[Mrs John Murphy]

Hello.

To cut a long story short I found myself on the MFF support forum and noticed that another forum had a missing owner/admin problem. So I asked what should be done given that Berg has been absent for a long time and that despite emails, messages etc, there is no word from him. And the problem with the spammers is just annoying.

Anyway. The reply came back thus:

http://forum.trillian.myfreeforum.org/about18212.html

Basically, we need to agree on a new admin for the board. Basically they will (I assume) upgrade the chosen member(s).

So I guess it is down to whoever, wants to volunteer for the job and if other people are happy with that person as admin.

[Nolte]

i support whoever is interested as long as they have no affiliations to handbag makers. shoe makers is not a problem.

[kathy]

That's excellent news, MJM!  Can we have more than one admin person so that the same thing can't happen again?

[MS]

[Slapshot 3]

Does this mean a new registered "site owner"; if not and if Berg appears back and deletes the new admins it puts us back to square one.

Well, instead of keeping working to build the other forum, which is pretty close, keeping this one going would be to all our advantages.

There are a number of bits and pieces of "responsibility for content" you agree to when you register, I've done it already with the other builds so I'll pick it up if you like and then spread the relevant permissions out a bit. We definately need more than 1 person looking after things.... I'll happily take it on

[Mrs John Murphy]

I have no idea about the transfer of board ownership. I think that can be problematic, but they seem very helpful on the support forum.

Really all it needs is someone to go through - ban/IP ban the spammers, delete the spam threads and then monitor the situation there after.

I don't think anyone is proposing anything radical like introducing moderation or banning people people don't like.

I would off to do it, and I have done message board admin before, but I appreciate that I may well be too 'political' for some people's taste.

So if you are happy to do it then go for it.

[Biosphere]

Well the mod/admin thread that's linked above calls for a name (perhaps it can also be names?) to gauge the level of support for the transfer. They're going to read this thread in a weeks time to make their minds up. Looking at other admin threads this isn't something they do lightly and and based on previous cases there isn't a precedent one way or the other. If we want our forum back we've got to post to say so and say who we support. It won't happen otherwise.

A poll is needed. Slapshot has said he's happy to do it. I'm happy to do it, but I can imagine that I've wound up enough people to be an unpopular choice. There are others I think would do a good job, but they've not said anything yet so I'll take it that they would rather not do it.

Whoever I vote for, I would want the new admin to do no more than delete the spam bots and any new sock puppets and make/delete stickies. Anything else they did would be a bonus. However, whoever puts themselves forward needs to explain what their admin position would be - I don't want any posters getting banned for personal reasons.

Can any more candidates throw their hats into the ring?

MJM, can you start a poll in a day or two?

[kathy]

I think we need more than one person with Admin rights, and would be happy to help, but I would not want ownership - I've done that before, and you get pm'd to death by people worrying about petty squabbles they ought to be sorting out themselves!  I'm quite happy with whoever wants to do it, but no moderation, just the ability to delete spam posts and eliminate the spammers.

[Slapshot 3]

[grrr]

I'm happy to join an admin team, although I'm not a top 10 contributor.

[Bartali]

Good idea!  Lets get ownership back.

I support all of the above.  Seems to me that:

1) two people is better than one (just in case); and

2) this is just about admin as others have posted

If a poll would help, then lets have a poll, but Bio, grrr, Slapshot, MJM and Kathy are all, IMO, safe pairs of hands - and I'm grateful to you all for putting yourself forward.

[Mrs John Murphy]

I would also suggest maybe one of the North American posters as well in case we get a spam invasion in the middle of the night.

I think any poll would be two questions:

Do you want to see new admins to deal with the spammers?

And a second poll about who has the support of people.

I suggest that people can put their names forward by wednesday then we can have a poll until sunday and I can then go back to MFF.

[Slapshot 3]

[MAILLOT JAUNE]

+1. I'm all for a poll.

I did suggest a poll before, but someone, who shall remain nameless, shot me down in flames.

I'm afraid I can't put myself forward as an Admin person as I'm a bit of a muppet where technology is concerned at the moment.  

Thanks everyone who has put themselves forward so far.

Vive la Revolution!!!!!!

[grrr]

[kathy]

I think it's possible to have an admin/moderators only thread on most forums, where those responsible can arrange between themselves who's 'on duty' to deal with problems at any one time.

[Fontfroide]

Lists and forums work well with only one person who does the stuff day by day, and another who does the stuff when the first one can't or needs a break.  Then you have a third person, authorised to do the stuff, who does absolutely nothing until there is a total simultaneous disaster with the first two.

Thanks to those who have the technical savvy, the desire and the time to keep things going.  As someone who has no acquaintance with the previous owner, it clearly is time to make the changes.  Good on MJM for taking the initiative.

[grrr]

[Slapshot 3]

[HuwB]

Sort of like a JustCycling podium?

A poll would be the democratic way.
No vote, no say, Jose.

Carry on troops.

[Mrs John Murphy]

A poll of how many admins we want/need?

The tasks shouldn't be too difficult after the spammers/spam threads have been dealt with.

[grrr]

[Mrs John Murphy]

Fair enough. Poll on do we need new admins posted.

If you would like to put your name forward then please do so and I will post the poll on wednesday to close on saturday/sunday.

[Slapshot 3]

[berck]

I don't think we have to specify how many admins/moderators are needed. Once you get one, that one can add others. We just need to get at least one, but I do agree that their should be a few who can help.

I've been a moderator on a technical forum for a while there. We have been running into some of the same problems we're finding here with spamers. We don't see it as bad because our stories don't pop to the top of the list like they do here. We have been deleting accounts as fast as we find them though.

[grrr]

[kathy]

As I've said previously, I'm happy to help.

[levi]

i would like to help but i do not think i am up to it technically.also think its a good idea at least we will be able to get rid of the spamers.

[Mrs John Murphy]

Question for people - when I do the poll to choose new admins - should it be multiple choice (as there will be two) or single choice? My preference would be for multiple choice and people can pick their two.

[grrr]

that sounds fine

[Slapshot 3]

[Ralphnorman]

[Mrs John Murphy]

So far people who have put their names forward:

Grrr
Bio
Slapshot
Myself
Kathy??

If I have missed anyone out please speak up. I will post the poll about this time tomorrow.

[maffy]

busy yesterday, so late for this. also happy to help out, but plenty of decent upstanding volunteer netizens already.

mjm, can you set a multi-choice poll limiting to two votes? it would seem the obvious way to do it but isn't it either one or unspecified many...

[Mrs John Murphy]

I think it is one or multiple choice. I think we will just have to trust that people are not going to engage in 'Kazakh voting'.

[maffy]

sometimes the kazakh voting is opaque even to bruyneel

[berck]

Well, I'd be willing to do it. We need to get at least one person who is familiar with how this forum in particular works. For that I would suggest Slapshot.

Second tier would be those that have experience administering forums in general. I do have some experience with that.  I don't know who else.

Third tier would be other who want to help, but may need some coaching. This group can do a lot of damage if they're not careful. Not intentionally, just by accident. I've seen this happen on other boards.

[grrr]

My view is that the forum is pretty stable considering no-one's looked at it for quite some time.  Two people will be plenty.

I wonder if it's possible for volunteers to state how keen they are?  I am keen to help if required but will be relieved rather than offended if not elected.  I certainly wouldn't want to stand in the way of someone who actively desires a role.

Unless that person is a complete fucktard, obviously, but I don't think anyone on the list fits that description.

For what it's worth I manage a team of software developers who can be called upon if required - although some of them ARE fucktards.  But we can be called upon by the admins without me having to be one.

[Mrs John Murphy]

My suggestion is that when we put the poll up, those in the poll, if they wish can put a little 'why vote for me' blurb.

[Biosphere]

[Mrs John Murphy]

http://forum.trillian.myfreeforum.org/about18212.html

So basically they have said that we need to agree a new 'owner' for the forum. I am assuming that as Berck and Slapshot are the clear winners of the poll that it should be one of them (assuming they are willing to take on that role).

[cardinal guzman]

So someone has to accept legal responsibility for everything I say?

Maybe that's why Berg has stayed hid?

[Slapshot 3]

A board admin must assume control of the board for legal reasons but after that can open matters up to other admins etc but they must have a known person/contact email address for a site owner.

If, once the transition takes place Berg comes back and stays with us he can be added back in.

[Nolte]

and then also the running costs would be there responsibility

i think for the running costs, if people are so willing, paypal donations?

[Slapshot 3]

[Nolte]

oh that's god

and we criticise epo. for shame

[HuwB]

[berck]

I posted this in the poll site, but I guess I should have done this here...

Well, according to MJM, the poll is closed. Looks like Slapshot and I gathered the most votes. I found out that MFF wants one of us to be declared the new forum owner. I propose that to be Slapshot. He is very familiar with how MFF works. I'm happy to help him administer the site

If we need to be very specific for MFF. I'm referring to Slapshot 3 when I write Slapshot

[HuwB]

Seems I am no longer able to pm Slapshot.
Luckily, I can still pm Berck.
Have asked for a sticky for the new links thead, I'm sorting and to get rid of the obselete Global threads, if poss.

[bianchigirl]

Thanks for sorting this out MJM and for everyone who is now taking on the job of running the place.

[MAILLOT JAUNE]

Although I'm struggling at the moment to find time to peruse (sp?) the boards at the moment, just thought I'd say how smoothly everything seems to be running.

Hey, who's blocked my access, just because I can't spell????
Don't you just hate adminstrators      
No, seriously, thanks again guys for keeping us altogether and in time for Christmas! Good work.