Complete staff overhaul + We're hiring!

yada yada yada

Either ways here's the new list.
http://www.zophar.net/forums/showgroups.php

But Edman names a third-age member to blow the "classical antiquity" away to [pie land] because of [ice cream]. Why would he buy this site--what's his background here--in the point of his life where he's about to get extremely busy, name some admins, and just [love]? In the middle of some renaissance?

[Anytime now someone is going to make this rash reply with no afterthought but his self-confidence and leave everyone else to rot. It's honestly amusing to see some of you try, what lengths you go through.]
 
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It was harsh to demote all CM but me. But what's done is done, for good or for ill.
Regarding inactive CM, how about this? If content managers do not post or update anything within 60 days since their last contribution, they automatically will lose their CM status. They can re-request it without a problem, but if they do nothing for that period, they automatically get demoted and a new position for CM gets open, no excuses and no exceptions. This would ensure that CMs are active and it would not be something personal. One of the problems before is that there were no rules regarding what a CM should do and what where the conditions to keep that status. If it could be done automatically (that ZD recorded contributions) it would be better. But I assume that won't be possible with the current software of ZD. Then, for those who do not post news but work behind the scenes, could make some kind of monthly report, either in a forum or directly to the administrators, just to ensure that we know they are collaborating.
Cornellius' idea about the suggestions board is quite good. Couldn't it be possible to assign a moderator or CM exclusively for checking that forum and implementing new ideas? Edman had that idea when he put it, but after the economic situation, I doubt he has the time to check that place any longer.
 
Anytime now someone is going to make this rash reply with no afterthought but his self-confidence and leave everyone else to rot. It's honestly amusing to see some of you try, what lengths you go through.

Hrm... Who was this directed at ? Most posts I've seen in this thread came from people who care about the wellbeing of Zophar's Domain. Call it anger, irrationality, ignorance, or whatever you like, but it doesn't change the fact that everyone brought something important to this discussion.
 
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But the problem remains: some people will still come only for the title of content manager on ZD, and you'll still end up many inactive content managers (Not saying that all the previous ones were inactive). My two big concerns are:

- The way it has been announced
- Why demote all the staff ?

I wasn't really disagreeing with you. But like Gutzsant said, there's not any way to change it now. As for people who'd come just for the title, there could be that problem. Some I know would be fine though...Space for example, he's around a lot. If he wanted it I'd give him back the content moderator status in a heart beat.
 
For good or for ill--the effect counts mostly more than intentions. For example if in effect no one is now interested there is another problem, which disregards all questions. Space was around, apparently logged off for good now though. If it was known reaper man cared there would be a lot more hope. That's all I'll say on that.

More relieving than else that everyone accepts "what's done is done," except me, who clouded by despair, believe in change. Some places just argue it out to nullity, but on the other hand, with that attitude, aren't we just kinda saying, it's too late, we're screwed

Because I doubt it is, according to what can be changed
Which doesn't include bringing me back necessarily, but it just sounds kinda weird that everyone's sensitive in particular places but inconsistently with others
 
Because I doubt it is, according to what can be changed
Which doesn't include bringing me back necessarily, but it just sounds kinda weird that everyone's sensitive in particular places but inconsistently with others

Actually, I believe he was thinking about asking you if you wanted to do the N64 emulators.
 
If content managers do not post or update anything within 60 days since their last contribution, they automatically will lose their CM status. They can re-request it without a problem, but if they do nothing for that period, they automatically get demoted and a new position for CM gets open, no excuses and no exceptions. This would ensure that CMs are active and it would not be something personal. One of the problems before is that there were no rules regarding what a CM should do and what where the conditions to keep that status. If it could be done automatically (that ZD recorded contributions) it would be better. But I assume that won't be possible with the current software of ZD.

Time based rights management? Well I actually program this kind of PHP script. I tell you when I'm finished so you can take a look. But don't ask about release dates. In your case it would be necessary to hack the page scripts to implement the wanted feature.

Then, for those who do not post news but work behind the scenes, could make some kind of monthly report, either in a forum or directly to the administrators, just to ensure that we know they are collaborating.

Nice idea, but it doesn't work. I made this an order in my last company. People don't want it. Never expect people to be active. You have to be an active leader and talk to your team in regular schedules!

Cornellius' idea about the suggestions board is quite good. Couldn't it be possible to assign a moderator or CM exclusively for checking that forum and implementing new ideas?

Checking ideas AND implementing? So you expect a full blown web developer to be in the frontline of user expectations? That's a little bit too much.
You won't find anyone doing this for free.

But you can collect all ideas and then all 3 months you make a public survey asking which idea should be implemented.


Edman had that idea when he put it, but after the economic situation, I doubt he has the time to check that place any longer.

Wait a sec...? If the page itself is in danger don't hesitate to ask for a server! Just to avoid such a scenario your team should think about mirroring...
 
He did? He might have, but it didn't look like it. Three-or-so days ago I pmed him this

"Hi Reaper man,

I'm still up for maintenance on at least N64 updates, and as far as plugins go it looks like there may actually be some news updates since dead old 2008 for the HLE scene."

Just no reply, it's ok either way, nothing wrong with it
 
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Nice idea, but it doesn't work. I made this an order in my last company. People don't want it. Never expect people to be active. You have to be an active leader and talk to your team in regular schedules!
I would really like to trust in us being active without having to be reminded of our duties. After all, we all do this voluntarly because we want.
If that's not possible then I hope that this can be done by software. And if we can't be active, we should step down ourselves without having to wait to be demoted by others.

Checking ideas AND implementing? So you expect a full blown web developer to be in the frontline of user expectations? That's a little bit too much.
You won't find anyone doing this for free.
But you can collect all ideas and then all 3 months you make a public survey asking which idea should be implemented.
I merely meant that someone could regularly check the users suggestions, answer questions and discuss how feasible they are. ZD has a lot that can be improved, but it seems all ideas are still in the air. By having one person to check them regularly, discuss them and present them to the users, CMs, moderators and Edman, we basically would be keeping an ordered record of all the possible changes instead of randomly thinking what could be implemented. It's not as if we could currently modify many things without Edman anyway.

Wait a sec...? If the page itself is in danger don't hesitate to ask for a server! Just to avoid such a scenario your team should think about mirroring...
As far as I know, the page itself is not in danger, merely stalled. If I understood correctly, Edman simply has too many problems with his real life company (and I suspect that the current economic crisis doesn't help), which means he essentially has left the page in charge of two administrators (who happen to have limited power to modify things like the forum software) and has forgotten all that he planned before. It's also evident by the fact that he doesn't log-in often since some months ago. Several of the needed updates can only be done by Edman, such as updating the forum software. For the moment, we do what we can with the available resources.
 
He did? He might have, but it didn't look like it. Three-or-so days ago I pmed him this

"Hi Reaper man,

I'm still up for maintenance on at least N64 updates, and as far as plugins go it looks like there may actually be some news updates since dead old 2008 for the HLE scene."

Just no reply, it's ok either way, nothing wrong with it

I have been busy/lazy as of recent. I'm having 9th sage take care of some of the interview stuff. After that we'll review the information gathered and make decisions from there.

Oh, and may I remind you all that news posting/updating has increased substantially since I hired those two new members. My plan is going quite nicely.
 
Why, all of a sudden, do I picture Reaper Man tapping his fingers together, grinning slyly, saying "Exxxxxxxxxxcellent"?

Same reason I do.

Two points: Having worked updates here in the past, there isn't some shocking new update or breakthrough in emulation every day. Believe it or not, you'll have a day when there isn't any news.
Second one, and this was a point Swamp made to us when we were 'hired on' so to speak, and I think it speaks well of him. There will be a lull, occasionally, when "real life" takes up some of your time. I can see if no one was getting back to anyone for three or four months, or was hanging around the message boards and not bothering, but to be honest, it's volunteer work. If you want an all-volunteer staff, you'll get people with different motivations and different levels of motivation.

Just my two cents.
 
it's volunteer work. If you want an all-volunteer staff, you'll get people with different motivations and different levels of motivation.

Just my two cents.

Of course (remember, I was a staffer just like you for a while back on the old version of the site...though I don't remember SwampGas being as nice about it as you do). I'm just asking some questions so we can choose the best people, that's all. It's probably better to know more about everyone before deciding on who gets hired or gets "Position X".

I think mostly what I'm worried about is hiring someone then having them never be heard from again, like Cornelius was saying. :p Also need to be sure they won't abuse the access it gives them to the site.
 
Come to think more of it SpaceTiger at first admitted he was only going to be an active forum poster but probably too busy to do any updates for the site, but eventually it came irritating, that you revoked all of them. I guess...it makes sense, since removing someone from the position doesn't mean they never were a content manager or anything, but it just seems really bad for many else maybe even the site's future, to just let all those people be hating on you...because the future uses the past.

never thought this thread's being was unreasonable, just damaging and hard...when you could have accomplished the same by preserving the past erstwhile rather than throwing people older than you out, maybe it was fair, but it just did more harm than good

You could have gotten more news updates, now virtually no one is interested compared to before. That's a bigger worry, that's fate, than people tricking you into hiring them and never logging on after that
 
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