Moderator applications

I've noticed that being a moderator on here is a very small niche without any obvious plans for expansion. It may be worth considering having a section for staff applications where the current staff team voices their opinions and votes on applicants.

I'm sure biohack has a developer to update their website, but if for some reason you need someones help developing this I would be happy to contribute. I'm a programmer who uses SWIFT, C#, Python, HTML, and a good amount of CSS

Comments

  • I don't know if there IS any way to apply to be a moderator, but you're right- there absolutely should be!

    Right now @BirdMachine and I do all the biohack.me coding and design, which certainly does limit the amount of projects we can take on as we are often both underwater with entirely unrelated projects. I'm sure we'll need help doing something in the near future (I believe there are plans for various projects very early in the works). Thank you!

  • I don't know when I first got on here I found the fact that who was an admin and/or mod was something that was loose and given by people who alr were. it sorta made it seemed anonymous and decentralized like if you look this site was originally setup by @SovereignBleak he really doesn't do anything as far as I know anymore and I've heard that it was originally an art project. But then he extends the admin slash mod role to a few others that he knows and then leaves some time later this started a sorta trend where if you look there are a lot of dead admins and mods but there is always someone carrying the torch because they pass the role on. It's a sorta decentralized meritocracy where if you become a person who has shown care and knowledge about biohacking then maybe some one will ask you or you'll become good friends with a current mod and ask to help.yes there are definitely some hiccups and downsides but the decentralized no rules approach to the mod/admin system where mods make new mods, is something that I think really fits into the biohacking/grinder aesthetic culture ethos I don't know what I'm saying is the mod system is cool and really fits for a fringe group like biohackers.

  • edited October 2018

    @tekniklr said:
    I don't know if there IS any way to apply to be a moderator, but you're right- there absolutely should be!

    Right now @BirdMachine and I do all the biohack.me coding and design, which certainly does limit the amount of projects we can take on as we are often both underwater with entirely unrelated projects. I'm sure we'll need help doing something in the near future (I believe there are plans for various projects very early in the works). Thank you!

    I'm happy to help with whatever you need, just let me know. I have a few ideas i'm working on that may significantly help this forum in a couple ways, i'll pm you the details later and you can give me your input on whether the features are worth further development.

    @Zwytechhacker said:
    I don't know when I first got on here I found the fact that who was an admin and/or mod was something that was loose and given by people who alr were. it sorta made it seemed anonymous and decentralized like if you look this site was originally setup by @SovereignBleak he really doesn't do anything as far as I know anymore and I've heard that it was originally an art project. But then he extends the admin slash mod role to a few others that he knows and then leaves some time later this started a sorta trend where if you look there are a lot of dead admins and mods but there is always someone carrying the torch because they pass the role on. It's a sorta decentralized meritocracy where if you become a person who has shown care and knowledge about biohacking then maybe some one will ask you or you'll become good friends with a current mod and ask to help.yes there are definitely some hiccups and downsides but the decentralized no rules approach to the mod/admin system where mods make new mods, is something that I think really fits into the biohacking/grinder aesthetic culture ethos I don't know what I'm saying is the mod system is cool and really fits for a fringe group like biohackers.

    I understand what you're saying, but that system is inefficient in promoting qualified mods as it's only way to expand is through networking which is often biased. Applications has essentially the same issue regardless, but the additional process reduces the bias and increases the amount of people competing to be in the position.

    The admins/mods are still creating the mods, the difference is the frequency. This wouldn't decrease how decentralized our forum is, in fact the opposite. We are a fringe community, but I think we can all agree that generally some system is better than the lack of one.

  • @ThermalWinter said:
    I understand what you're saying, but that system is inefficient in promoting qualified mods as it's only way to expand is through networking which is often biased. Applications has essentially the same issue regardless, but the additional process reduces the bias and increases the amount of people competing to be in the position.

    I never said it wasn't inefficient, and no you don't become a mod by networking you become a mod by being active in the community to the point to where current mods along with most active members trust you enough to help. Applications not only have the same problems but they also introduce the problem of a way of people who just want to be mods to be mods to actually gain control not to mention it puts an even bigger burden on the mods that are already here as they'll now have to look at applications. I don't want an increase in the amount of people competing for the position honestly I don't even think people should really be aware that there are mods the more organic decentralized and anonymous the mods and the process of becoming a mod the better.

    The admins/mods are still creating the mods, the difference is the frequency. This wouldn't decrease how decentralized our forum is, in fact the opposite. We are a fringe community, but I think we can all agree that generally some system is better than the lack of one.

    The only difference isn't frequency, it centralizes it into a formal process essentially creating a unnecessary bureaucracy where there was none.

  • edited October 2018

    @Zwytechhacker said:

    @ThermalWinter said:
    I understand what you're saying, but that system is inefficient in promoting qualified mods as it's only way to expand is through networking which is often biased. Applications has essentially the same issue regardless, but the additional process reduces the bias and increases the amount of people competing to be in the position.

    I never said it wasn't inefficient, and no you don't become a mod by networking you become a mod by being active in the community to the point to where current mods along with most active members trust you enough to help. Applications not only have the same problems but they also introduce the problem of a way of people who just want to be mods to be mods to actually gain control not to mention it puts an even bigger burden on the mods that are already here as they'll now have to look at applications. I don't want an increase in the amount of people competing for the position honestly I don't even think people should really be aware that there are mods the more organic decentralized and anonymous the mods and the process of becoming a mod the better.

    The admins/mods are still creating the mods, the difference is the frequency. This wouldn't decrease how decentralized our forum is, in fact the opposite. We are a fringe community, but I think we can all agree that generally some system is better than the lack of one.

    The only difference isn't frequency, it centralizes it into a formal process essentially creating a unnecessary bureaucracy where there was none.

    That is literally networking, you can't pretend like that system doesn't function entirely on staff members promoting friends as that's obviously who they would trust. It already is a formal process, and in instances that directly effect safety and the quality of science that our entire community is based on a bureaucracy is necessary to a certain extent.

    The process would be strict, and it's entirely up to the current mods to determine the specifics on who would qualify, who is voted in, who deserves a demotion, and the quantity and frequency of the people promoted.

    Bureaucracies are the foundation of our society, if you disagree take an entry level sociology class. You mention that you never claimed it was efficient, and you're right. The problem is you're not giving any actual points to show that the method i'm proposing is less efficient, and I have many showing how it's an improvement. Look at the progression of literally every single forum, you'll see that we're not exactly on a permanent path.

    I'm not sure exactly what you mean by organic and decentralized. This would actually increase the decentralization, it spreads the "power" to a larger quantity of people spread out over a larger area.

    verb (used with object), de·cen·tral·ized, de·cen·tral·iz·ing.
    to distribute the administrative powers or functions of (a central authority) over a less concentrated area:

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organic
    And organic doesn't really work in this case.

  • I kind of disagree with you. I mean, i understand the concern about nepotism; however, i don't see it happening. There are people in the community who have beef with each other and yet co-mod. The people I'm thinking of i don't think would argue against each other being mods regardless of personal issues. I think its a loose meritocracy.

    I guess I'm 50 50 on it. On one hand, those who really want to be mods are probably the people who shouldn't be. Its like cops and the iron law of oligarchy..
    The flip side of the arguement of course being, why wouldn't you choose the person who actually WANTS to do a task? I mean, Bird and Tek both do awesome working on the site, but.. They're both redic busy with their own crap.. If someone was excited to take a portion of the load? Why not choose them?

    I think the concern is a shitty mod can really fuck up the flow of a forum. That said, having a protocol in place isnt bad.. What if we did something different? What if we had people apply and then be selected for a period of time? 1 year? Idk.
    The thing is.. If we did this? Beauracracy may be essential, but minimizing the size of it is important too. It seems like you'd be building a pyramid of power with like mods and people who get to choose or over ride mods etc. Is there something not working at how we are doing it now? Maybe, this is a good idea but not neccesary yet?
  • @Cassox said:
    I kind of disagree with you. I mean, i understand the concern about nepotism; however, i don't see it happening. There are people in the community who have beef with each other and yet co-mod. The people I'm thinking of i don't think would argue against each other being mods regardless of personal issues. I think its a loose meritocracy.

    I guess I'm 50 50 on it. On one hand, those who really want to be mods are probably the people who shouldn't be. Its like cops and the iron law of oligarchy..
    The flip side of the arguement of course being, why wouldn't you choose the person who actually WANTS to do a task? I mean, Bird and Tek both do awesome working on the site, but.. They're both redic busy with their own crap.. If someone was excited to take a portion of the load? Why not choose them?

    I think the concern is a shitty mod can really fuck up the flow of a forum. That said, having a protocol in place isnt bad.. What if we did something different? What if we had people apply and then be selected for a period of time? 1 year? Idk.
    The thing is.. If we did this? Beauracracy may be essential, but minimizing the size of it is important too. It seems like you'd be building a pyramid of power with like mods and people who get to choose or over ride mods etc. Is there something not working at how we are doing it now? Maybe, this is a good idea but not neccesary yet?

    You have a valid point, and I don't disagree. As far as I can see nobody would be overriding mods other than the mods themselves, but the size of the bureaucracy should be limited.

  • @Cassox said:
    I kind of disagree with you. I mean, i understand the concern about nepotism; however, i don't see it happening. There are people in the community who have beef with each other and yet co-mod. The people I'm thinking of i don't think would argue against each other being mods regardless of personal issues. I think its a loose meritocracy.

    I guess I'm 50 50 on it. On one hand, those who really want to be mods are probably the people who shouldn't be. Its like cops and the iron law of oligarchy..
    The flip side of the arguement of course being, why wouldn't you choose the person who actually WANTS to do a task? I mean, Bird and Tek both do awesome working on the site, but.. They're both redic busy with their own crap.. If someone was excited to take a portion of the load? Why not choose them?

    I think the concern is a shitty mod can really fuck up the flow of a forum. That said, having a protocol in place isnt bad.. What if we did something different? What if we had people apply and then be selected for a period of time? 1 year? Idk.
    The thing is.. If we did this? Beauracracy may be essential, but minimizing the size of it is important too. It seems like you'd be building a pyramid of power with like mods and people who get to choose or over ride mods etc. Is there something not working at how we are doing it now? Maybe, this is a good idea but not neccesary yet?

    I just re-read this thread and I just noticed it comes off as very "we the people." The intention isn't to decrease the power mods have or to increase the power of the users nor one over the other but to create transparency regarding the process. I don't even necessarily think we need more or new mods, infact I agree with Cassox that instating this may currently be unnecessary.

    It may be currently unnecessary, but it is inevitable. The advantages of such a system have been shown repeatedly in other forums to be it's saving grace.

  • Necro'ing in order to get some fresh opinions

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