Very Important Message II

[Flipz]

Member council elections are fine, but I think we should not allow elections for mods/admins.  Instead, they would be appointed by a two-thirds vote of the member council.

If that's not democratic enough, mods/admins could be nominated to office by at least five members (each member could only support one candidate) and the Member Council would vote on which ones would take office.

This way the process would still be democratic, but there would be enough insulation that it could not turn into a mere popularity contest.  In addition, with votes having to be backed up by reasons, I'm sure that only the people best qualified for office would be chosen.

[lynndr]

Forums tend to be dictatorships of a sort - benign or otherwise. I'm fine with attempts to democratize the process but if there are going to be changes I think other things should be considered too - like Jas' point about the need to have mods/admins on 24 hours since there are more than just North Americans on this site.

As for the "jokes" that have brought things to a head... I tend to ignore them because I find them annoying (and they are usually fairly obvious). If a particular "joke" has caused forum-wide upset then I'll just stay off MLNO until things have calmed down.

[Dudebot5000]

As for the "jokes" that have brought things to a head... I tend to ignore them because I find them annoying (and they are usually fairly obvious). If a particular "joke" has caused forum-wide upset then I'll just stay off MLNO until things have calmed down.

Which isn't necessarly hard cause we usually only use one or two boards and don't usually spend anymore than a day on it. =P

In any case, I'm fine with democratizing the system, but only if it doesn't effect the overall ability for Mods/GMs/Admins to do their jobs. For example, if it takes a while to create a needed board, or ban a possible threat. In other words, we need to explain what the counsel can/can't do, other than elect/appoint mods/admins.

[Flipz]

As for the "jokes" that have brought things to a head... I tend to ignore them because I find them annoying (and they are usually fairly obvious). If a particular "joke" has caused forum-wide upset then I'll just stay off MLNO until things have calmed down.

Which isn't necessarly hard cause we usually only use one or two boards and don't usually spend anymore than a day on it. =P

In any case, I'm fine with democratizing the system, but only if it doesn't effect the overall ability for Mods/GMs/Admins to do their jobs. For example, if it takes a while to create a needed board, or ban a possible threat. In other words, we need to explain what the counsel can/can't do, other than elect/appoint mods/admins.

I was under the impression that other than mod/admin elections, the Member Council would only be consulted for forum-wide issues like drills, pranks, new skins, forum reorganizations, etc.  For example, if the Council had existed before the Ogihci riddles, it would have had to vote on MLN:Next Gen, since it's a major category of the forum.  Likewise, they would have had to vote on the new portal system.  However, they would NOT have a say in the technical implementation of the changes; that authority and responsibility belongs to the mods/admins themselves.

The members on the Council would have no special power; their power could only be excercised as a group (and even then a consensus would usually require at least a two-thirds vote).

[Dudebot5000]

Makes sense, although I was just wondering if it'd turn into a MLNO form of Congress. Which is ineffecteve half the time, but that's another story.

But if the powers are for forum changes and promoting people, I suppose I'm fine with that. For now, at least.

[MsRowdyRedhead]

One provision could be that voting members who missed 2 votes without having informed others of their absence in advance loose the right to vote for a period.

I hate to see this turn into something that takes a lot of time & energy for the staff to deal with.

Perhaps we should address the issue of time zone mods first??

[lionytai]

One thing I'd like to recommend, It could be good to have a mod from every timezone, so there can be a mod on all through the day.

thta's nto a good idea. when i'm no there's usually no one else. *bored*

[Jas765]

Yes, but whenever possible, there should be a mod on.

[Nwj345™]

Just to be clear about my own part in this: I was on vacation from Friday until Today and had no idea this was going to happen. I sincerely apologize to anyone who disliked or felt in anyway intimidated whatsoever. April 1st had already passed without any major jokes/pranks and it never entered my mind that the staff would pull a "late" one. I've never seen an April Fool's joke on a forum like this that didn't upset some people, so I've always thought it was a bad idea. Again, I apologize for this and will take measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[Rakoua]

But if the powers are for forum changes and promoting people, I suppose I'm fine with that.

Yes, or in a rule change.

Also, I am here some six hours a day, mostly depending on when do I have school...
So I don't think there's a time when there is mod absence too often...

[Nwj345™]

There really isn't...If you count admins as mods.

[lionytai]

One thing I'd like to recommend, It could be good to have a mod from every timezone, so there can be a mod on all through the day.

thta's nto a good idea. when i'm no there's usually no one else. *bored*

expect for Nwj345 sometimes

[Darth Rexus]

I guess a April Fools joke never hurt anyone, well done Blade!

[Obi]

*Pushes buzzer* Incorect =P

[Darth Rexus]

*Pushes buzzer* Ha this is fun *Pushes buzzer* Oh sorry. Why are you mad at Blade, I personaly think he is a great guy, and one of the best Admins (I like R8 the most). Anyway he has done more good stuff then bad stuff. Look I made Finck Points
Blade: 92/100
R8: 100/100
Nwj(I forgot the rest of the name): 100/100
AB-Z: 100/100
When the points reach 0 I get mad!
P.S I did the Admins becasue those are the only people I can think of at the moment.

[Legodac]

Pushes buzzer 2, also incorrect, quite a few poeple where, let's say, a little put off.
   Anyways, it figures while I was racing, playing on MLN, mailing lego buddies and then writing what I wrote in a related topic, I failed to see this new Topic. I'm glad to see some of the things being said here, maybe this is home.
    Keep up the good work, oh, I'm talking about my post in Featured member year and the other one, in this forum.

[Kritzelei]

One thing I'd like to recommend, It could be good to have a mod from every timezone, so there can be a mod on all through the day.

thta's nto a good idea. when i'm no there's usually no one else. *bored*

Yeah,  I'm usually alone too. But I do like the sound of time zone mods, although I don't know many people from the UK time zone here.
TBD

[Darth Rexus]

One thing I'd like to recommend, It could be good to have a mod from every timezone, so there can be a mod on all through the day.

thta's nto a good idea. when i'm no there's usually no one else. *bored*

Yeah,  I'm usually alone too. But I do like the sound of time zone mods, although I don't know many people from the UK time zone here.
TBD

Well MT, Me and Voukor live in the U.K!

[ab§olute_Z3R0]

I have an idea: NO MORE JOKES. THEY ALL FAIL.

[Darth Rexus]

*I clap and my hand falls off* Oh no more jokes *I hand goes back on*