NationStates Jolt Archive

Could a moderator please explain why my typing 16 words in this thread (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71512) constitutes spamming "in a massive way" and warrants a moderator edit, while Ryanania's much longer and much more off-topic bout of lyricism in this thread (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71706) is not considered spamming and warrants no moderator attention at all?

Wait- a mod edited out the Spam song in a spam thread?

Correct. I argued that it was on topic, Stephistan disagreed.

I would respectfully like to say that the wrong action was taken here. The SPAM song, of Mounty Python fame, has long been a joke of "SPAM threads" all over the internet.

Nonetheless, I suppose technically it constitutes spam. Perhaps it was thought that the tired old joke was just that, a tired old joke, and spam in itself.

Well yes, but in a thread dedicated to SPAM, why remove one bit of SPAM. If SPAM threads are not allowed, should not the thread have simply been closed? And why is it a string of Emoticons went un-edited? Thats surely no less SPAMy.

Could a moderator please explain why my typing 16 words in this thread (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71512) constitutes spamming "in a massive way" and warrants a moderator edit, while Ryanania's much longer and much more off-topic bout of lyricism in this thread (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71706) is not considered spamming and warrants no moderator attention at all?

I only edited out the line after line, after line, after line, after line of the word "spam" It was a bit to much. The thread was skating on thin ice as it was.

It also is interesting that this took place on "Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:58 pm" Today is Sept 21, why the decision to bring this up now? Why didn't you at the time. You knew about it, given you responded to it on the thread.

What's up with that?

Stephanie
Forum Mod

Oh, well. Thats not the SPAM song, you know, SPAM song has some toher words thrown in.

Oh, well. Thats not the SPAM song, you know, SPAM song has some toher words thrown in.

I may have missed some spam.. it happens.. however it doesn't negate that when I do see spam on a large scale such as the word "Spam" posted 150 times in the post that I shouldn't edit it. I guess I should of just deleted it. I'll try harder to make sure I never miss any spam ever again! :roll:

Stephanie
Forum Mod

I only edited out the line after line, after line, after line, after line of the word "spam" It was a bit to much. The thread was skating on thin ice as it was.

You misrepresent the situation. It was four lines, a total of sixteen words.

It also is interesting that this took place on "Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:58 pm" Today is Sept 21, why the decision to bring this up now? Why didn't you at the time. You knew about it, given you responded to it on the thread.

Is there a statute of limitations? I wasn't aware of one.

In any event, I discovered Ryanania's post while catching up on the forums after having been away for a few days. The contrast between how that post was totally ignored and my post was edited struck me as curious. My original question still remains unanswered: If my post was spamming, how is it that Ryanania's post is not spamming?

Oh, well. Thats not the SPAM song, you know, SPAM song has some toher words thrown in.

I may have missed some spam.. it happens.. however it doesn't negate that when I do see spam on a large scale such as the word "Spam" posted 150 times in the post that I shouldn't edit it. I guess I should of just deleted it. I'll try harder to make sure I never miss any spam ever again! :roll:

Stephanie
Forum Mod

Wow wow wow! I was agreing with you! I thought they ment the actual SPAM song al la Mounty Python, not just lots of lines of SPAM!

I repeat, I did not post the word "Spam" 150 times. I posted one chorus of the Spam song. Stephistan has badly misrepresented what I posted.

I only edited out the line after line, after line, after line, after line of the word "spam" It was a bit to much. The thread was skating on thin ice as it was.

You misrepresent the situation. It was four lines, a total of sixteen words.

It also is interesting that this took place on "Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:58 pm" Today is Sept 21, why the decision to bring this up now? Why didn't you at the time. You knew about it, given you responded to it on the thread.

Is there a statute of limitations? I wasn't aware of one.

In any event, I discovered Ryanania's post while catching up on the forums after having been away for a few days. The contrast between how that post was totally ignored and my post was edited struck me as curious. My original question still remains unanswered: If my post was spamming, how is it that Ryanania's post is not spamming?

As I recall it was a lot more then 16 words. However, I'm not going to argue about it with you.

As to Ryanania's post. I never seen it. I don't catch every bit of spam on the forum. How about you look for it all and let me know and I'll be more then happy to take care of it :!:

Stephanie
Forum Mod

Oh, well. Thats not the SPAM song, you know, SPAM song has some toher words thrown in.

I may have missed some spam.. it happens.. however it doesn't negate that when I do see spam on a large scale such as the word "Spam" posted 150 times in the post that I shouldn't edit it. I guess I should of just deleted it. I'll try harder to make sure I never miss any spam ever again! :roll:

Stephanie
Forum Mod

Wow wow wow! I was agreing with you! I thought they ment the actual SPAM song al la Mounty Python, not just lots of lines of SPAM!

Sorry, didn't mean to quote you..lol meant to quote D.S. sorry 'bout that :)

Stephanie
Forum Mod

I repeat, I did not post the word "Spam" 150 times. I posted one chorus of the Spam song. Stephistan has badly misrepresented what I posted.

Speaking of spam.. your regional message board has been badly spammed by The Empire of Telak. I have witnessed it myself if you wish to lodge a complaint with the Game Mods, I am willing to back it up, as I did see it myself.

{edit} He's been DEATed{edit}

Stephanie
Forum Mod

Just my non-important opinion here-- but if you recieved an official TM about this, then that is wrong. Moreover, a mistake. I believe that it would have nice to have recieved notification that she didn't realize the song you were qutoing.

Looks like you will not be recieving that appology though. This looks like something she could argue is not funny, but should not count as an offical warning against you.

Maybe you should pick other songs to quote.

For the record, here is, verbatim, what was deleted from my post:

Spam spam spam spam
Spam spam spam spam
Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!
Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!

That's it. Four lines, sixteen words. Count them if you like. For this, I was accused of spamming "in a massive way". I'm not sure why Stephistan felt the need to improve her case by claiming that I posted the word "Spam" 150 times, but I find it very disturbing that she did so. And claiming that the deleted lines were spamming "in a massive way" is surely an interesting interpetation. In any event, the evidence has been conveniently deleted, so it comes down to my word against hers about what I posted.

My point in all of this was not to demand action regarding Ryanania's post. It's harmless enough, and ought to be treated as such. But my post was equally harmless, and should have been left alone. Stephistan was probably justified in locking the thread, but deleting those words from my post accomplished absolutely nothing.

There should be very limited and very specific criteria under which a mod should be authorized to use the "edit" button. This should, of course, include anything that is patently offensive or defamatory, or anything that is likely to get Max sued. Otherwise, posts ought to be left as they stand.

Interestingly, the Telak case that Stephistan brought up is a good example. Telak's posts on the regional message boards, which involved multiple repetions of "Your gay" (bad grammar his), were offensive and certainly justified his deletion. So, after several hours and apparantly much discussion, the game mods took action and deleted him. There was already a thread in this forum about him, and since he had already been reported, I just let the matter run its course.

But, among the forum mods, there have been a number of recent cases involving hasty, biased, inconsistent, questionable, or otherwise just plain bad judgement. Max's words about there being no freedom of speech on this site are being taken a bit too literally. I tend to come down rather strongly on the side of free speech in questions involving the need for moderation. This forum is here for discussion, and except when there is a compelling reason to interfere, the mods should try to let the discussion flow as freely as possible.

In short, I'm asking that the moderators start moderating a little more moderately, for lack of a better word. The hard lines you've taken on recent issues have only alienated people such as myself. A bit of occasional silliness, such as the "spam thread" that Stephistan locked, is a small price to pay for the open exchange of ideas, and may in fact be necessary for the continued health of the user community here. Unless you really want the forums to degenerate into nothing more than a few extremists screaming at each other, of course.