At the request of the Site Administrator

[Chris Houston]

You are quite entitled to your opinion and I would not discourage anyone from stating their opinion.

To address your points - us regualar users do like a bit of banter.  But infrequent site users can be put off posting by feeling that there is some sort of clique and the jokes that 99% of forum users probably don't get having not been following the chain are something we have received more complaints about in the past than anyone's language.  That is why I do recommend "getting back to the subject" and dislike pages of banter in the middle of a debate on Fire Safety.  Site users can post banter in the "Meeting Room".

As you seem to be demonstrating yourself, people don't like moderators editing things without good reason.  So I have to make a judgement when someone is "impolite" or "rude".  My policy is to therefore only take action when there is an overwhelming case to do so.  My most recent decision on this has not met with universal approval, but the majority do seem to support my approach.  

All site users are welcome to voice their opinion on the subject and please do let me know if you think I need to be harsher, but I would speculate that most people want a "hand's off" moderator and I think that the FireNet has the highest quality of posting and debate on any site I use and I think that is a testimant to the quality of the users, the quality of the debate and the low key moderation.

For comaprison purposes why not take a look at ambulance999 forum and tell me which you prefer.

Chris,
The moderator you are stuck with.

[Wiz]

Chris, I was amazed by your comment that the level of complaints regarding banter, is greater that those about anyone's language (surely a mistake!  )

Obviously, you analyse the stream of statistics churned out by the forum's hi-tech monitoring systems, so it must be one of those facts many of us would have to label 'strange but true'

Pondering this fact and wondering how the banter could be preserved but not 'spoil' the thread for those who have not been 'following the chain' (do you mean there really are people responding to posts on Firenet without reading the earlier posts that invoked that post?  ) I was wondering if a solution could be found.

Running the risk that my new idea will join my 'spell checker' idea that was put in the special box you keep in your basement on the assumption that any idea from me is an attempt to steal your job * (even taking into account any possible paranoia you are so far away from the truth), may I make the following suggestion to moderation rules:

'When the moderator considers a chain of posts contain so much banter that it is too far 'off subject' he/she (that's got you thinking!) will move those posts (those containing pure banter) to an 'out of control banter' section where the miscreants can continue 'bantering' with each other until they collapse into a heap of mutual giggling and become no longer able to continue. Those that can't understand or detest the banter could therefore avoid the new section and the original post thread can continue without it being 'stained' by the banter.

Surely everybody will be happy with that system?

Surely it is an idea of pure genius at a level rarely encountered in this home for the slightly bewildered?

Does no one else agree?

Hello?

Can you hear me?

* ps - The only job I want is Prof. Kurnal's.- Riding the range assessing risks with a glint in his eye and the dust of the past on his shiny new crocodile boots. Whistling happy tunes whilst gleefully firing off posts to Firenet in all directions at an average rate of 2.7 words per second, day and night. What a life! What a man! What hero to us other bantering residents!

[Clevelandfire]

For my money Chris does a good job and to look at every single threat and comment what take up a great deal of time.

Whilst i like humour i think for new members when we do jape with one another it can give the impression we are all cliquey of perhaps a closed group or know each other well and it could be daunting as a "new boy or girl"

Agree with other posters too regarding the way legislation has gone to a point. We haven't really been given any additional powers, but it has to be said we were always the friendly enforcers, now our remit has changed slightly and we being asked by government to flex some muscle. Nothing wrong with that as it is not an abuse of power all we are doing is job, and spending more on resources to be trained on more effective enforcement and dealing with the legal stuff. Some people dont like it because the old regime meant they could "get away" with certain things. The new legislation for the first time allows us to look into types of premises we weren't able to before. one thing is for sure and thats that middle ground doesnt seem to exist. People I deal with either say they just want to be told how to comply (ie prescription) others feel we are overbearing and should relax standards.

[Clevelandfire]

'When the moderator considers a chain of posts contain so much banter that it is too far 'off subject' he/she (that's got you thinking!) will move those posts (those containing pure banter) to an 'out of control banter' section where the miscreants can continue 'bantering' with each other until they collapse into a heap of mutual giggling and become no longer able to continue. Those that can't understand or detest the banter could therefore avoid the new section and the original post thread can continue without it being 'stained' by the banter.

Wiz

I know you arent my biggest fan despite my sticking up for you once against the current and incumbent Mr Houston which almost made you faint but lets not dwell on that, i actually agree that your suggestion is good. One problem I forsee is that if the banter was moved to a new section it wouldnt flow properly as there would be constant chopping and changing of the conversation maybe. So say banter from a thread on "fire alarms" would be pasted into the new section by chris, then in another thread about "emergency lighting" some more banter occurs which also then gets pasted into the new section. As a result say you wanted to respond to something i said in the fire alarm thread but then cant find my comment because other inate banter from emergency lighting thread has followed on since my last post? The mix of the fire alarm and emergency lighting threads may then look like a new thread of absolute confusion?

[Clevelandfire]

I agree with Clevelandfire that Chris Houston is moderating at an inappropriate level and runs the risk of sanitising this forum to such an extent that it will become boring. Oh my god what have I said! Please don't yellow card me oh powerful one.
Chris, Joking aside, people are getting fed up and will leave this forum if you carry on intervening the way you do.

I never said Chris' moderating was innapropriate. this is why I get my hair off at people because they dont read what ive put properly. But hey ho ill remain calm

[Wiz]

'When the moderator considers a chain of posts contain so much banter that it is too far 'off subject' he/she (that's got you thinking!) will move those posts (those containing pure banter) to an 'out of control banter' section where the miscreants can continue 'bantering' with each other until they collapse into a heap of mutual giggling and become no longer able to continue. Those that can't understand or detest the banter could therefore avoid the new section and the original post thread can continue without it being 'stained' by the banter.

Wiz

I know you arent my biggest fan despite my sticking up for you once against the current and incumbent Mr Houston which almost made you faint but lets not dwell on that, i actually agree that your suggestion is good. One problem I forsee is that if the banter was moved to a new section it wouldnt flow properly as there would be constant chopping and changing of the conversation maybe. So say banter from a thread on "fire alarms" would be pasted into the new section by chris, then in another thread about "emergency lighting" some more banter occurs which also then gets pasted into the new section. As a result say you wanted to respond to something i said in the fire alarm thread but then cant find my comment because other inate banter from emergency lighting thread has followed on since my last post? The mix of the fire alarm and emergency lighting threads may then look like a new thread of absolute confusion?

Clevelandfire,
The idea is that there would be different threads within the 'out of control banter' section, so that the related banter was all put in one thread (within the section) and not all lumped together with other unrelated banter. If it was mixed up  then, the banter wouldn't make sense, or be funny, as you rightly point out.

I appreciate that some of the banter is contained within the actual answers to the thread and surely these are not a big problem and can stay where they are. Surely, the problem is when there a number of posts, one after the other, that are entirely banter and it becomes diifciult to follow the original serious point of the thread? It is these that should possibly be 'relocated'.

I am disappointed that some members feel that the banter is 'cliquey' because I always thought a clique was where some people were excluded by the members of the clique. I've always found those who like the banter welcome contributions from absolutely anyone. In fact some of the banter contributions from people who don't otherwise post that much have been magnificent in their content! Everyone is welcome to become a resident in the home for the slightly bewildered and can even try to 'hit on' Matron, if they are brave enough!

I presume, and fully understand, that some people trying to follow the 'serious' part of the thread get distracted by banter that they might not understand. I say they should 'hang on in there' and when they get the gist of it, to join in. They'd be made welcome by the other residents, I feel.

I can't remember ever having a problem with the administrator where I have have needed anyone to stand up for me and I can't remember nearly fainting! But I do remember you once saying to the administrator 'I found wiz's comments very funny', to which I replied 'Well that would be a be a first!' - My comment was in jest of course, and I do hope you took it that way

I'm a fan of everyone who argues their viewpoint with a fairly reasonable amount of respect for the other person's opinions and feelings and I genuinely look forward to becoming your fan in this respect.

[Chris Houston]

Gents,

Before you spend too much time debating the "splitting the thread" idea - please note that the software doesn't give us this option.  Posts can be closed, stuck and moved, but not split.  Non-starter.

[Wiz]

Gents,

Before you spend too much time debating the "splitting the thread" idea - please note that the software doesn't give us this option.  Posts can be closed, stuck and moved, but not split.  Non-starter.

I therefore now retract my previous 'genius' remark!

[Clevelandfire]

i am disappointed that some members feel that the banter is 'cliquey' because I always thought a clique was where some people were excluded by the members of the clique. I've always found those who like the banter welcome contributions from absolutely anyone. In fact some of the banter contributions from people who don't otherwise post that much have been magnificent in their content! Everyone is welcome to become a resident in the home for the slightly bewildered and can even try to 'hit on' Matron, if they are brave enough!

I did take it in the way it was meant Wiz

The banter here is excellent and a nice part of joining the site but  while there are no cliques here as we regulars know a new member it may seem as such perhaps.

I look forward to you looking forward to becoming a fan of mine of which there are several. I promise Im not all that bad when you get to know me honest, and as my mother used to say generally we dislike those who most resemble ourselves . By that of course she wasn't saying you are fat ugly and from cleveland like me but you know what I mean.

[Thomas Brookes]

It is always hard to moderate a forum like this one, and on the whole I think Chris is doing a good job, I have seen in the past other forums die because the moderator just thinks why do I bother.
I do feel some of the people on here do get very aggressive  and try and make attacks (in my case, about my qualifications and my right to make a comment) if someone has a different opinion to them.
I have only been on here a few weeks and nearly called it a day after the "how to tell what detector thread" to such an extent that I registered a different account on here so I was not using my real name, and deleted my original text. I then thought I why should people get away with bullying, I think a lot of the people on here are very knowledgeable  and give great reasoning to there point of veiw, and I for one am happy to comunicte and debate with the likes of Kurnal, Graeme, Davo, Benzerari to name a few.
If the few bully's listened more to what is actually being said rather than what they think is being said, they possibly would not get so agressive. Some of the guys on here have massive amounts of knowledge to share, you can not buy this sort of experience.
I just hope the good guys arnt pushed off this site. I for one come on this site to improve my knowledge and if I can help others.

[Wiz]

.... to such an extent that I registered a different account on here so I was not using my real name......

Thomas, I think this happens more times than you might first imagine

....and I for one am happy to comunicte and debate with the likes of Kurnal, Graeme, Davo, Benzerari to name a few.

Have you not considered the possibility that these might all be one and the same person?  

[Wiz]

..... you can not buy this sort of experience.

Not so. Get in touch and I'll send you a schedule of rates

[Graeme]

.... to such an extent that I registered a different account on here so I was not using my real name......

Thomas, I think this happens more times than you might first imagine

....and I for one am happy to comunicte and debate with the likes of Kurnal, Graeme, Davo, Benzerari to name a few.

Have you not considered the possibility that these might all be one and the same person?  

no way Mr Wiz.. deffo not Benzerari too. or is he my dark side???

just kidding Benz

[Allen Higginson]

.... to such an extent that I registered a different account on here so I was not using my real name......

Thomas, I think this happens more times than you might first imagine

....and I for one am happy to comunicte and debate with the likes of Kurnal, Graeme, Davo, Benzerari to name a few.

Have you not considered the possibility that these might all be one and the same person?  

LOL!!!!Can hear Graeme from here!!

[Clevelandfire]

Oh so hang on then is there an element of false flag operations going on here?. Are Wiz and Chris Houston the same person really? Does Chris log on as Wiz to critisize himself in an attempt to gather compliments and kind words from other members about how good he is as a moderator? I think PhilB and Todd are the same person and Midland Retty and CivvyFSO are the same person and I think I am the same person as Kurnal