KivaFriends Guiding Principles: discussion thread

[Guest]

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[Diane R]

This thread is open as a place for comments, suggestions, and other discussion on the proposed KivaFriends Guiding Principles list, first offered by the KF moderating team on July 28, 2009.  You can find the current list here:  http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,4137.0.html

Thank you for being part of this next step in our growth together as a community.

--Diane, for the moderating team (Peter, Kerry, Wolfgang, and me).

[Jan & John]

Thank You 

I can usually find a word or two, however, I have nothing to add other than...

I think you guys have spent a lot of your valuable time on this list...

so 

jan

[mejane]

Nice job!!
One question to consider.  Is it possible to have these in a "visible" place when you log onto the forum as opposed to in a thread?  (I say this as I use bookmarks to keep track of things and you don't want to know how many bookmarks I really have.  I know most people read "recent posts" and do not use bookmarks)  If not in a visible place, sometimes things of importance like these guidelines (and the terms of use) get "lost" in the shuffle.  I really like it that the terms of use are out there as one comes onto the forum.  I would like to see these guidelines also easily accessable.

Thanks All!!
Jane

[Diane R]

Jane, I've been in touch with Joe and was considering asking him to link to them in the registration email new applicants receive, and also to include a pointer to them in the ToU/RegistrationAgreement linked at the top of each page at KivaFriends.  The thread we started today is locked and "stickied" at the top of the Kiva Friends board.  I was thinking that might be sufficient, do you think so?

--Diane.

[alan]

Well done. I really hesitated to take up space only to say that, but it needs to be said.

Under "Be Civil" I offer another quote, which I believe has been uttered by President Obama: "It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable."

And, as long as I have the floor, I do want to thank the moderating team for all you do. I have done the same in other fora, and I have some experience with how much responsibilty you all bear. Thank you.

[mejane]

That would be perfect Diane!
Jane

[saabnet]

Congratulations to the moderators. Drawing up guidelines for a busy site like KivaFriends is a monster task (I had to do it for my site) and these are written so well. The language is clear and concise!

Thanks for doing this.

-Scott

[AccountAbility]

Great job, guys! Well articulated and thoughtful. 

I would echo the comment that they need to be readily viewable for both new members and existing.  One of the problems with this type of forum with multiple threads in chronological order is that "new" supplants "good".  Surely there must be a way to keep these front and center.

Dan

[Henry]

in another post today Peter posted the following snippit 

and there being no reason to reject his account deletion request, it was approved.

Here is my question, If someone wants their account deleted, why is it up to the moderating team to determine weither to delete it or not?  Not an argument, just a discussion request.  I hear all the complaints from some other websites such as "once your there, it stays there forever".  While I know KF is not "OUR" website, it's a site we are able to use, I still don't get why it's up to a select few to determine this. 

The argument - it messes up threads doesn't hold water for me.  What else can be done?


(twiddles thumbs)

[Peter S]

As far as I can tell, from looking at some discussions of how SMF software works (SMF is the forum software that KivaFriends runs on), "require approval before account deletion" is an optional setting within the software, and Joe saw fit to enable that feature.

You're right, deleting someone's account doesn't mess up threads.  A deleted account's posts remain, with the name of the poster, and underneath that they are identified as "guest", with no profile link to click on.  So they become sort of semi-anonymous, but still part of the discussion.

I know there have been a couple of occasions when highly valued and respected members have requested account deletion, and the moderators have kind of dragged their heels about reacting to the request (or made a phone call to the member in question...), on the theory that it might be a fleeting disenchantment with the forum.  In both cases, as it happens, the desire to take no further part wasn't permanent.

Maybe there should be a rule that all account deletion requests should be automatically approved, if that's what members want.  Personally I don't have strong feelings about it either way.  I've tested the account deletion feature in the past to see if it's possible to request account deletion by accident.  It's not, you get an "are you really sure?" message and then have to enter your forum password.

Peter