# Moderators--What makes you tick?



## Trevalon Moonleirion (Aug 3, 2002)

One of the biggest reasons why this place is so nifty is our all-powerful mods making sure we're all playing nice; so I figured, ya know...why not ask our ENWorld celebrities a few questions.  These are real questions, but most of them will probably get nonsensical answers--which would be good for a laugh.  

Do you feel powerful while cruising the messageboards?

How long have you been a valiant defender of peace here?

How did you become a moderator? (Was it money, physical intimidation, or slipping Eric Noah or Morrus some hallucinogens?)

This was mildly amusing to me at 3 a.m. and probably won't be later, but I AM actually interested in the answers to the questions.  I think my new job as section leader in the school marching band sort of reminded me of being a moderator.

Anyone else have questions for the mods or admins?  Maybe if you ask nice they'll give you an autograph!


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## Leopold (Aug 3, 2002)

why i became a small mod?

Easy, someone needed to take charge of the Daemonforge stie and I was watching it go to hell in a handbasket, so I stepped up to the plate, asked morrus kindly , and he obliged me by helping give me the tools to make a great product even better!

so I owe it all to morrus!

do i get a big head about it?

No, I did at one time, but I am small in power compared to the uber might that Darkness, Ashtal, and PC wield with swift and unerring accuracy! I am toejam on their pinky toe in power comparison, all hail them..


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## AGGEMAM (Aug 3, 2002)

Leopold said:
			
		

> *No, I did at one time, but I am small in power compared to the uber might that Darkness, Ashtal, and PC wield with swift and unerring accuracy! I am toejam on their pinky toe in power comparison, all hail them..  *




Ok, Brown Nose, it is time to breathe.. 

Actually I would not mind moderating the rules forum, if you need another moderator at any point in the fore-seeable future.

PS: The sole and only reason I am not a surporter yet is the fact that you do not take any of the creditcards I have.


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## Crothian (Aug 3, 2002)

AGGEMAM said:
			
		

> *
> Actually I would not mind moderating the rules forum, if you need another moderator at any point in the fore-seeable future.
> *




You just want to see what goes on in the Moderator only forum.


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## AGGEMAM (Aug 3, 2002)

Crothian said:
			
		

> *You just want to see what goes on in the Moderator only forum.   *




I can only do that at nighttime when the kids are asleep  Nasty business.


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## Darkness (Aug 4, 2002)

AGGEMAM, in case you weren't just joking, here's a quote for you from the FAQ:



> *Can I be a moderator?*
> 
> It's invitation only, I'm afraid. My philosophy is that those who actively seek moderatorship probably aren't suited to the job. Not a perfect criteria, admittedly, but it's the general rule I tend to go by.
> 
> To be honest, it's not as much fun as you think it is!


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## Crothian (Aug 4, 2002)

Darkness said:
			
		

> *AGGEMAM, in case you weren't just joking, here's a quote for you from the FAQ:
> 
> *




So, how did you get drafted?


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## AGGEMAM (Aug 4, 2002)

Crothian said:
			
		

> *So, how did you get drafted? *




His connection to belzebub helped !

Now I was not actually joking, it is because I am going to have a lot of spare time to spend in the next 4 to 6 months, and while I know it is not know (I have been a network admin for a few years) that it is not that funny, it is definately better than sitting on your rump doing nothing.

But, hey, if you won't my help (that is how I interperate your comment, *Darkness*) I won't ask again.

EDIT: And no, I did not read the FAQ.


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## Mark (Aug 4, 2002)

AGGEMAM said:
			
		

> *...it is definately better than sitting on your rump doing nothing.*




 Looking for something to do...? 

http://www.creativemountaingames.co...CAT_ID=9&Forum_Title=All+International+Forums


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## Darkness (Aug 4, 2002)

AGGEMAM said:
			
		

> *
> 
> His connection to belzebub helped !
> 
> ...



Nah, you misunderstood me. Sorry about that... I was being a bit too cryptic, I guess. 

More directly:

You see, Eric had the policy that those who actively seek to become moderators are probably not fit for the job. And Morrus also adheres to this policy. Thus, asking in some random thread won't help much (also, it could well be that Morrus doesn't even read this thread, given that it's kinda OT even for Meta). Actually, _just_ asking probably won't help much in most cases. If you see something that you think could be done better - by you, that is -, though, and you pointed that out (including how you could help), your chances would be better.

And that's what I tried to point out to you (which is why I quoted the relevant part of the FAQ).

So no, it's not that I don't _want_ your help; rather, I figured that you probably haven't read the pertinent part of the FAQ and thus, might hurt your chances because of a lack of information. 

(Side note: The "main" forums - e.g., GD, Rules, Meta, etc. - probably have enough moderators already, anyway, though...)

That being said...
Good luck!


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## Psionicist (Aug 4, 2002)

For your info, moderating is pretty boring. It is not "cool", it is not fun. It's just work... Lots of work. But someone have to do it. I am a super moderator at a swedish computer forum. 12000 members, most of them are very immature and cannot behave. We have to ban people several times per week. That is not funny at all.


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## Darkness (Aug 4, 2002)

Crothian said:
			
		

> *
> 
> So, how did you get drafted? *



Running with the wrong crowd, maybe? 

Heh.

Nah, actually, Eric asked me last August. My computer was broken at the time, though, and so it took me a while to start - and some other delays made it longer still...


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## Darkness (Aug 4, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *For your info, moderating is pretty boring. It is not "cool", it is not fun. It's just work... Lots of work. But someone have to do it. *



Amen, brother... 



> *I am a super moderator at a swedish computer forum. 12000 members, most of them are very immature and cannot behave. We have to ban people several times per week. That is not funny at all.*



 Sorry to hear that it's so severe there, Psionicist.


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## Piratecat (Aug 4, 2002)

Psionicist said:
			
		

> *I am a super moderator at a swedish computer forum. 12000 members, most of them are very immature and cannot behave. We have to ban people several times per week. That is not funny at all. *




You have it worse than we do!

Eric asked me to help a few years ago, first making me a moderator of the new story hour forum, and then expanding it from there. At one point, for a joke, he made me an admin... and then forgot to turn it off. <looks both ways> Hopefully he isn't reading this now!


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## Darkness (Aug 4, 2002)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> *
> ...
> 
> Eric ...  At one point, for a joke, he made me an admin... and then forgot to turn it off. <looks both ways> Hopefully he isn't reading this now! *



Turn him off first, then.  You have the power - abuse it!!!


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## Grazzt (Aug 4, 2002)

Darkness said:
			
		

> *Turn him off first, then.  You have the power - abuse it!!!  *




Basically Eric made me an Admin when I moved my site over to be hosted by his 3e D&D site (Dec 2000 or Jan 2001). And I've been ad Admin ever since.


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## gamecat (Aug 4, 2002)

What makes moderators tick: 100%. Pure. Sadism.


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## EricNoah (Aug 5, 2002)

Undercooked pork.  

Oh wait, I thought it was what makes moderators _sick_ .  Oops, my bad.

I don't know that I had a policy per se.  If a person wrote to me saying "ooh, can I be a moderator" I generally asked myself why someone would want to do that.  

Usually I picked someone who was here a lot, showed a lot of common sense, was quick to give useful answers and advice, were kind to newbies, and stayed really cool under pressure (didn't fly off the handle often, used a soft answer to turn away wrath, sought first to understand and then be understood, etc.).  And once I had a little cadre of mods I took their suggestions for new mods.  

It's often not fun.  You sometimes have people almost point blank challenging mods, pushing the limits of what's acceptable, then spouting off about free speech or not being constistent.  I think the best thing I did was not have too many hard and fast rules.  You really had to follow the spirit of the rules rather than the letter of them (I mean, "don't offend Eric's Grandmother" was about the extent of the written rules).

But the benefit is that thousands of people interact here and have a great time.  And over time the forums gain a sort of self-moderating aspect that's really cool to see.


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## Darkness (Aug 5, 2002)

Sorry that I called it a "policy," Eric; I guess "guideline" might have been a better word. But, you know, it _was_ somewhat difficult to summarize...  Sorry again. 



			
				Trevalon Moonleirion said:
			
		

> *
> Do you feel powerful while cruising the messageboards?
> 
> How long have you been a valiant defender of peace here?
> ...



Regarding "powerful:" I feel the responsibility more than the power... Regardless - I bear the weight of both to the best of my ability, even though it can be tough at times.

As for the other two questions: Refer to my above post.


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## el-remmen (Aug 5, 2002)

I am just an alt id of Eric Noah.


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## Henry (Aug 6, 2002)

I take it the Spider-Man quote might be appropriate here?


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## Ashtal (Aug 6, 2002)

Completely accidental.  

I was given mod status to help test the new boards, a few iterations back, and they forgot to take it away.

Shhhh...don't tell!


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## Darkness (Aug 6, 2002)

Henry said:
			
		

> *I take it the Spider-Man quote might be appropriate here?  *



I'm more for the Conan quote, actually:

("Conan! What is best in life?"

etc.)


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