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Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Luzern
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Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Of late I my perception is that a number of people, who think they have a grievance against Plusnet, choose not only to keep to their own threads, but also post nonconstructive comments on others'.
I think it is a wrong use of forum space, and that such posts should be removed. What do you think?
No one has to agree with my opinion, but in the time I have left a miracle would be nice.
16 REPLIES 16
Oldjim
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

To an extent that is covered by this rule but it has to be really blatant for action to be taken.
Quote
Trolling
A troll is a person who posts inflammatory messages, to disrupt the discussion or to upset its participants. The word, or its derivative, "trolling", is also used to describe such messages or the act of posting them. This behaviour will not be tolerated
The problem is that there is a significant grey area between constructive (including variants of "me too") and totally irrelevant to the particular problem
As this is to do with the Forums I have moved it
picbits
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Fish !
Strat
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Such instances are monitored and if they persist action will be taken.
It's not an exact science so tends to be the opinion of the moderators as to how far a particular instance goes before the action is taken.
We don't like to appear to censor the forum to the benefit of Plusnet as some forums do so we try to keep a balance and allow personal opinion to be expressed within the boundaries of the forum rules.
Edit: Also as Oldjim says above.
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picbits
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

(Sorry - couldn't resist the above given the title).
If the member with a grievance has something constructive to offer to the thread then I think it can be justified.
However, spamming and trolling a load of threads with "Plusnet is crap - avoid" is totally non constructive and the member should be given at least a temporary ban.
I help moderate a very large forum where it kicks off around once a month in a big way (and it's 95% male orientated !) and cooling off periods are often handed out.
Mav
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

It can be be just as frustrating when someone posts how wonderful PN is in a thread where the OP has posted his/her own grievance - rightly or wrongly.
As mentioned before, if the poster contributes something positive to the thread then all is well.
But I vote for not removing them as I think that could inflame the situation more with people feeling that it is an attempt at censure by PN themselves.
A quiet word by one of the mods if posts are not particularly relevant may do the job?

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Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear - Mark Twain
He who feared he would not succeed sat still

picbits
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

I think some positive feedback on negative threads is sometimes important as often other members have had a similar issue and have had it resolved by Plusnet.
For example - I had issues with CallerID - it was resolved promptly but there were certain procedures the member can do to check where the issue is.
Other posts which seem common are BTOR missing appointments and members going loopy at PN who are caught in the middle. Some reassurance and a second opinion that it's not all PNs fault can sometimes calm things down a bit as can assuring the member that someone from PN should be along to answer their post (or maybe not as quickly at the weekends).
I do think that members who go on a 5-10+ post offensive actively hijacking other peoples posts to say derogatory things about staff and the service should at least be handed a 7 day cooloff from the forums. Repeat offending should result in a permanent ban.
shalom2010
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

I'd just like to add to the above. Please could the moderator's PM posters who insist on shouting at us in capitals. I find it really annoying!
Oldjim
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

If it is all capitals we just change it and only PM if it is frequent
If it only partial capitals then it isn't against the rules so nothing can be or is done
Anotherone
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

I think the Moderators have a really tough job with these. Some of us, as no doubt most of us will have seen, post comments about the "trolling" or "off-topic" etc. but then we have to be careful that we don't break forum rules as a consequence!
Some persistent breakers of some forum rules, never look back at there previous post for the moderator's comments (I assume) or what has happen since that post. A typical but more trivial example of that is "Full Quotes"  Roll_eyes
I have wondered in the case of "Trolling" and similar, and name changing such as leaving the "L" out of Plusnet whether a just "pre-phrased" warning message could be added to the post. (In a similar manner to such as one added when removing a Full Quote).
And in the case of more than one Trolling message, a PM be sent as well.
I realise that the latter takes time of course, and the moderators have a tough enough job as it is, they are well between a rock and a hard place!
I have to say though, that with the largish influx of new customers, quite a few being of a younger element, whilst in quite a few cases I can understand their anger, some posts are just OTT. It not only makes for unpleasant reading, but in quite a few cases it's difficult to provide either help or just support for their predicament. There was a time when I used to read every post on the Feedback board, not these days, and I sometimes wonder why I bother at all!  Crazy
198kHz
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

I've voted 'No'.
Thus far, I think the mods and Bright Sparks are keeping the problems down to a tolerable level, and my thanks to them for that.
Unless the number of belligerent or inappropriate posts rises significantly, I'm happy with the status quo.
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Razer
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

I voted 'Yes'. I favour very active moderation and would like to see more on such a small, quiet forum as this. As to the particular subject here, I've seen far too much of it of late from one or two members and it's really annoyed me. That said, I can also understand that when you are frustrated with a problem you're having and someone else posts with a similar problem it's somewhat natural to post to say 'me too' and have another bit of a grunt.
spraxyt
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Active moderation sounds a great idea but doing that is hard work, especially for a small team of volunteers. I don't think we should be demanding more.
Leaving these problem posts alone until the moderators feel an intolerable threshold has been crossed has the advantage that those posting won't be able to add (perceived) Plusnet censorship to their list of grievances. We can help by not responding to "non-constructive" posts, just respond to the original if appropriate.
David
Razer
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Re: Nonconstructive comments by complainants on others' threads.

Quote from: spraxyt
Active moderation sounds a great idea but doing that is hard work, especially for a small team of volunteers.

I know, I've done it and on a much busier forum.
Luzern
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Re: Errors re DHCP client in Windows 7

Well, there are posts on 10th on three threads by the same person
Quote
DO NOT TRUST THIS SHOWER OF COMPANY - disgraceful.  I have never experienced such a shower in my life
I would not trust this shower, by far the worse service i have ever experienced in my life - and ive dealt with some [Censored] in my time!
DO NOT TRUST A WORD THAT IS TOLD, but be thankful if you ever do get a reply..

I would not trust a word - but saying that, be thankful youve had a reply i guess...
I didnt think a service could be so bad with so many faf-up's
If they are not totally nonconstructive troll posts, I'm a monkey's rear end. Those are just the type of posts I mean,
No one has to agree with my opinion, but in the time I have left a miracle would be nice.