Room for Rathony to explain their reasoning about inactive mods stepping down

terdon

15:29

room topic changed to Room for Rathony to explain their reasoning about inactiove mods stepping down: (no tags)

room topic changed to Room for Rathony to explain their reasoning about inactive mods stepping down: (no tags)

Rathony

15:48

Hello

@terdon Is it private room?

terdon

No, it's public.

Rathony

Then, I have nothing to say.

terdon

OK

Rathony

@terdon Don't get me wrong. Basically, I don't care as others don't care.

terdon

@Rathony You seem to care a lot. Enough to be really pushy but, strangely, not enough to give any reason whatsoever to support your position. That is tiring.

Rathony

15:52

@terdon Well, can you create a private room?

You are the mod at another site, right?

terdon

@Rathony Why? Do you want to discuss any users by name, specifically?

Rathony

Of course.

How can I explain without naming a mod?

terdon

@Rathony You can say "I have a problem with one of the mods. I believe their moderation style is harmful to the site". There's no need to be specific.

If you want a specific mod to step down, that's a very different situation.

Rathony

@terdon I don't want anybody else to read it. That's all.

terdon

@Rathony We try to avoid creating private rooms for trivial reasons. SE strives to be transparent.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

15:54

If you have a problem with a specific mod you can email the stackexchange team directly.

terdon

^^

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@terdon do you know the address? is it [email protected] ?

terdon

Yes

Rathony

@terdon OK. I will send an e-mail, then.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Thanks.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony you're welcome.

Rathony

15:56

ELU Reviewers

Welcome, everyone! This room is to list questions (old and new...

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

I hope you don't feel cornered or upset. We are trying to understand your point of view.

TIPS

Heh, so it's finally my suggestion then?

terdon

Ah, hang on, it might be [email protected].

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I have been cornered many times when I was working. No worry.

TIPS

in English Language & Usage, 55 mins ago, by TIPS

Anyway, I don't think there's much meat to this discussion. @Rath if you want to take further actions, here are the steps.

terdon

15:57

@Rathony yeah, I know I was coming on strong but I was reacting to what I perceived as your refusal to explain your reasoning. It isn't something personal.

-3

Q: What are the steps for recalling a moderator?

After a site is graduating, its moderators appear to be elected for life or until they step down. What are the steps for recalling a moderator that the site's users no longer believe represent the site's best interests?

@TIPS May as well one box it

TIPS

SE 2.0 email address for the team is team+[sitename]@stackexchange.com. — Adam Lear ♦ Nov 10 '11 at 4:58

Rathony

The chat room is for reviewing low-quality posts. When you have time, please step in and see.

terdon

Ah, no, I thought it was this one:

152

Q: Handling Calls to Remove a Moderator

Stack Exchange has some of the best Moderators around — seriously — and that is due in no small part to the communities who scrutinize and vote in our Moderator elections. We have a rather formal process for electing moderators, but up until now the process for removing a moderator has been quit...

discussion moderators

Rathony

@terdon Thanks.

terdon

@Rathony OK. But please note that reviewing is very much not a moderators job. Nor should it be. Mods can close anything with a single vote. So with the exception of certain rare, extreme cases, it is better to leave such actions to the community. I almost stopped visiting the review queues since becoming a mod since I was just skipping through everything so as not to impose my opinion on the rest of the site.

Rathony

15:59

@terdon It depends on the quality of a post.

On ELU, mods should do that as traffic is very heavy.

terdon

It does. If something is so bad that it should be deleted immediately, it should be flagged as spam or offensive. If it is neither, then it can wait for the community to deal with it.

Rathony

-1

Q: I finished my essay yesterday but I (?) it in to the tutor yet

I finished my essay yesterday but I (?) it in to the tutor yet. A.I've given B.I hadn't given C.I didn't give Which is correct? My dear tutor said the answer had to be B. But I find no correct answer in this question, and I would rather write this sentence as " I finished my essay yesterday....

past-tense present-perfect past-perfect

terdon

Mods have tried to take more active roles in content policing in the past and it usually ends badly, with meta posts complaining that the mods are closing too many things too quickly, mods asked to step down etc.

Rathony

@terdon Has anyone stepped down on ELU for that reason?

Bad questions usually lead to bad answers @TIPS

@terdon I know RegDwight had some issues.

terdon

@Rathony Not that I know of. I'm just giving you some background to explain why mods tend to avoid closing things unilaterally.

And why that is a good thing.

TIPS

16:02

@Rathony Homework questions have a higher bad answer/good answer ratio.

terdon

Mods are just humans and equally capable of making mistakes.

Rathony

@terdon SE gave them the right to exercise it.

terdon

@Rathony And also to choose when to. Mods are "human exception handlers". Ideally, they do next to nothing.

Rathony

@TIPS The problem I see with the question is nobody is advising the OP to go to ELL.

terdon

They certainly shouldn't go around doing things that the community can do for itself.

TIPS

16:04

But I don't want the user on ELL. :(

terdon

@Rathony Why don't you?

Rathony

@terdon I am tired.

terdon

That's precisely the kind of guidance that high rep users are expected to give.

TIPS

ELL and ELU don't have policies for HW. As someone coming from Chem, that annoys me very much.

terdon

Basically, mods should do only those things that can only be done by mods. Sometimes they do more, but if everything is working as it should, they shouldn't need to.

Rathony

16:05

@TIPS Well, the OP has a better chance at ELL.

@terdon Do you think answering to this Meta question is one of the jobs that a mod is supposed to do? meta.english.stackexchange.com/questions/8157/… Is there any question?

TIPS

We're getting back to the philosophy that "The sites are meant for helping people, but by building a repository of knowledge, not spoonfeeding them." but I'll pass.

I'm too tired of shouting that on ELL.

Rathony

@TIPS Well, I gave up on ELL. I have not visited it for a month now.

Or longer than that. I am planning to delete the account.

TIPS

Meh

You might need the account for some of the migrations.

Rathony

@TIPS I don't know. Why keep the account you don't need any more?

TIPS

Having an account on both sites allows for discussing both site's policies, which are very similar yet akin to being on two extremes of a spectrum.

What if something about ELU pops up on ELL meta that you want to comment on?

terdon

16:08

@Rathony No, there is no question and yes, answering that sort of post is precisely what a mod should do. Ideally in a calm and balanced way, just as Kit did there.

Rathony

@TIPS I have never visited ELL Meta for more than 2 months, I think. Nothing there interests me any more.

terdon

Meta questions don't need to be questions. The rules are less strict on meta.

TIPS

Nothing is there these days.

Rathony

@terdon If the question had been asked by a newbie, it would have been closed.

TIPS

You should've seen me when I was on a meta-posting rampage.

terdon

16:09

@Rathony No it wouldn't have. Not on meta.

Rathony

@TIPS Because I am not making noise any more? :-)

@terdon Strictly speaking, Meta is to discuss workings and policies. Not individual user's preference or complaint.

terdon

@Rathony Oh no, not at all. If a user has a complaint, meta is the place to discuss it.

Rathony

@terdon also, the chat room is not very important part of ELU.

terdon

No, it isn't. So?

Rathony

@terdon Is that even an complaint?

Reads more like rant.

TIPS

16:12

@Rathony Because the last person that kept my hopes alive about ELL lost hope.

terdon

Well, yes. It could have been clearer. Luckily, Kit was sensitive enough to read between the lines and attempt (perhaps even succeed) to calm the user down. That is precisely what meta and the mods are for.

TIPS

Although he doesn't admit it.

I can read it in his messages.

Damkerng, I mean.

Rathony

@terdon If I were a mod, I would close the question and ask the OP to come to the chat room and ask, "what is wrong? What can I do for you?"

@TIPS What happened to DamKerng? Not come to ELL any more?

terdon

@Rathony Then I hope you never become a mod.

Rathony

@terdon I won't.

terdon

16:14

The user chose to bring it up publicly, it should be dealt with publicly.

TIPS

@Rathony Nah, he always hangs in chat, and sometimes posts comments (and even answers) to interesting questions.

terdon

Not to mention that every bit of information on meta could help someone else in the future while stuff in private rooms is useless to others.

Rathony

@terdon The question and answers are useless to me at least.

TIPS

But there is a difference between thinking an hoping that ELL will succeed as a pioneer of Language Q/A's and just be disappointed that it's going to be like another forum.

Another forum, with slightly less noise.

terdon

@Rathony OK. Downvote them then. Why close? And as a mod, if you had closed that question, it would have been a blatant abuse of power.

Rathony

16:15

@TIPS ELL's success depends on ELU's help.

terdon

That's precisely the sort of thing mods should stay away from closing.

Rathony

@terdon I voted to close it as I judged it has nothing to do with workings and policies of ELU.

terdon

@Rathony That's not the only thing meta is for.

It is also about problems that users have on ELU.

Rathony

@terdon Chat room is not part of ELU.

terdon

Yes it is.

TIPS

16:17

@Rathony Mhm

Rathony

@terdon Whether one user likes it or hates it has nothing to do with ELU.

terdon

@Rathony No. It is a part of ELU. Why would you think otherwise?

Rathony

@terdon How many members of ELU are using chat room?

terdon

@Rathony Few. How is that relevant? How many members look at an individual question?

Rathony

Out of more than 100,000

TIPS

16:18

Is Mari-Lou-A's meta post in question?

Rathony

@terdon Will ELU go down if the chat room is closed?

@terdon ELU will be closed if there is no question.

TIPS

It will explode.

terdon

@Rathony What? No, of course not. And my house won't go down if you remove the front porch. That doesn't mean it isn't part of my house.

And discussing chat room etiquette has always been part of meta.

On all sites of the network.

Rathony

I don't know about other chat rooms.

@terdon Maybe we have irreconcilable differences on some issues.

TIPS

Huh, well

TBH @Ter, that meta post reads nothing more than a rant to me.

terdon

16:21

@Rathony That's fine and not a problem. However, some things that we've discussed here are not a question of opinion. SE is very much not a democracy. Certain rules are set from on high and those are not subject to debate.

TIPS

But you guys are so used to dealing with things the isolated way, I won't touch anything.

Rathony

@terdon Agree.

terdon

@TIPS More like a cry for help to me, but yes, with a generous helping of rant thrown in. Which is why I like the balanced way that Kit responded to it.

As I said, that's precisely what mods are for.

TIPS

Well, yeah, but why are we gauging a question's quality by the answer it gets?

That's always how it is.

Rathony

@terdon Certain rules are changed after constructive discussion, though.

TIPS

16:23

Someone rants, a mod give a very nice answer.

terdon

@Rathony True.

@TIPS This is meta, not main. Meta is the right place for a user to complain.

TIPS

The rant's still a rant, and sometimes people close the rants, but not because "chat isn't part of the main site".

terdon

And we're all human. That post was clearly written by a very frustrated and emotional OP. You don't ignore that, you do your best to calm them down.

TIPS

@terdon /me Shrug

Rathony

@TIPS I agree. Rant, especially without any question or suggestion is worse.

TIPS

16:24

@terdon Well, it could've been formed in a much much more constructive way.

terdon

Indeed it could.

TIPS

For starters, not considering a message they didn't get at first is some code to insult them.

terdon

All I'm saying is that yes, it was correct of the mod to answer it.

Rathony

@terdon I wrote a comment to Kit's answer, the only answer to the question is "If you don't like a chat room, don't go in."

TIPS

@terdon Agree.

terdon

16:25

@Rathony Good for you.

TIPS

Also excuse my meta.SO POV.

meta.stackoverflow.com/search?q=why+votes%3A..-10

in SO Close Vote Reviewers on Stack Overflow Chat, 35 mins ago, by TIPS

- Turn on the TV.
- Get popcorn/ice cream.
- Turn off the TV.
- Go to meta.SO.
- Search "why is:question votes:..-10"
- Enjoy reading whatever I find.

terdon

Oh, great, another animated gif. Wonderful.

TIPS

ʕ ⊃･ ◡ ･ ʔ⊃︵┻━┻

terdon

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Rathony

@TIPS There are far better questions than what we have on ELU Meta.

TIPS

16:27

Where?

Rathony

In the link.

TIPS

@Ter why not give Porkchat a try?

2 mins ago, by TIPS

http://meta.stackoverflow.com/search?q=why+votes%3A..-10

This one?

Rathony

Yeap.

TIPS

It increases the opacity of images unless you hover over them @Ter.

Rathony

meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/261394/… Don't you think this question deserves 100 upvotes when the ELU meta question gets so many upvotes?

Asking the reason why a question is closed for Christ's sake.

TIPS

16:29

Well, meta.SO voting is even more twisted than you might think.

Any complaint, or anything that looks like a complaint will get downvotes. Military voice

Rathony

@TIPS What would happen if the question were posted there?

I don't like chat room.

TIPS

Also the questions in question, and those questions' families, and the ancestors of those questions would burn in hell.

Rathony

@TIPS ???

TIPS

@Rathony -15>, but why do you ask?

Rathony

@TIPS Well, then the rules given by the higher force at SE are not being followed on ELU.

TIPS

16:32

@Rathony Whenever someone links a question from SO in a meta.SO post, people jump up excitedly and pile on the downvotes/upvotes.

@Rathony I wouldn't take it to mean that.

As much as meta.ELU is . . . meta.ELU . . . I like it much better than meta.SO.

Rathony

@TIPS Well. That's right.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony I believe I know which moderator you are referring to. Can you explain to me why you want this moderator to step down?

TIPS

Oh, serious talk. I'm out for now. \o

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I am 100% sure it is not you.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony I don't get your complaint. Was it wrong for someone to post that question about why the SO q was closed?

Kit Z. Fox

16:34

@Rathony I know. I have the stats about mod activity at my fingertips and there's only one you could mean. I am here almost every day. It is obviously not me.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I have always respected you for your work as you are the most hard-working moderator.

Kit Z. Fox

That said, I can advocate for mod removal -- it would mean more coming from the mod team than it would from a community member -- but if I'm going to do that, I want to understand why you want that.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I am not the kind of person who doesn't know how to appreciate work some people do sacrificing their own private time.

Kit Z. Fox

Also, we are having an election in August. That will not be impacted in any case.

Removing a mod doesn't show appreciation.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Don't worry about it.

@KitZ.Fox I believe you will make a good decision about the planned election.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

16:37

@Rathony The mods don't make decisions about the elections.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox And I would be honored if I am the one who directly or indirectly pushed for the election.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I don't know how it works. I meant a mod can advise?

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 How many should be replaced and how many should be newly elected?

Kit Z. Fox

Don't worry about what? You are concerned about moderator inactivity, you've been doing lots of reading and research in an effort to find an acceptable solution to propose to SE, and you often appear to be in distress over this particular thing. I want to understand why.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony Mods are not replaced. Only new ones are added.

TIPS

@Rathony There's no replacing. There is simply adding to the team.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

There is no limit on mod team size.

Rathony

16:39

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Well, that's so sad.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony I wish you would use the reply arrows to link your replies to previous messages, it makes it easier to follow the conversation.

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I hate chat room. I am not accustomed to do that.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Since the mod team size is unlimited, mods can stay as long as they want even if they do very little. If there is too much work for the active team, they just add more mods.

@Rathony It really helps people follow the threads though.

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Then, who decides how many will be added?

TIPS

The team.

Although it has hardly (never?) been more than 3 additions at a time.

Kit Z. Fox

16:41

Our coordinator asked if we wanted 1 or 2.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I would not comment on it as it is not what I can decide. Also, under the circumstances where no mod can be replaced, what is the meaning of discussing the issue?

TIPS

By the team I mean the team of badass SE CM's, if it's not implied.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox We need five.

TIPS

┬─┬ ノ( ^_^ノ)

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony That's entirely my point. I don't understand why you are concerned with inactive mods when they do not negatively impact anything.

We asked for 2 and that will be more than enough.

Rathony

16:42

@KitZ.Fox They do not positively impact anything, either.

TIPS

Now I'm pretty sure there has never been an election with five available slots.

Kit Z. Fox

@TIPS I've never seen more than 3.

Rathony

@TIPS History-making on SE!!!

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony Right, but positive impacts are not generally a cause for concern.

TIPS

Also three is usually only when the site just graduated.

(So it's replacing the mods pro tem and all)

Kit Z. Fox

16:44

So again, @Rathony, what is your concern about inactive moderators?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox That's the irreconcilable difference between many others and me.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony Mods CAN be removed. But there is no need to do so. It's additional work for no benefit.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony You are concerned about positive impacts?

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Yes, that. I can make a case for removing a mod, but I have no motivation for it.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox When an election is announced, I will post my opinion.

Kit Z. Fox

Other than personal vendetta, and that's not sufficient reason.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

16:45

@Rathony The site could have a million inactive mods and only 5-10 active ones and there would be zero difference to you or me or anyone between that scenario and the current scenario

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony Removing a mod is completely orthogonal to electing new ones. We don't need an election to remove mods.

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I fully understand it.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Rathony So then why bother removing them? What is the good created in the universe if we do that?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I will ask them to resign.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony You don't need an election for that.

Rathony

16:46

@KitZ.Fox I know.

@KitZ.Fox We can generate more opinions on things.

Kit Z. Fox

Then why wait until the election is announced?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Because it is not life-and-death urgent.

terdon

I really, really hope you're not thinking of asking a decent, intelligent and downright sweet octogenarian to resign. That would be so mean.

Kit Z. Fox

@terdon What? He's active.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I fully understand ELU will not collapse even if there is no election, even if no mod is added.

terdon

16:48

@KitZ.Fox Good to know.

Ah, OK. I guess I know who the culprit is.

Kit Z. Fox

There is going to be an election in August for 2 moderators. There's no question or discussion about that.

@terdon Well, you've got a few choices.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Honestly electing more than that at one time is probably foolish. We don't always get a long list of good candidates

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox It comes a little earlier than I thought.

Kit Z. Fox

When did you think?

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Who knows?

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 You could be a good candidate.

@KitZ.Fox I was planning to raise the issue in October if the missing mod doesn't come back.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

16:51

@Rathony I could be, if I wanted to put in the time, which I don't, so I'll leave the position open to people who will work harder at it than I will.

gotta run, lunch time

Rathony

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Exactly.

TIPS

@Rathony They know. I know you're gonna be the most annoyed person here when a 300-rep person thinks they "understand new users" and therefore nominate.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony I've been through two elections. They are awful for the community. We usually have about 50% good moderator candidates.

A whole lot of drama.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox If that's what ELU has to go through, why not?

Kit Z. Fox

If we could never have another election, it would make me very happy.

TIPS

16:53

@KitZ.Fox This too. Site being flooded again

Rathony

@TIPS Votes will decide, right?

Kit Z. Fox

And all of this, as I mentioned, has absolutely no bearing on removing a moderator.

@TIPS Ironically, elections often triple or quintuple the mod load.

They bring out the worst in the community and in the drive-bys.

terdon

Haven't been through one as a mod yet. Not looking forward to it.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox The bigger problem is why do we need to reach the point where we have to remove a mod?

terdon

We don't, we haven't and we don't.

Kit Z. Fox

16:54

@Rathony See, that's not a problem in my book. Not removing a mod is not work for me.

Dealing with an election is work for me.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Well, it could be a lot of work to monitor things.

TIPS

@Rathony They do (usually). But sometimes, you're too disappointed at a few of the candidates that it spoils the whole thing.

Kit Z. Fox

Which is why if you want me to advocate for it, you have to convince me why I should do the extra work.

Rathony

@TIPS I have never been through an election. Looking forward to it.

TIPS

I would perhaps ask or answer something to get to 150 rep on ELU, but meh, too much work.

Rathony

16:55

@KitZ.Fox I don't want you to advocate for anything. I will do what is right based on my decision.

@TIPS Just post a couple. I will make sure. :-)

@TIPS Does it mean you can't vote?

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony Well, OK, but I hope you aren't disappointed if your will doesn't have any effect.

TIPS

@Rathony Before the election: All hype about it. During the nomination: Disappointed and angry "Why the hell are you nominating when you have cast 5 overall votes and 0 reviews?!" After the nomination: OK, let's get this thing over with. After the election: I hate elections.

@Rathony Mhm.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I have been working at a bank where 99% of my proposals were thrown away at the top management level. I know how it works.

Kit Z. Fox

Suit yourself.

Rathony

@TIPS I don't know. I will have to see how it goes. I will definitely nominate three users and see how it goes.

Kit Z. Fox

16:59

You can't nominate users.

You can only nominate yourself.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Oh, I will vote for three users.

@KitZ.Fox That won't happen.

@TIPS Which was the most dramatic election on SE you've seen?

TIPS

@Rathony ELL's.

Rathony

@TIPS Oh, really? Why?

terdon

SFF and/or SF for me. Probably SFF.

Rathony

@TIPS I remember reading some stuff, but it looked peaceful.

TIPS

17:01

It was actually accompanied by an overzealous troll angry about their question's closure.

They went on impostoring each one of the people involved in commenting under their question.

I was one of them.

Rathony

@TIPS Probably most posts might have been deleted.

TIPS

Yes.

No trace of that remains.

Rathony

@TIPS That's the work for existing mods. Sadly.

@KitZ.Fox Can I ask you if you are still in contact with Simchona?

Kit Z. Fox

@terdon Oh good lord. SFF was notorious.

@Rathony You may ask.

terdon

@KitZ.Fox Ooh yeah. And I could vote, too.

TIPS

17:03

@Rathony I appreciate J.R.'s work. He's one of the people that worked really hard for ELL.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox That was the question.

TIPS

Although there were candidates who deserved that place more than . . . I'd pass.

Rathony

if you keep in contact with Simchona.

TIPS

@KitZ.Fox Oh yeah, that one too!

Those guys really acted like kids back then.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony I am able to contact her.

TIPS

17:05

I don't have an account there and didn't participate in that election though.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I see. I thought she would log on after I posted the Meta question.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony What made you think so?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Well, it is possible she might have been contacted by another user and informed about my Meta post and got curious.

@TIPS You need to have the rep if it is required to vote.

I think 150 points is too low though. .

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony Well, it's possible, but if that's what you wanted to have happen, the best way is to do it yourself.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Basically, that's not what I wanted to have happened.

@KitZ.Fox I wanted to let users know the fact.

And curious about the 6-month stuff.

Kit Z. Fox

17:11

I still don't understand why it is important to bring it up. The information is publicly available. If no one is looking, then no one is interested.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Well, the public has every right to know it.

terdon

@Rathony I don't think that was ever actually implemented. That's a blog post from 2011. Many sites have inactive mods and I've never heard of one being asked to step down because of the inactivity. I think that blog post morphed into the special rules for Stack Overflow where mods need to meet a quota of flag handling.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony The public knows it.

terdon

@Rathony The public does.

Rathony

There is no harm letting them know.

terdon

17:12

You're the public. I'm the public. We can look at the mod's user pages if we want to. The question is why would we want to?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I didn't know it.

Kit Z. Fox

@terdon There was just that one that was asked to step down after a year.

@Rathony You found it out without difficulty.

terdon

@KitZ.Fox Because of inactivity? What site?

Kit Z. Fox

It's in the Meta post. I want to say Graphic Design or something.

terdon

Huh, OK.

Rathony

17:13

@terdon I have never looked at the log on date before the day I found it.

Kit Z. Fox

Seasoned Advice.

terdon

@Rathony Yes, but you did find it. So, presumably, anyone else who cares can also find it. It isn't hidden. Also, you're a new user so remember that others will be better aware of the site tools.

Kit Z. Fox

@Rathony But no one was hiding it from you.

@terdon ? Rathony isn't new.

terdon

9 months, right?

Kit Z. Fox

22

Q: Thanks to Aaronut for his years of service!

Aaronut was appointed as a pro tem moderator in 2010, then elected as a moderator in 2011 in our very first moderator election. Unfortunately he hasn't been active on the site in the last year, and it's policy to remove inactive moderators, so his moderator status was removed today. Over the yea...

discussion moderators

terdon

17:16

Huh, interesting:

@dpollitt It's part of the job description for being a moderator that you lead the community and dedicate a couple hours a week to moderating the site. If you're not doing anything and haven't been seen in months, you're not doing that. We don't really need or want a publicly stated policy of "this happens at x activity" because it's not that straight forward, there are exceptions, and how much activity we expect can vary depending on the site. — animuson ♦ May 28 at 16:48

Rathony

@terdon Is there any harm done by letting other users know about one moderator has not logged on and ask what would happen?

Kit Z. Fox

No harm done. You asked and we answered.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Exactly.

terdon

@Rathony Not at all. It just seems like petty finger pointing. Like you want to single them out.

2

Rathony

@terdon You sound a little like the issues related with moderators are none of your business.

Kit Z. Fox

17:17

And it brings us once again to the question "why does it matter to you?"

What impact does this inactive moderator have on you personally?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I am not sure why you keep asking me that question.

terdon

Because you still haven't answered it and because that will help her decide whether you have a valid point that she should pass on to SE. That's why we're having this whole conversation.

Rathony

@terdon I don't need a moderator to do that.

@terdon And I said I would express my opinion when the planned election is held.

terdon

No, but it helps.

Rathony

I am not picking a fight with moderators.

I have no reason to do that.

@Catija Hello.

Kit Z. Fox

17:23

It is obvious that you have a lot of concern about either inactive moderators in general or this one in particular. You haven't waited until the election to express your opinion. We know it already. What we don't know are your reasons. It would be beneficial to me to understand because elections are already a headache without some surprise drama hanging over my head.

So I would consider it a personal favor if you would explain it to me now, rather than waiting.

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Please create a private room for 10 minutes.

If you don't mind of course.

Kit Z. Fox

I can create a private room, but I cannot prevent moderators from entering or reading the transcript.

Is that acceptable?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I see. Then, it is better not to do that I guess.

@KitZ.Fox I won't create a headache.

Kit Z. Fox

Would you like me to contact you personally via email? Have you already contacted [email protected]?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I don't think that's very necessary. I haven't contacted SE team.

Kit Z. Fox

17:27

Is your concern that she will read the transcript?

Or that other mods have access?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox Both.

@KitZ.Fox I don't want to take too much time of yours.

@terdon Do you have anything to say to me?

Kit Z. Fox

I can remove the contents of the room after we are done talking. That would make it nearly impossible to find the conversation later. Is that sufficient?

terdon

@Rathony ?

Rathony

@KitZ.Fox I will ping you tomorrow when I see you in the chat room.

Kit Z. Fox

OK.

Rathony

17:29

@terdon Oh, I just wanted to leave the room.

and say good night.

terdon

Good night!

Rathony

Good night to everyone! See you tomorrow.

I learned a lot today.

Kit Z. Fox

17:46

It occurs to me that you may be confused about the election process because the elections for pro tem moderators on beta sites is significantly different from the process on mature sites like EL&U.

You might find useful information by checking out the prior elections: english.stackexchange.com/election

ELU Reviewers

Transcript for

Room for Rathony to explain their rea…