I got banned at Comodo :D

[LaserWraith]

I just got banned by kail at the Comodo Forums. I got annoyed at a particularly grumpy mod, and wrote these posts:

[attachment=189]

(Minus link: http://min.us/ln2zkq )

It was just a post about Osama bin Laden's death, and didn't violate any forum policies. In fact, kail banned me for some obscure reason that it would help me "get a better perspective on the real world." :dodgy:

That's why I like this forum. (I was also upset when some of the Comodo mods became mods here too, though.)

Anyway, the Comodo Forum is so boring recently, and I rarely read it at all. The majority of posts are about bugs, wishes, releases, and bugs. Not much going on in the off-topic area either (it used to be very busy!).

 

[jamescv7]

Well every forum have a lounge for post anything else no wonder how you banned for that reason.

 

[bogdan]

You got banned for discussing a mods decision in public... at least that's what I understand from the screenshot you posted. (Also see: link)

 

[The Analogue Kid]

I must admit this is why i don't post on many forums. It never ceases to amaze me once somebody takes control of moderation duties then all sense goes through the window. He's just another self important person who pushes people away from boards rather than them bringing something constructive to help grow the membership.

---

And on that note thanks for having me but time to move on.

 

[Valentin N]

Hey Laser

I can understand that Comodo wants to keep things in order so that the forum doesn't become something else. Comodo forums is there to discuss Security problems (my opinion) and not real life problems even if there is "General Discussion". I think that forum is for IT-related discussion + other topic that doesn't involve religious or any alike.

Regards,
Valentin N

 

[LoftedAphid86]

I must admit this is why i don't post on many forums. It never ceases to amaze me once somebody takes control of moderation duties then all sense goes through the window. He's just another self important person who pushes people away from boards rather than them bringing something constructive to help grow the membership.

Nah... He's just a moderator who can get extremely grumpy.

 

[bogdan]

Laser has his own fault. They clearly say that you can't start a topic complaining about moderator decisions.
@The Analogue Kid: Sometimes the content on a forum needs to be controlled because it might hurt someone.

 

[eXPerience]

You're not the first/only one running into troubles with him and you won't be the last... on a sidenote : perhaps I should get online again on the forums to keep my post count higher than him ??? (even though I've been offline for like almost a year now I see that I'm still the 5th top poster?)

eXp

 

[Guest28]

Many, of people are leaving because of him. If i were you i would not even spend the time arguing with someone like this. You will lose because they have the power and not you. I don't know this person personally so i can't judge but if he is in the wrong he will have his day

 

[Watasha]

I don't see the issue of posting about the biggest story (literally) in the world. The "discussing Mod decisions in public" sounds a little self-important to me but whatever. Laser certainly keeps things interesting, to me it's well worth a small "transgression" once & a while to have him as a part of a forum.

 

[bogdan]

I don't know why the thread was locked. :dodgy: It is indeed an important news... Thanks for using that signature Laser.

 

[LaserWraith]

Well every forum have a lounge for post anything else no wonder how you banned for that reason.

Um...what? I did post in the off-topic "lounge".

You got banned for discussing a mods decision in public... at least that's what I understand from the screenshot you posted. (Also see: link)

Kail made his post in public. I wasn't trying to repeal it...I was just commenting on it. Furthermore, nothing in the Forum Policy prohibits this. The other topic you linked to is not the forum policy thread. And that only prevents opening a new topic. I just used a current "off-topic" thread.

I must admit this is why i don't post on many forums. It never ceases to amaze me once somebody takes control of moderation duties then all sense goes through the window. He's just another self important person who pushes people away from boards rather than them bringing something constructive to help grow the membership.

---

And on that note thanks for having me but time to move on.

---

Yes...many of the mods either have a warped sense of humor (part of responsibility I guess) or none at all.

Hey Laser

I can understand that Comodo wants to keep things in order so that the forum doesn't become something else. Comodo forums is there to discuss Security problems (my opinion) and not real life problems even if there is "General Discussion". I think that forum is for IT-related discussion + other topic that doesn't involve religious or any alike.

Regards,
Valentin N

Yes...but nothing prohibits discussing real world events. This was not a debate about religions, politics, or evolution, etc. It was simply a note about his death.

Nah... He's just a moderator who can get extremely grumpy.

And he let's his "grumpiness" carry him away, it seems.

Laser has his own fault. They clearly say that you can't start a topic complaining about moderator decisions.
@The Analogue Kid: Sometimes the content on a forum needs to be controlled because it might hurt someone.

See, I didn't start a new topic. And as I said, that was not in the forum policy. People can't be expected to read all the little details in multiple posts by mods. It should all be in the one policy thread.

BTW...anything could potentially hurt someone. I could say I like CIS better than NIS, and some people might cry. :angel: No special reason to prohibit something like Osama's death from the forum's off-topic board.

You're not the first/only one running into troubles with him and you won't be the last... on a sidenote : perhaps I should get online again on the forums to keep my post count higher than him ??? (even though I've been offline for like almost a year now I see that I'm still the 5th top poster?)

eXp

Ah...I've had trouble with him a few times. (And panic some too. )

Many, of people are leaving because of him. If i were you i would not even spend the time arguing with someone like this. You will lose because they have the power and not you. I don't know this person personally so i can't judge but if he is in the wrong he will have his day

That's one reason I'm mostly inactive. Comodo forum is much more boring.

I don't see the issue of posting about the biggest story (literally) in the world. The "discussing Mod decisions in public" sounds a little self-important to me but whatever. Laser certainly keeps things interesting, to me it's well worth a small "transgression" once & a while to have him as a part of a forum.

I thought so too.

 

[bogdan]

I don't know... I personally don't like rude behavior, bad language, insults and threats. I don't mind off-topic discussions as long as they take place within an appropriate section . But that's just me.

 

[MetalShaun]

I did think it was a bit strange why the Osama topic was locked, but they have their reasons and as a member of their forum I have to respect that. And like kail said we can always discuss subjects like that in forums like these. I have always liked Kail's no nonsense style of moderating and I never find him rude or arrogant.

And Xan do come back.


EDIT: I wrote Obama Instead of Osama LMAO.

 

[LaserWraith]

I did think it was a bit strange why the Osama topic was locked, but they have their reasons and as a member of their forum I have to respect that. And like kail said we can always discuss subjects like that in forums like these. I have always liked Kail's no nonsense style of moderating and I never find him rude or arrogant.

And Xan do come back.


EDIT: I wrote Obama Instead of Osama LMAO.

"And like kail said we can always discuss subjects like that in forums like these."

The thing is, we can't start a new topic about it. Which kind of makes sense (I wouldn't want tons of topics discussing moderator discussions in my forum). But I just used the existing off-topic thread to comment on the decision. If I was a mod, I wouldn't care if the discussions were public or not (although it is easier to make threats in private, so maybe some Comodo mods like it that way ).

MetalShaun, you say you like kail's techniques. I have to wonder...why? Kail said he banned me basically because he felt like it (what kind of lousy excuse is "to get some perspective on the real world"?).

The ban notes says, "Continued disregard for forum policy." Which isn't true: first, kail never specified what I violated/disregarded, and second, the forum policy never said anything about posting in an existing topic about a mod's post. I'm not sure if the policy even talks about commenting on a mod's decision.

"I have always liked Kail's no nonsense style of moderating"

Well...apparently, it (1) alienates some potent good members, and (2) drives others away. Many people would say there is such a thing as being too strict and heavy-handed.

"I wrote Obama Instead of Osama LMAO."

Lol...it is interesting how close the US leader's name and one of the enemy leader's names are. Has inspired many artists.

 

[HeffeD]

In a multi-cultural forum, you need to be very sensitive to news topics that could be taken as offensive to someone else. Your news could be seen as the end of the world to someone else. It's a bit of a tightrope walk at times.

That topic just so happens to hit on three taboo subjects listed in the forum policy, whether you realize it or not. It is political, religious, and cultural. Any one of those subjects can completely derail a topic in seconds, all three is a recipe for disaster.

Can you honestly say that you anticipated any sort of positive discussion to come from such a topic?

(I was also upset when some of the Comodo mods became mods here too, though.)

I'm sorry you feel that way... :s

I'm also sorry that you feel that decision was just a power-hungry mod and don't recognize the part you played in it.

I have always thought the moderation at Comodo was surprisingly even-handed.

 

[Gnosis]

Fortunately I am here at MT, mostly among people that I know from elsewhere that are historically reasonable and very helpful; therefore, I shall not have to interact with that kind of nonsense. I don't care to be at another blog. This is the place to be.

It is what it is, LaserWraith. Just be glad you have a virtual home here and put the rest in the past. There is no satisfying outcome in going back to argue with a moderator that very well could be redirecting his own negative personal anxieties relative to the issuance of punishment for alleged rule violations.

 

[LaserWraith]

In a multi-cultural forum, you need to be very sensitive to news topics that could be taken as offensive to someone else. Your news could be seen as the end of the world to someone else. It's a bit of a tightrope walk at times.

That topic just so happens to hit on three taboo subjects listed in the forum policy, whether you realize it or not. It is political, religious, and cultural. Any one of those subjects can completely derail a topic in seconds, all three is a recipe for disaster.

Can you honestly say that you anticipated any sort of positive discussion to come from such a topic?

(I was also upset when some of the Comodo mods became mods here too, though.)

I'm sorry you feel that way... :s

I'm also sorry that you feel that decision was just a power-hungry mod and don't recognize the part you played in it.

I have always thought the moderation at Comodo was surprisingly even-handed.

"In a multi-cultural forum, you need to be very sensitive to news topics that could be taken as offensive to someone else. Your news could be seen as the end of the world to someone else. It's a bit of a tightrope walk at times."

I see no reason to tip-toe around because someone might become upset. If someone is upset...tell them to debate and solve the differences nicely, or shut up. Quite simple, to me. (As long as people aren't bringing politics into other boards where it would be off-topic.) People can always see the title of the thread and ignore it.

"That topic just so happens to hit on three taboo subjects listed in the forum policy, whether you realize it or not. It is political, religious, and cultural. Any one of those subjects can completely derail a topic in seconds, all three is a recipe for disaster."

It depends how far you want to take it. Many subjects can become political, religious, or cultural. We could just say we are glad this enemy of the US won't be terrorizing anyone anymore. Or complain about revenge...

Just like with this Osama topic, someone could take a thread about a bad AV into the political/cultural area. "This AV is soooo bad....probably because <insert country> is filled with lazy fat people."

Or the death of a common citizen: "Ha, he was a <insert religion>. Glad he's dead."

You see...just about any topic could possibly become a discussion about politics, religions, and cultures.

"Can you honestly say that you anticipated any sort of positive discussion to come from such a topic?"

Someone could say how that report was wrong. Or that the death won't change anything. Or just feel sorry for him. Any detrimental effects would just be the result of a strange policy of ignoring anything from the real world that could be possibly offensive (conveniently forgetting that virtual world discussions can easily cause offensive too).

"I'm sorry you feel that way... :s"

Well, that was how I first felt. I just noticed that you had joined, and then saw you were a mod. You aren't a bad mod... I just became inactive on Comodo's forums for a reason, and some of the mods were part of that.

Maybe it was jealousy too. "How come HeffeD keeps becoming a mod in places I want to be one!?"

"I'm also sorry that you feel that decision was just a power-hungry mod and don't recognize the part you played in it."

Anyway, I was not the one who made that topic. I think you know that...right? I already mentioned the "reasons" for my ban, and you have not mentioned them.

"I have always thought the moderation at Comodo was surprisingly even-handed."

Maybe for a company forum. After all...they do have to be kinda politically correct, right? But it can still be too strict. And mods can be a little abusive.

Fortunately I am here at MT, mostly among people that I know from elsewhere that are historically reasonable and very helpful; therefore, I shall not have to interact with that kind of nonsense. I don't care to be at another blog. This is the place to be.

It is what it is, LaserWraith. Just be glad you have a virtual home here and put the rest in the past. There is no satisfying outcome in going back to argue with a moderator that very well could be redirecting his own negative personal anxieties relative to the issuance of punishment for alleged rule violations.

Yes, I'm glad to be here too. :biggrin:

"It is what it is"

No reason to not try and change it.

I just posted it here first, because I kept thinking about it and wondered what others thought, and second, because many people here were from Comodo.

 

[Gnosis]

I understand. I just don't know if it is worth your energy, but if you think you can set precedent I will root for you. You should go with your gut instinct so long as you have a clear head. Good luck.

 

[HeffeD]

Anyway, I was not the one who made that topic. I think you know that...right? I already mentioned the "reasons" for my ban, and you have not mentioned them.

Yes, I know you didn't start that topic. You're just the one that made the post that a moderation decision was funny and that it showed that the Comodo forums are ignoring the real world...

How exactly did you expect that to go over? If your answer is anything other than, not well, I think you're deluding yourself, regardless of the forum you're on.

Then of course, you just continued to stir the pot...

So perhaps instead of complaining about alleged abuse of power from a mod, (and to any others who seem to feel this is also the case) you could take a close look at your actions from a moderators perspective of trying to keep order on the forum. The decision to lock a thread is never made lightly. Mocking the decision to do so is exactly the type of thing that isn't conducive to healthy forum discussion. Maybe ask Jack or Bogdan how well a post of yours would be received that mocked a moderation decision on this forum?

Oh, and did you forget to mention the ban is only temporary?

Users in this forum also initially get temporary bans to get some cool-off time to rethink their posting strategies. I guess the mods here are on a power-trip as well?