Job Discussion Forums

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

Another ESL site has an active post regarding Dave's forms. What do you think about their views, agree or disagree?

Does anyone here feel the moderation on Dave's is too tight? or is it what makes this forum so popular?

http://ajarnforum.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=7961&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I'm a mod on another ESL forum. Doing the work depends on the needs of the site. Dave's being the biggest, I don't envy the work the mods here do...

There's always going to be a little back and forth in a public space, but someone needs to draw the line sometimes. Think of the newbies who pop in for the first time. What should they see...relevant topics and and a place to get answers or political hot potato du jour wrestling ring?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Stosskraft,
I can't seem to find the thread in question. Has it been deleted?

Gotta agree with Guy, though. I'm willing to bet the people on that Thailand forum have not been moderators. Dave's tries to be a professional outfit. To have total freedom to say what one wants is just asking for anarchy. Moderators are needed most of the time, and even I have been chastised a couple of times to tone it down. No problem with that at all.

I'm also a moderator on another forum. It's not an easy job, but it's needed. I think Dave's ESL Cafe does a pretty darned good job at fending off the trolls and activists and trying to keep things professional and coherent.

Stosskraft · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 252 Location: Japan

The above link worked for me just now, but try this.

www.ajarn.com

Forums - at the top of the page

"The soap box" about 7 down.

The topic "Dave's ESL cafe forum" is about 5 down from the top.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

I do believe that the thread HAS been moved due to some not-so-nice comments that were made later on in the thread. It started out as a pretty positive discussion but it must have degenerated.

The crux of the discussion was that the mods on Dave's generally keep a tight reign on the bulls**t that's a natural part of a discussion forum, and that Dave's is probably a better place to get answers to your queries, whereas some of the other forums might be better places to rant, vent your frustrations, and have more "fun" as some people see it.

Self-edit: the thread may have been restored since my writing above.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Hmm...not sure I agree with that. Given Dave's popularity, indeed, number 1 in such affairs, this place is where I see more non-teaching battles taking place. I like to think it adds to the flavour.

Other not-so-popular forums, like TesALL.com, ESLEmployment, EFL-law, seem to keep the tightest reign, mostly due to lack of popularity or being specia interest.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

So what is the explanation for the long-running and highly inflammatory thread titled "Taiwan ROC (Republic of Criminals)" on Dave's? Why haven't the mods intervened there?

bluffer · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 5:47 am Post subject:

Err. yes there were some unrully comments made once the thread got off topic. A curse of the country based forum I guess.

Ajarn and Here are two different things which is why they are different flavours. Here is much more newbie friendly but it is more strictly controlled by the mods but many people pass though here and dont stay.

Once they find their feet they migrate to country specific forums like ajarn or kmer440 and it does become much more "lively" and pub talky for want of a better expression, you stay and get to know and love or hate people and their points of view. Which is where flame wars start. gays v straights v bi v yanks v aussies v brits v the rest of the world v liverals v neo cons v ........

And by the way, I am a mod there.