I've been meaning to post for a sec, but keep circling about on what I want to say.
First and foremost, I do appreciate
@dancecats for their responses. I know it's frustrating to have one's hands tied, and to be the buffer that takes the blows.
And thank you too everyone who has made it a point to comment and address concerns. Even though language is sometimes charged, I know it is coming from a place of sincere desire to improve DPF.
As several have said, a lot of us feel like the site is leaderless, or at least with an absentee leader.
@Cicada owns the forum and I will never for an instant insinuate anything less than the herculean task it is to keep something like this running. Having done something similar, all of the tedium sucks the joy out of the enterprise, and all you end up doing is patching and fixing and patching and fixing. It's an endless game of catch up where the only reward is something ~might not~ go wrong for a week. Maybe.
But I think that absenteeism is affecting the quality of life here on DPF. I'm not suggesting a coup or anything like that. But I think it would be in the forum's best interest that Cicada promote an ~active~ member as a sort of Second in Command. Someone who has authority and mechanical power to actually do things (like make mods) who reports to Cicada maybe once a month with any updates, but otherwise has the ability to do anything a super mod can beyond controlling the software itself.
I've said a few times, and I know everyone else has too, we need more mods. But I think we need a Super Mod too. One whom Cicada trusts to act on their behalf so they don't have to. One to whom the other mods can turn for clarification without going through the rigamorole of finding Cicada. Lives are busy, and I'm not saying Cicada should drop whatever and come back here. But I'm saying someone needs to be their active proxy or we are just going to keep chasing our own tails.
If Cicada doesn't trust anyone enough to do that, then that may be a different conversation.
As for the hack, security is obviously an issue. And I do think it a serious oversight that a mod's account remained inactive so long that it got hacked (if that's indeed what happened, it's hard to piece it all back together now).
Someone mentioned above about an "inactive freeze" for members and mods. I think that should ~absolutely~ be a requirement for mods. If you're someone who can't or won't check in once every 60 days, then I'm not sure you're the best candidate for a mod. And it's not for everyone! I couldn't think of something I'd want to do LESS than be a mod. But I think we've got enough people on here who would be a great fit for it.
Of course, the only person able to grant mod privileges is Cicada, as far as I know. Hence, back to our tail.
In the subject of mods, I'll just spitball some restructuring. Feel free to build off of, change, whatever. I'm just pointing to places that have specific needs that I think a dedicated mod would help a lot.
Super Mod - Proxy to Cicada, oversees other mods
Mechanics Mod - someone in charge of maintenance, security, forum announcements, etc. Responds to issues with the forum generally (maybe with Member Mod)
Discussion Mod - someone who monitors the Discussion threads to maintain integrity
Marketplace Mod - someone who monitors all Marketplace threads, closes finished threads, double checks threads limits, etc.
Game Mod - a dedicated mod who runs randomizer, maybe doubles with RAK or Secret Santa threads
Other / Anything Goes - a catch-all who can fill in as needed
Members Mod - someone who maintains new memberships, monitors "inactive freezes", name changes, password changes, etc. Responds to issues with the forum generally (maybe with Mechanics Mod)
That's six mods plus a super. Voting is easy, super is a tie breaker.
Again. These are just suggestions. But I think a team with dedicated members will help a lot, and take the onus off of other mods too. But "active" is the major thing.
Above all else, I don't think anyone is trying to be antagonistic here, even when language gets charged. I truly think we all want what's best for the forum. I do not think it's beyond hope. But I do think we are approaching an event horizon. I hope we can course correct
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