TAO post waiting for mod. review??

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I just posted over in TAO and when I hit submit I got the message that a moderator had to review it first before it was posted?? That has never happened before. Is it part of the TAO modifications?

[Cynthia Mosher]

Yes it is. The sticky in TAO explains it all.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Just after I posted the ? here I saw the sticky in TAO isnt that the way it usually goes

[thismama]

Dood. This is like, a serious downer. Isn't it gonna sort of kill the spirit of TAO? TAO is for off the cuff, spur of the moment, sometimes super silly stuff. Look at the list of threads in there now. If you were the OP, are those the kind of threads you'd submit for mod approval? I know I wouldn't! It brings such an air of seriousness to the forum. I think it sucks!! Reconsider, pretty please?

[cjanelles]

Originally Posted by thismama

Dood. This is like, a serious downer. Isn't it gonna sort of kill the spirit of TAO? TAO is for off the cuff, spur of the moment, sometimes super silly stuff. Look at the list of threads in there now. If you were the OP, are those the kind of threads you'd submit for mod approval? I know I wouldn't! It brings such an air of seriousness to the forum. I think it sucks!! Reconsider, pretty please?

I hear you. Totally, and agree with everything you've said.

[thismama]

i dont get why there is not a super long busy thread in this forum about this??? am i missing something?

[Ziggysmama]

nak, i'm with you on this one!!!

[absinthe]

I've got to agree with thismama here. TAO has always been the place for casual conversation. Nothing too casual about submitting threads for preapproval. Please reconsider. Pretty please?

[MiaPia]

Originally Posted by thismama

Dood. This is like, a serious downer. Isn't it gonna sort of kill the spirit of TAO? TAO is for off the cuff, spur of the moment, sometimes super silly stuff. Look at the list of threads in there now. If you were the OP, are those the kind of threads you'd submit for mod approval? I know I wouldn't! It brings such an air of seriousness to the forum. I think it sucks!! Reconsider, pretty please?

I can't say it any better, so I'll just quote this again. Seriously, this takes ALL the fun out of TAO. I can understand closing the polls, and archiving old TAO topics, and even closing down "post count boosting" threads. But this just seems ridiculously unnecessary.

[littleaugustbaby]

TAO is dead now.

[boadhagh]

nak

i'm also wondering about people who post in toa about things they want to keep out of google-searchable forums; often women will post in toa when a subject is too personally revealing in parents as partners but not appropriate in surviving abuse

[Ms. Mom]

Originally Posted by boadhagh

nak

i'm also wondering about people who post in toa about things they want to keep out of google-searchable forums; often women will post in toa when a subject is too personally revealing in parents as partners but not appropriate in surviving abuse

While I can understand members feelings, this is part of the reason we have had problems with TAO. The forum purpose is for light chit-chat, not as a catch-all. Members need to be aware that we are not a private forum and though we do have a few forums that are not search able on Google, they are still open to thousands of members.

TAO is a very heavy traffic forum and keeping new posts on topic is a huge job for our moderators. We have decided to try moderation and see how it goes. I realize that this is something new and it will take some time to get used too. We may even find a few kinks to work out along the way.

[North_Of_60]

Originally Posted by thismama

Dood. This is like, a serious downer. Isn't it gonna sort of kill the spirit of TAO? TAO is for off the cuff, spur of the moment, sometimes super silly stuff. Look at the list of threads in there now. If you were the OP, are those the kind of threads you'd submit for mod approval? I know I wouldn't! It brings such an air of seriousness to the forum. I think it sucks!! Reconsider, pretty please?

Um, yeah. As a repeat off topic offender (for which I really do try to be good about) I'd MUCH rather get warings, or possibly be banned, then have to wait 24 hours to see a silly thread go up.

And, as much as MDC is always touting on about moderator work, and the time spent doing things, and how everyone is working as volunteers, it BAFFLES me that the administration would want to take on the responsibility of weeding through off topic posts.

[thismama]

Yeah, like isn't screening every single thread going to be more time consuming than moving or deleting some off topics?

Why not just have a policy that if you post off topic your thread gets moved. No explanation, no pretty little note, no response if you PM saying 'where did my thread go omg i'm freaking out!!!!' That must be the most time consuming element no? Just moving a thread only takes a few seconds. If you move them, people can see where they've gone and they can follow them to the appropriate forum. Institute a 'no complaining if your thread gets moved' rule. MUCH better than approving every single thread that gets posted to TAO, and waaaay less life sucking for the forum.

[EarthMamaToBe]

I call shenanigans!

[boadhagh]

Originally Posted by Jacque Savageau

While I can understand members feelings, this is part of the reason we have had problems with TAO. The forum purpose is for light chit-chat, not as a catch-all. Members need to be aware that we are not a private forum and though we do have a few forums that are not search able on Google, they are still open to thousands of members.

TAO is a very heavy traffic forum and keeping new posts on topic is a huge job for our moderators. We have decided to try moderation and see how it goes. I realize that this is something new and it will take some time to get used too. We may even find a few kinks to work out along the way.

Thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by thismama

Yeah, like isn't screening every single thread going to be more time consuming than moving or deleting some off topics?

Why not just have a policy that if you post off topic your thread gets moved. No explanation, no pretty little note, no response if you PM saying 'where did my thread go omg i'm freaking out!!!!' That must be the most time consuming element no? Just moving a thread only takes a few seconds. If you move them, people can see where they've gone and they can follow them to the appropriate forum. Institute a 'no complaining if your thread gets moved' rule. MUCH better than approving every single thread that gets posted to TAO, and waaaay less life sucking for the forum.

Just a guess, but the moderation will probably significantly reduce the number of threads that are submitted to TOA. When it was closed and since it's been reopened, I've thought of a couple of things that I wanted to post in TOA that weren't really "important" enough to post in another forum or to bother a mod with and then wait for, so I just haven't posted/submitted.

[CorasMama]

I agree with nearly everything being said here. TAO was tons o' fun, and the new rules seem specifically designed to take the fun out.

When there's a mass exodus elsewhere, will someone please pm me with a link? Thank you.

[oceanbaby]

Originally Posted by thismama

Dood. This is like, a serious downer. Isn't it gonna sort of kill the spirit of TAO? TAO is for off the cuff, spur of the moment, sometimes super silly stuff. Look at the list of threads in there now. If you were the OP, are those the kind of threads you'd submit for mod approval? I know I wouldn't! It brings such an air of seriousness to the forum. I think it sucks!! Reconsider, pretty please?

I couldn't have said it better myself. It totally kills the whole spirit of the forum. I was waiting for it to reopen, and now I've barely even visited. The one thread I posted is still sitting in a queue somewhere, and I thought of another "Quick, I need some advice" thread, but that obviously won't work out.

[eclipse]

I would like to cast my vote to affirm the ridiculousness of this new procedure.

[boadhagh]

(Mods, please don't think I'm a posting grumblesaur; I just want to share .)

Part of what I find difficult with the new posting guidelines is the stringency of the moderated off-topic posting because, for me, many posts are not only placed one place or another because of subject (or topic) but also because of tone and feeling.

For example, I love the slow and thoughtful threads in the Spirituality forum, but if I wanted to tell a funny story about my kid in church, I wouldn't post it in Spirituality because it would just be too frivolous and I wouldn't submit it to TOA for moderation because the "subject" wouldn't be appropriate.

I don't have any good suggestions for alternatives, though. Sorry; I just wanted to share.