Although my mod duties are confined to the peace and tranquility of the Scrolling Board, I do have an insight into the thoughts of the rest of the mod team and what they are doing behind the scenes. In many ways, this gives me a wonderful opportunity to run with the fox and hunt with the hounds.
As far as I know, Mr Grimsdale was not banned because of anything he posted in the open forum which led to an argument with another moderator. Indeed, I cannot recall a moderator ever abusing his privileged position against a member by taking reprisals for a disagreement over woodworking techniques. Whenever such a dispute has arisen, it has usually involved breaches of forum rules too. In such cases, it has usually been another moderator who has dealt with the dispute and disciplinary action has usually only been taken after private correspondence has been exchanged. Hmmm... there's a lot of 'usually's in that paragraph
. Nevertheless, although circumstances have sometimes dictated a divergence from that procedure, it has been the normal way business has been conducted.
Lately, the mod team team has recognised its unpopularity and has been deliberately applying a lighter touch. Threads such as this one would have been unthinkable a couple of months ago. If members feel this forum no longer meets their needs or that its management is making them uncomfortable, it's their prerogative to look for other forums. Heck, I'd be looking at other forums too if I felt that way
! However, I hope the wiser members will reflect on how disputatious threads are increasingly being allowed to run their course. The mod team recognises that most members of this forum are mature adults who can conduct their own affairs and resent being told otherwise by some official. Where there has been the potential for members to regulate their own heated debates, the mods have lately been doing their best not to intervene. Personally, I think the forum's a better place for it.
Although this thread seems to have developed into an attack on the mod team, it also demonstrates that members care enough about the forum to ask uncomfortable questions. I'm sure many of those questions will be answered in due course; although many members will either be satisfied with the answers that are given or at least accept that an unpleasant decision had to be taken, some won't . Frankly, there's an aspect of this affair which leaves a nasty taste in my mouth but I've known Charley and the other mods for a long time and at times like this it's easy to overlook the sterling work they do on behalf of this forum. Often, the general membership isn't even aware of the hard work that's going on behind the scenes.
It would help enormously if everyone would try to be a little less judgmental until Charley explains the situation insofar as he is able to do so without compromising aspects of private correspondence. In the meantime, I hope I've been able to explain that the mod team recognises a lighter touch on this forum is needed... and is learning how to apply one :lol: ! As with all learning processes, there's going to be mistakes but they are trying to cater for the needs of the members that have been expressed here and in similar threads, moving away from regulation towards facilitation. Until lately, the mod team seems to have felt the membership was incapable of regulating itself decorously and that regulation had to be imposed. However, forums change and techniques which might have been appropriate in the past may become obsolete. The mod team seems to feel it would be in the best interests of the forum to move towards greater self-regulation. However, that will only work if the members demonstrate their willingness to co-operate.
Gill
(Now, where's my tin helmet... haven't used it for ages...)
