Question What's the point of former staff?

AmandaRose

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Except being a moderator isn't a job, every single piece of staff and former staff are volunteers who choose to take the time out of their day to make this forum a better place. Former Staff, 99.999999999 times out of 100, are simply people who no longer have the time to dedicate to actively modding the forum but still may occasionally want to help. Given the size and scope of GBAtemp with the thousands of posts made everyday, why should we reject that occasional extra help? Better to have them there and not need them than to not have them when something goes down.

And it's not like they're here to abuse their powers, obviously they were trustworthy enough to keep them for an extended period of time, what suddenly makes them unqualified for those same powers when they decide they can't spend all day here? Nothing, because if they weren't trustworthy they wouldn't have those powers.
For me its just to do with the wording of it. I have no problem with what they do. I just feel they should be called part time staff or something. Calling them Former Staff gives the impression to those that don't know that they have zero powers anymore on the site.
 

Deleted member 546149

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Except being a moderator isn't a job, every single piece of staff and former staff are volunteers who choose to take the time out of their day to make this forum a better place. Former Staff, 99.999999999 times out of 100, are simply people who no longer have the time to dedicate to actively modding the forum but still may occasionally want to help. Given the size and scope of GBAtemp with the thousands of posts made everyday, why should we reject that occasional extra help? Better to have them there and not need them than to not have them when something goes down.

And it's not like they're here to abuse their powers, obviously they were trustworthy enough to keep them for an extended period of time, what suddenly makes them unqualified for those same powers when they decide they can't spend all day here? Nothing, because if they weren't trustworthy they wouldn't have those powers.
First being a moderator is a job. Second, you say that they should get to keep there powers because of abuse, however, what if an officer who quit many years ago starts arresting people just to make their town a better place. However, when they quit they lose their powers, meaning that they cannot enforce laws anymore. Just like how former staff can still enforce rules even though they quit their jobs. Third, I agree with you on the trust part, however, you cannot expect them to use powers they shouldn't have anymore to take down trolls, that's why we have a report button so if they thought something was wrong they could just report it
 
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porkiewpyne

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I'll just clarify a couple of things here.

For me its just to do with the wording of it. I have no problem with what they do. I just feel they should be called part time staff or something. Calling them Former Staff gives the impression to those that don't know that they have zero powers anymore on the site.
I see where you are coming from. From my point of view, the title Former Staff is more about letting the public know that they should approach someone else who is actively in the modstaff team should they require any assistance on that front since they are no longer obligated to perform mod duties. I would think that making them Part-time Staff or Temp Staff (lol) might actually be more confusing since it will be more ambiguous as to whether they still have any modding responsibilities in that sense.


First being a moderator is a job.

Aight. Imma have to stop you right there. Being a mod is a job? Wow. Guess I got shortchanged by @Costello because I sure as hell have not received a single paycheck over the years.

Are there expectations for what each staff member is meant to do? Yes, there are. But none of us are filling out any timesheets, or reporting our KPIs and what have you.

Second, you say that they should get to keep there powers because of abuse, however, what if an officer who quit many years ago starts arresting people just to make their town a better place. However, when they quit they lose their powers, meaning that they cannot enforce laws anymore. Just like how former staff can still enforce rules even though they quit their jobs. Third, I agree with you on the trust part, however, you cannot expect them to use powers they shouldn't have anymore to take down trolls, that's why we have a report button so if they thought something was wrong they could just report it
Refer to my reply to AmandaRose above for the context of what Former Staff entails.

I'm not sure why you are so salty for. A cop off-duty can do cop things. To reiterate what Tom said, if the need arises, why should we deny assistance? Why be limited by a label?

Your third point makes zero sense. Why should we not expect them to use their privileges properly? What is it that you are so worried about them abusing? Why have none of the current staff had any issues with former staff's interventions?

You are meaning to tell me that there is someone out there willing to put in all that effort to deal with all the BS that comes with the "job" for years on end. All for that one opportunity to destroy whatever reputation you have built up for the lulz? Can't tell if that is beyond stupid or 2000 IQ galaxy brain 5D chess move.
 

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I'll just clarify a couple of things here.


I see where you are coming from. From my point of view, the title Former Staff is more about letting the public know that they should approach someone else who is actively in the modstaff team should they require any assistance on that front since they are no longer obligated to perform mod duties. I would think that making them Part-time Staff or Temp Staff (lol) might actually be more confusing since it will be more ambiguous as to whether they still have any modding responsibilities in that sense.




Aight. Imma have to stop you right there. Being a mod is a job? Wow. Guess I got shortchanged by @Costello because I sure as hell have not received a single paycheck over the years.

Are there expectations for what each staff member is meant to do? Yes, there are. But none of us are filling out any timesheets, or reporting our KPIs and what have you.


Refer to my reply to AmandaRose above for the context of what Former Staff entails.

I'm not sure why you are so salty for. A cop off-duty can do cop things. To reiterate what Tom said, if the need arises, why should we deny assistance? Why be limited by a label?

Your third point makes zero sense. Why should we not expect them to use their privileges properly? What is it that you are so worried about them abusing? Why have none of the current staff had any issues with former staff's interventions?

You are meaning to tell me that there is someone out there willing to put in all that effort to deal with all the BS that comes with the "job" for years on end. All for that one opportunity to destroy whatever reputation you have built up for the lulz? Can't tell if that is beyond stupid or 2000 IQ galaxy brain 5D chess move.
Let me explain. I was referring to former cops, not off-duty cops, that's different. However, should a former cop be able to arrest someone? No! My third point was attempting to state that former moderators should only report, not delete, lock, or ban (not sure if they have the power to ban but you get my point).
 
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DinohScene

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Let me explain. I was referring to former cops, not off-duty cops, that's different. However, should a former cop be able to arrest someone? No! My third point was attempting to state that former moderators should only report, not delete, lock, or ban (not sure if they have the power to ban but you get my point).

System is fine as is.
Don't fix it if it isn't broken.
 

porkiewpyne

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Let me explain. I was referring to former cops, not off-duty cops, that's different. However, should a former cop be able to arrest someone? No! My third point was attempting to state that former moderators should only report, not delete, lock, or ban (not sure if they have the power to ban but you get my point).
This clearly shows that you have not fully read my explanation and are arguing for the sake of arguing. Smells like bait but I'll bite.

Former Staff are essentially modstaff who are on a loooooooooong off-duty period. Any staff members who are removed will not retain their privileges. Staff who do become FS are ones we trust enough to continue being staff at their own leisure.

Your example of comparing FS to former police officers is a terrible analogy because the two organisations function very differently in very different environments with different needs, and thus different rules apply. For all intents and purposes, ex-police officers could very well be given the right to continue doing police things if the governing body so wishes. Or maybe their perk would be to get free donuts whenever they want. Heck, they could be given the right to do ANYTHING so long as the legislation allows for it. It is not done not because it is fundamentally wrong, which seems to be the point you were going for, but because the downsides outweighs the benefits.
 

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This clearly shows that you have not fully read my explanation and are arguing for the sake of arguing. Smells like bait but I'll bite.

Former Staff are essentially modstaff who are on a loooooooooong off-duty period. Any staff members who are removed will not retain their privileges. Staff who do become FS are ones we trust enough to continue being staff at their own leisure.

Your example of comparing FS to former police officers is a terrible analogy because the two organisations function very differently in very different environments with different needs, and thus different rules apply. For all intents and purposes, ex-police officers could very well be given the right to continue doing police things if the governing body so wishes. Or maybe their perk would be to get free donuts whenever they want. Heck, they could be given the right to do ANYTHING so long as the legislation allows for it. It is not done not because it is fundamentally wrong, which seems to be the point you were going for, but because the downsides outweighs the benefits.
What made you think I didn't read your full claim? Either way, I believe there should be perks for former staff. Where you said "ex-police officers could very well be given the right to continue doing police things if the governing body so wishes". Even if the governing body allowed for it that would be just wrong! The donut claim is different because it's not like their enforcing laws, just like how moderators are enforcing rules. Also, yes my claim is that it is fundamentally wrong. Benefits are like "testing out beta features" not being able to delete threads which they could just report.
 
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porkiewpyne

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What made you think I didn't read your full claim? Either way, I believe there should be perks for former staff. Where you said "ex-police officers could very well be given the right to continue doing police things if the governing body so wishes". Even if the governing body allowed for it that would be just wrong! The donut claim is different because it's not like their enforcing laws, just like how moderators are enforcing rules. Also, yes my claim is that it is fundamentally wrong. Benefits are like "testing out beta features" not being able to delete threads which they could just report.
Again, if you have fully read my response, you would have understood why your analogy was poor.
It is not fundamentally wrong just because you think it is. Your specification for what is right and wrong is not universal. That is why we have different rules for different things. Different laws for different countries. Different ideologies and schools of thought. To top it off, we have provided justification for why we do what we do, even though we don't really have to. If you still really believe that your standards are one-size-fits-all, then there is no point for discussion. At best, we will just have to agree to disagree.
 

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Let me explain. I was referring to former cops, not off-duty cops, that's different. However, should a former cop be able to arrest someone? No! My third point was attempting to state that former moderators should only report, not delete, lock, or ban (not sure if they have the power to ban but you get my point).

Plenty of former police stay on as deputies or able to take shifts in times of need whilst doing other jobs, or consulting on a part time basis. Such things are also requirements for some types of security and an in for private investigators.

Likewise many military units will stay on as a reserve or similar for many years after and may be tapped to be brought back in should it be necessary.

This list could go on -- any number of teachers/professors, medics, engineers, C?O level staff, legal types and so forth will retain a level of association with their former employer/profession and help out for a little while upon request (hard/busy times, maternity leave, illness, holiday, minor/skilled works you don't need a full time/subcontractor dragged in for, some teaching newcomers, because they are bored, known to existing client...).

Granted this is all somewhat academic really. I don't think anybody other than you has a particular objection to otherwise time tested and well respected members that held staff positions and left the "full time" aspect under a good terms being able to pinch in or clean up if they happen to be wandering by one day and see the need/feel like helping out. To do otherwise, which is to say maybe enacting your list, at best protects some minor damage that a rogue or compromised former staff member might do (and the limits you put there are probably still "going to be getting a database backup" level) and in actual demonstrable reality serves as something of a slap in the face to said respected members as well as depriving the site of a bit of help that they give.
 

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Again, if you have fully read my response, you would have understood why your analogy was poor.
It is not fundamentally wrong just because you think it is. Your specification for what is right and wrong is not universal. That is why we have different rules for different things. Different laws for different countries. Different ideologies and schools of thought. To top it off, we have provided justification for why we do what we do, even though we don't really have to. If you still really believe that your standards are one-size-fits-all, then there is no point for discussion. At best, we will just have to agree to disagree.
I do not believe my analogy was poor but I want to thank you for staying respectful

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Would you rather porn bots post spam at 4AM and Veho quietly catches it before anyone notices, or would you rather it sit in general off topic for 20 minutes before say, Alanjohn murders it because he just woke up and saw it?

Easy concept.

/thread
Never thought of it that way!
 
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VinsCool

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I personally think of former staff as "formerly active" staff.
They can do the staff stuff if they feel like it, or log off and come back 2 weeks later.

That's not a very difficult concept to grasp.
 

AmandaRose

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I personally think of former staff as "formerly active" staff.
They can do the staff stuff if they feel like it, or log off and come back 2 weeks later.

That's not a very difficult concept to grasp.
Formerly active staff is a better title than former staff. As we all know former means no longer. Former staff therfore implies they no longer have any power.

"formerly active" staff lets everyone know they are still technically staff just not active ones.

So the site should now go with VinsCool's brilliant solution :)
 

porkiewpyne

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Formerly active staff is a better title than former staff. As we all know former means no longer. Former staff therfore implies they no longer have any power.

"formerly active" staff lets everyone know they are still technically staff just not active ones.

So the site should now go with VinsCool's brilliant solution :)
One could also argue that stating that a staff member is inactive or formerly active could easily be misconstrued as being no longer in possession of staff privileges.

We do have this wiki article here, which outlines said retention of privileges. I mean, the only way to drill it home further would be to give them the title "Formerly active staff who is kinda sorta active now and again except weekends and public holidays, depending on their mood and the weather and has access to these subforums and have the ability to lock and edit threads as well as to add polls but not delete them" :tpi: I jest but you catch my drift XD
 

The Catboy

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Something to add, former staff don’t even have to keep their roles either. There are members who were previously part of the staff that aren’t labeled as “Former staff.” Former staff is basically still staff but not active.
 

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