[wp-forums] The "moderator" hat

[it's EMG]

Related, I was wondering if there might be a way for us to help tag/prefix
threads (is that what it's called?) with better tags.

For example - and I have noticed this a lot - we will have people posting a
question about images not showing up and it's posted in one of the general
forums... And it turns out the issue is related to either a specific theme
or plugin or both.

If I can still help regardless of the specifity of the question, I will of
course try, but what is frustrating is when I know a theme or plugin author
could probably better help...

But because the thread doesn't have a better label (eg: posted to the
theme's own support area), it tends to be overlooked by the people who
would best suited to help.

I can't wave the person(s) over, so I've been tagging the threads using the
tag-tags in hopes of adding specifity and just trying to help in general.
 If applicable, I also link them to the better-suited section (like, plugin
specific) and some similar threads... But it feels rather inadequate.

Of course, it would help greatly if the people asking help would prefix
their threads by themes or plugins etc but a lot of the times, they
themselves don't realize it is a very specific issue likely isolated to
their particular theme or plugin.

In such a case, is there a better way to help these people get the help
they need?



On Thursday, April 24, 2014, andrew nevins <andrew.nevins.misc at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Sounds cool
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 7:10 PM, Chip Bennett <chip at chipbennett.net<javascript:;>>
> wrote:
>
> > I think a per-thread "This affects me too" toggle (sort of like
> > "favoriting" or "starring" a Plugin or Theme)  would put an end to the
> "me
> > too" replies, and would have the added benefit of providing a measure of
> > weight of a given, reported problem.
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 2:04 PM, andrew nevins <
> > andrew.nevins.misc at gmail.com <javascript:;>
> > > wrote:
> >
> > > Can I ask, what happens when people don't create their own threads? Do
> > you
> > > let the OP know that it is fine if he/she can start a new thread? I
> think
> > > what we are trying to do in the majority of cases is to keep threads on
> > the
> > > no-replies list, and by telling people that you do have to sacrifice
> the
> > > thread you're in to save other threads.
> > >
> > > It's not always clear when should moderators not moderate, and I know
> > there
> > > are not clear-cut guidelines for this, but I would definitely benefit
> > from
> > > being told what's not okay and when (before it gets to this stage on
> the
> > > mailing list).
> > >
> > >
> > > On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 6:45 PM, Otto <otto at ottodestruct.com<javascript:;>>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Also, while we're having this conversation, can we lighten up on the
> > > whole
> > > > "Please start your own thread" thing?
> > > >
> > > > Okay, yes, they should start a new thread. But seeing that exact same
> > > stock
> > > > reply 8 times in the same thread isn't helping anybody.
> > > >
> > > > Let it go. Just ignore them and focus on providing help to the
> original
> > > > poster. Eventually, the person butting into your thread will either
> go
> > > away
> > > > and start their own, or shut up, or maybe even help out. It's fine.
> > > Ignore
> > > > it.
> > > >
> > > > It's also not a great intro to the forums for somebody to make their
> > > first
> > > > post and invariably get told that they asked the question in the
> wrong
> > > > manner. They'll figure it out, we don't need to stock-reply everybody
> > to
> > > > death.
> > > >
> > > > As moderators, let's focus on cutting out the spam and keeping
> > > > general order, and helping as many people as possible. These are
> > > > support forums, if you're making a post that isn't somehow providing
> > > > support, you probably should not be making it.
> > > >
> > > > -Otto
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