Frustration

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Moderators: 52D, Tom F, Rlangham, Atlantic 3279, Blink Bonny, Saint Johnstoun, richard

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Bunkerbarge
LNER Thompson L1 2-6-4T
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:21 pm

Frustration

Post by Bunkerbarge »

Hopefully someone will read this and contact me. This morning I wrote a post but, being a new member it has to go through a moderator. This post has not been put on line and is now irrelevent as the conversation on the thread I was trying to participate in has now moved on.

When I come to ask a moderator whether my reply will be posted I now discover that I am unable to send PMs as well. So not only do I not know whether my reply will or will not be accepted but I also have no means of communicating with a moderator. I am sure there will be many good reasons for such proceduresput forward however, being a member of many forums and moderating on a number of them in the past, I have never encountered such unfriendly processes and I find this way of treating newcomers very demeaning and completely unecessary.
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richard
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 3385
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 5:11 pm
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
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Re: Frustration

Post by richard »

Actually a lot of forums have similar limitations.

The problem is spam. There's a lot that goes on in the background to keep spam off the forums - the vast bulk of it normal users don't see.

5 posts before the moderator queue limits come off. PMs are the same otherwise a spammer would sign up and spam everyone with PMs before we find them, ban, and delete them. Experience has shown 5 is the right number - 10 would be much more frustrating. 1 is far from being enough.

We have multiple moderators so that new users shouldn't have to wait too long. For many years it was just me - hard luck if I'm asleep or travelling!
Just be patient - we have jobs and lives away from the forums, and this is a free service.

btw you can still communicate with users and moderators using email.
Richard Marsden
LNER Encyclopedia
D2100
GCR D11 4-4-0 'Improved Director'
Posts: 401
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 5:05 pm

Re: Frustration

Post by D2100 »

Also with a former moderator's hat on (not here), I think I agree with Richard on this. Appreciate it might seem a monumental hassle at the moment, but it's for good reason and in all honesty, 5 posts isn't a lot to work through to get past it.
Ian Fleming

Now active on Facebook at 'The Clearing House'
markindurham
H&BR Q10 0-8-0
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:38 am

Re: Frustration

Post by markindurham »

Well said, Richard. Too many forums and indeed FB Groups are spoiled by spammers - it's a fact of modern life, I'm afraid. All we can do is try and minimise it.

Mark
(Moderator and admin on several forums/chatrooms/FB Groups)
burnie
GNSR D40 4-4-0
Posts: 227
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:47 pm

Re: Frustration

Post by burnie »

I am a moderator on a gardening forum run by a national magazine group, the life of a mod can be a trying one at times, patience is all I can recommend.
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Blink Bonny
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 3946
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: The Midlands
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Re: Frustration

Post by Blink Bonny »

Ay up!

5 posts isn't a lot then you can post and PM to your heart's content. We Mods don't spend all day on here, sometimes Life gets in the way!!
If I ain't here, I'm in Bilston, scoffing decent chips at last!!!!
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StevieG
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 2331
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:08 pm
Location: Near the GN main line in N.Herts.

Re: Frustration

Post by StevieG »

Richard et al, you must be doing a good job.
As far as I've noticed, spam getting through is a very infrequent occurrence.
BZOH

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