Wikipedia: DTMFA?. The part about Sucks:
Because the software is apparently limited, and a moderator cannot limit a user's posting unless (1) it's a new user, new users are on moderation, or (2) the moderator blocks the user. There was no deliberate limit of ability to read, and it should be noted that the limitation is the ability to read member-only forums, where flame wars are being moved.Sucks
I don’t pretend to have all the answers to Sucks’ moderation problems or any insight as to what kind of site they want, or how open they are to user-defined goals (and which users) or how lassiaz faire they want to be. But I will just say this much. If their problem is Kumioko binge-posting, why did they limit his ability to read the forum, instead of just limiting his ability to post.
It was not a "dormant account." A mod had just blocked Kumioko for repeated disregard and defiance of moderation limits, and an account, Perseus, was created. Kumioko was not aware that moderators can see the IP addresses of all posters, but the mod did not post that IP initially. It was only when Kumioko claimed to not understand the reference to his other account, that it was revealed that IP information showed clearly it was Kumioko. [Linking accounts is not "doxxing"] The concern was not the creation of another account, but lying about it. I am not sure if new accounts can read the member-only topics, but the effect of Kumioko not reading them would be that he would not be tempted to respond to what he sees as attacks on him, which would be salutary. However, he stated that the purpose of creating that account was to be able to read them, so probably he can. In other words, his access has not been cut off, but in various places he complains that he has.Why did they dox a dormant account that was only being used to read the private forum.
Kumioko has access to many channels, he's active on the WPO Discord server. He has not been cut off from backchanneling. However, a new user cannot send PMs. Kumioko, while blocked, cannot read his old PMs or send them. He can directly communicate with at least one of the "psyops" -- administrators -- and probably both. His complaints are designed to solicit sympathy, when Kumioko has the full power to resolve the situation, but refuses to do so. I know his history and communicated extensively with him before he was globally banned by the community and then Office-banned. He is repeating it. On Sucks, Kumioko was being viciously attacked, but did not know how to allow others to handle it. Instead, he believed that, if attacked, he *must* defend himself. In his world, he has no choice, he's a reactive machine. I offered to review anything he wrote and post it or forward it *if* I was willing to take responsibility. Which would depend on what he wrote, of course. He behaves as if he has no choices, and he's been abused, complaining endlessly that nobody will help. When I have pointed out how vicious the attacks on him were, and supported the moderator in restricting that other person, the other person also complained bitterly at being restricted. However, he did not flood the forum with complaints, whereas Kumioko did.Is there no mute function? I believe this also limits the ability to read old messages, so they have cut him off from backchanneling and privately messaging people, or trying to solve the problem offline, instead of playing to the stands.
I am sure of this: if Kumioko decided to cooperate with moderation, instead of to fight and attack it, and if he agreed to not post anything with the Kumioko account without moderator permission (pending a shift), I'm sure that he'd be unblocked, which would give him access to PM for legitimate purpose.
Further, I'm sure that if he asked for it, the moderator would move any Perseus post to the Kumioko record. That's easy. But Kumioko, in the only post from Perseus after it was IDd, said that he refuses to use that account, except to make that one post refusing. This is like a child demanding that he get what he wants, the way that he wants it, and until he gets it, they will sulk and be unhappy, and it will be your fault. And a sane parent lets them sulk as long as they choose. It is not for nothing that I've raised seven children. You learn this stuff or you suffer, badly, especially when they become teenagers. Kumioko apparently did not learnto negotiate, to consider the needs of others and find mutually satisfactory solutions, or if he knows how (it might be situational), he's not using the skills.
Yes. I have well-known email addresses, I have my own domain server, a blog and a wiki, and for large-audience writing, I have an active Quora account and can be messaged there. I have an active Reddit account. (And Kumioko could easily post to Reddit, but has not done so to my knowledge.)So here is another lesson for dealing with forums. Have your own platform (WordPress is free), and your own channels of communication that are under your control and cannot be cut off in an emergency.
This is effectively what they have done. The main account is not banned, merely blocked. Actually, it was massive replying to flames and blaming moderation for not stopping them that was Kumioko's extended complaint. Steps have been taken to stop the flaming of Kumioko, which was aggressive and vicious. But Kumioko has not learned the first thing about internet forum participation, which would be to ignore trolling, DNFTT, and it was indeed trolling, explicitly and admittedly designed to set him off. The stated motive was to demonstrate how dangerous it was to allow Kumioko to participate. And that troll is pissed off that he is also subject to restrictions. As to the demonstration, it worked, simply because Kumioko has inadequate self-restraint and patience, and ignores advice intended to support and empower him. It takes time to move a community, and Kumioko was demanding that his abuser be blocked. He did not trust the community, and still doesn't. So WTF?IMHO they ought to reinstate the main Kumioko account, and put it under moderation, and only pass two comments a day, unless replying to a flame from another user.
The moderator has been doing this the only way that is practical, and was willing to put in substantial extra effort, none of which was appreciated by Kumioko. Perhaps Gender Desk would volunteer to moderate on Sucks. I'd support it.It is extra effort, sure, but it is probably the only way to limit posts.
The principle is correct, but it has come out in extensive discussion that Kumioko is not acting in good faith. He's playing old games. I never throw AGF out the window. But "good faith" has levels of meaning. The most serious thing that Kumioko did was to lie about that account. It was completely unnecessary. Nobody was going to block him for sock puppetry. Then, that the account was created gave a means for the moderator to moderate his posts. There is then a suggestion that Sucks needs more moderators. It has some interesting ones, but they are all inactive.And I also think there is a big difference between an unsupported assertion and a lie, between calling someone a liar or asking them to support their statement. Sometimes something is obvious to the person posting it, and they have never had any reason to doubt it in the past, until someone else questions it. There are times when AGF should be thrown out the window, but I don’t think this is one of them, Kumioko and Crow are both acting in good faith, the moderator as well. Give them some space to make mistakes, and arrive at a consensus, or a way to disagree without being disagreeable.
Yes. But it takes some discipline. Both parties (Kumioko and CrowsNest) are verbally defiant, both complain that their posts are being moved to the private forum when they stray from Wikipedia criticism to private flame wars, but only Kumioko actually floods, actually does, by action, defy moderation. He's being treated with considerable patience. We actually want him to be able to participate, because he has high experience, I've written that he could be very useful. But he's playing his own game, and that game allows him to be deceptive if he feels like it. And that is exactly what CrowsNest was claiming. So CrowsNest believes he did a noble thing. I strongly disagree, and hope that the restrictions on CrowsNest will be enforced, evenly. Both of them have access to Reddit, if they don't want restrictions. Reddit is quirky, to be sure. But it is available, easily.It may very well be that even after all reasonable accommodations are tried, that one or both parties just dig in their heels and remain obstinate. But you can cross that bridge when you come to it. That is not an excuse for not making reasonable accommodations, or responding to concerns about abuse. Surely any criticisms can be expressed in a non-abusive form.
Sorry, Gender Desk, but this was sloppy. Off-Wiki was a MediaWiki wiki, and I was made an administrator. There were no moderators, and when I was an admin, I was the only one besides Wil. So I did nothing to "other mods." I took one very moderate admin action and Wil panicked and removed the bit. Wil later shut that wiki down when he was unable to handle the stress, and he was under massive attack from Vigilant and others. He did not know how to delegate authority and then moderate it if necessary. He was terrified, he had some serious personal issues. It was a noble effort, and could have succeeded if he had been able to develop some detachment. He apparently didn't. Tragic, my view.Since they are now talking about making Abd a moderator on Sucks, I would also point out that Abd was a moderator at Wil Sinclair’s Off-Wiki forum. Maybe they should ask around about what Abd did to the other mods at Off-Wiki, if there are any still around who survived the experience.