Ellen Million (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ellenmillion) wrote in ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} elfwood,@ 2008-03-24 08:32:00 |
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Putting the 'moderate' back in 'moderator'
I have been a member of Elfwood since before there were moderators. I not only understood why moderators were added to the process, I wholeheartedly approved of the move. I still do.
I have supported Elfwood through some rough times and always remained loyal to the project, even when I didn't agree with what was done or how it was accomplished. That hasn't changed.
I was an original member of the ERB, back before we had any actual removal tools; our job was to catch copycats, verify the sources, and report them to Thomas to manually remove. I totally get why the ERB exists, and how it is separate from the moderator process. I approve of them so entirely I helped start the group.
But there is moderation and then there is ridiculous, nit-picky, over-zealous, power-tripping rules mongering.
Allow me to illustrate.
A week ago, I submitted a story. The bulk of this story occurs in a dream, as does all the active magic, but it's pretty clear that 'the curse' I mention is something outside of the dream. Indeed, after the dream sequence, I specifically mention '...a dream he'd had before his curse.' Do people in real life have curses? I thought it was pretty clearly a fantasy story. (This particular story is part of a modern-set series where the whole point is the lead trying to figure out his [magical] curse and break it... you can read the story here if you wish.)
As I was submitting my ticket, an error sprang up with an illustration in an older story. It was a few pixels too big for the new system. I resized it. Resubmitted. Fine.
Rejected! The story was non-fantasy, because everything magic occurred in the dream. What's more, my illustration was rejected because I didn't appropriately credit it. Ugh. Whatever. I didn't have time to figure out how to appropriately credit it – oh well if it goes off line. It is in my gallery, after all. We'll come back to this.
This piece was rejected by Elfwood when I originally submitted it several months ago. I added the word 'fantasy' to the description, because apparently, it wasn't obvious that this was a high fantasy epic illustration, despite the very non-historical, fantasy clothing, the broken fantasy sword, and the enchanted flowering forest and the impossible fantasy hair. No elf ears, sorry. (back up image, since the Elfwood version will be removed at the end of the month.)
It was accepted with the word 'fantasy' added. Fine. A hassle, and it left a bad taste in my mouth, but fine.
But no! Yesterday, the ERB sent me three emails, announcing that the work in my galleries and in my library would be removed by the end of the month unless I fixed the following grievous errors. The above piece? Was to be removed because it was non-genre.
This piece: http://www.elfwood.com/libr//m/i/millio
illustration and it needs to be reuploaded.” - this is the piece mentioned above. Also, the illustration is set to be removed from my gallery as well.
Some of the other gems?
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(non-genre. Because crystals grow on trees all the time.)
http://www.elfwood.com/libr/m/i/million
(Too much white space at the end of the document.)
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(They disapprove of the cropping and think there's too much white space to the left.)
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(Go ahead, guess.)
It goes on like this for another 20 or so pieces.
Any one of these things is a simple irritation. An extra hassle I'm willing to put up with for the sheer nostalgia that Elfwood has for me. I like the people involved with Elfwood and I respect that it's Thomas' site and maybe he has certain rules in mind. Something was borderline, okay, fine.
But when I trot over to our fearless leader's own gallery and find work much more questionable than mine? When I get work pulled down because they don't agree with my cropping decisions? When the ERB is more interested in taking down questionable work than reading the descriptions or noting that there are crystals hanging out of a tree? I gotta wonder – is this what he had in mind? Is this level of pickiness going to do anything but turn away otherwise active, loyal members of Elfwood and make them feel unwelcome, hassled and alienated?
I, myself, have no wish to submit anything else to Elfwood under this kind of mindless finickiness. I am not, however, deleting my gallery or 'taking my toys and going home.' I'm making a request:
Could we please, please, please put the moderate back into the moderating process? Can we take a long look at the direction we're heading and reconsider? Elfwood used to be a place that was inclusive – if a piece could be considered favorably, it was. Now, it's become painfully exclusive – if a piece can be cut out for any tiny little reason, it is. This is horrendously off-putting to any user and really takes the joy out of a place that used to be friendly and accessible. I'm not saying that we should revert to anarchy or waive the rules just for ME (or anyone). But there is a huge difference between following rules and trying to find letter-of-the-law reasons to reject anything you can.
We had issues like this back when Zone 47 was the only place for any piece with modern elements (remember that?), and the problem was addressed and a neat solution devised. I hold out hope that the same can be achieved here, as well.
Cross-posted to the Elfwood forums and emailed to Thomas.
Please note that I have not once resorted to calling anyone a Nazi. Please use the same restraint in replies. Also note that most of those links will be gone by the end of the month, as I have very limited time to maintain my gallery and thought it would be more productive to spend that time writing this and working for change than fixing a lot of things that I really don't believe need fixing.
I have been a member of Elfwood since before there were moderators. I not only understood why moderators were added to the process, I wholeheartedly approved of the move. I still do.
I have supported Elfwood through some rough times and always remained loyal to the project, even when I didn't agree with what was done or how it was accomplished. That hasn't changed.
I was an original member of the ERB, back before we had any actual removal tools; our job was to catch copycats, verify the sources, and report them to Thomas to manually remove. I totally get why the ERB exists, and how it is separate from the moderator process. I approve of them so entirely I helped start the group.
But there is moderation and then there is ridiculous, nit-picky, over-zealous, power-tripping rules mongering.
Allow me to illustrate.
A week ago, I submitted a story. The bulk of this story occurs in a dream, as does all the active magic, but it's pretty clear that 'the curse' I mention is something outside of the dream. Indeed, after the dream sequence, I specifically mention '...a dream he'd had before his curse.' Do people in real life have curses? I thought it was pretty clearly a fantasy story. (This particular story is part of a modern-set series where the whole point is the lead trying to figure out his [magical] curse and break it... you can read the story here if you wish.)
As I was submitting my ticket, an error sprang up with an illustration in an older story. It was a few pixels too big for the new system. I resized it. Resubmitted. Fine.
Rejected! The story was non-fantasy, because everything magic occurred in the dream. What's more, my illustration was rejected because I didn't appropriately credit it. Ugh. Whatever. I didn't have time to figure out how to appropriately credit it – oh well if it goes off line. It is in my gallery, after all. We'll come back to this.
This piece was rejected by Elfwood when I originally submitted it several months ago. I added the word 'fantasy' to the description, because apparently, it wasn't obvious that this was a high fantasy epic illustration, despite the very non-historical, fantasy clothing, the broken fantasy sword, and the enchanted flowering forest and the impossible fantasy hair. No elf ears, sorry. (back up image, since the Elfwood version will be removed at the end of the month.)
It was accepted with the word 'fantasy' added. Fine. A hassle, and it left a bad taste in my mouth, but fine.
But no! Yesterday, the ERB sent me three emails, announcing that the work in my galleries and in my library would be removed by the end of the month unless I fixed the following grievous errors. The above piece? Was to be removed because it was non-genre.
This piece: http://www.elfwood.com/libr//m/i/millio
illustration and it needs to be reuploaded.” - this is the piece mentioned above. Also, the illustration is set to be removed from my gallery as well.
Some of the other gems?
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(non-genre. Because crystals grow on trees all the time.)
http://www.elfwood.com/libr/m/i/million
(Too much white space at the end of the document.)
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(They disapprove of the cropping and think there's too much white space to the left.)
http://www.elfwood.com/art//m/i/mil
(Go ahead, guess.)
It goes on like this for another 20 or so pieces.
Any one of these things is a simple irritation. An extra hassle I'm willing to put up with for the sheer nostalgia that Elfwood has for me. I like the people involved with Elfwood and I respect that it's Thomas' site and maybe he has certain rules in mind. Something was borderline, okay, fine.
But when I trot over to our fearless leader's own gallery and find work much more questionable than mine? When I get work pulled down because they don't agree with my cropping decisions? When the ERB is more interested in taking down questionable work than reading the descriptions or noting that there are crystals hanging out of a tree? I gotta wonder – is this what he had in mind? Is this level of pickiness going to do anything but turn away otherwise active, loyal members of Elfwood and make them feel unwelcome, hassled and alienated?
I, myself, have no wish to submit anything else to Elfwood under this kind of mindless finickiness. I am not, however, deleting my gallery or 'taking my toys and going home.' I'm making a request:
Could we please, please, please put the moderate back into the moderating process? Can we take a long look at the direction we're heading and reconsider? Elfwood used to be a place that was inclusive – if a piece could be considered favorably, it was. Now, it's become painfully exclusive – if a piece can be cut out for any tiny little reason, it is. This is horrendously off-putting to any user and really takes the joy out of a place that used to be friendly and accessible. I'm not saying that we should revert to anarchy or waive the rules just for ME (or anyone). But there is a huge difference between following rules and trying to find letter-of-the-law reasons to reject anything you can.
We had issues like this back when Zone 47 was the only place for any piece with modern elements (remember that?), and the problem was addressed and a neat solution devised. I hold out hope that the same can be achieved here, as well.
Cross-posted to the Elfwood forums and emailed to Thomas.
Please note that I have not once resorted to calling anyone a Nazi. Please use the same restraint in replies. Also note that most of those links will be gone by the end of the month, as I have very limited time to maintain my gallery and thought it would be more productive to spend that time writing this and working for change than fixing a lot of things that I really don't believe need fixing.
