Bob Cope said:
GAP, I would agree, except I have seen the same issues arise between members and moderators. Moderators are people and people have opinions. There is no clear cut, clean answer. In my first post on this topic here https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/29862/continuing/view/post_id/392085 I voiced my thoughts and I hold to them. I don’t believe Bob needs any moderator help, I just believe he needs to be a Dictator and leave the Benevolent out, folks don’t seen to know how to respond to his Benevolence.
Re-reading Bob C’s post (this one and the earlier one he linked to), it really clicked for me that, as I and many others have mentioned along the way, LSC is the BD’s site. It’s his hobby, it’s his creation. Our donations help to defray his costs, but don’t pay him.
For numerous reasons, the BD has the choice to keep this thing going, or not. It ain’t a business, and there is no contract. We meet here at his invitation and discretion, pure and simple. And he’s been doing a dang great job.
When I met Bob M. a few years back at ECLSTS, I was amazed to learn that he wasn’t making decent money off this, but quite the reverse. After that, I’d come up with two opinions: there should be moderators to help Bob out, and that we should all pay an annual fee. Well, I still agree with the latter.
But back to Bob C’s post, this really is the BD’s hobby, to do with as he wishes. And it’s occurring to me that managing moderators and their issues could explode into a new part time job he doesn’t have time for. So, while I still believe we should pay the BD’s expenses at least, I now see that a moderated approach will probably not work in this “business” model (for lack of a better term).
However, between status quo and full shut-down, I’d suggest that the middle ground for the BD is exactly what Bob C. said: a little less on the Benevolent, a little more on the Dictator.
Bob M., sincere thanks for all you’ve done for me at least, and know that your supporters trust you to do whatever you think’s best. In answer to your initial question, your creation here is the only place I know to go where I can share the details of whatever I’ve gotten myself into, and on a reliable site. That’s sure worth a lot to me.
Cliff