Moderator isn't doing their job

First off, I’m not really the type to complain or nitpick because most of the time it's just nonsense, but this is seriously crossing a line... 👎

Over on the Housing subforum, where all the technical stuff happens—AC units, heat pumps, you know—it's moderated by a user named fermina-daza. Honestly, there's way too much nonsense coming from her, a lot of power-tripping, and she just doesn't actually do the job she's supposed to be doing.

This moderator knows absolutely nothing about technical topics. She clearly isn't interested in them, and she doesn't have the slightest desire to moderate those threads. Her version of "moderating" basically boils down to handing out bans whenever she feels like it—which is maybe once every two or three weeks—for no actual reason. And then, the biggest issue: she locks the threads for two, three, or even ten days. That's the real problem. When a thread is locked, she can't do her job, the conversation dies, and the people who post there every single day are left with nowhere to talk. How long is this going to last? Why? If fermina-daza doesn't want to do her job, and when she does, she does it sloppily and without any common sense, she should just step down.

To be fair and stay objective—because I don't want to imply she's acting totally without cause—look, arguments happen. People troll sometimes. But there's absolutely no need for such terrible moderation. I’ll be the first to admit I get into heated debates, but it's always within the spirit of the discussion and stays on topic. I'm no saint. Have I been banned from a thread before? Sure.

But let's be constructive here. What she's doing is childish. It's just pure power-tripping without any thought behind it. Has she ever actually reached out to someone and suggested a solution? What does she specifically do? What does she actually know about these technical subjects? Nothing. So how is she supposed to know who is talking nonsense or spreading misinformation that the rest of us are already complaining about? She doesn't know, she doesn't do the work, and she doesn't care. That's not what a moderator is. She shouldn't be one.

Can we please get some regular users involved? People who are actually respectful and participate in the technical threads should be allowed to moderate them. The community should agree on someone and pick a moderator who actually knows how to handle things properly. Let there be intense debate or even some back-and-forth if it makes sense for the topic. That's normal. This isn't normal—it's like a preschool teacher coming in, scolding the kids, and then shutting down the whole school for a week...

I suggest asking the community for a solution instead of letting fermina-daza act like a schoolteacher, using personal authority and pretending to be some moral compass when she's completely out of her element...

Again, I didn't want to start this thread, but I've been thinking about it for a while now. I have nothing against the moderator personally, but I have a major problem with the nonsense she's pulling.

I’ll weigh in here too. It feels pretty pointless to tolerate a few users who—whether out of pure spite, a bad buying experience, or maybe even some underlying business interests—decide to troll everyone because they can't stand how much Japanese brands dominate the AC market. They try to act like cheap, budget options are on the same level as high-quality solutions.

Then, as soon as people naturally react to that, the whole thread gets locked.

So, what’s the logic? If someone finds the direction of a majority discussion annoying for whatever reason, is it enough just to send in a couple of trolls to get the topic permanently shut down?

There’s a big difference between harmless banter, like when Mark Sullivan62 is just messing around, and this current situation that keeps forcing these locks.

Either cut down on the trolling or just let the conversation flow. Locking threads isn't the answer.

The bottom line here is that this housing subforum isn't actually being moderated at all.
This whole section lacks an active, breathing moderator.
I see a bunch of names listed as moderators, but honestly, nobody is even remotely close to doing the job.

Take CD covers, for example—her last activity on the forum was September 10, 2018.
I mean, seriously, how can someone claim to be a moderator when they haven't shown their face on the forum in eight months?

Eight months!

What kind of "moderator" is that, man?
What exactly is she supposed to be monitoring or managing?

Look, I was a moderator myself for a few years back in the day. Once I realized I didn't have the bandwidth for it anymore, I stepped down. But what is she even doing, playing pretend as a moderator who shows up once a year? What kind of role is that?

And in my opinion, it’s not even about Fermina not knowing anything about technical stuff or specific topics; the real issue is that she doesn't know how to moderate.
She just doesn't get it.
And why? Because she simply doesn't moderate.

She just wanders in, finds a single rule-breaking post, hands out a couple of bans, closes things up, and calls it a day.
My grandma could do that.
That isn't active moderation.
It's Nothing.

Even she wouldn't have the time. Fine, whatever, whether she has time or not isn't my business. Not my problem.
But if you aren't going to do it, then step aside from the role.

It's simple. Either moderate, or don't. What she's doing is just pointless.

Now, look at how she closed that topic again. She claims the last time she closed something, she just deleted the posts instead of issuing a formal ban because she "didn't have time."

Are you kidding me? How do you "not have time" when that topic had been sitting there ready to be locked for ten days straight?
So, what were you actually doing?
Nothing. You did absolutely nothing on the forum.

For crying out loud, just give us a moderator who will actually show up and do the work.
They don't need to be a technical expert, but they do need to know how to moderate and actually perform the duties.

What she’s doing isn't moderation. She isn't doing it.

She's just playing the hero, writing everything out in pretty little colors, and calling it a day.
It's embarrassing.
She should just quit the job; she's just holding onto the title and getting in the way.
Clear out the dead weight, get rid of these people who aren't actually moderators, and find someone real.
Because this makes zero sense.

The zen woman doesn't moderate, she doesn't know how, and she clearly doesn't want to.

So just remove her already.

What is she even doing here?

She won't say what she's actually monitoring or which topics she's actively handling.

I am genuinely curious to hear an answer to that.

The whole point of this forum is to actually talk about stuff. Lately, we really needed to crack down on the trolls who keep trying to claim Vivax belongs in the same league as the heavy hitters, but punishing those losers shouldn't mean locking the entire thread.

There wasn't even a massive blowout this time, so there’s zero excuse to shut the topic down. That’s what the "delete post" tool is for. This moderator hasn't once jumped in to contribute anything useful or constructive; she only shows up when it's time to kill a thread and act like she knows everything. How does someone become a sub-forum mod if they aren't even active in the discussions or actually know what they're talking about?

Why kill a thread when new people are showing up every day with legitimate questions? What's the point of a forum then? Just wipe the troll posts and move on.

The thread starter complains about everything under the sun, which makes his opening statement fundamentally incorrect.

Dennis Morris92 said:The purpose of this forum is to facilitate discussion on specific topics. Recently, there was indeed a need to penalize trolls who insistently tried to equate Vivax with top-tier brands, but that isn't a reason to lock a thread; it is a reason to sanction the trolls.

The thread starter attacked someone who simply stated that any air conditioner can cool a 16 m2 room. What was he supposed to say instead—that it couldn't? That the person is obligated to purchase a premium brand unit? What would you say to someone commuting 3.1 miles to work? Should they be forced to buy a Mercedes-Benz, an Audi, or a Volkswagen because a Dacia can't handle such long distances?

I will take this even further and suggest he doesn't need an air conditioner at all, as a pedestal fan costing $50 would suffice.

And regarding Vivax, they don't actually manufacture their own units. Just as companies like Gorenje, Koncar, or Electrolux don't.
The real question is whether household units carrying a Daikin label are actually manufactured by Daikin or if they are just Gree units.

https://www.daikin.com/press/2008/080331/index.html

rowdytrucker12 said:The real question is whether household AC units sporting a Daikin sticker are actually Daikin products or just rebranded Gree units.

https://www.daikin.com/press/2008/080331/index.html

🤦

Is there ever going to be an end to this absolute nonsense?

Daikin DOES NOT slap their logo on air conditioners manufactured by other companies.
Seriously, just get it through your heads already.

Everything integrated into a Daikin unit is built right in their own factories.

NEC handles the electronics.

On topic: I think the mod went a little overboard locking this thread.
Nobody was being aggressive, it was just a heated debate.

feralcanyon73 said:Seriously, when does this nonsense end?

Just ignore the troll. The moderators have already banned him countless times. He isn't even here for the actual discussion; he's just following me because I had the nerve to tell him the truth to his face on another thread. I told him he was talking nonsense and acting like a total troll who blames everyone else for his own failures. Now he's stalking my posts everywhere. That's all there is to it.

feralcanyon73 said:Back to the topic: I think the mod went a bit overboard by locking the thread.
Nobody said anything heavy. It was just a slightly heated debate.

That’s exactly my point. She does this constantly—killing threads, failing to do her job, and honestly having zero clue about the subject she’s moderating. She doesn't even know what counts as off-topic versus staying on track. I don't have anything against her personally, I really don't care, but technical threads need a competent moderator. That's it.

feralcanyon73 said:🤦

When will this nonsense finally end?

Daikin does NOT slap their stickers on air conditioners manufactured by other companies.
Get that through your head once and for all.

Absolutely everything integrated into a Daikin unit is produced within their own factories.

NEC handles the electronics.

On-topic: I believe the moderator overreacted by locking this thread.
There were no insults used here. It was merely a heated debate.

I never even claimed that Daikin applies labels.

If you had actually bothered to open the link I provided:

https://www.daikin.com/press/2008/080331/index.html

You would see that Gree manufactures units for Daikin. Gree, which produces Gree air conditioners, also produces Daikin units.

Therefore, both Gree and Daikin are made in the same factory using the same components, yet the Gree unit is inferior.

feralcanyon73 said:🤦

Man, just don't waste your breath on this troll. The Moderator will handle him.

(Mod, please kill this post too once you've dealt with the troll since it's totally off-topic)

Sean Reyes said:Just ignore the troll; he's already been sanctioned multiple times by the Moderator. He isn't actually here for this discussion; he’s just targeting me because I had the nerve to tell him the truth to his face on another thread—that he writes nonsense and acts like a troll who blames everyone else for his own failures. Now he follows me to every single topic, scouring my posts just to fuel his petty grievances. Nothing more.

You are the only actual troll here. Beyond that, you're just a whiner reporting my posts after the moderators have already dealt with them (and you were the one who started the trolling in the first place).

It is quite ironic that you label me as a failure while you attempt to educate yourself on women via some cheap tabloid site. Furthermore, your inferiority complex regarding your lack of a college degree is evident; you try to compensate for it with a superficial understanding of HVAC systems, attacking a man simply for stating that any brand of AC can cool 16 m2.

Sean Reyes said:Look, man, just don't bother replying to that troll. The Moderator will handle him.

Moderator, please delete this post once you have dealt with the troll, as it is completely off-topic.

Let it erase.

But then again, the Moderator knows exactly who really deserves to be banned from this thread. It’s the individual spreading fear that an XY unit won't actually cool a 16 m2 room unless you buy into the ZX brand instead. At this point, I have to wonder: is this just a massive ego trip, or is there something more calculated going on behind the scenes?

Look, for anyone here struggling with the language barrier,

Gree doesn't make AC units for Daikin. Period.
Honestly, if you’ve spent 25 years dealing with Daikin, you’d already know whether they were outsourcing their stuff or not.
Daikin actually used to manufacture for other brands—like how GEA was made in a Daikin plant and some Panasonic models back in the day.

In Europe, Daikin runs production out of their plants in the Czech Republic and Belgium.

Dennis Morris92 said:The whole point of this forum is to actually talk about stuff, right? Like, recently we really needed to step in and deal with those trolls who kept trying to claim Vivax was on par with the heavy hitters, but that’s a reason to sanction the trolls, not a reason to just kill the entire thread.

This time around, there wasn't even any major drama going on, so there is absolutely zero justification for locking the topic. That’s what the moderator tools for deleting posts are there for. This specific moderator hasn't even chimed in once to offer anything useful or constructive; she just shows up whenever she feels like shutting things down and acting like she knows better than everyone else without any basis. Honestly, how does someone become a moderator for a subforum when they aren't even active in the discussions and clearly don't have the expertise in this field?

Why would you shut a thread down when new people show up every single day asking smart questions? What’s the purpose of a forum then? Just delete the troll posts and call it a day.

When you don't want to, don't know how to, or simply can't moderate, the easiest move is just to lock the topic.
She even admitted herself—get this—that she hadn't even gotten around to sanctioning the posts yet.
Hadn't gotten around to it.
Man, if that's true, what on earth was she doing while the topic sat locked for ten days straight?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing on this forum.
And hey, whatever else you're doing in your real life that keeps you from checking the forum, go ahead, keep doing it, nobody cares.
But seriously, just hand the reins over to someone who actually wants to be here and knows what they're doing.

Resign!

Get someone else.

Fire everyone. Cd covers hasn't been on the forum in 8 months.
What kind of moderator is that?
I haven't seen City in ages.
Whatever, let them focus on their actual lives.
But get them all off the moderation team.

A moderator is supposed to actually moderate and keep the discussion flowing, not just pop in once a month to shut everything down.

That's just bad moderation.

Get rid of them all.

Resign!
Even better, fire them for cause with no severance package. 😁

P.s
Sean Reyes and feralcanyon73, don't derail this, just let this Vivax guy argue with himself so we don't dilute the topic.

Sean Reyes said:Look, man, just don't waste your breath replying to this troll. The Moderator will deal with him.

(Hey Mod, please kill this post too since it’s totally off-topic once you've handled the troll)

And yeah, I know, but I just can't stand the thought of people walking away with the wrong info.

feralcanyon73 said:For those who don't speak English,

Gree doesn't manufacture units for Daikin.
Having dealt with Daikin for 25 years, I would certainly know if anyone else was making them.
Daikin has manufactured for other brands in the past—for instance, GE was produced in a Daikin factory and some Panasonics were once as well.

In Europe, Daikin manufactures at plants located in the Czech Republic and Belgium.

Fine. Does that mean they also produce smaller units, like the 3.5 to 5 kW range, for smaller apartments?

feralcanyon73 said:I just don't want people walking away with the wrong idea.

I am going to find an outdoor Daikin unit labeled made in Europe (Czech Republic or Belgium), take a photo, and post it here. Once I do, you and your colleague will be proven right.

It is absolute nonsense to lock threads or delete posts simply because people don't see eye to eye.

To one person, Daikin is the only way to go; to another, it’s Fujitsu; someone else swears by Samsung, while others might find that a Vivax unit gets the job done just fine.

Preferences vary—just like individual needs and, of course, budgets. I fail to see the point in debating what anyone else requires. Everyone should just be left to their own devices—or, if you prefer, everyone can just measure their own mattress length and leave it at that.

Furthermore, this forum isn't some high-level, certified authority sanctioned to provide objective, expert data. It’s an online space where anyone can write whatever they feel like, potentially driven by any number of motives. Honestly, it seems ridiculous to penalize someone for promoting one AC manufacturer when someone else is busy championing another.

One should view this forum as a massive virtual gathering spot—a mix of experts and amateurs, well-meaning folks and those with less than noble intentions—where you might stumble upon advice that is either utterly idiotic or incredibly useful.
I don't see any other purpose for a forum besides serving as a venue for exchanging opinions, information, and experiences among decent people.
The only users who truly deserve to be banned are the malicious ones—those who intentionally and knowingly steer people toward subpar products or offer downright moronic advice.

Everything else essentially boils down to differences in opinion, necessity, and personal experience.

There really is no need to lock these threads; otherwise, every time a newcomer arrives looking for purchasing advice, they'll find themselves blocked. It makes no sense. If we follow that logic, we might as well just delete the entire sub-forum and call it a day...

rowdytrucker12 said:Alright. So does that mean they also make those smaller units, like the 3.5 to 5 kW ones, for tiny apartments over there?

Yeah
Specifically in the Czech Republic.
Only a few niche models actually come out of the factory in Turkey.

I’m asking all the sensible folks here to please hold off on any specific debates about AC units. We have a dedicated thread for that, and I’m hoping they bring it back online ASAP—which is really the whole point of this discussion right now.

What we actually need is a new moderator, not more of the nonsense we've been dealing with lately. Let's just stay focused on that. Once we get things sorted, we can head over to the proper thread and argue about air conditioners as much as we want—heated, intense, whatever—as long as there's decent, logical moderation in place.

Thanks to everyone for backing me up. Just ignore the trolls.

feralcanyon73 said:Yes,
specifically in the Czech Republic.
Only a handful of models are produced at the factory in Turkey.

And you might as well include China in that equation, just to be safe. 🤣