CONTACT

[Puppy Dog Tails]

Help us, don't herd us.

That's an interesting way to put it.

[forward]

Hello, I understand and respect that this board is not ours, it is yours.

However, I think I'd equate this situation to your being the host of a party on your property, then trying to tell the guests who they can speak with and what they can say when they get there.

Maybe this wasn't intended as a public forum. But that is the way the internet is. I'm not saying you shouldn't do X or Y. But I've participated on other boards where moderators spent what was probably most of their time and energy trying to direct participants. And I'd just like to suggest that it's probably not the greatest use of your valuable resources.

this board has been a lifeline for many of us and I certainly hope that you will continue to have your moderators participate and perhaps weed out the worst trolls (although I haven't seen many who really need the boot, IMO).

I'd like to suggest that the best way to encourage positive participation is to have the DB folks just participate on the forums. The people who are here are here because they've read the books and want support--they'll listen. Sure, you'll get negatives but that will happen anyway. What happened on another board I participated on was that people who wanted to communicate sans moderation simply set up a mirror board.

You may want to have your staff read "Creating Customer Evangelism," as it talks in some detail about openness and transparency as strategies for organizations re. online communication.