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Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Who...

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:05 am
by Howard Mass
Mass Dispatch 21.0

In this week's edition of Mass Dispatch................

The Mass Matter focuses on the recent surge of Users committing violations on Forums including what could be on the horizon for some Users. We also have another week of “Beat The Commish”

In Ask Howard, we have questions about rolling back The General NBA Board Policy and Mass Dispatch.

We then have our Mass Dispatch User, Thread and Moderator of The Week with a preview for next week's General Off-Topic Board User of The Month Award

Inside The Administrators Office discusses two Users who have turned the opportunity to become Moderators over the past few months.

Let's get right to The Mass Matter................


The Mass Matter: Trolling and Derailing Discussion

When I first started out as The Orlando Magic Moderator on these Forums, I set a goal for us to become a Forum that was actually Moderated and Users could always get in touch with Moderators.

Not too many Forums were like that before we launched in 2001.

Over time, many of our Forums have grown into a community that is moderated and a place for great discussion with fellow fans of User's favorite teams.

It has been over 13 years since these forums started and in that time, there have been some bumps in the road but we have always fixed things whether it be our General NBA Board Policy or having a temporary crackdown and tweaking policies like we did years on our New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers Forums, we always get it done.

Lately, I have noticed an uptick in Users Trolling Forums and attempting to Derail Discussion.

Just to refresh some memories, here is what Trolling and Derailing Discussion as outlined in rules #3 and #4 in The Forum Rules

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1267700

3. Do Not Derail Discussion

Members who disrupt the normal flow of dialogue or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other users’ ability to engage in real-time exchanges may be warned, Suspended or Banned.

Sometimes there are controversial trades, signings, decisions, etc. made by teams. It is ok to state your opinion but please do not keeping beating the drum negatively on that team's forum for weeks, months or years after the fact over something you do not like.


4. No Trolling, Baiting Users, Personal Attacks or Post Padding

Members who participate in discussions should attempt to make a meaningful contribution. Users who post with the sole intention of starting up trouble, increasing their post count and ranking may be warned, suspended or banned.


These two violations are especially picking up on our General NBA Board and some of our larger team forums.

We even have some of this “reverse trolling” as mentioned in last week's edition.

If you see this anywhere on the forums, simply hit the ! In the top right of the post so it I reported. The Moderators will then handle it.

I will not allow even a small group of Users to troll a fan base

About 99.9 percent of all of our Users obey our rules and are good Users. I am not going to allow a small group to ruin the great discussion for those Users.

I want to let it be known that if I have to take extra measures to stop these Users from derailing the discussion on our forums like a long suspension, setting their permissions where they cannot a certain forum or even tightening things for a bit on a forum to crackdown on them you better damn well believe that I will do it.



“Beat The Commish” Week 11

It was a really crappy week for “The Commish”. It seems it's either a hugh high or a huge low.

Obviously, it was a huge low at 6-8 although when the best record was 9-5, you know it was a bumpy week.

Here is everyone who “Beat The Commish” this week


Users

Greatness: 9-5
RIPSkaterdude: 9-5
The Regime: 9-5
TheKingofSting: 9-5
NyCeEv0: 8-6
Slot Machine: 8-6
WVU: 8-6
bish: 7-7
Deep3CL: 7-7
DK-All Day: 7-7
EArl: 7-7
ElectricMayhem: 7-7
Wavy Q: 7-7
hermes: 6-8


Moderators

Geoffrey P.- 8-6
kdawg32086: 8-6
bondom34: 7-7
dream34: 7-7
studcrackers: 7-7

Although it looks like The Users won this week, I still have to do the official tabulations and add everything to the overall standings.

It's just been a very long week behind the scenes at RealGM with lots to do.

I am hoping for a better week overall this coming week.

Please make your Week 12 Picks

viewtopic.php?f=437&t=1356011



Ask Howard

Have a question about RealGM? The Forums? An Issue you would like me to address publicly or something in general? Just post it in the Ask Howard Thread of The Mass Dispatch Forum or you could send me a PM and I just might answer it in my next column.

Ginobiliflops Asks in response to my “I am a forgiving guy” comment: Really? I've been banned for like three years and apparently even after your suspension is over, there's a small likelihood of ever getting reinstated. If RealGM dropped their holier-than-thou approach then maybe the GB wouldn't be so stagnant.

Howard's Response: Unfortunately, the tight General NBA Board Policy is necessary to keep things in line on the forum especially with 30 different fan bases and others fans who only support individual players.

We have looked at moving some violations to soft strikes but I have no intention of getting rid of the policy. I have said in the past that I do not like having to have the policy but it was the only way to keep the forum in line.

As for ever getting reinstated, That's up to you convincing The General NBA Board Moderator Appeals Committee and Users have gotten their Read-Only Access Status overturned after multiple times having been turned down.

SF88 Asks/Suggests: I think the GB would have much better discussion and lot more activity if they laxed on the rules. I realize it got out of control before but its better now. Go back to how it was back when the GB was actually popular.

Howard's Response: I do chat with The General NBA Board Moderators about making some violations soft strikes.

Unfortunately, if The policy went away, things would likely get out of control.

The Forum still has tons of discussion too if you look at the first few pages so it is actually still popular.

E86 Asks/Suggests: You should probably keep these down to once a month, I don't think anyone cares about mass dispatches anymore because they're so frequent now that it just feels like forum spam.

Howard's Response: Mass Dispatch might take off a week every now and then but I find it to be a very valuable tool to communicate with Users.

It is certainly not forum spam and based on the wonderful response and private messages that I receive, I think people definitely do care.

Mass Dispatch User, Thread and Moderator of The Week, “King of The GOTB” Preview

It is time for our Weekly Awards. If you would like to nominate a User, Thread or Moderator for an Award, just make a post on The Mass Dispatch Forum or send me a PM.

Mass Dispatch User of The Week

AdamTheGreek

Adam has always been an energetic user on our Orlando Magic Forum. Over the years, I have watched him grow from a young user on that forum to one of our best.

He also runs his own blog and is always making informative posts about big Magic subjects whether it be Maurice Harkless' lack of playing, Aaron Gordon's recent injury and analysis of games.

Adam is a wonderful user and am very happy he chooses to post here.

Congratulations to our Mass Dispatch User of The Week AdamTheGreek!

Mass Dispatch Thread of The Week

The Heat @Nets Game Thread on Our Miami Heat Forum!

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1355555

When LeBron James left for Cleveland this past summer, many people assumed The Miami Heat Fans were all band wagoners who would bail on The Heat without LeBron gone.

I never believed this and it is certainly not true.

Take a look at their Game Thread on Monday night

At least 20 Users had over 10 posts. The thread also had a total of 666 posts which is a lot for a game thread.

Just because LeBron James left, does not mean Miami Heat Fans are gone by a longshot.

Our Miami Heat Fans are a wonderful fanbase.

Congratulations to our Miami Heat Forum!

Mass Dispatch Moderator of The Week

Rhettmatic

Rhett has always been a good enforcer on our Toronto Raptors and Blue Jays Forums. He also used to moderate on our General NBA Board.

This past week, he was instrumental in laying down the law to a few Users who wanted to troll the forum and derail discussion.

He kept them coming this week so much that I had to delay my afternoon nap (I do my work during the overnight hours) because of it.

All was good though and I really appreciate Rhett's efforts this past week.

Congratulations to our Mass Dispatch Moderator of The Week Rhettmatic!

Next Week.........

We have our General Off-Topic Board User of The Month Award.

It is very close between a few Users and the current “King of The GOTB” hermes is in the mix yet again.

Feel free to make any pitches that you may have in the appropriate on our General NBA Board. Let me just give everyone a hint.....

Your conduct on other forums will be a factor in my decision.

"Inside The Administrator's Office"

The past two weeks, I have introduced two new Moderators to everyone in this space.

Unfortunately, two other very good and qualified Users have actually turned down the chance to become a Moderator over the last couple of months.

Some Users actually do turn down the opportunity and I know that will shock some ambitious users.

While not revealing names, let me tell you about these Users.

One is a Moderator that has a particular attribute that is needed on one Forum for a role that myself and The Moderators on that particular feel they can fill.

They did turn me down previously about a year ago as well but the Moderators on the Forum are trying to recruit the User and hopefully they can sway them.

The other User is someone who I feel could eventually moderate multiple forums. I've actually hinted in past edition of “Inside The Administrator's Office” to this User's identity.

Right now, time constraints are holding them back even though they are still quite active. This User is my current top target and have told them privately that I would really like to have them on the Moderator Staff. I've also done a few things to make them feel appreciated as a User and even exchange PM's with The User on some forum-related things.

It's a selection that would send shockwaves across one Forum and hope everything will eventually work out.

While I have other names on my prospects list, those are the only two Users that I am currently pursuing.

Contact Mass Dispatch

If anyone has a question, feedback, feel a user, thread or Moderator should be recognized or something they would like to see in Mass Dispatch, please post it on The Mass Dispatch Forum or send me a PM. You could even send me a note on Twitter @homassrealgm

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:21 am
by NyCeEvO
Congrats AdamTheGreek...

I, for one, do not feel that the weekly Mass Dispatch posts are "forum spam". I think they're awesome and quite informative. Keep doing them Howard!

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 2:44 am
by NeedsMoreCheese
derail this
Spoiler:
\ /



Spoiler:
lol jk

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 3:57 am
by MadNESS
Forgot to put my freakin picks in again! :banghead: :banghead:

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 4:05 am
by LLcoleJ
MadNESS wrote:Forgot to put my freakin picks in again! :banghead: :banghead:


Forget mine last week. :banghead:

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 4:54 am
by Hawk Eye
I disagree with E86, I actually really look forward to Howard's "Mass Dispatches" and they are one of my favorite parts of the realGM experience. I'm sure there are plenty of other posters who would back me up on this as well. If needed, maybe twice a month instead of the original proposed once a month dispatch announcements would be cool to.

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:16 am
by bondom34
Congrats Rhett!

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:03 am
by Maroko
Mass Dispatch Thread of The Week :eyebrows:

Best GameThread so far this season and thank you my Heatians :D

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:27 pm
by dice
people pad their post totals? what the hell for?

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 2:39 am
by magic22s
Congrats AdamTheGreek and Rhettmatic!

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:31 am
by Maroko
dice wrote:people pad their post totals? what the hell for?


According to multiple sources, the TOP3 posters are paid !

Spoiler:
nothing to see there... :nonono:

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:08 am
by Gremz
Howard is biggest billy goat gruff. He done gone gonna showed all them peeps who live under bridges.

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 5:55 pm
by Manocad
If that's not a request for the wheel of cheese I don't know what is

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:40 pm
by NeedsMoreCheese
Manocad wrote:If that's not a request for the wheel of cheese I don't know what is

I would also like 1 cheese wheel please

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 8:05 pm
by Manocad
dice wrote:people pad their post totals? what the hell for?

The answer lies within:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=realgm

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 3:42 am
by Sofia
viewtopic.php?p=41758631#p41758631

Some good posts on this page...

Re: Mass Dispatch 21.0.: Trouble With Trolling/Derailing; Wh

Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:59 pm
by OrlDave
.