Conflict Of Interest?

[BackAssward]

[Split from The Real Deadline, And Pre-order Opportunities - www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=47225 ]

Correct, although if there are still a significant number of units unsold by the time we start making boards, we may just not make those extra units. We'll keep the extra parts for the second batch.

Side question Chip: Do you ever think it might be a conflict of interest to be the OP PR Guy (officially a marketing position, and the above statement even comes close to sales), and having moderator privileges (with the ability to summarily comment and close any thread you like) on a forum not actually run by the OP team?

 

[Mjlink]

Correct, although if there are still a significant number of units unsold by the time we start making boards, we may just not make those extra units. We'll keep the extra parts for the second batch.

Side question Chip: Do you ever think it might be a conflict of interest to be the OP PR Guy (officially a marketing position, and the above statement even comes close to sales), and having moderator privileges (with the ability to summarily comment and close any thread you like) on a forum not actually run by the OP team?

Relax. If you have issues w/ conflict of interest, then I suggest a hunting trip w/ Dick Cheney. Lots of free time on his hands now.

 

[gruso]

It was Chip's active presence on the forums that led to him taking on the PR role. I've never seen him shut down anything on the forums that any other mod wouldn't have. Of course if you're going to ask Chip this question, don't forget to ask EvilDragon, Squidge, and Vimacs as well. All these guys, and Craig, and most of the dev team, were GP32X before they were Pandora.

/offtopic

 

[Chip]

If I close a thread without explanation it is because either the thread is a duplicate and somebody has already linked to the identical thread, or because the OP requested the lock. Otherwise, I always note why the thread does not need to remain open. If you see a locked thread that does not meet those conditions, it was locked by somebody else.

 

[BackAssward]

so why would I do anything different now?

or because the OP requested the lock.

I thought this was done with my last post, so I am sorry to post again (your comment requires reflection). I was asking if you might close a thread because it was best for OP (as the PR guy), not close it as best for this independant forum. Your comment doesn't deny that possibility (it may confirm it, if you intended it as worded).

I`m not making accusations of any current wrong doing, just that there might be a conflict of interests if you close threads based on OP`s request on a forum that is meant to be independant.

 

[readln]

so why would I do anything different now?

or because the OP requested the lock.

I thought this was done with my last post, so I am sorry to post again (your comment requires reflection). I was asking if you might close a thread because it was best for OP (as the PR guy), not close it as best for this independant forum. Your comment doesn't deny that possibility (it may confirm it, if you intended it as worded).

I`m not making accusations of any current wrong doing, just that there might be a conflict of interests if you close threads based on OP`s request on a forum that is meant to be independant.


"OP" in Chip"s quote stands for "Original Poster", not "Open Pandora".

 

[gruso]

^ Heh, correct. That's been tripping me up a bit lately. I use OP often on other forums, but it's taken on a new meaning here.

 

[BackAssward]

^ Heh, correct. That's been tripping me up a bit lately. I use OP often on other forums, but it's taken on a new meaning here.

Then I make apologies. My aim is to help and add (or ask) for clarity. If Chip means `Original Poster` not `Open Pandora`, then I have no issue accepting that. I only wanted to show the potential for a conflict, if Chip is also aware of the potential but does not act on it, then my question is satisfied.

Cheers.

/Again, end of off topic post.

 

[Monk]

I'm certainly not aware of any other forum where topic drift from "Does the Pandora have a microphone and a camera" to "why we do or don't need a microphone or a camera in the Pandora" is considered too excessive, causing the thread to be closed. It's like trying to type on tram lines around here at times!

 

[BackAssward]

I'm certainly not aware of any other forum where topic drift from "Does the Pandora have a microphone and a camera" to "why we do or don't need a microphone or a camera in the Pandora" is considered too excessive, causing the thread to be closed. It's like trying to type on tram lines around here at times!

I think that might be the one I also thought was closed without reason (when compared to those that haven't been closed). I might have to check further to be sure.

Edit: you mean this one, and yes, I also thought there was no reason to close it:

CODE
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=47206&hl=


Edit2: That actually wasn`t the one I was thinking of, so that makes it two I wondered about.

 

[Monk]

Edit: you mean this one, and yes, I also thought there was no reason to close it:

CODE
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=47206&hl=

Edit2: That actually wasn`t the one I was thinking of, so that makes it two I wondered about.


That's the one I meant yes - the one chip closed witht eh reason being that it had gone "wildly off topic".

:blink: :blink: :blink: (can't find a :shock: emote)

 

[javaJake]

That's the one I meant yes - the one chip closed witht eh reason being that it had gone "wildly off topic".
While I think there's allowance for discussion this issue, there's a few reasons why this shouldn't be discussed here or continued to be discussed publicly: 1) it's off-topic 2) the rules state that you are not allowed to question the act of a moderator on the forums.

If anyone is concerned, a better action to take is to talk to another responsible moderator you see hanging around about the issue.

 

[Squidge]

Then I make apologies. My aim is to help and add (or ask) for clarity. If Chip means `Original Poster` not `Open Pandora`, then I have no issue accepting that. I only wanted to show the potential for a conflict, if Chip is also aware of the potential but does not act on it, then my question is satisfied.

Topics have been made "invisible" before, sometimes due to people asking the moderating team to do so. However, they all fell in one of the forums "banned" areas:

- racist stuff
- porn
- shock images (goatse)
- warez/rom links
- legal (eg. posting information that is clearly under a non-disclosure agreement)

None of us would delete a topic because we don't like your opinion or point of view. If your being an ass, insulting, or whatever, then you may have your topic locked (and get a free holiday).

 

[Chip]

By OP I meant Original Poster, not Open Pandora. I've never closed a thread at Craig's request, and he's never even asked.

The microphone thread was closed because ~30 of the 34 replies were about how people did or didn't like cellphones with cameras and/or how annoying the macbook hinge is. The original questions had long been answered and there was nothing meaningful to add to the discussion. There is a definite line between meaningful discussion and pointless bickering, and that thread (and most of the others I close) are clearly on the far side of it.

I'm not sure why people see locked threads as some sort of punishment. I don't close threads to shut you up or because I don't like what you have to say, I do it because it's hard enough for people to find useful information amongst the noise on this forum, and threads that ramble on endlessly long after the meaningful discussion has taken place only make it worse. If people would simply stop posting after a discussion has run its course, there would be no need to lock threads.