[wp-forums] The "moderator" hat

Sat Apr 26 00:53:12 UTC 2014

It's a lousy review, and it's barely a review, but it's not something 
I'd consider to delete.

Your best bet is to ask "What did you think this plugin was lacking? I 
know it's not for everyone but (somethingsomething)."

No sense getting into an argument with haters, after all :)

Josh Lobe wrote:
>
> Hey Jan, I need an opinion.
>
> This review was left on a plugin I have on the repo:
> http://wordpress.org/support/topic/tips-for-use?replies=4#post-5503413
>
> He is basically telling people how to delete my plugin files.. and the
> delete the plugin in it's entirety.
> He titled the review "Tips for Use".
>
> Now, I know my plugin is not going to be embraced by the masses....
> But... that title is a little misleading.
> He is being a jerk.
> Should I just let it go?
>
> Thanks for your input :)
>
> *Josh Lobe*
> WP Edit Pro <http://wpeditpro.com>
> Personal Website <http://www.joshlobe.com>
>
> On 4/24/2014 5:26 PM, Jan Dembowski wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> 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?
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>> 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>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>> andrew nevins <mailto:andrew.nevins.misc at gmail.com>
>>> Thursday, April 24, 2014 2:11 PM
>>> Sounds cool
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>> 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
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> wp-forums mailing list
>>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> wp-forums mailing list
>> wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-forums
>>
>
>
>
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