[NFS]

Originally Posted by vivekk

After contributing to the forum for over two and a half years, the UK section looks like it's in a bit of a mess- believe me.

I'd like the place 'tidied up' & I hope others are in agreement with me.


Thanks.

Viv

Does any of this really matter in the grand scheme of things?

I say throw away the rule book and let freedom reign

[Serjames]

I agree with NFs, and am Looking towards the "new" forum, but I feel pehaps a little sad...

I actually never felt the need to move this way, "OT" in the thread title was good enough for me, but Lets see how it goes

what DOES upset me is when people feel the need to attack individuals.

I guess this is a throwback to the more brute nature of our "survival of the fittest" attitude which unfortunatley means BASHING the weaker members.

Well, I'm proud to say I stepped out the tar a long time ago and am happy to embrace people's idiosyncrasies...

Those that seem to need to attack can as easily ignore, change the channel or perhaps contribute...

(wow I sound like my primary school teacher!)

SJ

[RockIt]

Originally Posted by Serjames

I agree with NFs, and am Looking towards the "new" forum, but I feel pehaps a little sad...

I actually never felt the need to move this way, "OT" in the thread title was good enough for me, but Lets see how it goes

what DOES upset me is when people feel the need to attack individuals.

I guess this is a throwback to the more brute nature of our "survival of the fittest" attitude which unfortunatley means BASHING the weaker members.

Well, I'm proud to say I stepped out the tar a long time ago and am happy to embrace people's idiosyncrasies...

Those that seem to need to attack can as easily ignore, change the channel or perhaps contribute...

(wow I sound like my primary school teacher!)

SJ

Don't knock primary school teachers! We're alright really and rarely fit the stereotype these days.

[Serjames]

actually I fancied mine ()

SJ

[RockIt]

Originally Posted by Serjames

actually I fancied mine ()

SJ

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Serjames

I agree with NFs, and am Looking towards the "new" forum, but I feel pehaps a little sad...

I actually never felt the need to move this way, "OT" in the thread title was good enough for me, but Lets see how it goes

what DOES upset me is when people feel the need to attack individuals.

I guess this is a throwback to the more brute nature of our "survival of the fittest" attitude which unfortunatley means BASHING the weaker members.

Well, I'm proud to say I stepped out the tar a long time ago and am happy to embrace people's idiosyncrasies...

Those that seem to need to attack can as easily ignore, change the channel or perhaps contribute...

(wow I sound like my primary school teacher!)

SJ

Im so with you on this buddy, i think the forum was fine with OT in titles and i am now jumping to and fro...

I aint an idiot mate, and i hope you dont think that of me.

I aint a weaker member, Oli is the weaker member


Carlos

[vivekk]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

Does any of this really matter in the grand scheme of things?

I say throw away the rule book and let freedom reign

Originally Posted by Serjames

I agree with NFs, and am Looking towards the "new" forum, but I feel pehaps a little sad...

I actually never felt the need to move this way, "OT" in the thread title was good enough for me, but Lets see how it goes

what DOES upset me is when people feel the need to attack individuals.

I guess this is a throwback to the more brute nature of our "survival of the fittest" attitude which unfortunatley means BASHING the weaker members.

Well, I'm proud to say I stepped out the tar a long time ago and am happy to embrace people's idiosyncrasies...

Those that seem to need to attack can as easily ignore, change the channel or perhaps contribute...

(wow I sound like my primary school teacher!)

SJ

I do think there was a need to separate the OT threads, as do a lot of other members and the forum administrators.

Problems have been created as a result of the huge growth in OT threads, including verbal attacks (on one particular individual!) and the increased difficulty for members finding the information they are trying to find.

These problems were not evident a year ago. It is also not simply the result of 'more' threads & 'more' members.

Several existing & newer members have also PMed me to say that they don't feel the forum helps them find the information they're looking for about their cars, because of the OT threads.

The 'OT:' prefixing of topics did help to some degree, but there were still ongoing problems.

The creation of the 'Off-topic' subforum will hopefully please most of the UK members, if not all of them.


I've been in contact with one of the admins, Mark, & he does agree with me that the UK forum does require peer-administrators.

Following some technical enhancements of the vbulletin software used in this forum, there will be a number of administrators set-up in the UK forum.

More information will follow soon.

All the best.

Viv

[Z4 Beemer]

Good Evening Viv,

I was just through in the OT section enjoying a quiet drink, but have just popped back across here to see who's about

Peer administraors...? people who can only admin the UK forum?

[vivekk]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

Good Evening Viv,

I was just through in the OT section enjoying a quiet drink, but have just popped back across here to see who's about

Peer administraors...? people who can only admin the UK forum?

Hi Gordon.

Mark & Jason have told me that there will be a 'few' current UK members who will be given additional account privileges. They will be free to roam the whole forum, but will be able to carry out the likes of thread closure in the UK section, if necessary.

I expect this will provide a means of improved monitoring of the UK section, by acting on behalf of the forum admins, Mark & Jason.

All the best.

Viv

[silverbmwz3]

And they probably need the new vbulletin software because if they gave you admin privs right now they'd apply across the whole site.

I'm getting used to this OT section lark, let's see how it goes. I was happy before other than the personal attacks which were unnecessary.

Carlos> Don't be so paranoid - every time you see the word idiot or any other word or phrase it doesn't necessarily mean you

[Oli]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Im so with you on this buddy, i think the forum was fine with OT in titles and i am now jumping to and fro...

I aint an idiot mate, and i hope you dont think that of me.

I aint a weaker member, Oli is the weaker member


Carlos

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by silverbmwz3

And they probably need the new vbulletin software because if they gave you admin privs right now they'd apply across the whole site.

I'm getting used to this OT section lark, let's see how it goes. I was happy before other than the personal attacks which were unnecessary.

Carlos> Don't be so paranoid - every time you see the word idiot or any other word or phrase it doesn't necessarily mean you

Vbulletin enables simple setting up of Moderators. Distinct from Admins. Moderators can have the power to lock, edit, delete and move posts. They can also have access to hidden Admin forums depending on group policies. 10 second job to add Mods, only care to limit their influence over one section (UK).

I have used Vbulletin quite extensively as a Mod. Some good tools to block spammers etc.

I am also overall Admin (installing, updating, coding, customising and backup) on another Forum using phpbb.

You learn a lot about human nature and also about spammers

D.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Dave_3

Vbulletin enables simple setting up of Moderators. Distinct from Admins. Moderators can have the power to lock, edit, delete and move posts. They can also have access to hidden Admin forums depending on group policies. 10 second job to add Mods, only care to limit their influence over one section (UK).

I have used Vbulletin quite extensively as a Mod. Some good tools to block spammers etc.

I am also overall Admin (installing, updating, coding, customising and backup) on another Forum using phpbb.

You learn a lot about human nature and also about spammers

D.

I would like to be a Mod, must be good fun

[DaveC]

Naah its not, you can never please everyone - sort of a job you can't win at.

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

I would like to be a Mod, must be good fun

It takes a bit of commitment and diplomacy.

Rather like being a really good bouncer in that you can spot things before they kick off, and gently divert them or nip them in the bud. And if it does flare up, any actions you take can be done swiftly, firmly and discretely without the other punters even noticing at all. LAST thing you want is a bunch of rubber-neckers joining in the fracas !

If either job is done well nobody notices, everything seems to work fine ...

D.

[DaveC]

.... and nobody thinks you do anything.

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by DaveC

.... and nobody thinks you do anything.

Exactly.

D.

[silverbmwz3]

I was mod on a few "talkers" years ago before forums really took off. I developed one myself - it was written in C and was a bit like IRC if you've ever used that.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Dave_3

It takes a bit of commitment and diplomacy

Rather like being a really good bouncer in that you can spot things before they kick off, and gently divert them or nip them in the bud. And if it does flare up, any actions you take can be done swiftly, firmly and discretely without the other punters even noticing at all. LAST thing you want is a bunch of rubber-neckers joining in the fracas !

If either job is done well nobody notices, everything seems to work fine ...

D.

Ive got those two

[Bumps]

Viv (et al),

I think the OT section is good news, separates the wheat from the chaff as it were, and should please both types of users of the forum (ie those looking for serious BMW stuff and those looking for a bit of a laugh/gossip etc). Depending upon circumstances and mood, IMHO we all probably fit into both of those types at some stage.

This has definitely improved the forum IMHO.

[mjh93sa]

The forum has grown and grown. We have certainly seen an explosion of numbers in the UK section, particulalry in the last year.

Go back a couple of years and the regional forums were a significantly quieter place and there was hardly even a need for them. Now that the numbers have crossed some sort of threshold they have taken a life of their own, and I know that some people only browse their own corner of the world now.

Given this and the inevitable increase in the rate of posts it is a logical and necessary progression to further split the regional forums by topic. Equally, the amount of admin that Mark and Jason must have to put in these days surely means that the use of some local assistance is both necessary and a polite way of assisting what is a great forum. If nothing else, some local representation in the same timezone could more rapidly address any problems.

[Z4 Beemer]

Originally Posted by mjh93sa

The forum has grown and grown. We have certainly seen an explosion of numbers in the UK section, particulalry in the last year.

Go back a couple of years and the regional forums were a significantly quieter place and there was hardly even a need for them. Now that the numbers have crossed some sort of threshold they have taken a life of their own, and I know that some people only browse their own corner of the world now.

Given this and the inevitable increase in the rate of posts it is a logical and necessary progression to further split the regional forums by topic. Equally, the amount of admin that Mark and Jason must have to put in these days surely means that the use of some local assistance is both necessary and a polite way of assisting what is a great forum. If nothing else, some local representation in the same timezone could more rapidly address any problems.

Well said. The interviews for moderators are being held on Wednesday