StereoNET Changing of the Guard

[StereoNET]

Social Media has changed very much in the last decade. Our own forums, another form of social media, have continued to grow and grow, and as such the role of the Moderator has also changed. This community, for the most part moderates itself these days. But the role now requires us to guide members, manage the classifieds, helping users with account issues - tasks that take up considerable time day and night, and across all the various time zones that we have members from.

 

We all have lives away from StereoNET, and the last 18 months and living with a pandemic have seen those life pressures increase dramatically. It is also responsible for an unprecedented interest in hi-fi, and home theatre, to which our industry is one of the lucky ones to have benefited. The moderator gig is a volunteer role, oftentimes with very little in the way of recognition - and more commonly associated with receiving abuse or criticism more so than any credit!

 

My vision for StereoNET is ongoing, and I feel like we're entering a new chapter in our story. From humble beginnings, it is now a global website with over 1,000,000 readers per month across all inhabited continents. I have decided it is time to change up the leadership team, and many of our processes and even some of the terms we use. To further build and nurture this community, we need a fresh team who share my passion for these forums and community. 

 

With that said, I would like to acknowledge the hard word and dedication of the outgoing volunteer moderators, who have played a massive part in helping guide StereoNET to what it is today - in no particular order, @betty boop, @Candyflip, @joz, @proftournesol, @alistairm, @Orpheus. Your tireless assistance is so genuinely appreciated and I am very thankful for all you have done - particularly during my extended absence due to an accident just over two years ago. Thank you, once again.

 

Going forward, the role will be known as Volunteer, as I can't help but feel the titles of Administrator and Moderator are a little dated these days. I would like to thank @wolster and @Kazz who will transition to the new Volunteer team, along with my wife @Ness who manages the bulk of the Classifieds approvals these days. @dbchoong and @Cullypokman make up our Singapore based contingent, while @Jay Garrett is our resident Londoner. 

 

With that all said, having fresh faces and ideas is paramount to our community's future growth. At this time I would like to further build the Volunteer team with members from within our ranks who are pro-active, and as passionate about this community as I am myself. I don't want 'yes-people'; I want members who think outside the square, are willing to suggest ideas for improvement, but just as importantly, see where we can do better. They also need to be be compassionate, be willing to help others, and be capable of being a voice of reason. As the community has grown, I have had my own struggles with how to handle authority, the implementation and upholding of rules and guidelines, and how issues are handled when they arise. I haven't always got it right, and I personally can do better. However, human nature throughout history has proven we need rules, or at very least a modus operandi to which we use to guide us in how we interact with each other and the platform itself - and there has to be systems in place that keep the peace and prevent those operating outside the boundaries, which is happening and will continue to happen here. Simply, we all need to be kind to each other - and if the last 18 months has taught us anything, it is that. Ruling with an iron fist is not the answer, and I do not believe I have ever taken than approach here, despite being accused of such methods by some in the past. Sometimes though, my patience runs out. We are all human.

 

In time, I will work with the new Volunteer team to develop a set of guidelines that as members of this community, we are guided by, but also how we fairly handle disputes and issues that arise.

 

If the above resonates with you and you feel you have the skills or mindset, and would like to give back to this community as a Volunteer, then I invite you to contact me directly. It would be expected that you have been part of this community for a while, let's say at least more than a year perhaps. I have a small number of members in mind who I do hope reach out to me.

 

Finally, a sincere thank you once again to the outgoing volunteer moderators and I look forward to their continued contributions to the community. Thank you. 

[surprisetech]

I would like to echo Marc's acknowledgement of the efforts put in by the volunteer mods.

I've been an active member of the forum now for over a dozen years and am well aware that for all of us to be gracefully gliding along the surface enjoying the ride, there are those who are paddling like mad behind the scenes to make it all possible.

My interactions with the mods over the years, whether online or in person, have always been a pleasure.

 

And thanks Marc for your efforts in maintaining a largely happy & peaceful experience.

 

Welcome to the transitioning & new Volunteers and I look forward to seeing the community continue to grow & evolve.

 

[Andythiing]

As a member who has had need to use the moderators excellent services on a few occasions over the decade or so of my membership I’d like to also thank those past and present for their efforts - a thankless task indeed - but one that is needed to guide a passionate group of individuals - all the best for the future direction Marc  

[Andythiing]

Ps this job looks similar to being a moderator on SNA

 

 

[NonPlayableCharacter]

I have to say, in my short tenure on here, the mods are truly exceptional. It's an art to not be seen and yet be able to influence positively. It's the antithesis of many boards out there which have a far more draconian approach to moderation which in some cases lurches across the line into outright suppression.

 

In the main, it's a thankless task, but to coin a phrase from the recent Dee Gees - Hail Satin album: "If you know, you know."

 

@Marc - I suspect the people you have in mind may either be blissfully unaware, or as is usual in these situations, probably thinking they are not up to it. There is a lot in the phrase: "only those who do not seek power are qualified" and various other juxtaposed similes that are variations on: "the fact that an individual seeks power should preclude them from ever being considered to wield it". Perhaps they need a prod...?

 

T

 

[Luc]

Righto count me in EL Supremo. In between bar&beach and duck salami sandwiches and IPA's you'd crawl over broken vinyl to get too I'll have some spare time.

I'll moderate the Digital Section, herd all those nutters loons, err, members not of the analogue persuasion in the right direction(see the door over there? That's the quiet room. Yes it's a safe place...off you go).

I could probably handle the 'Currently Drinking' section as well.

 

You have my number.

 

 

[buddyev]

We’ve all got your number, pal.

[Monty]

Thank you Marc and all the outgoing and ongoing mods/volunteers. It's a great site and community to be part of. 

[Bill125812]

Fantastic news @Marc  The mods have been absolutely fantastic in my 7 years on here. Always fair and honest in what they do. The new volunteers I’m sure will do a wonderful job.   As i have said over and over again, this site is the best HiFi forum in the world, thanks to you Marc.  

 

Now onwards and Upwards mate 

[BRS]

Thanks to you @Marc and all of the volunteers. I think I have said this before. It's the only forum I am connected to and it has been very welcome relief from the daily grind the horrific disease (that must not be named). I'm just a newbie (almost 12 mths) but I am trawling though the forum every day now and get lot out of it. I have seen some of the bad, nasty unnecessary stuff people say and it is disappointing but the majority are good hearted supporting people. You get my support 100%. 

[Phill451]

This is the only forum I’ve ever really been a member of (although I’ve dabbled with others) and my almost daily check in has been happening for 13 years. There is only one reason for that I suspect,  it is the great job @Marc and the rest of the team do.

 

I’m wholly appreciative of your efforts.

[rantan]

1 hour ago, Bill125812 said:

Fantastic news @Marc  The mods have been absolutely fantastic in my 7 years on here. Always fair and honest in what they do. The new volunteers I’m sure will do a wonderful job.   As i have said over and over again, this site is the best HiFi forum in the world, thanks to you Marc.  

 

Now onwards and Upwards mate 

 

I can only agree, 100%

 

The moderators here are the best I have encountered anywhere on the internet and this forum is numero uno with me.

 

My sincere thanks for @Marc for having such vision and the dream to make this place, a community, a resource and meeting of minds without peer.

 

Thank you to everyone who made/makes this possible. I would be lost without it.

[LogicprObe]

 

Let's charge our glasses and raise them with thanks to the outgoing..............................

 

...............gulp......................and charge them again to cheer the new!!!

 

........gulp........gulp...........gulp............BURP!

 

(excuse me)

[Yamaha_man]

Can’t see my name in the new list, disappointed.

[zippi]

Kudos and appreciation to @Marc and all the current and future Admins/Volunteers for a super awesome job thus far and I'm sure into the future. Onwards and upwards!

 

Kamasi Washington - 'Change of the Guard'

 

 

[Stereophilus]

52 minutes ago, Yamaha_man said:

Can’t see my name in the new list, disappointed.

You lost your qualifications when you sold the TAD’s!  It’s all about the signature… speaking which, @Assisi should qualify on the basis of greatest number of network switches in 1 hifi system. If that’s not a qualification then I’m stumped!

[Jakeyb77_Redux]

59 minutes ago, Yamaha_man said:

Can’t see my name in the new list, disappointed.

I actually have plenty of free time and a willingness to help but I’m afraid my reputation my preclude me also

[Hytram]

2 hours ago, Jakeyb77_Redux said:

I actually have plenty of free time and a willingness to help but I’m afraid my reputation my preclude me also

 

I ran a forum for 5 years and rather involved with couple of other ones for a long while, and the easiest way to control the friendly troublemaker.... Make them a moderator

 

Amazing how that settled them down.. 

 

The other one was never make anyone a moderator that kept asking for it... Trouble. 

 

Keep up the great work @Marc, it's a great site

 

And to the new Volunteers, I apologise in advance

Edited September 7, 2021 by Hytram

[Luc]

On 07/09/2021 at 4:47 PM, Luc said:

Righto count me in EL Supremo. In between bar&beach and duck salami sandwiches and IPA's you'd crawl over broken vinyl to get too I'll have some spare time.

I'll moderate the Digital Section, herd all those nutters loons, err, members not of the analogue persuasion in the right direction(see the door over there? That's the quiet room. Yes it's a safe place...off you go).

I could probably handle the 'Currently Drinking' section as well.

 

You have my number.

 

 

 

 

He must of  lost his sim card, but I'm sure he'll call. @joz the ex Mod person and non 'Volunteer'(in the new version) has been schooling me in the finer points of Mod/Volunteerism.

Smile, nod, go hmmm, play your music at volume and that's about it.

I can do this.

[Grumpy]

On 07/09/2021 at 6:56 PM, Yamaha_man said:

Can’t see my name in the new list, disappointed.

Me too ✌

[qik_shift]

I've been a moderator in a car detailing forum, so do have a good idea how much work and deliberation goes into these things looking smooth on the surface.

 

Thank you to all the mods and volunteers that work tirelessly for us to enjoy SN.

[maximus]

The outgoing Mods were very rational and understanding, well done guys.

 

Frank.