The Moderator Question

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I don't see how "sticking out" would even matter. Most of the moderators I have encountered don't seem to stick out in any remarkable way. I think it is just about participating, treating others decently and getting to know people here. Eventually someone may get to know a moderator somewhat and that moderator may believe that the person would also be a good moderator and nominate them. It isn't unusual for sites to work with a nomination process. A chat site I helped out had a recommendation process, where a current operator could recommend someone that they thought would be a good op and then that person would be observed for a while. Then if the owners decided to make the perosn an op they would send you an email asking if you are interested. If you were interested you signed an agreement and got trained by someone.

Maybe sticking out is the wrong word but you definetly have to be noticed to be though for nomination and when you look at some of the mods with fewer posts they definetly have something that makes them more noticeable, or as you said butter up the current mods so that they at least notice you and like you (so far it hasnt worked with me and beebee lol.)

Uhhhhh, Endersdragon,

BeeBee is a mod or have you not noticed.

Yeah thats why Im trying to butter her up, sorry for the confusion.

Uhhhh, if you had been reading my posts and what I have been telling you, you would realize that one mod nominating you does not automatically make you a mod.

I never said your post was offtopic.

I was talking about my own.

Oh...

I don't think it's about buttering anyone up. I think it's just if a mod is familar enough with you and knows you well enough and thinks you would be a good mod, you may be nominated. That doesn't mean that all of the other mods will agree with the one that nominated someone.

I look up the moderators here. I am suprised that GH isn't one, but since I read his, may I dare say it, his slight tantrum, I now understand why he perhaps isn't one. But GH gave me a VERY warm reception when I first arrived here, and he has a place in my heart because of this. I think he's really really hurt. Should someone attempt to console him, or should he have time to cool off. I just hate seeing fellow members upset.

I'd like to be able to say that there's something that can be done to calm him, but he is making unreasonabe demands, so he'll have to cool off on his own unless there is somene who is close enough to him to talk to him about it.

I also look up to the mods here. When looking down the list, they usually post fairly frequently (but not necessarily all the time), are level-headed and agreeable people. I think it's a good group, even if Louis and BlackLiger (and probably the other mods) say that there need to be more.

As one who has been both a moderator and an admin on other forums, I can tell you it isn't all that great.

People tend to give your opinion more weight (and therefore, you have a LOT more responsibility) than they would if you were just a regular person. YOu can't goof off as much or make as many inflammatory posts, unless the forum is of a nature that can support that sort of thing. You have to act more responsible. It's kind of a drag.

And then there are the constant, relentless petty complaints about the layout of the forum, some glitch or bug that someone has on their computer, or they forgot their password, or the search function doesn't work, or someone hates avatars and wants them done away with, or you disable avatars and someone gripes becaus ethey want them, etc. If anything isn't perfect, it doesn't have to be your fault- they'll gripe to you and want instant results! If the server your forum is on goes down, they complain bitterly, even if there's nothing you can do about it but wait for the server to be fixed...or you return and they have left en masse for a "more reliable" site (yeah, right...). There is always ample criticism...

Worst of all, you have to make hard decisions, such as a friendly, outgoing, upbeat, very helpful member who now insists on a logn signature that is advertising their business or product, or the person who mentions their money making venture in an advertising way, in every other post, despite rules to the contrary and a seperate forum category specifically for sales and business. Or a member that you've always liked and gotten along with who suddenly flies off the handle and insults someone else and just loses it, starting a huge fight and uproar. Or the ever present mutiny in the wings, and the tendency for such forums to split and splinter off uselessly because of petty disagreements. Or the proselytizing relentlessly and obnoxiously when it doesn't relate to the topic at hand....

No, being a mod or admin isn't such a hot cup of tea if you want my opinion.....

Yes, I have noticed in the short time I've been a mod, I've had to make myself more aware of my making personal comments and whether the WP community would have a problem with those comments being a representation of them. I think I get a little less angry and for those members who I have personal problems with I don't have any moderating duties over-- as is the same with the other mods and any personal conflicts-- but it's still quite hard. It takes a great deal of self control and responsibility. And some days it can be bloody tiring, too, hehe.

Sean, I know how he's feeling. He's raw. He wants to be accepted (he wants to be a moderator, to be part of the 'elite,') yet he's scared of being seen as vulnerable, scared of letting his guard down. He wants to let people in, yet, he fears what could happen. I've felt the same, and it tears my heart out to see him like this.

Soma.

Being a moderator or any other type of leader anywhere is not about being accepted as elite. It is about having a skill and/or personal traits that will benifit the group as a whole. I have passed up Ghosthunter in my post count, but I'm not complaining about not being a moderator. It is unfortunate that Ghosthunter cannot see how accepted he is here, but making him a moderator to show him is too much to risk because that would impact the whole community. Personally, I hope that the mods never promote anybody to be a mod who campaigns for it.

Contrary to what people wrote, I think being a moderator means you shouldn't stand out.
Being a moderator means you should have an unbiased view and sometimes no opinion is necessory.

It is much easier to discuss the requirements of developers, same as webmasters.