Jes Suis Buffalo

dmchicago

Boys, I am a buffalo. Not THE buffalo but a buffalo none the less.

Not on this forum.

I am one of three mod's on a travel forum, very specific to a single island in the Caribbean. 

We have thousands of posters of a wide and varied background. This is a decidedly upscale destination so our members reflect that demographic.

Over the years, our members have expressed the desire to discuss topics other than what new resto has opened, best beach, what celebrity is there, etc.

We have created multiple "sub-forums" including music, film, tv, wine, food and politics. 

A few months ago, we eliminated politics. This election season got way out of hand.

I have deleted posts, deleted topics, suspended members and banned members for life.

It ain't fun.

I take the responsibility seriously. I care about the website and the island enough to protect this vaualable resource for folks wanting to learn about it.

Our forum is very much like this one.

80% of the posts are from 20% of the posters.

We have our "legends". Our "newbies".

We have folks who lurk a long time before getting the nerve to post.

We have folks who lurk and never post for fear of their posts becoming chum on the bottom because all the "legends" take up all the oxygen.

What's my point?

I love this forum. I am not a frequent poster. But I love all (mostly) the posters and have learned soooo much here.

My point is this: Do not fear the Buffalo. Respect the buffalo.

The buffalo wants what you want.

A fun, informative, entertaining place where like-minded people can share their love for all things Egg.

And, a place where those folks can cut loose from time to time and push buttons & boundaries. 

I love the weekend hijinks here. I suspect the Buffalo does as well. People letting off steam. Getting crazy.

Expressing their personal opinions and insulting those who don't agree. (OK, well maybe not that.)

Anyway, I know that most of you are probably active on other forums.

Boats & Hoes
Guns & Hoes
Eggs & Hoes
Mangrates & Hoes


You get the picture. You know how this works.

In closing, my reason that this came to mind is Hapster.

I love Hapster's posts and eggcellent photos. Probably my favorite poster.

He doesn't post much anymore.

His recent vacation post reminded me that he doesn't post that much anymore.

Imagine trying to interest your child to the BGE life and being hesitant to tell them about the BGE forum for fear of them wondering what a ham-gina is?

So folks, take this for what you paid for it.

Respect the Buffalo. Push the Buffalo. But remember what the forum is really about.

Peace.

caliking

Very nicely put. 

Do you have explicitly posted rules on your travel forum ? Do you warn members when they are getting out of hand, or are approaching a line that shouldn't be crossed ? Do you let members who are out of line that they are going to be banned for a particular infraction?

I'm asking sincerely because these are all common things for forum mods to do , and the membership understands that. However , our mod has not seemed to grasp these concepts, despite many folks here pointing these notions out in the past. Hence, there is not much love for the mod here, IMO. Respect is both earned and given in return. 

I've been active on the BBQ brethren forum in the past, but enjoyed this forum more , so this is where I mainly hang out now. If anyone wants to see how a bbq forum should be moderated , they should go check out the BBQ brethren for some time. The mods are a class act, and much could be learned by observing them. 

You probably noticed that many of the "legends" like hap don't post that much anymore , likely for different reasons , but I imagine that the recent cloak and dagger form of moderating this site has sucked some of the fun out of it. 

And yes, this is a free forum , so I'm not trying to **** and moan. Just trying to hang out with folks , many of whom I have met and cooked with in person , and continue enjoying it as best I can

johnkitchens

I was a mod and then an admin at a forum a while back. The only thing that baffles me here is the mods are here, but unknown. Kind of weird. 

Thatgrimguy

I agree with both points presented. This is a Green Egg forum. And as a company they need this forum to be a sales tool for Green Eggs.

I bought my Green egg BECAUSE of this forum. Back when people like @Village Idiot were posting insane recipes I still could never hope to match. At that time I felt like the BS was 20% and Green Egg cooking was 80%. People would actually post details about their cook so when new eggers came here they could attempt to repeat it.

I love the banter. But if I was the mothership I would buffalo many of the threads much quicker. Some threads, like the one about an unofficial Eggfest in NC I would very much not buffalo but maybe just moderate certain posts.

I would also actively engage my membership. I would be a regular poster and recruit other regular posters to help moderate. A forum like this is consuming to run. But it's also the very reason I bought my Green Egg instead of a different cooker so it's a worthy investment.

Eggzellent

dmchicago said:

Imagine trying to interest your child to the BGE life and being hesitant to tell them about the BGE forum for fear of them wondering what a ham-gina is?

This reality was once the gold standard back when the golden rule (in regards to each other's children) mattered.
It's pretty sad that a kid can't even learn to bbq or cook (period) without reading or viewing what the author would be ashamed of showing to their own child. 

johnkitchens

Thatgrimguy said:

I agree with both points presented. This is a Green Egg forum. And as a company they need this forum to be a sales tool for Green Eggs.

I bought my Green egg BECAUSE of this forum. Back when people like @Village Idiot were posting insane recipes I still could never hope to match. At that time I felt like the BS was 20% and Green Egg cooking was 80%. People would actually post details about their cook so when new eggers came here they could attempt to repeat it.

I love the banter. But if I was the mothership I would buffalo many of the threads much quicker. Some threads, like the one about an unofficial Eggfest in NC I would very much not buffalo but maybe just moderate certain posts.

I would also actively engage my membership. I would be a regular poster and recruit other regular posters to help moderate. A forum like this is consuming to run. But it's also the very reason I bought my Green Egg instead of a different cooker so it's a worthy investment.

I miss @Village Idiot. Gary posted some great cooks. 

tgs2401

dmchicago said:

Boys, I am a buffalo. Not THE buffalo but a buffalo none the less.

Not on this forum.

I am one of three mod's on a travel forum, very specific to a single island in the Caribbean. 

We have thousands of posters of a wide and varied background. This is a decidedly upscale destination so our members reflect that demographic.

Over the years, our members have expressed the desire to discuss topics other than what new resto has opened, best beach, what celebrity is there, etc.

We have created multiple "sub-forums" including music, film, tv, wine, food and politics. 

A few months ago, we eliminated politics. This election season got way out of hand.

I have deleted posts, deleted topics, suspended members and banned members for life.

It ain't fun.

I take the responsibility seriously. I care about the website and the island enough to protect this vaualable resource for folks wanting to learn about it.

Our forum is very much like this one.

80% of the posts are from 20% of the posters.

We have our "legends". Our "newbies".

We have folks who lurk a long time before getting the nerve to post.

We have folks who lurk and never post for fear of their posts becoming chum on the bottom because all the "legends" take up all the oxygen.

What's my point?

I love this forum. I am not a frequent poster. But I love all (mostly) the posters and have learned soooo much here.

My point is this: Do not fear the Buffalo. Respect the buffalo.

The buffalo wants what you want.

A fun, informative, entertaining place where like-minded people can share their love for all things Egg.

And, a place where those folks can cut loose from time to time and push buttons & boundaries. 

I love the weekend hijinks here. I suspect the Buffalo does as well. People letting off steam. Getting crazy.

Expressing their personal opinions and insulting those who don't agree. (OK, well maybe not that.)

Anyway, I know that most of you are probably active on other forums.

Boats & Hoes
Guns & Hoes
Eggs & Hoes
Mangrates & Hoes


You get the picture. You know how this works.

In closing, my reason that this came to mind is Hapster.

I love Hapster's posts and eggcellent photos. Probably my favorite poster.

He doesn't post much anymore.

His recent vacation post reminded me that he doesn't post that much anymore.

Imagine trying to interest your child to the BGE life and being hesitant to tell them about the BGE forum for fear of them wondering what a ham-gina is?

So folks, take this for what you paid for it.

Respect the Buffalo. Push the Buffalo. But remember what the forum is really about.

Peace.

Very well stated. Thanks for the reminder.

Legume

Good post, but seriously, I would never point my kid to a forum to learn to cook.

GATraveller

So where did Village Idiot go? 

thetrim

its all @nolaegghead fault

JohnInCarolina

I don't think any of us really have serious problems with mods in theory, it's the mods in practice that are a problem.  Why tank an OT thread about pool tiles or lawn mowers?  There's no rhyme or reason to it. 

YukonRon

I get the fact moderators have to step up and we have given them, on multiple occasions, a target rich environment in which to eliminate certain threads that get out of hand.
However, when someone needs help, and requests input from the folks frequenting this forum, which I might add are some of the brightest around, and it is marked OT, why dispose of it?
I would think each of us have sold several BGEs on this forum. I know I have. I also know the legitimate OT discussions have helped as well. 
This forum is the best and is supported by people that care enough to make it so.
I am all in on killing the stupid stuff when it gets out of sorts, but not so much on those seeking assistance from those that can help.
My .02.

Lit

If anyone here is worried about what your kid may see here you need to take the computer away and homeschool your poor sheltered child.

fishlessman

i would rather poke my eyes out than be a moderator here   the reason the ot posts are getting deleted is that they show up on the main forum, its a design flaw, every other forum ive been on the stuff posted in ot stays in ot. i prefer it stays the way it is because i never go to those other forums anyways and would miss a bunch of stuff but other forums move threads to the appropriate forum, they dont sink them