Big Bamboozle lock

[DrVolin]

Fourthbase vehemently disagrees with my call to lock the thread. I explained that I locked it to prevent Jerky's comments from leading to a meltdown. I encouraged Fourthbase to create a new thread to pick up the main discussion. I explained to him that I think locking one thread and letting the discussion continue in another is less disruptive than editing or deleting an individual post (which he is asking me to do instead). We agreed to disagree. I am leaving it up to the other mods and of course, to Jeff.

[Wombaticus Rex]

Can anyone get me up to speed with the relevant threads I need to slog through to understand the dynamics here?

Really, I might start advocating for a Kindergarten-style policy of just suspending both people when it gets into Maya parsing like this....y'all are dropping turds in the punch bowl, fuck who "started it"

[Bruce Dazzling]

Well, IMO, the majority of the recent board acrimony can be traced to the following:

1. Fourth Base's constant trolling.

He's been suspended for a second time in less than a month. The suspension is currently set at one week, but I publicly stated that the duration would be decided by "mod consensus" and I wouldn't lose any sleep if it were permanent.

2. C_W's continued insistence that Barracuda had moderator's privileges long after he publicly resigned as a moderator, and that this situation was more than merely an administrative error.

Takes deep breath...

First of all, she's correct. Barracuda did indeed have mod privs up until May 9.

And speaking to the other part of her accusation, here's the honest scoop as far as I know it:

On May 1, I was informed that C_W was attempting to add 'cuda to her foes list, but was unable to do so.

I notified Drew, who told me that the reason was that he still had mod privs. Then, instead of removing 'cuda's mod privs, he modified board code to allow mods to be put on foe lists. Then, he told C_W that 'cuda still had mod privs due to an admin error, but that he removed them, so that she could now add him to her foe list.

As I said above, however, Drew really didn't rescind 'cuda's privs, but instead simply modified the board code to make it seem as if he had actually rescinded them.

Here's what Drew said to Jeff and me regarding this:

ok... I've modified the phpBB code to allow people to put mods(and admins) on their foe lists.

I've not revoked any rights from 'cudda

but I informed CW that the problem is fixed and that she can now add him to her foe list, and explained the problem in a way that doesn't reveal that he still has "stealth" mod rights. CCed Bruce on that message. Not sure if we want to maintain a practice of having stealth mods, but it's your call.

At this point, I began trying to reach Jeff to find out what, exactly, was going on regarding this "stealth mod" business, but over a week passed with no response from Jeff, even though my messages to him were marked as "read." Meanwhile, C_W, Mac, and a few others were now raising cain publicly over the idea of 'cuda's stealth status.

By May 9th, I still hadn't heard from Jeff, so DrVolin and I asked Drew to remove all of 'cuda's mod privs. Drew told us that he did so.

So, it seems as if both of C_W's charges are correct, which is why I haven't suspended her, even though her repeated accusations have been EXTREMELY disruptive. Instead of suspending her, I asked Jeff (when he returned to the board two days ago) to address the situation publicly, which he did in this now locked thread.

Unfortunately though, he didn't address the aspect of it that C_W suspects (as do I, incidentally), which is that 'cuda's stealth mod status seems to have been sanctioned by Jeff.

So again, my conundrum is that C_W is being extremely disruptive, but her beef seems to be justified from the perspective that it's potentially dangerous, and actually very disingenuous for this board to have a non-mod secretly wielding mod privs. Secret to even the publicly announced mods.

As I've said to DrVolin, I really have no love for C_W. She really gets on my nerves, actually, but I understand where she's coming from on this one. In fact, I'd really like an explanation from Jeff that addresses this particular message from Drew (which again, was sent to both Jeff and myself on May 1.

ok... I've modified the phpBB code to allow people to put mods(and admins) on their foe lists.

I've not revoked any rights from 'cudda

but I informed CW that the problem is fixed and that she can now add him to her foe list, and explained the problem in a way that doesn't reveal that he still has "stealth" mod rights. CCed Bruce on that message. Not sure if we want to maintain a practice of having stealth mods, but it's your call.

I really hate to be doing this, because I truly love this place, and have always had the utmost respect for Jeff, but I think that we all deserve answers regarding this.

Best,

B.D.

[Wombaticus Rex]

So again, my conundrum is that C_W is being extremely disruptive, but her beef seems to be justified from the perspective that it's potentially dangerous, and actually very disingenuous for this board to have a non-mod secretly wielding mod privs. Secret to even the publicly announced mods.

That....sucks. Yowch.