VEGANGELICA

^ I like this idea, which you also described in the previous thread:

"When things are about to turn hostile, I would like more often to see a friendly reminder to not let things escalate. On other forums, I've sometimes seen moderators edit users threads and leave notices in the bottom of the posts saying something like "Offensive remarks removed. Please refrain from name-calling and the like in the future" along with a reference or link to the rules. On that forum, when you see that colour in a post, you know it's probably put there by a mod."
Read more: http://www.musicbanter.com/announcem...#ixzz2cS3k0IWP

I feel tore's suggestion would be worth trying (again?) more consistently, since moderating posts by deleting only the offensive parts and explaining the reason in red should prevent escalation of conflicts to the level at which closing threads seems to be the only viable option.

The mods and community would need to decide which sort of remarks, pictures, or patterns of following a poster around to criticize her or him are considered offensive enough to require moderation.

I feel Urban's #1 rule for this thread..."1. Only post or comment on ideas, not people"...is a good general rule to follow and might prevent escalation of many conflicts.

For example, saying someone's idea has flaws is very different than saying the *person* is stupid. Saying you dislike a thread idea is very different than saying you think the creator is an uninspired idiot.

Similarly, I feel that calling someone on the boards a "troll" is a type of name-calling because it dismisses what the person is saying and assumes the worst about that person's intentions. Whenever I see people starting to throw around the "troll" epithet, I cringe because I can see the escalation of tension about to happen.

I recommend that mods refrain from openly calling members "trolls" (what you say in the mod cave to each other is your business) and step in when you see one member accusing another of being a troll, delete the comment from the post, and ask that the poster please refrain from name-calling in the future.

When you see someone who you feel is trolling (which I view as intentionally trying to irritate or inflame others), I recommend you keep in mind that people's irritation level with the person is not what determines whether or not that person is trolling.

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As others have recommended, I encourage posters who find themselves livid after reading the opinions of particular members to use the ignore button (however it works) to prevent themselves from igniting and going ballistic.

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