martin wrote:
let me add this: If Andrew or I go back and forth with a poster, we try to make it clear to all at the end if we have banned someone. We obviously dont feel the need to make general announcements about it, but if you happen to cross the thread where we do get into it, it's an obvious conclusion.Sometimes it is very hard to distinguish between Martin the Knicks fan going back and forth with someone and Martin the moderator. But we try to take a different tone and tact; perhaps not succeeding all the time, what the hell we all make mistakes. I like to call someone idiot every once in a while too. Especially Bip.
I don't think it's as obvious when someone's been banned as you think. I didn't know if oohah was banned, I thought Cosmic left of his own volition, and I never know when Playa and Isles are among us. Being more obvious about it could serve two functions: 1) It serves as a clear illustration for others exactly what is and isn't permissible, and 2) It prevents people like me from assuming someone has been dusted when they haven't.
Having said that, I'm probably more sensitive to moderation than most. It was heated exchanges like that between you and oohah that got me suspended (not banned) from RealGM. (My ultimate exile was self imposed.) They had this one fcktard mod who'd attack the credibility of haters, then suspend them when they replied in kind. It was a total setup, which, unsurprisingly in his case, was most prevalent when getting his ass handed to him in debate.
I think it is a potential conflict of interest when the debater and moderator is the same. The net effect back then was a policing of opinions, at least by this one guy. Obviously UK isn't large enough to allow for disinterested parties, but RGM is huge and could easily have fans of other teams policing each others boards. Having lover-enforcers policing "hatters" is a problem waiting to happen. But you guys do seem to be above all that.
(kidding)