This Board Is Corrupt - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Mar 30, 2006

This Board Is Corrupt

Date: Mar 30, 2006

I am breaking my hiatus to share the following information with all of you:

The board is being moderated by more than one person, and this is why you see inconsistencies.

The board is not being moderated by anyone on campus, in the AAUP, or on the faculty. As stated earlier, this board is maintained by an out of state person.

No records of IP addresses are being kept, and even if they were, they do not identify individuals.

No effort is being made to single out or hassle anyone; however, a few posters abuse the board by deliberate deception, and need to know that their games eventually became obvious. No one was tracking IP addresses until it became obvious what was going on. No one cares how many names somebody uses, but using those names to create false scenarios is unacceptable. You know who you are.

Some of the moderation has been over-zealous, but the motive has been to protect the board from abuse. There has been a lot of abuse. The posters do not want registration, so this is the very unsatisfactory alternative.

NOW:

I will not answer questions about this information.

I will not reveal the source of my information. I am posting it because I am a known board member using my own name.

I will not respond to comments after this, except to say, once again, that it is easy to start your own board.

Date: Mar 30, 2006

I think that there are many posters who do not contribute monetarily to the support of this Board. I also think that these posters have been free riders so long that they feel and act like this Board is a public good. The only entity that stepped up when the Fire Shelby went away was the AAUP. Since the AAUP supports this Board, then it should be managed the way the organization desires. If posters stop posting because of the way it is managed, then the Board will become inactive. IF you are a member and do not like how the Board is managed, try going to a meeting and making your views known (after you pay your dues).

As an aside, if there is now anyone left that I have not hacked off tonight with my posts, please let me know and I will give it a another shot.

Date: Mar 30, 2006

Cossack wrote:

I think that there are many posters who do not contribute monetarily to the support of this Board. I also think that these posters have been free riders so long that they feel and act like this Board is a public good. The only entity that stepped up when the Fire Shelby went away was the AAUP. Since the AAUP supports this Board, then it should be managed the way the organization desires. If posters stop posting because of the way it is managed, then the Board will become inactive. IF you are a member and do not like how the Board is managed, try going to a meeting and making your views known (after you pay your dues). As an aside, if there is now anyone left that I have not hacked off tonight with my posts, please let me know and I will give it a another shot.

Cossack:

AAUP does not provide monetary support for this board, and it's members have no control over it--many read it and post to it like everyone else, but it is not an AAUP entity. At the last meeting, the membership discussed asking the board owner to change the name of the board (as you can see from this thread, for good reason). Also discussed was the possibility of removing the link to this board from the AAUP homepage, or providing links to multiple boards that may be interest to USM faculty. Posters are welcome (as they have on this thread) to denigrate the AAUP, but it shouldn't be because of the mistaken impression that this board is operated by the AAUP or AAUP members (when it is not).

Date: Mar 30, 2006

Watching the Watcher wrote:

There have been a few posts indicating that board monitors are watching IP addresses and keeping records. Whether or not the board monitors are using this information for other purposes is unclear, but what is clear is that your anonynimity is no longer sacrosanct. Apparently the board monitors have the ability to keep multiple board names, but others must stick to one only.

I'd like to go back to this original accusation which began this silly conversation with a vague reference to "a few posts." That then got extrapolated to some knd of very interesting conspiracy theory about "board monitors" which then became an out and out assumption that the "monitoring" is active and has some dastardly and ulterior motive not made apparent by the discussant(s).

My guess, once again, is that one or two people here are USING the openness of the Board -- quite unethically. Creating several identities who then put forth an a single argument as though several people are outraged is the equivilent of writing several letters under different names in order to create the sense that there is some kind of massive protest involving many. It is a nice trick -- but only achievable because the posters are quite willing to play the role of barbarian:if I can't have the city, then neither can you so I'll burn it. We al know these schol yard bullies. They are the ones who took the ball home when they started losing the game. Or who peed in the sandbox when the had to share a toy with another child.

Grow up.

Date: Mar 30, 2006

Stephen:

This is a poster who is very angry at the moment. I am not sure what is motivating this person (anger at a specific AAUP member, anger at something the board owner did, anger at AAUP in general, just a generally angry person). We posters have no way of knowing if there is some valid reason for this anger or if this is merely a politically motivated attempt to harm AAUP. Regardless, it points out the fact that this board is identified with the AAUP, despite the fact that it is not an AAUP activity. It is not our (AAUP) sandbox, and if the poster chooses to pee here, there is nothing AAUP can do about it. But I can go to bed. Have a good evening.

Date: Mar 30, 2006

I too post under my own name here. And while I know nothing about who moderates this board, I can tell you that I am a moderator on another board. That board is registration only, and personal attacks are frowned upon, as is piss poor spelling and grammar (no offense Stephen, we all make mistakes). Trolls are dealt with swiftly on the other board, as in shown to the door. The moderators here, as far as I can see, are dealing with the problems in the method they see fit. I frankly don't give a rip if one person uses more than one name, the posting style is similar and that is how a good moderator will figure it out. Yes, you can track IP's, doesn't mean its the same person, just the same IP address.

I am amazed at the fact that most of the posters here have terminal degrees in something, and cannot remember to captialize the first word of a sentence. And you all complain about your students writing . I am also amazed and somewhat ashamed to think that grown people can act this way. But then all I have to do is look at your "glorious" leader to see why you act this way. I for one will be glad when he is gone. And I don't even live there!!!

Date: Mar 30, 2006

Activeboard maintains the IP logs, not the moderators. All message boards maintain IP logs. If that bothers you, don't post.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Patti,

I think Mark Twain conveyed what you observe, "he is a human being, no worse could I say about anyone". If it was not Mark Twain, someone will let me know. I ran this through a grammer check to make sure I had the fewest possible errors.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Okay, folks, party's over...time to clean up.

Let me state for the record:

1. Sparklit (the free host of this message baord) keeps track of IP addresses (which change whenever you log in from a different computer, etc.). The people who moderate this board do not. The only thing that we can tell from your IP address is if you are the same person posting under multiple screen names in a single session. If you want to do this, knock yourself out. If you want to do this for the sole purpose of disrupting the board, your posts will be deleted.

2. This board is supported by no one monetarily. It's completely free. Therefore, no one has any say over what gets posted or deleted here except for the person who has the power to delete messages (me) and any other person to whom the Web Master gives permission. As has been stated elsewhere, if you don't like this policy, don't post here.

3. A history lesson: the reason that it says "AAUP-USM" above is because when Fire Shelby closed up shop, the AAUP-USM stepped up to provide a message board for the Fire Shelby-ites to use (they already had a board set up, and it was easy enough for them to offer it to us). But, after awhile, the person who initially set up the board was unable to continue on as web master/moderator. It was at that point that the moderation of the board was turned over to a non-AAUP member. This is where some of the confusion lies as to who "owns" this board.

3. We're about to change the name to "USM Forum--No Quarter" specifically because the USM AAUP chapter has decided that they no longer want their name on the board. Nothing else will change (the URL will remain the same, etc.).

4. Again, if you don't like the way this board is moderated, then don't post here. And quit your crying about having your posts deleted, etc. If you don't want your posts deleted, then quit acting like a troll.

Web Master

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Thanks Web Master. Good job. I also like the new name.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Web Master wrote:

Okay, folks, party's over...time to clean up.

I guess this means no more whine. You cobbers just can't win.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Web Master.

Thanks for the information; it makes clear that which was ambiguous before. From my standpoint, the rules are fair and actually quite liberal rather than restrictive. Anyone who does not like the process can avoid the Board altogether. Those of us who value the Board will keep within the rules.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Well, since you guys are using the version of the message board I used, I can answer some questions on this.

IP addresses are indeed logged by the message board provider, as they are with all message boards. Yes, if some industrious person had 12 hours to sort through all the IPs, he or she could see who's posting the most, and what internet provider that person is using. However, there is no personal identifying information associated with those addresses.

The reason the IPs are logged is for banning purposes. If someone comes on the board, posts repeated personal attacks, and contributes nothing at all but disruption, then board moderators can ban that IP address. I don't know if y'all remember, but I banned several IP addresses during the life of the FireShelby board. Moderating a board in such a way keeps conversation geared toward the founding philosophy of the board, and sometimes it's just necessary.

There is no way to learn the identity of the posters. There is no way to collect personal info on posters.

Beware people who come to this message board to spread fear in an effort to reduce the numbers of posters.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Patti,

Requiring a log-in is one way that this message board could control the use of multiple names. Active boards give message board admins that option--indeed, I had that option on FS, but I decided that I wanted as much participation as possible and didn't want people being afraid to register for fear that I could associate their email addy with their identity.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

FireShelby, its good to hear from you.

And I do understand the reasoning behind the free and open forum we have here. Unless the powers that be decide to change it, I am pretty certain it will stay this way.

On the other board that I frequent, we are registered members, our emails have to be provided in order to register, however, the administration does not give that information out. An open board is a good thing, as long as no one abuses it. And lately, a lot of abuse has been occurring on this board. (Wish we had spell check here)

Frustrations are running high at USM and for good reason, but lets not take it out on the other posters here. That isn't fair.

Webmaster, I too like the new name. It will serve us well and well into the future.

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Hey, FireShelby!

Good to "see" you on the board...glad that you are still reading and keeping up with us.

Truth

Date: Mar 31, 2006

Patti wrote:

FireShelby, its good to hear from you. And I do understand the reasoning behind the free and open forum we have here. Unless the powers that be decide to change it, I am pretty certain it will stay this way. On the other board that I frequent, we are registered members, our emails have to be provided in order to register, however, the administration does not give that information out. An open board is a good thing, as long as no one abuses it. And lately, a lot of abuse has been occurring on this board. (Wish we had spell check here) Frustrations are running high at USM and for good reason, but lets not take it out on the other posters here. That isn't fair. Webmaster, I too like the new name. It will serve us well and well into the future.
Patti -- I agree about the spell check . . . .

Date: Mar 31, 2006

I, too, wish Fire Shelby a fond hello and hope all is well!

Date: Apr 1, 2006

Hi, y'all.

I don't get to read very frequently, but I lurk here once every couple of weeks to keep up with what's going on.

My warmest regards to everyone.

Date: Jul 1, 2006

What is the password to get into Password?

Date: Jul 1, 2006

Hacked Off wrote:

What is the password to get into Password?

Keel Haul Them All!

Date: Jul 1, 2006

Evidently the # of pages is to large. To see the latest, pick the first page. Go to the bottom right and pick sort newest to oldest. This will get you the latest posts.