DIY: Overmoderation issues

Latest example:

Someone asked how to fill screw holes in a fence over in the "Ask anything, but..." thread.

That post and all its replies were moved to "paint stripping." 😵

I honestly can't find a single rational explanation for why plugging screw holes has anything to do with paint stripping. Not once was paint stripping mentioned in the question or any of the responses. The whole discussion belonged right where it was originally posted.

On top of that, there isn't any clear notification on the subforum letting people know when posts have been moved or where they went. I guess most users don't even realize the conversation has shifted unless they manually click through every single thread hoping to stumble upon the relocated posts.

We are discussing metal fabrication and locksmithing repairs, specifically followed by the final painting of the fencing. In short, this pertains to the color treatment and painting of metal surfaces!

Given how topics have been launched over the last month—essentially whenever someone feels like it or desires to—I find myself lacking the necessary time to moderate these unacceptable threads, whether they are new entries or old ones being resurrected unnecessarily.
Moderator freedom, exercised in accordance with the Rules—which our dear forum members seem to almost entirely disregard when submitting posts—obligates me to attempt to maintain some semblance of order here on the Democratic Party forum.
It does not occur to me, despite my deep respect for all participants on the Democratic Party PDF, to allow the rules to be ignored just so everyone can start threads at their own whim and demand personal solutions to their specific problems.

To ensure such occurrences happen less frequently, we have established Top Topics: ADVERTISING BOARD; Rules,
TOPIC LIST 1 where one can very easily locate potential answers or similar discussions. I must emphasize that the Topic List is periodically updated—depending on the availability of related content—to include more information.

One ought to click through the topic list first, rather than searching for answers after the fact...

By that logic, once you finish building a fence, you could just say you're moving on to making pizza on the patio behind it.

Posts get moved around unnecessarily, often using some pretty confusing reasoning, and instead of keeping things organized, it just creates a mess.

If you truly require it, I would be willing to open a thread of that nature just for you. Simply so you might finally find some semblance of satisfaction...👍

It should be enough to ensure posts aren't being deleted without a clear reason, and when they are removed, it’s because they actually belong in a thread that makes some sense. 👍

Everything happens in its own time, and there is really no need for unnecessary commentary regarding the decisions made by the moderators.

I want to specifically highlight this point—"To minimize these kinds of occurrences, we have established Top threads: ADVERTISING BOARD; Rules,
TOPIC LIST 1, where answers or similar discussions can be easily located. I should emphasize that the Topic List is periodically updated, depending on whether relevant subjects are lacking.

One ought to click through the topic list first, rather than searching for answers much later..." and then they could all live happily ever after!👍

Robert Martin23 said:Everything happens when it's supposed to—just stop whining about moderator calls.

Can someone explain this? This subforum exists specifically for this exact purpose.

I certainly can, it would be my pleasure. Everything has been thoroughly detailed in my initial response...

"Everything in due time and no need for extra commentary on moderator decisions" isn't an actual explanation. It's just a brush-off.
Not everyone is buying your answer—and I don't see why you'd try to strip anyone of their right to speak their mind on a subforum specifically designed for that purpose.

Look, I think you do a decent job moderating, but my point stands—those moved posts are in the completely wrong threads. If someone asks how to patch holes instead of how to paint after the repair, then those posts were objectively moved to the wrong spot. Your reasoning doesn't hold up, and it’s definitely not okay to suggest that people should just be happy with whatever answer you give them.

I would kindly ask you all to revisit that controversial post once more, and please direct any further inquiries to the locksmith and the original poster.

While constructive feedback for the moderators is always welcome, I simply cannot afford to squander my time on trivialities... I just don't have the capacity for it.

I have nothing left to add; enjoy the rest of your discussions here...

Just read this. The real issue isn't how to paint—it’s how to patch the holes. OP was dead on when asking why the post was moved without any heads-up. The moderator's response? Total garbage. They clearly messed up by dumping this in the wrong thread.

It’s happened to me more than a few times now: I drop an answer to a question, and an hour later, the whole thing vanishes into thin air.

I know how to click 'moved' and then jump to the very last page—since clicking 'moved' just dumps you at the start of a new thread rather than the latest posts—to hunt down my response or whatever else was relocated. But does anyone actually teach the newbies how to do that? What is the point of moving threads this fast? It’s an absurdly useless practice. Nothing would happen if you just let people discuss a topic on the main board for a week.

I suppose the goal of this forum isn't to be a place of peace, quiet, and sterile order, where a handful of self-appointed sheriffs—who get far too much leeway—police every little sub-thread to ensure nobody says a word out of line.

The PDF Housing forum is supposed to be a place for exchanging useful info. Users, driven by basic human nature, make sure nonsense doesn't sit there unchallenged. Meanwhile, the owner probably just wants raw traffic and clicks. The mods should be balancing both: ensuring users find what they need without making everything so quiet that there's no actual discussion left.

Moderator Robert Martin23 moved the posts to a new thread—basically admitting he messed up—but then he had the nerve to go on about how we shouldn't clog things up with useless comments regarding mod decisions since he "doesn't have time for nonsense." He didn't even bother apologizing for misplacing the posts. Look, everyone messes up sometimes, it's human, but you should at least own it and say sorry.

Save the apologies. We aren't talking about some isolated slip-up or an accidental trip-and-fall here.

This is about how moderation is handled and whether there's any actual grasp of the mission statement. It's about knowing what the end goal is supposed to be.

Look, an apology would at least be a small step toward actually fixing this moderation mess.

It is rather curious that only a few self-appointed "defense attorneys" have stepped forward, while the original author remains silent, offering neither an opinion nor a single word of commentary...

The sheer amount of labor the moderator performs by funneling posts directly to the AFL-CIO portal seems to hold zero interest for the forum users, regardless of how many diverse topics we provide. A new thread is opened, a post is submitted, and naturally, an immediate response is expected. The forum user, in all their perceived divinity, believes they possess such a right. Any attempt at intervention by a moderator is treated as nothing short of sacrilege...
A moderator is simply a target meant to be trampled, attacked, or lectured, all in the service of boosting the user's ego—though, admittedly, there are plenty of exceptions to that rule, quite good ones at that—as they attempt to demonstrate their supposed superiority to everyone else...
It is this very anarchy that moderators must resolve behind the scenes, ensuring the process remains invisible. I am certainly not claiming to be infallible. But if every single rule were strictly enforced, the landscape here would look significantly different...

Still, criticism does not bother me, nor does anyone disagreeing with my approach to moderation. Everyone seems convinced they are the sole arbiter of truth; that is simply the state of affairs on this forum, where people behave recklessly and quite poorly whenever even the smallest thing irritates them, completely disregarding the fact that there is a real human being on the other side of the screen...

I would have welcomed a discussion with the author regarding that controversial post, but since we are not in communication, I suppose it shall remain as it is. Moving the post from the original thread Sve što želite pitati, a ne znate gdje - najprije pogledati POPIS TEMA was done with the best of intentions, solely to ensure the question received the most helpful answer possible. Upon further review, I determined it was best to start a new thread within the hardware store section, exercising my moderator duties and authority accordingly...
There is no need for apologies to us, nor to any of the commenters. However, the request remains: moderation could be much more effective if there were mutual respect and a willingness to actually use the tools provided in the site rules Sam svoj majstor.

Regards, and enjoy your time on the forum...

There are always two sides to every story. It’s obvious people are getting worked up because posts get moved to the wrong sections (way too often, if you ask me). Someone brought up a specific case—a real, concrete example. The mod shot back, claiming they moved it perfectly fine, pointed to the thread list, and dropped some generic "advice." But once it was pointed out that the move was actually wrong, the mod pulls the "don't criticize my work" card—even though calling out mistakes is literally what users are here to do. Then, after being proven wrong, the mod finally moves the thread correctly (or just opens a new one)—which basically admits the "Ask Anything" thread was actually the right spot since there wasn't a better category. So, all that "follow the thread list" advice? Totally useless. To top it off, the mod starts calling us "lawyers"—another totally unnecessary jab—just because we're pointing out the lack of logic. They preach about mutual respect, then immediately trash it by saying there's no need to apologize—as if an apology isn't the literal definition of respect.

Unsolicited legal defense for an argument I never even entered!
It feels like such a waste of energy to engage with comments like these... it truly escapes me why anyone bothers. I am perfectly capable of articulating my own thoughts and actions without feeling the need to provide a commentary on what everyone else is doing.
To each their own, I suppose!! 👍👍

I'll see you all over at the AFL-CIO.