Moderators posting as moderators..

This has always been confusing, because there is no restriction in place for moderators to ALSO post as regular individual members in the forums when they care to do so. So often people might mistake a moderator posting an opinion or statement as a regular member as, well, a MODERATOR making an official call on something.

To try to help alleviate this confusion, I have asked the moderators to try to highlight their posts made AS a moderator in blue text to help differentiate those posts they make as regular members. At least that is the hoped for goal, but quite honestly I know I forget to do this myself, so quite certainly they will forget this here and there as well. But hopefully over time, we will get this down pat, and perhaps it will help lessen the confusion caused by people thinking a moderator's opinion as a member is also the policy of this site being expressed by a MODERATOR.

As a further note about this, I have two logins on this site. One as "WebSlave", of course, and the other as "Rich Z". The reason I did this was because I didn't want to have anything I said as moderator of this site influenced by my business relationships, and vice versa. I wanted to keep what I did on this site independent and isolated from what I represented as SerpenCo.

Of course, now that SerpenCo has been retired, this is a moot point. As such, I will be merging the posts and threads made by "Rich Z" into this "WebSlave" account, and only use this account from here on out to post on this site. Since I will be using color coding of my posts, as indicated earlier, this will hopefully suffice to differentiate those posts I make as personal opinions and observations, from those that I make as administrator of this site.

Good idea.

Couldn't they have separate accounts instead?
Just wondering because some people will still get confused and totally jump down their throats for making an opinion or something.

Perhaps something like the old "moderator1" account.
Might be easier for them to moderate using generic screen names.
Just thinking on a full stomach. Which means I am kinda sleepy.

Originally Posted by HerpVenue

Couldn't they have separate accounts instead?
Just wondering because some people will still get confused and totally jump down their throats for making an opinion or something.

Perhaps something like the old "moderator1" account.
Might be easier for them to moderate using generic screen names.
Just thinking on a full stomach. Which means I am kinda sleepy.

I am not comfortable with that concept. I think moderators need to have their real name associated with what they say and do as moderators, just like I require members to take responsibility for what they say here. Quite frankly, people just tend to act differently if they can do so anonymously. When their name is associated with their actions, normally they will take greater care and give more reflection on their actions as a result.

good point

As per this above mentioned policy, I am requesting that all members please refrain from using blue text within your posts on this site to keep this plan from being completely neutered by that practice. This is not for our sakes, but for yours, in that it will help to more clearly identify to you when a mod (or myself) is posting in the capacity of staff as opposed to expressing our own individual personal opinions about topics.