Great Looking Board

[DCT]

I just wanted to pop over here and wish the Admins, mods, and all the members of the Dodge Board all the success in the world. Here's wishing you a long run and great discussions.

-DCT

[Administrator]

We are just starting to realize all the "behind the scenes" work you were responsible for. Thanks for your blessing.

DBA1

[DCT]

Some Lessons Learned - But feel free to ignore them as unsolicited.
1. Don't forget the backups. Our various servers went AWOL three times the first year. Backup often.

2. Get a good pHp 101 book so when the server goes down you can figure out how to get it going again.

3. Don't try to keep up with the "I don't know how to use a computer so why won't my posts show up. Oh, what are cookies?" kind of emails you'll get three times a week. These emails suck the life out of you quickly. There is no ammount of tutoring that can make these folks computer literate. There are some people you can't help.

4. Use GZip at the max setting for lower bandwidth consumption.

5. Sockpuppets are pervasive. I know of about 10 on dodgecitytalk.com right now. But proving it is tough. Be more cautious that we were when banning suspected sockpuppets. I hit an innocent once accidentally.

6. Keep a public record of who you ban, deleted, and the reasons why. You must explain why to the members.

7. If you knowingly allow a slanderous post to remain you are complicit. Get a lawyer to advise you before the shit hits the fan.

8. vBulletin.com has some cool cracks. Be cautious. Some of these can really screw up your board.

9. Have an "in case of my death" plan so the board will survive your demise.

10. You will be suprised how very respectable people you've know your entire life become flaming *******s on a board when they think their ID is secret.

11. Board members will test you, test you, test you, test you. They are always looking for holes in your armor. Normally, the more unhappy a person is in their real life the more they are a bully on a board.

12. Don't EVER take it personally.

13. Every now and then you have to lay down a smack down on a member who just doesn't understand the limits of your patience. Make sure it is fair and make it visible. But always offer a way out before and after the smackdown. Sometimes it reminds me of raising teenagers. They push and push and push and then act suprised when they got a reaction proportionate to their aggression.

14. When you get burnt out have someone take the admin for a while. Burnout happens.

15. Have fun.

[hoarsewhisperer]

DCT- Damn! I never realized what all a forum Administrator had to be/know/do. My hat's off to you! Very gracious of you to help out and perhaps become a part of this new venture. ~Welcome~

p.s. I guess I don't know what a sockpuppet is, so I'll just ask here.

[Administrator]

Thank you DCT. You are correct the admins job is a tough one but it just so happens this ain't my first rodeo

A Sock-puppet is a user with multiple accounts and or user names. They often use the multiple names to mislead a vote or even to argue with/support themselves in a discussion. WE DO have procedures in place to monitor and stop possible Sock-puppets.

DBA2