[wp-forums] The "moderator" hat

Thu Apr 24 21:26:34 UTC 2014

> 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. 

Normally if the topic has no traction then you can suggest that the 
poster post in the sub-forum for that plugin. But if there's already a 
conversation going then if you want to tag a plugin or theme topic look 
at the plugin URL and use that slug to tag the topic.

For example if a user had a problem with this (innocently and randomly 
picked by me) plugin:

https://wordpress.org/plugins/rickroll/

And they posted a topic in the general forum then you can tag that topic 
with "rickroll" (less the quotes).

It would be more direct for the poster to use this link though.

http://wordpress.org/support/plugin/rickroll#postform

And start a new topic in that plugin's dedicated support sub-forum. That 
doesn't guarantee an answer but it does improve the odds of that topic 
being seen by the right people. When someone does that I usually close 
the original topic with a link to the new one.

> Of course, it would help greatly if the people asking help would prefix
> their threads by themes or plugins etc 

No, don't do that. It's not necessary and it makes the poster feel as if 
they're posting in the right place when they're not.

If you post to a dedicated support sub-forum then the [ Plugin: Plugin 
Name Here ] will get added automatically. Same for theme support sub-forums.

Thanks,

Jan Dembowski

> it's EMG <mailto:its.emg at gmail.com>
> Thursday, April 24, 2014 3:51 PM
> And without the whole, "I'm being brushed off," feeling?
>
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> it's EMG <mailto:its.emg at gmail.com>
> Thursday, April 24, 2014 3:50 PM
> 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>
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> andrew nevins <mailto:andrew.nevins.misc at gmail.com>
> Thursday, April 24, 2014 2:11 PM
> Sounds cool
>
>
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> Chip Bennett <mailto:chip at chipbennett.net>
> Thursday, April 24, 2014 2:10 PM
> 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
>> 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>  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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>>>
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> andrew nevins <mailto:andrew.nevins.misc at gmail.com>
> Thursday, April 24, 2014 2:04 PM
> 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).
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> wp-forums mailing list
> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums