[POLL] What is the Future of the FAIR/MAAD Boards

[_Who Knows]

Again, I think this is positive. Those who are struggling with their faith don't really need to be in that type of environment.

I disagree. They are the ones who NEED to see that environment.

[_Dr. Shades]

I disagree. They are the ones who NEED to see that environment.

LOL!! Good point, Who Knows! :-)

[_Runtu]

I disagree. They are the ones who NEED to see that environment.

LOL!! Good point, Who Knows! :-)

I have dinner once or twice a month with another guy who, like me, considers participation on the FAIR boards to have been a significant contributing factor to his exit from the church. And given that MormonMendacity says the same thing, there are at least three of us who were not "helped" by the board. I suspect that there are many more out there. Not that this is a bad thing, mind you. ;-)

[_moksha]

My guess is that they will strive for even greater homogeneity. They may become even more Juliannish. That should allow them to have the same faithful core posters for a long time.

[_Mister Scratch]

A couple of thoughts. "FAIR" and "MA&D" are no longer even the same thing (semantically speaking, anyhow), and in fact, supporting this separation appears to be the primary motivation underlying the demise of the ironically named FAIRboard. (I.e., "Scotty Dog", John Lynch, etc. finally got too antsy about being associated with the hijinx on the MB, and so they decided to divest themselves of it altogether.)

It is difficult to say what the consequences of this are going to be, but I do think it's safe to say that there will be a drop-off in traffic. Another problem will no doubt be result of the decrease in "gravitas"---i.e., MA&D will not seem quite as 'official,' since it will be privately owned, rather than attached to an organization attached to an organization attached to the Church. Basically, I think that you will likely see a similar moderating style, and that conversations on the board will tend towards TBMishness.

Finally, a think a crucial factor to consider when thinking about the future of that board is who FAIR is sloughing it off onto. Is it now juliann's board? Or Dan_G's? The powers that be at FAIR said that they were giving it to a mod, but to whom? I guess the bottomline, in my view, is that it will be important to "out" whoever the new owner is. Once that happens, I think you will see a significant change in the tenor of the MB.

So, does anyone have the inside dirt?

[_Runtu]

A couple of thoughts. "FAIR" and "MA&D" are no longer even the same thing (semantically speaking, anyhow), and in fact, supporting this separation appears to be the primary motivation underlying the demise of the ironically named FAIRboard. (I.e., "Scotty Dog", John Lynch, etc. finally got too antsy about being associated with the hijinx on the MB, and so they decided to divest themselves of it altogether.)

Yeah, that seems to be the motivation. I doubt FAIR wants to be associated with pack mentality of the boards.

It is difficult to say what the consequences of this are going to be, but I do think it's safe to say that there will be a drop-off in traffic.

That would be my guess, too. The core folks will stick around, but there won't be a lot of new traffic.

Another problem will no doubt be result of the decrease in "gravitas"---i.e., MA&D will not seem quite as 'official,' since it will be privately owned, rather than attached to an organization attached to an organization attached to the Church.

Wait! There was gravitas on the FAIR board? Why wasn't I informed? ;-)

Basically, I think that you will likely see a similar moderating style, and that conversations on the board will tend towards TBMishness.

Sounds like things took a turn for the worse some time after I left. Too bad.

Finally, a think a crucial factor to consider when thinking about the future of that board is who FAIR is sloughing it off onto. Is it now juliann's board? Or Dan_G's? The powers that be at FAIR said that they were giving it to a mod, but to whom? I guess the bottomline, in my view, is that it will be important to "out" whoever the new owner is. Once that happens, I think you will see a significant change in the tenor of the MB.

So, does anyone have the inside dirt?

Hmmm. I wonder how postmodern moderators would operate? Could be fun to watch.

[_Yoda]

Finally, a think a crucial factor to consider when thinking about the future of that board is who FAIR is sloughing it off onto. Is it now juliann's board? Or Dan_G's? The powers that be at FAIR said that they were giving it to a mod, but to whom? I guess the bottomline, in my view, is that it will be important to "out" whoever the new owner is. Once that happens, I think you will see a significant change in the tenor of the MB.

So, does anyone have the inside dirt?

Dan G is definitely running the new board. He has done all of the "techy" things, and is the primary Mod.

Juliann has never been that computer savvy, and I don't think she ever really had a desire to completely run the old or the new board. However, I'm sure that Juliann still has "creative license" to make her opinion known, and that she will more often than not be accommodated. I'm also fairly certain that she has at least some limited Admin power to allow her to moderate forums when she chooses to.

Alan Wyatt was a "second in command" on the FAIR board after the transition to the new server, so I see no reason why that wouldn't be the case with MAAD as well.

I'm fairly sure that Jan was also involved in the moderating team. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess. ;)

[_Mister Scratch]

Dan G is definitely running the new board. He has done all of the "techy" things, and is the primary Mod.

Juliann has never been that computer savvy, and I don't think she ever really had a desire to completely run the old or the new board. However, I'm sure that Juliann still has "creative license" to make her opinion known, and that she will more often than not be accommodated. I'm also fairly certain that she has at least some limited Admin power to allow her to moderate forums when she chooses to.

Alan Wyatt was a "second in command" on the FAIR board after the transition to the new server, so I see no reason why that wouldn't be the case with MAAD as well.

I'm fairly sure that Jan was also involved in the moderating team. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess. ;)

Interesting. I think this is going to be a major obstacle for them. Whereas before, the institutional FAIR could absorb some of the criticism about moderation, etc., now those critiques can be aimed at actual individuals. In the past, the ironically named FAIRboard strove to avoid personal accountability via a "shell game" with the mod names, and also via deflection off onto the institution itself, but now that is impossible. juliann has made a lot of enemies over the years. Now she will have to answer to them in a far more substantial way, in my opinion.

But we'll see!

[_Yoda]

juliann has made a lot of enemies over the years. Now she will have to answer to them in a far more substantial way, in my opinion.

How so, Scratch? Juliann isn't nearly as involved with the board as she used to be. And the board is being run in the same way as it has always been run.

In my opinion, I don't think that Juliann's role will be as significant as it has been in the past. And, frankly, this is by her personal choice. She has been backing away from the boards due to real life issues for a while now.

[_Bond...James Bond]

Dan G is definitely running the new board. He has done all of the "techy" things, and is the primary Mod.

Juliann has never been that computer savvy, and I don't think she ever really had a desire to completely run the old or the new board. However, I'm sure that Juliann still has "creative license" to make her opinion known, and that she will more often than not be accommodated. I'm also fairly certain that she has at least some limited Admin power to allow her to moderate forums when she chooses to.

Alan Wyatt was a "second in command" on the FAIR board after the transition to the new server, so I see no reason why that wouldn't be the case with MAAD as well.

I'm fairly sure that Jan was also involved in the moderating team. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess. ;)

Interesting. I think this is going to be a major obstacle for them. Whereas before, the institutional FAIR could absorb some of the criticism about moderation, etc., now those critiques can be aimed at actual individuals. In the past, the ironically named FAIRboard strove to avoid personal accountability via a "shell game" with the mod names, and also via deflection off onto the institution itself, but now that is impossible. juliann has made a lot of enemies over the years. Now she will have to answer to them in a far more substantial way, in my opinion.

But we'll see!

Scratch, you never answered the question from your blog concerning who all were the FAIR moderators were. Care to give an answer here, or a guess on the unknown ones?

Bond