Animation Source Forums

Okay, so I'm a single-board forum mod. Like Lone Wolf_fanwriter, balto678, velvet(Loz), Aniu_blade, and Dark_Wolf.

My concern lay in the imbalance of authority, if you will (in general, I mean) between mods of all other positions (i.e. global forum mods, admins, fan art mods, fan fiction mods, music video mods, article mods, and questions mods) and the single-board forum mods. To wit:

As far as I know, the mod types mentioned above can access the following features:

Global Forum Mods: banning, unbanning, the banned shoutbox, the MOD shoutbox, deleting or editing a topic post, deleting or locking (and unlocking) a topic, splitting a topic into separate parts, and moving a topic to another board, the forum mod board.

Admins: ? (though I am sure they have banning and unbanning authority as well as editing abilities)

Fan Section Mods (art, fiction, music video, articles,questions): Reviewing submissions for approval (or not), posting fan art/fan fic of the week, removing posts in a particular person's gallery, removing a submission after approval, editing a post or submission, the MOD shoutbox.

Shoutbox Mods: Banning or unbanning (at least from the shoutboxes), the MOD shoutbox.

Single-board forum mods: Deleting or editing a topic post, deleting or locking (and unlocking) a topic, splitting a topic into separate parts, and moving a topic to another board.

Now, not to sound selfish, unappreciative, or power-hungry (because none of these are on my mind), but it seems to me that the single-board mods are the weakest mods on the entire site (and, actually, that only means myself, Dark_Wolf, and Aniu_blade...because all of the other single-board mods listed above also are mods of other sections). And this has been bugging me for a while now. I realize that certain duties are specific to certain mods for certain areas. But there are some duties that are far more general in character.

Not that I am necessarily suggesting that the rest of the mods be given banning or unbanning ability (though I'm not saying they SHOULDN'T either...I realize that too many people having that ability could become chaotic, and the source of lots of arguments, accusations and fights...er...more than there already appear to be that is). But then again, the banning ability of the global mods, for instance, affects a member no matter WHERE he or she goes on the site. And yet, the banning/unbanning ability of the shoutbox mods only can keep members THEY ban out of the shoutboxes (as far as I can tell). Perhaps the banning/unbanning ability of the global forum mods should only have effect in the forums. Doesn't that make sense? Only Steet (and perhaps his admins) should be able to do a general site-wide ban or unban.

To my knowledge, the single-board mods aren't able to access the mod shoutbox (which they SHOULD be able to), and none of the other mods - except those who are global forum mods - can access the forum mod board on the forums.

Now, the way I see it, ALL mods should at least be able to access the following areas: the mod shoutbox and the mod board on the forums. And if not the latter, then there should be a separate general mod folder in the mod board for ALL mods. Perhaps the one for the global forum mods should have a password, if that one is to remain exclusive to them.

Steet?

...Wooah, too complex for me, you're getting me headaches...I think I'll read that again...But I don't see why you're saying that single-section mods should be able to access the shout box mod panel.



Errr...No. Forums and site are separated. The mods choose if they want to ban on the shout boxes too or not, by default it's not the case.


No again, shout box mods can ban people on the forums (although that's only because it's on the same page)

About the mods section on the forums, it's not so much used actually, and will probably be even less used now that there is a shoutbox for doing the same things.

Thanks Dark_Wolf.

And thanks to everyone for your input. I'm not saying that I want the right to ban people...frankly, I don't want that headache. (Though I've been messaged several times by certain people, or peoples' friends, begging me to unban them. And I have my hands full convincing them that I cannot ban OR unban anyone!) Apparently, Arcturus (not his full member name), with whom I had some small problems in the fan fiction forum (and whom I reported to the global mods on several occasions, resulting in a ban) thinks I banned him...and has been grumbling about that to anyone who will listen. Ironic.

Would there, perhaps, be a way to set up a general mod board, accessible by ANY mod, in the forum section? I mean, separate of the global mod forum board? It might help the mods if they have a dedicated place they can communicate with each other about issues. Just as, in theory at least, it helps the global forum mods to do the same (or at least to be aware of who's on the banned lists). And couldn't ALL the mods have access to the banned list to see who is and who isn't? And to the mod shoutbox?

Seems to me that it doesn't impinge upon the authority or security of the other mods to go that far.

I will open the mods shout box to all the mods (well it already is, except for section mods that I forgot about).

Incidentally, Dark_Wolf, and this is admittedly off-topic, but it's good to hear from you again. I miss participating in role-play with you, and I keep wondering what might have been with that one RP you started about Balto being dognapped...

Well, if that won't bother any of the other mods, then I'm cool with that. Steet - you really are doing great things to help your site and its members.