Discouraged: Where are the guidelines for participating on the forum located?

[Winnie53]

I love this forum. I enjoy helping people. But recently more than one of my posts have been edited. This has happened a total of three or four times during my two years here. But now I wonder if it's happening all the time because I'm usually not informed.

When I have free time, I come onto the forum and look for questions that I personally would like to learn more about. If I find one, I do online searches and post links to information that I think will be helpful. This process often takes an hour or more. Imagine my disappointment when an hour, sometimes hours, of my contributions, disappear. Poof, gone...

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. And equally frustrating, I can't find the forum guidelines. Could someone provide a link?

Not sure what to do. Should I continue posting helpful information where everyone can read it? Or should I just contact the original poster privately to insure they receive the information I compiled for them?

I thought the purpose of participating on a forum was to help one another.

[Edited to add]: What is the purpose of this forum?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

You are not supposed to ask difficult questions like this. They have been doing their best to hide them for years since a big button on the front page is too difficult after many times of asking.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/community-ethos-forum-rules.50278/

 

[zand]

I've just found this:-

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/community-ethos-forum-rules.50278/

Not sure what to do. Should I continue posting helpful information where everyone can read it?

Yes please! You are one of a handful of contributors who have really helped me with your posts and links.

I hope you will get an answer from the mods soon.

Ooops I see Squire Fulwood has just beaten me to it.

 

[Winnie53]

Thanks Squire Fulwood and zand for the link. I actually entered "forum guidelines rules" into the search field at the top of the page but no result. Appreciate the link and the kind words. Will read them in the morning. It's late here. Time for bed.

 

[Nidge247]

I love this forum. I enjoy helping people. But recently more than one of my posts have been edited. This has happened a total of three or four times during my two years here. But now I wonder if it's happening all the time because I'm usually not informed.

When I have free time, I come onto the forum and look for questions that I personally would like to learn more about. If I find one, I do online searches and post links to information that I think will be helpful. This process often takes an hour or more. Imagine my disappointment when an hour, sometimes hours, of my contributions, disappear. Poof, gone...

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. And equally frustrating, I can't find the forum guidelines. Could someone provide a link?

Not sure what to do. Should I continue posting helpful information where everyone can read it? Or should I just contact the original poster privately to insure they receive the information I compiled for them?

I thought the purpose of participating on a forum was to help one another.

[Edited to add]: What is the purpose of this forum?

I agree this can be frustrating. With most of the other forums I frequent (and moderate on), the moderators send you a PM to explain why they have amended your post and how to avoid it in the future. However that doesn't seem to happen on this forum which is a shame. It has at times, put me off posting on some topics, as virtually all my posts were getting amended and I felt they then weren't representative for what I wanted to say.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

Posts should not be censored unduly unless it is one of those rude trolling posts which are rare on this site.

People have differing opinions. If someone disagrees with the content or tone of a post then a response post by admin may be a better solution as it may promote more debate and better understanding on the subject.

 

[Robinredbreast]

I love this forum. I enjoy helping people. But recently more than one of my posts have been edited. This has happened a total of three or four times during my two years here. But now I wonder if it's happening all the time because I'm usually not informed.

When I have free time, I come onto the forum and look for questions that I personally would like to learn more about. If I find one, I do online searches and post links to information that I think will be helpful. This process often takes an hour or more. Imagine my disappointment when an hour, sometimes hours, of my contributions, disappear. Poof, gone...

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. And equally frustrating, I can't find the forum guidelines. Could someone provide a link?

Not sure what to do. Should I continue posting helpful information where everyone can read it? Or should I just contact the original poster privately to insure they receive the information I compiled for them?

I thought the purpose of participating on a forum was to help one another.
p
[Edited to add]: What is the purpose of this forum?

For members it can, at times, be bewildering and frustrating with editing from a 'higher force (moderator) but I have seen in the past editing from a moderator with a short reason for it, examples of inappropriate language, misleading content or a personal comment. Good luck and I hope you can get answers to your questions.

 

[douglas99]

I love this forum. I enjoy helping people. But recently more than one of my posts have been edited. This has happened a total of three or four times during my two years here. But now I wonder if it's happening all the time because I'm usually not informed.

When I have free time, I come onto the forum and look for questions that I personally would like to learn more about. If I find one, I do online searches and post links to information that I think will be helpful. This process often takes an hour or more. Imagine my disappointment when an hour, sometimes hours, of my contributions, disappear. Poof, gone...

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. And equally frustrating, I can't find the forum guidelines. Could someone provide a link?

Not sure what to do. Should I continue posting helpful information where everyone can read it? Or should I just contact the original poster privately to insure they receive the information I compiled for them?

I thought the purpose of participating on a forum was to help one another.

[Edited to add]: What is the purpose of this forum?

A post should never be removed.
The message in the post can be deleted, or edited.

Forum rules

3. Posts edited or deleted will be replaced with the text: 'Message edited/deleted by moderator', and include a brief explanation.

 

[Indy51]

3. Posts edited or deleted will be replaced with the text: 'Message edited/deleted by moderator', and include a brief explanation.

It'd be nice if the moderators started following that brief, but it seems to be very erratically followed from what I've seen.

 

[anteater2012]

1. Edited Posts should always have a reason why as to why they have been changed - else how does the poster (and others know what is good practise on the site. This was available on posts about a year ago, but it seems to have fallen into disuse (again).

2. Users should be able to close their accounts without having to contact the Administrators to do this for them. (I have seen this service available on other forums for several years now, so it is not new technology).

3. Banned people should stayed banned. They were banned for a reason and they should stay banned.

 

[Robbity]

I feel for you Winnie.

I got put off posting as much as I used to because one ex-moderator in particular seemed to take exception to my posts about my glucose levels. I actually reached the point where I often wondered whether it was worth the hassle posting at all, as it certainly got my stress levels right up.

Many moderators seems to be naturals, but occasionally a few lessons on moderation may be required by others, and I'm not necessarily referring to this forum.

Robbity

 

[Squire Fulwood]

It seems unfair to ask newbies to follow a set of rules that they cannot find and perhaps do not even know exist. Perhaps a link could be included in the Daisy1 document so that newbies have at least been told.

I have read the rules (and forgotten them again) and I wonder if the moderators are using the same list sometimes. If they amend/delete something then it would be helpful if they said under which rule they acted. This would stop me from getting the feeling that they are making it up sometimes.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I see that all the mods have a set piece in their signatures with various bits of info on them. They are all the same, so presumably this is a rule for mods. Perhaps a link to the forum rules could be added on to that?

Calling any mods to discuss this? @AndBreathe @Brunneria @Pipp @Jaylee @Juicyj @tim2000s @azure @himtoo @urbanracer @Enclave @andcol

 

[Pipp]

Thank you for tagging moderators.
Just want to let everyone know, that this thread has been noted, and is appreciated.
Concerns raised will be discussed by moderating team.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Thank ...(any diety that won't be deleted by a moderator).

 

[Brunneria]

Hi everyone,

For a direct link to the forum rules click here.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/community-ethos-forum-rules.50278/
(The rules are in a sticky at the top of the Greetings and Introductions sub board)

I have also got the same link at the bottom of my signature, so if you lose the link, just do a search for me or my posts, and you can find it that way. the forum rules link is not part of the Mod Sig, so you won't necessarily find it on other mod sigs.

As @Pipp has said, this subject is being discussed by the moderation team.

I would like to thank @Winnie53 for raising the subject.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Wouldn't we all.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi guys.

Thanks for your feedback.

Anyone who feels this issue has affected them please by all means PM links to the relevant thread/s. Tagging in all mods & admin.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I have also got the same link at the bottom of my signature, so if you lose the link, just do a search for me or my posts, and you can find it that way. the forum rules link is not part of the Mod Sig, so you won't necessarily find it on other mod sigs.

This is not newbie friendly which is what I would like to achieve.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Hi guys.

Thanks for your feedback.

Anyone who feels this issue has affected them please by all means PM links to the relevant thread/s. Tagging in all mods & admin.

The issue is that we appear to be judged by a set of rules that few people can find. I have no intention of going back over old threads to find where the Ministry of Truth has been active since that is history and time consuming.

This situation cannot improve unless everyone knows the rules and since they cannot be found by some I don't see that happening.