Round Table style Forum Boards.

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I regulary visit Nokia Discussions as I like to keep abreast of whats new etc.

There are the usual forum boards there and one also called " The Round Table" where only elite members of a certain rating can be added by the moderators where subjects can be discussed out of the view of guests and freshmen members.

I know we have the "off topic boards" but I wonder if this is of interest for here ?

Just a thought so please dont flame me ! lol.

[Liquid]

Why wouldn't you be invited? Your post are always well written and constructive.

I must admit I'm unsure what posts/posters you mean by brown noseing. (Maybe best left to pms?)

[perksie]

For what it's worth I didn't really notice much difference when we had the Superuser section and it was of course moderated in the same way as the main forum, so rudeness and bad language didn't happen (often ).

I liked it as a way of being able to discuss products and the way O2 run things including the forum without being bothered by the "I hate O2" type of posts popping up.

It was treated as a private space where you felt you weren't being overlooked by the main forum users.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Well theres been some very interesting thoughts on this subject.

I trust my thread subject matter has not offended.

---

There's nothing even remotely offensive about the subject or your posts - just the opposite. 

It's a good thread and a very sensible topic - I tip my hat to you for the idea even if it's not something I'd personally like to see happen.   It's also great to see people debating the way they've done here - making their case without animosity and with respect for other people's opinions.   Nice crowd.

[Anonymous]

---

@Liquid wrote:
Why wouldn't you be invited? Your post are always well written and constructive.

I must admit I'm unsure what posts/posters you mean by brown nosing. (Maybe best left to pms?)

---

Ok, I will clarify a little. 

To many posts to OP's are the same response but written differently and I am not talking about within 10 minutes whilst some maybe writing there's. 

The other week I responded to a OP and somebody replied knowing full well what I mentioned but decided to try and belittle me. ( bad move)

This forum should be about helping posters with there issues but not to the point where we let them mouth off and lie to get there point across. 

I will give an example, customers that say they have been on hold for hours. Everybody in this post knows that is complete BS but people will reply even though they are contradicting themselves from other posts that 'O2 seem to have a problem' and 'that is not acceptable' 

Sorry but that OP has told you a load of rubbish to start with so how the hell do you expect to be able to help them with the possibility that the rest of the post of based on BS. 

There is one poster on here that like to basically repeat what another helpful poster has already written. Post count and feeling important seems to be there only cause, not helping. 

If I say something that people think is wrong then I get a PM from the likes of Jonsie, Perksie, Liquid and MI5 or the Mods. ( it does not happen as much as people may think) and that is what this forum should be about. 

Anybody that thinks I am not here to help should speak with MI5 and Liquid. 

Sorry for the rant but I am seeing to much rubbish written on here recently and it makes me not want to contribute. 

As for the thread about banter on a thread, geez do not get me started. 

[sheepdog]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@sheepdog wrote:

I've always like the idea of having a section that the mods can explain why a post has been edited outside of leaving a message on the post. At least it gives some of us a better idea of why its been removed in the light of a Mod being unavailable after the inevitable complaint about moderation.  Viewable by "superusers" and stuff that Leonard etc can put out to us as feelers that doesn't warrant having all and sundry hijacking the discussion about o2 CS (and not a liquid derailment :smileywink:)

---

If you're referring to knowing why your own posts have been removed, that should be done via private communication - a pm saying "your post was removed because..."

If you are referring to being able to see why someone else's post was removed - big problem.   As a member, I am "pengipete" and anything I post in the forum falls outside of the Data Protection Act or any other laws or T&Cs related to my privacy - but as a registered member of this forum and O2 in general, anything ABOUT me is potentially covered under the DPA.  If Leonard was to remove my post and there is any record of that action that can be tied to my registration details - my PII (Personally Identifiable Information), he is not allowed by law to let someone who is not an authorised Data Controller or Data Processor have access to it. 

Fundamentally - allowing people to see why someone else's post was removed is no different to a moderator or forum official openly posting "Pengipete insulted Fred and he swore so I had him" - unacceptable and potentially illegal.  O2 can't afford to take the chance - they can't claim the same exemptions that a small or private forum might - they have to be professional and squeaky clean - even if that sometimes means they can't satisfy everyone's curiosity.

The short version of that - it's no-one's business other than the forum staff and the individual member why a post was removed.  If the individual wants to share that information with anyone else - he can - by pm - but that should always and only be his or her choice.

---

Perhaps I should have made a paragraph over the last bit as I was suggesting that non-mod subjects could go in there rather than being PM'ed.

Fair point though I was thinking as regulars, we could have an overview rather than specifics to pacify the moderated OP who's original post goes way off topic and starts slating the moderation and all who disagree with it even though it could be a valid statement. There are times I've read a thread and its been meanlingless as there are posts missing. The mods don't always quantify the reasons (though a small bit is listed at times) and its left to us to try and figure it out.  

Mind you, in the background there may be some form of process saying why but we don't see that at all. 

[MI5]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

Anybody that thinks I am not here to help should speak with MI5 and Liquid. 

---

Which reminds me.... PM on its way to you

[Anonymous]

---

@perksie wrote:

For what it's worth I didn't really notice much difference when we had the Superuser section and it was of course moderated in the same way as the main forum, so rudeness and bad language didn't happen (often ).

I liked it as a way of being able to discuss products and the way O2 run things including the forum without being bothered by the "I hate O2" type of posts popping up.

It was treated as a private space where you felt you weren't being overlooked by the main forum users.

---

I can see the value of a place where general support questions and complaints are not dealt with - but isn't that what the off-topic and D&F sections are for? 

If there's a problem with inconsiderate posts in those sections, that just needs moderation rather than actual restriction - perhaps appointing a few mods from amongst the oridinary members - limited "powers" but able to "keep the peace" or move threads to suitable forums etc when the officials aren't around - like PCSOs for the forum

One guitar forum I've used had a fairly simple way around the problem as you describe it.  They had an "off topic" area - just like this forum has - except that it wasn't directly accessible through a single link and nothing from it appeared in the lists of recent posts or threads.  There was no restriction on using it - it just took an extra click of the mouse to get to it through two links rather than one and that was enough to stop "inexperienced" members from "accidentally" posting there.   It wasn't "hidden" or "private" - the link to it was there - it's just that the threads themselves were not instantly available on the front-page of the forum and were, therefore, psychologically "separate" from it.   Sounds really silly but it worked - the whole section was almost only ever used by the most regular and friendly members - trouble causers didn't like the lack of an audience and the one-off visitors just posted in the first thread they landed on - as usual.

[Anonymous]

Hey guys, i just thought i would put my opinion in, 

i think it's great idea, as im sure all my off topic threads can be a little irritating to those who just want to post for feedback ect, and there are a select few that i see popping up regularly, 

however. the main issue here would be that you wouldn't want to exclude anyone, or inflate egos...

i know  wht Pengipete means about the off topic section on that other forum, i feel that would work really well, as its still there, but not there, ( if that makes sense) 

it has been good reading all your comments though! 

and to whoever mentioned wantys place, i don't think it works, because there isn't enough people to make it work ( that are regular etc) and i think its the same with similar threads, im all up for starting a new one... 

[perksie]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

---

One guitar forum I've used had a fairly simple way around the problem as you describe it.  They had an "off topic" area - just like this forum has - except that it wasn't directly accessible through a single link and nothing from it appeared in the lists of recent posts or threads.  There was no restriction on using it - it just took an extra click of the mouse to get to it through two links rather than one and that was enough to stop "inexperienced" members from "accidentally" posting there.   It wasn't "hidden" or "private" - the link to it was there - it's just that the threads themselves were not instantly available on the front-page of the forum and were, therefore, psychologically "separate" from it.   Sounds really silly but it worked - the whole section was almost only ever used by the most regular and friendly members - trouble causers didn't like the lack of an audience and the one-off visitors just posted in the first thread they landed on - as usual.

---

This is a very good idea and would certainly have my support.

[Anonymous]

seconded!!!