Conference misery::feline_v1

    Which notes in particular did you have in mind?
    
    I don't have any complaints so far about the moderators. Don't forget
    that new readers of this notefile will be looking at the topic title
    for information - it can be frustrating wading through pages and
    pages of replies which have little relevance to the title note,
    however interesting they may be, when you are looking specifically
    for replies to the problem stated in the title note.

    I haven't seen any examples of censorship.  I have seen the moderators
    intervene when discussions got out of hand, and name calling or
    other forms of abuse starting taking place.  I support the moderators
    100%.  I think that they have a thankless job.  When things are
    going well, no one gives them a pat on the back, but when things
    aren't going well, they are the ones who take the heat.  Not just
    from us noters either.
    
    Jo

    re .1 - "Which notes in particular did you have in mind" - 
    
    I feel that to draw attention to the exact issues which caused my
    reaction would not be fair - then I'd be asking you for an opinion
    based on a particular issue and the moderator's response. Doing that
    would perhaps detract from my overall question - in general, do you think 
    the notefile is being moderated fairly?
    
    I moderate a few notefiles, one of which generates very strong
    opinions. Nevertheless, unless someone suggests an out-and-out boycott
    of a vendor discussed there, I don't feel it's appropiate to ask people
    not to express their opinions, or to tone them down.
    
    I do agree, by the way, that a moderator's job can be a thankless,
    tiresome one. The moderators deserve a lot of credit for trying to
    keep things rolling, and non-abusive. I only wanted to see what the
    opinions of the other Feliners are, and measure their feelings against
    my own.

    I think I have a pretty good idea which issue you're referring to.
    Regardless of how I personally feel about that particular subject,
    I believe the moderation was handled appropriately.  Other than
    that, I can't really recall when a moderator was required to step
    in for the same reason.  This file seems to need very little direct
    moderation.
    
    I also believe the subject of this notestring can become a diffcult
    one.  If someone has a problem with the moderation, *I* feel that
    it should be worked off line with the moderators.  Those who are
    familiar with the "old" Soapbox will probably understand why I say
    this.  I'd hate to see anything remotely similar happen in this
    file...it's such a waste.
    
    That's my opinion...FWIW.
    
    
    
    Bob

    Oh - just so nobody gets the wrong idea, I've changed the title of the
    basenote from "Is FELINE being moderated fairly?" to a
    less-inflammatory one. (thought I ought to tell you that, so you
    wouldn't think a moderator changed it :-)
    
    jack
    

    I think the new title fits better.  
    
    Jo

    ME TOO!

    I currently moderate Human_Relations, Soapbox, Moderators, as well as
    things like Cooks and Threads and a bunch of small members-only
    conferences, so I know first hand what a joy moderating can be.

    I think the moderation of this conference is very laid back and
    "non-invasive" in style. Since I moderate several rather "high
    intensity" conferences, I tend to operate under far more stringent
    rules than are enforced here. A couple of times I have felt that things
    have shown up here which violated DEC's Policies & Procedures. I
    pointed these out to the moderators and the problem was worked out.
    Sometimes I see things here which I think are borderline allowable. I
    tend not to point these out, since those are the judgment calls all
    moderators have to make. Since the new 6.54 policy come into effect,
    moderators have a lot more personal responsibility about what they allow
    in "their" conferences, since they are held directly accountable for
    the contents of the files.

    I think the moderation of this file is working well.
    
    Tamzen

    First of all, I'd like to thank the moderators for the work that they
    do to make feline possible.
    
    I value the hang-loose attitude of feline, which lets notes meander
    to a certain extent, but which does result in notes being moved to
    other topics occasionally when its important.
    
    I also think a calming note from a moderator is helpful (posted in the
    notes file) when situations that we all feel strongly about are
    getting out of hand, and of course, dec policies have to be respected.
    
    I was puzzled however, by the offline mail I received about my entry in
    the united way note. I had the feeling the moderator thought KO was going
    to fire us all for expressing honest opinions.  I;d hate to think that
    was the way either dec or feline worked.
    

Although I can't say I agree with everything our moderators have done, I
feel that they've been for the most part very non-intrusive and even-
handed. 

The following opinion might not be very popular:  If there were anything 
I'd like changed about the moderation of this conference, it would be that 
our moderators be *more strict*.  I am sometimes amazed at how much 
provocation they take, and then react in a *calm*, *gracious* way.

If the Joker worked for DEC, he would have said "My style would be 
different".

Ray

                First let me say that I have been very satisfied (for
        the most part) with the moderating of this notesfile. 
                
                While I am not a moderator of any notesfile (and often
        glad I'm not!), I think I can see at least some of the dilemas
        that it has to pose. Especially where most of those "lines which
        you shall not cross under pain of whatever" are at best a black
        thread hung in a large empty coal bin at night with no lights!
        So  how does one find the line? One makes the best educated
        guess one can, and since we are all different (in many ways),
        the lines come out in different spots. (Probably a call for
        multiple moderators who work together!)
                
                I think all this adds up to a requirement that all of us
        (including, but not exclusive to the moderators) be a little
        more tolerant with others who post in this (or any other) notes
        file. Disagreement is what this world is based on provided that
        it can be done in a reasonable manner. One thing that we tend to
        forget is that the written word contains less information than
        the spoken word (no sense of inflection or body language) and
        thus we need to choose our words and combinations of words much
        more carefully.
                
                A procedure that I have used in the past (with
        reasonable success) to resolve an existing situation is to write
        directly to either the author or a moderator as you feel is
        appropriate and POLITELY explain your problem with the note in
        question. It may well be that the person who wrote the note in
        the first place didn't even intend the sense or meaning that you
        (and probably others) got from it. As a further statement here,
        I've been on both sides of this equation as the complainer and
        the complainee! 
                
                I think I've run out of ideas here - so I will say that
        I wouldn't mind the moderation being a little more active, I
        think if the majority of us think a little before we write that
        reply, and then reread it before we send it off, things will
        need very little moderation.
                
                /s/     Bob

    I think also we should remember that this notebook is all about
    CATS (those furry little bundles who are probably at this moment,
    even as you read, clawing the wall-paper, stealing next-doors goldfish,
    and ransacking the house to find the catnip smelling present meant
    for MONDAY).
    
    I use this notebook to read about other peoples' cats, to laugh
    at the things they get up to (cats, not owners!), to sympathise
    when someone's cat is ill, to cry over the lost ones, to ask for
    advice about my own cat, and to share the happy moments he gives
    me. Occasionally I might try to offer advice, but this is not often
    because I am definately no expert. I will read about someone's
    experiences with a new product (eg the cat litter a few notes back)
    to see whether it is worth buying or not.
    I expect that this notebook is used in the same way by most other
    people. As such, the moderation is just right.
    
    The problem is, as has been stated before, the way in which notes
    are worded and, in the topic previously mentioned, there was a world
    of difference between the tones of the replies.

	Re: .14

	You said it all for me!

	I think the moderators are doing a fine job.  Many of you probably
	remember that I was once driven out of this notes file.  In fact,
	I ran a command procedure to delete almost every note I ever wrote
	to the file I was so mad!  You see, people attacked me with their
	opinions on declawing and my feelings were quite hurt.  

	I found I couldn't keep away from feline for long but I now
	very much avoid the controversial issues and never force my 
	opinions down others throats.  

	All the people that read this file regularly LOVE their cats!
	Whether they keep them indoors only or let them out, whether
	they declaw them or not, at least they love them.  Even if some
	of you do not agree with the way others treat their cats,
	just remember that there are so many other cats out there with
	no one to love them!  At least the cats owned by the readers
	are loved!

	Karen	

    I agree with .2 :  The moderators do a great job and thanks surely
    are in order.  Would also agree that when you need information on a 
    specific topic, it's frustrating to have to read so many replies to 
    non-related topics to find the answer.  Moderators' guidance isn't 
    necessarily censorship; sometimes, it's perspective.