Moderation,

[Hutch]

I thank the Moderators, for their help and guidance, but postings will always graduate away from the original posting, whether it be normally helpful.. I am at time one of the poster's to diverge, so please to others for the sake of the " Newbies lets not diverse too much. . And let us keep this good Forum going.

 

[Damian]

Thank you for that posting.

We know that topics can easily run off course , as is the nature of these things, but it is better to stick to the topic which started the thread and try not to go too far off course.

In one of my recent posts (when I mentioned that a person tripped a lot of power points ) that topic then veered off into "the site wiring must be at fault, it is not possible to trip a complete bollard etc.
The point of the topic was instantly lost into totally irrelevant comments about site wiring, which was, by the way, perfectly in order.

An assumption had been made, wrongly, that the problem was something other than stupidity of the user of the van I was attending (at 11pm would you believe)

We do not like having to remove postings, but we also want topics to address the original concern with accurate information, not guessing or "stab in the dark" fault finding.

 

[Thingy]

Personally I think the moderation here is exceptionally good, especially when you compare it to some of the other forums which can be really picky and petty. Like many others, I have occasionally erred, especially when I call a spade a spade. When I have been corrected it has always been sensibly done and never caused offence.

But I would like to plead that we dont make this into a one question one answer sort of place, otherwise it will simply become a technical bulletin board. I for one love the social aspect of the forum, it keeps me sane when I am outside my own personal caravanning season and keeps me in touch. Its good to have a chuckle too and a bit of banter.

If the OP had indeed tripped the bollard, wouldnt the fault finding have to be a stab in the dark 😛

I know we often digress from the original post/poster but sometimes that can have benefits. If the OP doesnt frame his question properly our meanderings can often stumble across the right answer.

 

[Brasso530]

Mods,you're doing a great job.Yes people have differences of opinions,but that's what makes this forum what it is,great source of info.
I see two problems why we go "off topic ", The op doesn't give enough info(licence type,correct weights etc) or op gets answer in first few replies,but doesn't say cheers and *** it in the bud there and then,so everyone goes off topic.
I love it,cheers.

 

[Parksy]

It's great that members enjoy the social side of the forum and long may it continue.
Our issue sometimes arises when a relatively simple d-i-y question has been asked, often by a new member, it's answered but the original point then becomes buried by page after page of unasked for data and dire warnings about possible legal consequences.
The newbie has stated at times that they wished they'd never asked.
It's not a big deal to ask technical gurus to continue to debate and discuss by all means, just not almost every time a new member asks a question, but to start their own topics.
Thanks for the vote of confidence 🙂

 

[Gafferbill]

Our two moderators have my vote of confidence 🙂

........am I the only one that does not like the term Newby?

To me it is a bit of a derogatory term and since this is an online forum, then none of us are in a position to judge the status of another poster.
In my experience the moment you think you are a knowledgeable caravanner with a good grip of what's involved, is the moment you learn the hard way that you were deluding yourself. 😗
Surely we are all equal here .......we just have long term members and new members and that is it.

I agree with Parksy and Damian ...... threads should be kept on topic and detailed technical discussions saved for their own thread.
My wife tells me (a teacher for over 40 years) that the skill of imparting knowledge at the right level to another person is 75% of a teacher's skills.
Swamping fairly basic questions or observations at the wrong level only leads to glazed expressions and the proverbial "gazing out of the window".

 

[Parksy]

Apologies Bill, I'm guilty as charged of using the term 'Newbie'. 😳
I honestly don't mean it to be derogatory in any way, and I'm referring to people who are new to this forum, not new to caravan ownership.
It's not a term that I particularly like either, but recent forum events including trying to tactfully compose emails off forum, checking past posts for facts and replying to various comments have taken a bite out of the time that I have available at a busy time in my life.
For this reason I used the term as a kind of shorthand, rather than having to type out 'person who is new to this forum' or something similar every time.
I'll try not to use the term again. 🙂

 

[Raywood]

I accept that some posts have gone off the subject and I am one who has kept some of these going. In many ways the threads are like conversations which do tend to drift off the original point but I do accept that perhaps we should try harder rather than have the moderators need to step in.

 

[Parksy]

I accept that some posts have gone off the subject and I am one who has kept some of these going. In many ways the threads are like conversations which do tend to drift off the original point but I do accept that perhaps we should try harder rather than have the moderators need to step in.

Thanks Ray.
There's nothing wrong with holding a conversation when information or advice is offered, after all this is a forum, in other words a meeting place where ideas and points of view can be exchanged.
When we reach a point where a person asks a question but then begins to wish that they hadn't asked, or worse still, disappears because they feel that they've broken some unwritten rule or opened a can of worms it's time to think about what we add to some posts.
If technically minded members want to discuss wider aspects of a question that was asked and replied to I hope that they'll start a separate topic of their own, and the gurus can discuss to their hearts content while the rest of us look on in awe and hopefully learn something. 🙂

 

[ProfJohnL]

The moderators do have a difficult job at times, and we must remember they are only human, and have lives of their own beyond watching the forum 24/7.

I have always been uncomfortable using the word "newby" it does seem to be belittling when all we are trying to say is "New caravanner"

Even though someone asks a "simple" question and hopes for a simple answer, for whatever the reason the answer may not be a simple as they hoped, and in terms of fault tracing, it often isn't simple.

But as Gafferbill points out there is a skill to imparting the right level of information to maximise the learning potential, but we are handicapped as we don't get to know the current level of understanding of most and especially new posters. So at what level do you set the response?

I too am guilty (possibly more than most) of diving into the technicalities. But also there are the occasions where the some advice given is definitely wrong or misleading and that needs to be corrected, and to show why, the reasoning behind it needs to be explained.

 

[Parksy]

The moderators do have a difficult job at times, and we must remember they are only human, and have lives of their own beyond watching the forum 24/7.

I have always been uncomfortable using the word "newby" it does seem to be belittling when all we are trying to say is "New caravanner"

Even though someone asks a "simple" question and hopes for a simple answer, for whatever the reason the answer may not be a simple as they hoped, and in terms of fault tracing, it often isn't simple.

But as Gafferbill points out there is a skill to imparting the right level of information to maximise the learning potential, but we are handicapped as we don't get to know the current level of understanding of most and especially new posters. So at what level do you set the response?

I too am guilty (possibly more than most) of diving into the technicalities. But also there are the occasions where the some advice given is definitely wrong or misleading and that needs to be corrected, and to show why, the reasoning behind it needs to be explained.

The informative advice that you and every other forum member offer to people who ask technical questions is extremely valuable to this forum Prof. When wrong or misleading advice has been given there's no problem with anyone correcting it, we very much welcome factual information.
There are times however when things depart so far from the original question that it would be best for all concerned for a completely new topic to open, perhaps with url links to and from the original question.
I really dislike removing forum content that someone has taken the time and trouble to post, and I'll explore the possibility of 'moderating' detailed technical threads which have left the original premise, so that further discussion appears in a new topic with no need for any noticeable disturbance to a discussion taking place.
As for the correct level of information, there is no method with which we can or should begin to analyse the intelligence of any forum member, so the simplest direct answer is always the best level to aim for, at least to start off with.
If the O.P. requires further details they will ask for them.
It's the responsibility of those seeking information to verify it's accuracy and to discover if any legal constraints apply, not the responsibility of Haymarket or of other forum members. 🙂

 

[LizziePope]

A massive thank you to Parksy and Damian, our two wonderful moderators who, along with me, keep an eye on things on here.

What I love about this forum is that it is a friendly, warm and welcoming environment where caravanners old and new (in years or experience! 😉) can share stories, swap tips, make friends and so on. There are so many people with so much to give and long may it last.

I understand that sometimes it can be easy to stray off-topic and that sometimes it can be hard to convey what you want in the typed word, but if everyone keeps things light-hearted and friendly, then we all have an easy life and the Practical Caravan forum will continue to thrive!

 

[Parksy]

And thank you Lizzie!
We are very lucky to have your help, guidance and support, and although it's not always visible to forum members you do great things behind the scenes upgrading software to make the website and forum spam free, easy and pleasant to use. 🙂

 

[Hutch]

Just seen a posting where a poster was told maybe not to stray, I think that the forum realises that the diversion from the Original Posters requests are not always wanted, but they do happen and the Forum members do not always revolt from them, let us not get to strict. Other wise folk will think they cannot say what on their mind.

 

[Parksy]

Just seen a posting where a poster was told maybe not to stray, I think that the forum realises that the diversion from the Original Posters requests are not always wanted, but they do happen and the Forum members do not always revolt from them, let us not get to strict. Other wise folk will think they cannot say what on their mind.

If it's the one that in which I intervened, what you don't know Hutch is that the comment which had strayed from the original premise into something about dog fouling had been reported at 17:31 pm by an anonymous forum user, which is why I decided to take a look in the first place.
You'd be surprised how often the 'Report to a Moderator' button is used, or how many private emails we receive, so if we take action of some kind there's usually a good reason for us to do so but this won't be apparent to everybody.
Having been a forum moderator for about nine years now, experience has taught me that some topics can be emotive and can lead to forum arguments, and comments about dog owners, however justified, have led to some classic forum bust ups in the past.
There's nothing to stop anyone commenting about what's 'on their mind' Hutch, but it would be usually much better if they started a different topic to do it.
If the comments that are reported for whatever reason, as that particular one had been, depart quite a way from the original point and more stringent intervention is needed the entire topic which started out ok could potentially be affected.
It also makes life a bit easier for mods, because if problems arise we know what we're looking for rather than having to sift through other things first to find what may (or may not, don't forget that I left the comment on) need attention.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Just looking on my IOS devices there is no text for “report” yet there is on my MAC and Windows 10 PCs. Do all mobile devices not have the ability to Report a post as I use my mobiles 90+% of the time.

 

[Craigyoung]

Clive ,
You're right, there is no "report to mods" button when you use your mobile as it is all that I use all the time . When I used to use my iPad a few years ago there was a button on there to report to mods, but now i email Parksy.
(Sorry Parksy !!) 😛

Craig .

 

[Parksy]

The 'Report' button doesn't appear when I use my Android phone either, although I still have the moderator edit tools from the phone. The 'Report' button probably affects the way that the comment box appears on some devices so it isn't visible.
I still have my own moderator email contact link as part of my signature though, so if anybody wanted to get in touch they could use that instead.

 

[Parksy]

Clive ,
You're right, there is no "report to mods" button when you use your mobile as it is all that I use all the time . When I used to use my iPad a few years ago there was a button on there to report to mods, but now i email Parksy.
(Sorry Parksy !!) 😛

Craig .

I'm more than happy to receive emails from forum members either to ask about something, to report a problem or just to say hello 🙂

 

[VicMallows]

Report works normally on my Android tablet, so it may well be a limitation of certain (small?) devices.

You DO have to be signed-in to see the REPORT button (unlike the CMC forum for instance where it is visible whether signed a in or not).

 

[Craigyoung]

Vic ,
I'm using my phone Samsung Galaxy and this is what I see on my screen and I am always signed in.

 

[otherclive]

Vic ,
I'm using my phone Samsung Galaxy and this is what I see on my screen and I am always signed in.

If it works on laptops, pc and tablet then it certainly seems to be phones that don’t have it available.

 

[Parksy]

Report works normally on my Android tablet, so it may well be a limitation of certain (small?) devices.

You DO have to be signed-in to see the REPORT button (unlike the CMC forum for instance where it is visible whether signed a in or not).

Your test report worked ok from this end too Vic, I received the email and am back to this thread via the link that appears with such reports.

 

[CustardAvenger]

Using the Chrome Browser on my Samsung phone, I do not see the report to Moderator option. However if you choose the option "Desktop Site" from the Chrome settings menu, the option appears, along with the 'Most Recent Caravan Reviews' side bar. This must be due to the websites mobile browser settings.

 

[VicMallows]

Using the Chrome Browser on my Samsung phone, I do not see the report to Moderator option. However if you choose the option "Desktop Site" from the Chrome settings menu, the option appears, along with the 'Most Recent Caravan Reviews' side bar. This must be due to the websites mobile browser settings.

Yes, I've established the same on all my android devices. Choice between having the 'Report' button ....or having the sidebar :lol: Know nothing about Apple devices!