VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum What happens when moderators edit a message?

This is something I was curious but others may be wondering also.

If a moderator edits the actual content of a message, do they make a notation in the comments of the message to reflect the changes they made?

I run into this problem on multiple forums where moderators will change the actual content without making a notation. Often changing the text can change the meaning of the post, and it has long been accepted that the moderators should make a notation. I would say this is encouraged, but not accepted policy by everyone.

How do the VCC Chat moderators handle that?

IMO, it's generally easier to remove a post than edit it, due to the gray area of what does or does not change the meaning.

Alan

For better coverage on your question you might want to post the above in the Forum Announcements, Suggestions, and Comments.

I agree that this discussion should be in another forum.

I agree that it seems logical, but then why does this forum say:

"New forum users start here. Post your first topic. Ask forum technical questions, etc. "

Isn't that a forum technical question I asked? I can't seem to win...a thread was locked in general because someone posted to one of my threads that was "off topic" in an "off-topic" forum. I don't get it... this seemed like the right forum per the description...I don't get it again... Hopefully at some point I'll get it...

Alan

In my opinion a discussion about VCCA people and/or procedures should be in a VCCA member forum. Or better yet the subject be discussed by administration and moderators. That is not to indicate that the subject not be discussed but at least the initial phase should be with those that have some knowledge and ability to make changes if any are warranted.

As mentioned in the quote above, the new user forum is for a new member to the chat site to post his or her very first question if they are not familiar with all of the various individual forums on the site. There are numerous forms listed on the chat site that cover individual areas. Your question, which is an excellent technical question regarding the chat site, would fit better in the Forum Announcements, Suggestions, and Comments forum of the site since your question pertains directly to the chat site and also since this was not your first question and you are now a regular member to the site. Actually, part of the moderator's job is to move a thread to the correct forum if it was posted in the wrong area.

The General Discussions forum is basically for anything that doesn't pertain to any of the other forums or Chevrolet related topics and, you are right, the General Discussions forum is for off topic subjects. It is kind of confusing, however, once a specific thread with whatever topic it pertains to is posted, the thread technically should stay with that particular topic and subject. If the conversation drifts to another subject or topic which is completely different than the original thread, then a new off topic thread should be started in the General Discussions forum. That way when someone goes to the Search feature and searches for a specific thread or topic, it will be easier to locate if the topic is in an individual thread and not mixed in with several other topics within the same thread.

Hope this helps to clear up some of the confusion.

That's not what happened to Keroppi's topic in the General section.

The moderator pushed his way in & rudely interrupted a discussion in a section that is dedicated to "OFF-topic" discussion & then started barking orders at everyone to stay "ON -topic".

What really bothers me is that a moderator here actually disapproved of a discussion that involved the restoration & preservation of a vintage Chevrolet, on a website that is dedicated to the restoration & preservation of vintage Chevrolet automobiles.

From what I have seen around here....
Some moderators are unaware of the clearly stated rules of the site...
Some moderators don't even know what the correct use is for the particular section they moderate.
And other moderators will even go so far as to make up & enforce non-existent rules.


It is sometimes difficult for the original author to try & figure out where to start a topic as there is no rhyme or reason to the moderators opinions & decisions of where a subject should posted.


If something gets posted in the wrong section.... the moderators are responsible for moving it to a different area.....
It is appreciated that they do it in a tactful way & issue the proper notifications to everyone involved.

This is clearly my problem, as I pointed out I tried to pick the right forum, it's not as if I just did eenie-meenie-minnie-mo and posted my topic.

I have been using online forums for a number of years, possibly longer than most, and I don't want to dog pile on the moderator. The moderator had a reason for locking the thread in General which brino replied to, and I answered.

That would have been a better solution, moving it to whatever forum he saw fit, but it didn't work out that way.

After that experience I just wanted to understand how the messages are edited here, I ran into a problem on another Chevy forum where the moderators changed text in messages without making a notation. This is not to say they removed messages, that part I'm ok with if I post something that goes over the edge, but that forum was clearly heavy handed moderation. I started to see the same pattern starting here when that thread was locked. On the other forum they seem to average about 1 message in 10 gets locked. That's an alarming number of messages to need locking.

I try to respect people's right to their opinion/view even if it doesn't match mine. I'm not trying to be difficult, even if other people have an opposing view, I try to extend that courtesy to them. That is the way the Internet works, since we're all from different locals, scattered across America, other Countries, a diverse set of cultures, and we need to get along the best we can.

That said, it's obviously clear that only a few here, such as me, Mothertrucker and brino come from the finest areas around Los Angeles, and as such we're the true angels on this forum.

<foghorn leghorn voice>

I say, that's a joke son!

</foghorn leghorn voice>

Alan

Just a couple points.

I will say first that this is what is at the top of this forum when you select it.

"*** WELCOME!! *** There is no such thing as a DUMB QUESTION, if you post it in this forum."

This gives the impression that you can post anything.

However:

1) I am a relatively new user here, although I have a number of posts, I only got my truck in my hands a few weeks or a month back.

2) Are you seriously splitting this hair over grammer?

3) There are 3 sentences in that quote. To me it says 3 things, the 3rd being to "Ask forum technical questions, etc."

Part of the problem here at VCCA Chat is that it's kind of confusing with how the topics are arranged, or worse...stated.

I often feel for the amount of traffic that this forum gets, there's way too many forums. It might be better to try and simplify things and get better dialog going. Currently there are a lot of good threads that many people probaby won't see unless they read all the forums, or follow active threads (which I do) and if you spot one you click on it...I really don't keep track of the forum something is in in many cases, I just see it in Active Threads and reply.

The bottom line is that I find it confusing in how the forums are setup and titled. "General" as an off-topic forum is one such example.

Another example is a forum titled, "What did you do to your car/truck today?", which I would expect to find as a sticky thread inside "General".

Alan

I think Alan has pointed out some things that could use improvement and would help to eliminate some of the confusion. Part of the problem stems from the fact that there is no specific definition of when a new user becomes a "regular". The previous administrator had a policy of new users posting three times in the "New User" forum before being allowed access to the rest of the non-member forums. That served for the user to become familiar with the site and for the administrator to prevent some spam. I believe now anyone can google a subject and enter into a thread . It's almost like coming in thru the back door and then having someone asking what they are doing there. We need tio find a better way to guide users thru the forums. I would suggest that new users browse thru all the forums to become familiar with how they are arranged but that can be deceiving. Mainly because of so many post that wander off topic and while some are entertaining they do not add to the ease of using the site. For example if a new user is looking for technical information about cleaning the cooling system he just may find himself reading a thread on where to dill the hole in this fender for an antenna. Sometimes those that are familiar with each other carry on personal conversations that have no interest to the rest of the users. As a group of people that can pride themselves on getting from one place to another by following a map or directions when it comes to the computer we seem to get lost quite easily. I did not plan on this being that long but if we are hoping to retain members such as Alan we need to strive to make it easier for them to navigate the site. I will admit the lack of a hands on administrator is like a detour on the road to success.

It's not about you or me, it's about *us*. This site should be here for access to all, including non-members. Most will become a member if you show them that the club is worth belonging to. For the G&D alone, VCCA membership is a value.

I have read through threads and have found some where members are afraid that people will come and get information without joining VCCA, and that type of mentality is poison. Even if people don't belong to VCCA it doesn't mean they're not knowledgeable on vintage chevys, in many cases they are.

I say quit worrying about what people can or can't do and let them post information and let it grow. Over time the more information this site has the better for all, and that means both members and non-members. Are you really worried about the words people use? If so, you don't want to meet me in person, because if you experienced the way I naturally talk you probably wouldn't like it. Just like my parents, I was born in California, I was raised in California, and will most likely die in California. My Mom is 81, my Dad is gone. My kids are just like me, born and raised in California.

This site should pretty much moderate itself. IMO, there just seems to be too much complication.

The one thing I've noticed is that there's a lot more "Chiefs" than are needed on this site, and far too few "Indians". In high tech they would say too many managers and too few engineers. The focus should be on attracting users, helping them, worrying less about the choice of words they use and if they offend you. Everyone should put their big boy pants and and grow up about letting people be themselves. Those are the sites that thrive on the Internet.

I sometimes get the feeling that VCCA members tend to act like a knitting group...this is a car site for heaven's sake, mechanics will be mechanics, they are not old ladies in a knitting group, IMO. Let them be who they are.

Alan

Phew .......It looks like the VCCA & Alan were never able to work out their differences....

https://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/356452/








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From reading that it looks like a lot of people couldn't work out their differences. I'll just keep mine to myself.

There are just some that the burr under the saddle moves all the way to the brain. Occasional differences are okay and helpful to a better understanding. We all can make a comment without thinking about the consequences or how it might be interpreted by others and it offends someone.