Hello SAnet,
I have read an older post here: / sanet.st/community/d/21959-admins-and-their-tone-of-voice-while-responding-
to-site-users / but can't reply as it's closed.
In short, because less than 1% of people in this world appreciate free help (in this case from admins / mods), it's not much mods can do to increase this %. There are countless studies regarding human behavior when it comes down to free stuff. Free help is rare because it is not appreciated almost at all nowadays, except maybe for a brief moment. People can easily see more bad than good when given free stuff. It's easy to demand more when you don't have to pay for it (it doesn't matter if I ask for more, it's still free). Otherwise, when you pay for something, you also accept by default terms and conditions (you get what you pay for) so rarely you can ask for more than you payed for. See the difference ? So the fact that mods offer free help after so many years is a proof of how strong they are. Powerful spirits that give without receiving, constantly.
In this context, can't we, the users, just forgive the mods when they slip some bad stuff in their answers ? Good comes hand in hand with bad (mature readers here, you know the meaning of this). It's the ratio that counts: 9 good, 1 bad. I haven't seen SAnet mods break this ratio, yet.
The never ending problem with new users that make childish mistakes has at least four possible solutions:
- Find a way to force the whole community to contribute (decentralized support (not talking about remote support)). This is where the whole community acts like one single moderator.
- During the user creation process, build a 2-3 step process that forces users to read / understand / consent and prove they have understood the rules. Translate the text in 10 languages. It is very easy to do and will cut the problems in half. I recall IRC channels were ultra efficient with this. No one could join some channels until they answered perfectly to all the rules related questions from the dedicate checking bot. It was automatic and efficient 15 years ago so why can't this be used today as well ?
- Improve SAnet by adding a bit of automation so that when people create an account, they first must go through an -introduction training- kind of process. there are so many ways to do this easily without making it too complicated. But because at least 50% of people create accounts on SAnet only to make requests, then it is fair to make them go through a steady automated process of initialization. Serious people that really want to make a request will not be bothered to spend few minutes to get aligned with SAnet usage guides, terms and conditions before making any request.
- Build a small web based training game that new users must play before they can post. Once the user completes the whole game, it will become T1 by automatically. Ensure no registered users can post anything unless they -finish the training game-. Make it fun, make it easy, make it efficient!
[Login to see the link]: there is nothing wrong with your messages nor with your tone. It's some that cannot see past a few words. It's very difficult for anyone to properly understand a purely written message (lacking sound and gestures makes any message only 7% readable). Search for the -55/38/7 Formula-. Because of this limitation (generic per say), you / SAnet need to adapt. Less duplicate answers, more automated answers.
You cannot or you should not spend hours with everyone, acting as a human judge for what is good and bad. Your intentions are good and the proof is the fact that you give full answers, you write and spend time reading the stuff people post etc.
SAnet is a mature and respected community, not a Church, nor Salvation Army nor Red Cross, nor a CandyShop nor a gov-ern-ment public office. It's a private community driven by private people. Can't just do whatever everyone wants and how they want.
If rules exist, it doesn't imply that there is a dictator that spits rules out of personal pleasure. Most of the time, community based rules act as a guide (in this case for the site's well being). Yes, rules can be broken and eventually are broken (deliberately or my mistake) but everyone need to understand the purpose of rules.
Your own human body has rules (eating, drinking water, breathing oxygen, sleeping). Try to break these "rules" and you end up dead or almost dead. Same would happen to SAnet. A rule is just another word for guide. Some rules are for safety, some for administrative purposes.
Rules never imply lack of freedom, contrary to the believes of many.
I hope my message comes in handy and will help both SAnet and it's growing community.
Good luck!
Yours,
Resurrector