Trouble Ticket Policy for Site Admins?

[Summercat]

I like how because I focused on this issue became a strawman for other issues are not important. There was never a denial but rather a focused approach one this one so that little by little it all is approached.

The whole problem was that things would start, ppl become apathetic and then use logical fallicies where a whole lot of talking and nothing gets done. Or it is done half assed. So you'll excuse me for at least taking a step on the matter instead of the usual spaghetti on the wall.

Too focused. I suggested also working on other problems - it's not a strawman to say that you are only interested in this issue when that's what you said, Arshes.

Meanwhile, we got the AUP link fixed, and the commission information tab removed. Wicht has also been removed from admin status, and we're still looking at what specific to do for long term solutions to the security issues we've been having (Short term solutions already in place).

We have other issues, Arshes, that are just as bad - and possibly worse - as the one you are focused on.

 

[Sanyi]

I think a report button to flag inappropriate art would solve a lot of problems. It would cut down on the amount of TT's in a given day. I know when I see something against AUP I file a TT and I honestly feel bad because I know it bogs the system down, but a man in his bondage fetish fursuit gear sitting in a cage- I feel less bad for reporting that than bogging down the system. A report button would flag the picture for an admin to look at quickly and no TT has to be filed. Maybe that might help moral.

Don't quote me on this: I believe there is going to be a report button of sorts when the new UI is finished. Supposedly. It won't help much as far as TTs go, but there will probably be less "OMG DIS GUYZZZ BROKE DEM AUP SHIZZZZ!" type trouble tickets. ^^;;

edit// back to reading through 26 pages of headache.
edit2// screw it, I don't care if my questions have been answered or not. Got to Page 7 >:[

Probably been brought up, but oh well:

1. Is there, anywhere at all, a FULL publicly viewable list of all the current main site admins? There should be one somewhere, even if it's not on the main staff page. I'm not 100% sure how accurate the Forum list is, and the main site list has people missing from it.

2. Has anyone thought about actually revising the TT page? Currently all you do is select an option and type a bunch of text in which probably doesn't help much in regards to the quality of trouble tickets. I've noticed some admins complaining about how much of a pain it is to understand what people want when filing TTs soooo... maybe it's time for a change?

3. How the bleeding f- did Silver R Wolfe get his admin back? >:[

 

[Ben]

So, with the twelve still active admins listed on the admin page, plus SilverWolfe and Arshes, that means there's only fourteen admins left, 13 if it turns out Silver getting his @ back was a fluke. Is there going to be anything done to fill in this staff shortage, now that half the idle admins have been pruned? I mean, there's a few senior mods here who would fill the gap pretty well (Corto, Mewtwo, M. Le Renard and Qoph come to mind), so at least there's somewhere to look.

 

[Diocletian]

got the AUP link fixed, and the commission information tab removed. Wicht has also been removed from admin status

So that's 2 very minor issues dealt with and Wicht gone. Those things should and could have been resolved many months and even several years ago.

Considering the cost in time, effort and the threats from Sean against other members of staff it has taken to get even these small steps, well, one wonders how much of a bargain it was and how much easier it would be with a lead adminstrator/steward.

 

[Xenke]

So, with the twelve still active admins listed on the admin page, plus SilverWolfe and Arshes, that means there's only fourteen admins left, 13 if it turns out Silver getting his @ back was a fluke. Is there going to be anything done to fill in this staff shortage, now that half the idle admins have been pruned? I mean, there's a few senior mods here who would fill the gap pretty well (Corto, Mewtwo, M. Le Renard and Qoph come to mind), so at least there's somewhere to look.

Letting them go doesn't make us shorthanded. It makes us work more. We can bring on more when ready, but having them around makes people more frustrated, and less productive.

Furthermore, the shortage doesn't really affect anything since those people didn't put in any work anyway.

 

[Summercat]

So that's 2 very minor issues dealt with and Wicht gone. Those things should and could have been resolved many months and even several years ago.

Considering the cost in time, effort and the threats from Sean against other members of staff it has taken to get even these small steps, well, one wonders how much of a bargain it was and how much easier it would be with a lead adminstrator/steward.

While this may be the case, why is it that I appear to be the first person on staff to push for these 'very minor' issues that have been complained about? I'm a fairly new admin, as well.

I wasn't even aware of the AUP link issue until about 3 days ago.

I am not denying that what Arshes brought up have been problems. I am denying that they are the ultimate source of other problems - as Arshes insisted once in conversation when this thread was first posted. I suggested several other courses of action that could be taken concurrently, and they were shot down.

So, ultimately - I'm focusing on what I can fix, and doing what I can, where I can, how I can. Arshes can have her crusade; I want no part of it or anyone to think she is speaking on my behalf.

 

[Ben]

Furthermore, the shortage doesn't really affect anything since those people didn't put in any work anyway.

Except the entire problem with the idle admins was that work was piling up, and was not being taken care of due to staff shortage. So really, getting rid of the idle ones was just the first step.

 

[Arshes Nei]

I'm sorry but no. I kept the topic on this forum pretty much specific and focused. Otherwise you would be lying if you are saying I did not help out at all when there were questions about SL on the AUP. Or did I not add input to the forum rules which to say the mods worked together on? I did put in time on tickets too.

 

[Xenke]

Except the entire problem with the idle admins was that work was piling up, and was not being taken care of due to staff shortage. So really, getting rid of the idle ones was just the first step.

But now work (as in TTs) hasn't been piling up anymore, it's being reduced, even with these admins let go.

 

[Diocletian]

Summercat, Sean's issues with delegation (since there are many things he cannot/will not deal with) is the biggest problem with FA and has been for the past several years.

The fact that people have to push at all for such minor issues as dead links to be fixed is astounding and ridiculous. The fact that such a tiny thing as updates to the staff page can take months is astonishing. The fact that it has taken weeks of struggle and poisonous threats from Sean to get members of staff who've been inactive for years removed is reprehensible. The fact that he is refusing to communicate with certain members of staff and going out of contact at the weekends is terrible. The fact that many people who want to help the site are turned away and/or ignored is incredible.

Talking about "focusing on what you can fix" is acknowledging that you can only focus on minutiae like dead links, because Sean will not delegate and cannot or will not act on many things himself and the cost of having things like lazy admins dealt with is so great.

There can be no long term solutions without effective delegation so that the most basic things like having active staff and working links can be fixed within hours and days, not months and years and with a cost of staff who burn out, a poisonous atmosphere and at a price to the community who uses this site in terms of lack of functionality, data loss disasters et al.

To accuse Arshes of engaging in a crusade is shooting the messenger. This thread is currently exposing a deep problem in Furaffinity and instead of engaging with it, you're turning away and focusing on the little things.

But it is not too late: If you care about the community that uses this site, then I urge you to ask Sean to delegate effectively to a good lead admin/steward;, for the staff to speak with one voice in the interests of the community on this matter.

 

[Pi]

Summercat, you write a whole hell of a lot without saying much of anything. In fact, out of everything you wrote, the only thing worth responding to is this, and it's not even worth writing my own words:
[18:57:56] <Eevee> > Bitching like this about this problem isn't going to do anything
[18:58:02] <Eevee> this is the problem
[18:58:04] <Eevee> what WILL do something?
[18:58:11] <Eevee> you? no, you will just explain why you can't do anything

No, wait, there's also this:

getting three people I know on board to help out with coding crap and learning PHP myself so I can help reform the ticket system.

You're going to be extremely offended by my saying this, but you have no fucking reason to be touching the ticket system until someone who ISN'T a security-incompetent has a look at it.

 

[Corto]

But now work (as in TTs) hasn't been piling up anymore, it's being reduced, even with these admins let go.

Tru dat. As far as I understood, the real problem wasn't "WE NEED MORE FIREPOWER", especially since new admins were brought in very recently (Ariel, Nylak and Summer), but rather that it sucked asking the new members to get to work on filling that paperwork while the old guard stood by doing nothing. The new admins would have been quite justified if they had replied "well, no, if they won't work why should I?"

EDIT: I could be wrong, of course, but the image I get from what I hear is that with the new active and motivated admins doing their job, the back catalogue of TTs is being eaten through at a good pace.

 

[ArielMT]

Tru dat. As far as I understood, the real problem wasn't "WE NEED MORE FIREPOWER", especially since new admins were brought in very recently (Ariel, Nylak and Summer), but rather that it sucked asking the new members to get to work on filling that paperwork while the old guard stood by doing nothing. The new admins would have been quite justified if they had replied "well, no, if they won't work why should I?".

Perhaps. The temptation to slack becomes a powerfully attractive apparent remedy to burn-out in any endeavor, not just Web site administration.

In my case it's been too much of being left on my own to wing it while trying to learn how best to enforce the site's rules, especially with the tickets that have been allowed to age way too much (the loudest user complaint that stuck with me since registering). Not always, definitely, and not even often, but still frequently enough. If the other admins in channel are idling to take care of site matters or RL obligations when I seek answers and second opinions, that's not unreasonable even though it's depressing.

Even if I get an answer as late as six hours after asking, that's fine by me; coming back to find that answer in my log is why I idle instead of signing out. But if other admins are idling just because or engaging in idle chit-chat, seeing my request for help scroll up off the screen and eventually out of the buffer without an answer is distressing.

 

[MandertehPander]

@glaice

Dunno! Who is it?

 

[Arshes Nei]

I moved the topic of coding to a new thread so this one doesn't get too derailed.

http://forums.furaffinity.net/threads/93544-Topic-Drift-from-TT-Exploits-and-Coding

 

[Armaetus]

Slacking off should not be tolerated, whether they're new admins or the site owner himself. Remember, WE make the community, not the other way around. Allowing things of this magnitude to build up over years is not acceptable and certain individuals are accountable for letting the corrosive effect of their morale to make others feel down and/or do the same thing.

It's not fair to the active staff who sift through these TTs, it just isn't.

 

[Arshes Nei]

Well I am happy one admin was removed over the matter who has long since needed to be. Still, need to make sure things are kept up so it doesn't repeat itself for another 3 years.

 

[Armaetus]

Well I am happy one admin was removed over the matter who has long since needed to be. Still, need to make sure things are kept up so it doesn't repeat itself for another 3 years.

Good, I hope noone decides to secretly reinstate him..because that would just piss me off and others as well.