Beyond epic! Sustaining PugSki into the Future!

[TonyC]

We'll keep it simple and just ask that everyone refrain from being an ass.

Eminently sensible. But there's also...

1a. Being overly sensitive is also being an ass.

And during this period when some of the people who were deeply invested in Epic are moving here, perhaps they should be cut some slack.

 

[Mendieta]

We will not get into specific moderation actions. We try to take each situation on a case by case basis. Sometimes it spills in the public (which we would prefer not, but happens). Sometimes we question ourselves if we did the right thing. If we include another member in the action it is because there was a direct cause and effect. We brought on two new Moderators, @T-Square and @Mendieta is because of T's experience and Mend's fresh eyes to the commuity. As @Tricia mentioned, we have had more moderation issues in the past two weeks than in the previous 18 months. A good amount is members trying to figure out if this is the site for them or not.

And if I may add, there is a lot in common between mods and referees in team sports. Nobody watches a game because of the refs, they want to see the players. The best referee stays out of the way as much as possible, but will be willing to show a yellow card, and eventually a red card. While doing so, the more discrete and lower profile, the better.

So, I apologize for this transgression to the rule in advance, and invite people to discuss mod issues with all 5 of us with PMs. This allows to keep the noise low and the signal high, so we can all play the game of sharing info about skiing, at the highest level. And make friends along the way.

 

[Sibhusky]

Hmm, I'll spare you being embarrassed Sib. Suffice to say, I struggle to understand why someone would want to slag off the site so much yet still expect to participate.... I have given him the benefit of assuming he just completely lost the place when Epic closed....

I am not in the least bit worried about someone having it in for me, I am more than capable of sorting out stuff like that.... ... And you may of course have missed the emoticon where I was poking a bit of fun.....

• I see nothing to be embarrassed about in that particular post. Maybe you're referring to some other post I've made? I'm sure there's one somewhere that applies. After all, I'm far from perfect in that regard.
• Emoticons don't suddenly make things better.
• My recollection of SMJ's "sin" was defending a guy about whom I was complaining. And yet... I respect SMJ. Because generally what he says adds value, even in this instance.

 

[James]

Did anyone notice my correct use of the contraction "you're"?

No. Notice the correct spelling of 'no'?
You're going to get a participation trophy for your efforts?

 

[crgildart]

Some people have really thin skin and get offended or upset more easily than others.. Some people take advantage of the anonymity of screen name personas to be overly critical and insulting to others. This place tried to strongly encourage folks to use handles closer to real names so people were less inclined to act like jack asssed trolls and more like we treat each other in real life. I wish we had followed through stronger on that notion of real people instead of personas.

FWIW, of the folks and personas I see here now, the same personas had similar issues at the other place as they are expressing concern about here already. I'll just leave it at that.

 

[Philpug]

No. Notice the correct spelling of 'no'?
You're going to get a participation trophy for your efforts?

No, because we do not have trophies.

 

[Philpug]

Worth quoting...

Some people have really thin skin and get offended or upset more easily than others.. Some people take advantage of the anonymity of screen name personas to be overly critical and insulting to others. This place tried to strongly encourage folks to use handles closer to real names so people were less inclined to act like jack asssed trolls and more like we treat each other in real life. I wish we had followed through stronger on that notion of real people instead of personas.

FWIW, of the folks and personas I see here now, the same personas had similar issues at the other place as they are expressing concern about here already. I'll just leave it at that.

 

[SBrown]

And during this period when some of the people who were deeply invested in Epic are moving here, perhaps they should be cut some slack.

With all due respect, usually new members of any community, virtual or otherwise, are tasked with observing and then conforming to the norms of the community. I mean, this isn't like war refugees who cower under tables every time a commercial jet flies overhead ...

 

[TonyC]

With all due respect, usually new members of any community, virtual or otherwise, are tasked with observing and then conforming to the norms of the community. I mean, this isn't like war refugees who cower under tables every time a commercial jet flies overhead ...

I agree. There can be a fine line between upholding those norms and excessive censorship. Inevitably the few controversial cases are the ones we hear about. The vast majority of opinion I've read since the April 25 announcement of Epic's closure is supportive, so I'm quite confident of the future here.

 

[cantunamunch]

With all due respect, usually new members of any community, virtual or otherwise, are tasked with observing and then conforming to the norms of the community. I mean, this isn't like war refugees who cower under tables every time a commercial jet flies overhead ...

With complete respect, I propose that, within most USAian communities, the answer to questions of the form: "When is it OK to tell someone how they should feel about something?" is pretty consistently 'Never'.

 

[SBrown]

With complete respect, I propose that, within most USAian communities, the answer to questions of the form: "When is it OK to tell someone how they should feel about something?" is pretty consistently 'Never'.

Feeling and acting are two different things.

 

[cantunamunch]

Feeling and acting are two different things.

Certainly. And thus manners were invented.

 

[James]

Is it possible to lock users out of threads instead of locking the whole thread? It does get disruptive to everyone else who is actually attempting to have a conversation that a few derail it.

 

[crgildart]

Is it possible to lock users out of threads instead of locking the whole thread? It does get disruptive to everyone else who is actually attempting to have a conversation that a few derail it.

I've heard rumors of a universal ignore function on other forums.. Troll posts and posts but only they can see their troll posts. Everyone else but moderators does not see the troll's posts at all hahahahahaha!

 

[T-Square]

It's called Tachy goes to Coventry.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Tachy Goes To Coventry

It was a V-Bulletin feature.

 

[Magi]

It's called Tachy goes to Coventry.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Tachy Goes To Coventry

It was a V-Bulletin feature.

Fascinating... I'd always heard it being called a "hellban" or "shadow ban".

 

[TonyC]

Is it possible to lock users out of threads instead of locking the whole thread? It does get disruptive to everyone else who is actually attempting to have a conversation that a few derail it.

It was on Epic. Even though I was a victim of this feature a couple of times, it's a much better tool IMHO than locking the thread or banning/discouraging the user from the entire forum.

 

[Philpug]

If you have to lock someone out of a thread...it is not the thread that is the issue.

 

[TonyC]

Billboard spotted near Lone Pine on May 16:

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Phil & Tricia, moderators et.al.. Try to remember that the 2% Rule applies to all groups of people. "2 % of any group of people are losers,whiners, disrrupters etc. etc.. My wife and I came up with this rule years ago when we ran the International Firefighters Winter Games in Tahoe, a 5 day race event. After a few years we were overwhelmed with the naysayers and almost threw in the towel. 200 racers, up to 500-600 people from all over the world, racing 4 different disciplines at 4 different ski resorts at North Lake Tahoe got to be too much with the people that demanded our attention to their problems. One especially bad day my wife wanted to quit so we had a quiet dinner at Soule Domain and discussed the problem. We decided we were giving too much attention, time and worry to the 2% of the group and not enough time and attention to the other 98 % who were having a ball and really enjoying themselves.

Once we realized to basically ignore the 2% ers everything was fine and we ran the Games for 23 years and had a ball, only giving it up when we moved to Northern Idaho and retired.

Keep your attention to the 98% of us that enjoy the site, the interaction etc. and enjoy and be proud of your accomplishment.