I don’t know that it’s been much more than a year since they started using moderators. I only think a couple of people that were modding stopped due to having too many other demands on their time.

Probably. It’s not like they are getting paid. However, I suspect Bendrew only asks those who are pretty committed to the site, and only those who are really committed to the site agree to do it.

I didn’t know it’s a recent thing – I had assumed it was always like that. Coming from wis, it took time to get used to, but I wouldn’t change it for the chaos and mayhem that happens as soon as there aren’t any.

@NewZen: I don’t recall seeing any ‘Moderator’ or ‘Manager’ tags in profiles when I first started. I think things were slow enough that Bendrew were able to handle it on their own at first. I came in with the influx of iPhone web-app members, which probably wasn’t too overwhelming because initial adopters to the iPhone were limited numbers and tended not to be the type of demographic to ask “How Is Babby Formed”? I recall one member who was controversial at times and at other times he seemed to make valuable contributions. I think that was around the time that moderation started being brought up in posts. Have you explored the topic? Maybe there’s even an old blog about it somewhere…

@hearkat Haven’t really explored it. I shall. But it’s always nicer to hear firsthand from you guys. I’ve only been here since april or may, on and off, so I don’t know much. Babby I figured out, as I did frizzer… but these are references from way before my time. In fact, if you and other people here feel the way I do… weeks equal months here, months feel like years.-

@hearkat I can’t even remember when we started to have mods—but months before the iPhone rush (we just didn’t have badges). The iPhone rush was actually one of the reasons I grew the mod team.

@andrew Shouldn’t it be called the “Mod Squad?” That would be soooo cool!

@andrew: You had them before the original iPhone release? Or when the native App came out? I don’t recall any controversy or complaints about moderation until after JackAdams… I wasn’t on quite as often back then either, I guess… :-/

@janbb Cute!

Sometimes we do burnout. When that happens, the best thing to do is take a break from the site for a few days. I don’t know that anyone has quit altogether due to burnout.

I can only answer for myself, but I really appreciated what the mods do for this site, and was thrilled to be asked to join them. Becoming a mod definitely changes the way you interact with the site… less fun, more work. That said, I’m sincerely happy to do it.

@andrew has been crafting a response for some time now.

That damn porn.

I recall three mods when I first joined and they are no longer active participants at the site:
@richardhenry has been sporadic for several months
@sndfreQ has not been around for many months
@soundedfury have not seen for probably a year
I have no idea if they burned out, lost interest, or couldn’t find the time. Who knows, maybe they wanted to disassociate themselves from their prior “mod” tag and are floating around under a new identities. So tell me @NewZen , what do you know about audio equipment and acoustics (@sndfreQ is an expert {I believe he teaches the subject}, and was always very helpful, besides being a hell of a nice guy)?
See ya….Gary/wtf

@whatthefluther Most of the time mods mod until work life starts interfering with Fluthering time—and then you see them become less active on the site.

@andrew…Oh yes, a work life….I have faint memories of such a thing, myself…it can be an overwhelming distraction, no doubt. I tip my roach clip to them and am off to play, with AFI blasting Medicate in the backround. See ya….Gary/wtf