"Moderators"

[gitano]

It's time for some clarification of the duties, responsibilities, and expectations of the Moderators - all versions - at The Hunter's Life (hereafter "THL").

First, there are three basic levels of membership within THL. All administrative levels - Members, Moderators, and Administrators, have the same "areas of control". Each different administrative level has different permissions.

The three levels have the following access:
1) Member - Members have access to ALL THL sub-forums except the "Outhouse".

2) Moderator, "Super Moderator", Moderator at Large (hereafter, simply "Moderator") - These three administrative entities have exactly the same authority. However, Moderator at Large and Super Moderators are not assigned to one sub-forum. They can therefore perform moderation functions on any forum.

3) Administrator - There are three Administrators at THL. I am the ONLY one with "the keys to the kingdom". This is not a power trip, it is purely for the safety and security of THL. Should I die suddenly, the other two Administrators will NOT be left "in the dark". There is contact information that will allow them to "take the reigns" of THL and do what they see fit.

I will delineate the permissions for "Members" and "Moderators" in separate posts.

Since this specific sub-forum is for Moderators and Administrators, I'm not going to dwell on "Member" level issues, I do however want to clearly express my expectations of Moderators.

In the past 15 years I have 'seriously' been using the internet, it has been my observation that most people chosen to be Moderators of forums were 1) more interested in the title than the responsibility, and 2) were more concerned with being a "cop" than being a positive force for the betterment of the forum. Too often, I saw the title "Moderator" given as some kind of reward for longevity, 'good' behavior, or loyalty to The Administration. This MAY have been occasionally the case at THL in the early days, but it hasn't been that way for quite some time, and certainly not during my "administration". I named those people to be administrators that I thought could HELP THL, and that is what I expect Moderators to do - HELP THL.

In answer to "How exactly do you expect us to "help"?", let me offer the following:
First and foremost, be encouraging. Take the TIME to read ALL of the new threads in your area of moderation. If you are a Moderator at Large or a Super Moderator, that means reading ALL OF THE NEW THREADS IN THE WHOLE SITE. I do that EVERY DAY. I should have set your permissions so that you get immediate email notification every time a new post is posted in your area of responsibility. If that is not the case, let me know and I will change it, or you will need to explain why that would put undo burden on you. When reasonable - which should be usually - you should respond to each post, and when possible OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT. This is especially true for posts made by new (within the last 3 months) members.

Second, Moderators should "moderate" theirr sub-forum. That means be a FORCE that MAINTAINS 1) Camaraderie, 2) Good relations, 3) Courtesy, and 4) Encouragement. That means you need to have a relatively frequent presence at that site. "Every day" isn't necessary, but at least once a week should be an interval not to exceed unless special circumstances arise. Moderators are chosen (by me) for some particular "skill" they have. It may be "congeniality" or it may be knowledge about a specific aspect of "The Hunter's Life". Regardless, moderators are not appointed at THL to simply be "cops" or as "reward".

Finally, and of lowest priority, are your duties as a "cop". Being a "cop" does NOT mean taking a truncheon to those that are 'off track'. It means KEEPING folks ON TRACK as they 'wander' near the edge. PREVENTATIVE efforts BEFORE things "get personal" are your primary duties as the forum "cop". USE PMs FIRST! Administrative "action" is the LAST act you AND I want to have to take. The reason for that is because EVERYONE here at THL is almost certainly a "nice guy" if we met them "in the flesh". That means we need to think of the "issue" in "face-to-face" terms, and encourage others to do the same.

It is important to come HERE and ASK FOR HELP if there is something you feel uncomfortable about. That is the PRIMARY reason for this site. It's not primarily for 'policing'.

Being a Moderator means that you have responsibilities with respect to THL, each other, and me. I have no complaints at this time. Everyone behaves pretty well at THL and certainly one of THL's greatest strengths is its friendliness. Because of that, we administrators may have been lulled into a false sense of 'peace'. There's an old saying: "Peace demands vigilance". When things always go well, we are prone to become 'casual' in our duties. I want this thread to be a clear statement of the duties and expectations of Moderators. It is not chastisement.

The next posts will provide detail on the permissions that Members and Moderators have.

Paul

[gitano]

Good grief! I spent about 2 hours listing all the permissions, and apparently "lost" the whole thing. THAT'S annoying!

Paul