C'mon John, that "volunteer" excuse is getting old. I volunteer on several websites too, but when I do, I take responsibility for doing the volunteer work right. If I make a mistake or 3, I don't blame it on volunteerism.

I'm glad to see someone set up a redirect. I guess it doesn't matter that all the juice went into .com for over 10 years. Long as we can chat about Segways.

Jim

I'm asking you not be a complainer if you're not willing to help out in some way.

Anybody can complain; it really takes no energy or effort to do so. But unconstructive complaints help me or the community out in absolutely no way here.

John

My complaints have been constructive - as well as critical. As I have mentioned before, I manage or work on several forums using the same software you do - I'm a member of vBulletin.com and have volunteered my support to the community of vB3.x users since 2004. I manage 2 servers using the same technology you use. I've shared my experience and helped guide other webmasters (in addition to being helped and guided by others) for years.

My suggestions were legitimate. I offered you help via PM several years ago and publicly now. Any way you think I can be of technical service, I'd be happy to pitch in.

Jim

Wonderful. We don't need help with the software (we've been running much larger vbulletin communities since 2001), how to configure servers, or how to run a website (we've been running much larger websites since 1995).

We need help with the usual moderation tasks nobody wants to do -- removing spammers, helping members understand when they step beyond our guidelines, approving new member posts, stuff like that. If you can help out in those areas where we actually need it, that would be great!

If not, that's fine too. What we don't need are the snide remarks, that's all.

John

Removing spammers is easy in vBulletin. No member of my own websites has ever seen a spam post (well okay, maybe one or two early on). There are excellent plugins for that and all you have to do is manage the moderated threads and posts they do make (but aren't visible to anyone else).

As far as being a moderator, that would be tough. There are some rules that only get enforced selectively and I can't do that. Some rules are somewhat arbitrary and hard to follow. The forum is peppered with insults and personal attacks. But staff seems to allow some and not others - some staff in the past have been allowed to participate in those transgressions.

And it appears that there is a problem in labeling a member's legitimate frustrations and complaints as "snide" when they are actually the fault of the system. It's a fact of forum management life. We make mistakes and we drop the ball. I don't blame that on my members. I thank them for reporting a problem and make an effort to correct it or ease their mind. I don't chastise them for pointing out the obvious.

Jim

And what do you say to members who disagree with you or how much effort you put into managing the forums or when a mistake happens, they don't thank you for your efforts, but instead take it as an opportunity to complain or point out how wrong it was?

No member here ever sees a spam post either; that's not the point. Plugins don't catch everything, and all of it still requires some human input.

But thank you, you've again made it clear you have no interest in helping out around here other than to give advice on how things should be run. Thanks again!

John

PS - And yes, I'm closing this thread, because we're just going round and round about this topic.