else is there?

Azem, if you read this, you seem to be the only one as of late stepping up and putting your neck out in a level-headed way. What's your take on all this?

 

[Greyfoxx]

just putting my little two cents in...

One, being Elite means we should be out there talking to the members and getting participation up. Yeah, we should be, but lets face it, sometimes we dont. And aslo, since us Elites dont have any power, it's kinda unfair to all those who have power because they are overwhelmed with all the problems and such. so if, as Rave suggested, make the Elites have the power to deliete spam messages, since after all, if we are suppose to increase morale in the members, deleting spam would fall under that. Because if i'm on a forum where there is a bunch of spam, i don't think i'd want to be too active. Think about it. "If they can't take care of the spam issues, maybe they're not really caring about their members, maybe they don't even READ the threads that they create." ((That'd be the members thoughts, or potential new members...)) So, that's just my whole 'logically' we Eilites, if morale is our job, that'd fall under it.

Next, again, i'm all for overhauling LPF to make it bigger and better and get people to be more active, just tell me what do to and i'll be up for it.

~Foxxy~

 

[Clogz]

The only flaw about spam deletion for Elites is the chance that it could be abused. It could turn into a case of "Too many chiefs, and not enough Indians".

 

[Ravynlee]

Right now isn't the problem; too many Indians, not enough Chiefs?

Until the rules can be adequately enforced, I don't see too many people with this 'power' a problem. Only maybe another one or two people, I'm not saying we hand it out to everyone. Then, when things appear to be back on board, the mods or Admins that have decided to stick around and contribute constructively can organise amongst themselves what needs to be done and remove the power back from those that no longer require it. I'm not saying it will fix ALL of LPFs problems, but by god it's a start isn't it?

And I agree with you Foxxy, I know the mods etc have A LOT of Spam to get rid of, and it can be overwhelming, Gradon I think let us know about that, and I know it's the case of one or two actual mods carrying the workloads of many, but again, if at least us Elites can't help, what solution does anyone else have in mind?

It DOES look tacky when there's half dozen posts by the same spambot choking the new posts section, and it DOES reflect on the site terribly when the odd one sneaks a rather oversized and graphic pornography post. Christ, that was disgusting, and what made me madder was the fact it sat there and sat there for days before someone in yellow came along to see it. That's just what I'm talking about. Telling the collective LPF community that the mods are overworked, underappreciated and busy with their day jobs doesn't really instil much faith in our moderating system. If they're understaffed and overwhelmed let someone in even temporarily to help. Lets set a standard here and stick to it, not when each individual mod decides to enforce it.

You know what that made me think of?
We also need a complete overhaul of our rules and site guidelines.
I don't mean to point fingers of blame, but Woody for example earlier today was a prime example. A member of 5+ years and even she didn't know where to find the rules, she had to be directed. If the general community don't know them, and the mods pick when they choose to enforce them, that sends out as many bad messages as half a dozen posts on Jordans and BS.

For members of any colour who have had enough or are bored with this place by their own admission, they should revoke their status and go back to plain members (as Fribby did a while back), that way they can come and go then as they please without the added pressure of expectation. That at least will give us a better idea rather than speculate who is now a mod, who is an elite, who is a member, and what we have left to work with. Let's get rid of the whining baggage. Someone has to be tough and stand up for the good of the site. At the moment all I see is Azem at the top of this, second by Jeezy. Call me crazy, if we had a system of government here as it stands at this very second in time, I would see UMO residing of course above all, but the rest is left to two people, sometimes one depending on the day, or none, to decide.

And you wonder why things are going to hell in a handbasket?

 

[MrsBennington-Delson]

Next, again, i'm all for overhauling LPF to make it bigger and better and get people to be more active, just tell me what do to and i'll be up for it.

~Foxxy~

Same here.

:thumbsup:

 

[Clogz]

Right now isn't the problem; too many Indians, not enough Chiefs?

Until the rules can be adequately enforced, I don't see too many people with this 'power' a problem. Only maybe another one or two people, I'm not saying we hand it out to everyone. Then, when things appear to be back on board, the mods or Admins that have decided to stick around and contribute constructively can organise amongst themselves what needs to be done and remove the power back from those that no longer require it. I'm not saying it will fix ALL of LPFs problems, but by god it's a start isn't it?

And I agree with you Foxxy, I know the mods etc have A LOT of Spam to get rid of, and it can be overwhelming, Gradon I think let us know about that, and I know it's the case of one or two actual mods carrying the workloads of many, but again, if at least us Elites can't help, what solution does anyone else have in mind?

It DOES look tacky when there's half dozen posts by the same spambot choking the new posts section, and it DOES reflect on the site terribly when the odd one sneaks a rather oversized and graphic pornography post. Christ, that was disgusting, and what made me madder was the fact it sat there and sat there for days before someone in yellow came along to see it. That's just what I'm talking about. Telling the collective LPF community that the mods are overworked, underappreciated and busy with their day jobs doesn't really instil much faith in our moderating system. If they're understaffed and overwhelmed let someone in even temporarily to help. Lets set a standard here and stick to it, not when each individual mod decides to enforce it.

You know what that made me think of?
We also need a complete overhaul of our rules and site guidelines.
I don't mean to point fingers of blame, but Woody for example earlier today was a prime example. A member of 5+ years and even she didn't know where to find the rules, she had to be directed. If the general community don't know them, and the mods pick when they choose to enforce them, that sends out as many bad messages as half a dozen posts on Jordans and BS.

For members of any colour who have had enough or are bored with this place by their own admission, they should revoke their status and go back to plain members (as Fribby did a while back), that way they can come and go then as they please without the added pressure of expectation. That at least will give us a better idea rather than speculate who is now a mod, who is an elite, who is a member, and what we have left to work with. Let's get rid of the whining baggage. Someone has to be tough and stand up for the good of the site. At the moment all I see is Azem at the top of this, second by Jeezy. Call me crazy, if we had a system of government here as it stands at this very second in time, I would see UMO residing of course above all, but the rest is left to two people, sometimes one depending on the day, or none, to decide.

And you wonder why things are going to hell in a handbasket?

That last paragraph, I agree with 100% percent. When I was a Mod, at about my fourth month my life got crazy and there was one point where I wasn't on for a week. I wrote a message apologizing for my busy-ness and than resigned my position because things only got busier. I felt like it was the right thing to do...so why can't these other Mods just do the same? There is no shame - as you point out - in stepping down.

 

[GraDoN]

i agree with everything but clogz you come out of nowhere and start demanding justice for all and everything saying people should step down yet you have been away for months at a time. This is not meant as an insult though. Just saying.... but ya i will be more active and post more.

 

[azemkamikaze03]

ill give clogz props for actually spreading some useful mature ideas around this place

 

[Clogz]

i agree with everything but clogz you come out of nowhere and start demanding justice for all and everything saying people should step down yet you have been away for months at a time. This is not meant as an insult though. Just saying.... but ya i will be more active and post more.

I lurk more than I post.

 

[FireHawk]

When can't do a major overhaul cause no one here including unhinged can do anything about it. Second we need to avoid LPF Awards as much as possible I know it is getting thrown around but ever since (was it the second?) the one where **** went to hell LPF Awards has just hurt the community. We also need to move the Attn: Mods thread somewhere where only memebers can see so visitors don't see the arguing ****. That makes us look worse than spam, porn, and about anything...

 

[Clogz]

When can't do a major overhaul cause no one here including unhinged can do anything about it. Second we need to avoid LPF Awards as much as possible I know it is getting thrown around but ever since (was it the second?) the one where **** went to hell LPF Awards has just hurt the community. We also need to move the Attn: Mods thread somewhere where only memebers can see so visitors don't see the arguing ****. That makes us look worse than spam, porn, and about anything...

I kind of like that its out in the open. It shows that there is a community here on the site, that happens to care that things aren't so hot. Plus, if they read the thread

...at least they will see the phrase "Coredump sucks" again and again.:rofl:


I can't stress it enough! :thumbsup:

 

[FireHawk]

lol good point Clogz, but I'm just worried people are gonna be like "wow they are so unhappy here...why join?"

 

[Clogz]

True, but I guess that leads to my next point - where did that thread go? I was hanging with friends all day yesterday, had an MRI this morning...I came on to check on things and noticed it was MIA.

 

[azemkamikaze03]

hmmm you know thats a really good question...because it looks like its been physically removed cuz i cant even see it...and usually if its deleted i could still see it....hmm ill look into it