"A Look Behind the Scenes of Watchuseek - FAQs About Our Forum"
What is a "privately owned watch forum"?
WUS is like a house, Ernie's house. Everyone is welcome to stop by and visit. Everyone is also welcome to stay and interact with Ernie and the other guests. Ernie has even made it easy by having different rooms for discussing your specific interests.
Just as in your house, Ernie's house has certain rules. You would like us to follow your rules in your house; Ernie asks that you follow his rules in his house. Also, keep in mnd that just like you can't be in every room all the time, neither can Ernie. So he has asked a few individuals to look after them in his absence.
Now, we are not going to say that you will like every rule (firearms pictures anyone?), but we do ask you to respect the house rules as much time has been spent in thinking them through before posting them. If you can't respect these rules, then perhaps you should consider visiting another house. They are fair and apply to all, so we hope that you agree and spend your time here.
Thank you for your time and please enjoy youir visit!
When I join the WUS Forum, what should I expect...and what does WUS expect of me?
I should expect to read and write posts about watches most of the time.
I should expect a spam free, work and family friendly environment.
I should expect a learning curve - getting to know the software, the forums, the information available.
I should expect to be able to ask questions and offer/receive answers in a non-threatening way.
I should expect to take time getting to know the other members, their likes and dislikes.
I should expect that my own interests and questions may have been discussed before, and hence searching the forums may be helpful.
WUS expects that I have read and agreed to the Rules and Guidelines as a condition of my Membership.
WUS expects me to remember this is a privately owned and sponsored forum and that I am here as a guest.
WUS expects me to follow The Golden Rule in my dealings with others.
WUS expects me to take personal responsibility for any post I write in any forum.
WUS expects me to make the forum a better place by my presence and participation.
Why do we need rules at all?
All forums on watchuseek (like many, if not all other forums on the internet) have a set of rules and guidelines. Needless to say we need those to make sure everyone plays it by the rules and the forums can reach as much visitors as possible. In other words, the forums are a "safe" place for individuals aka watch enthusiasts and watch collectors but also for their family members and friends to visit, read and write about watches.
It's when the rules are not obeyed when things get out of hand and moderators need to take appropriate (and sometimes unpopular) action. Such action may lead to an infraction, a temporary or even a permanent ban. Everyone who crosses the line should be hold responsible for their own behavior and takes the risk to lose access to a certain or all forums.
When this happens neither the moderators nor the staff is to blame, but the member himself. Please note that such actions taken by moderators are always discussed first by the moderators team and the staff.
What happens when moderator action is necessary?
No one gets banned for voicing their opinion. Staff involvement only comes into play when an individual's actions or posts are in violation of some of the forum rules, thus becoming disruptive. This rarely calls for an infraction or a ban.
In most cases what happens is that the person is approached privately, the rules are explained and the person is asked, to please try to abide by the spirit of the rules on a going forward basis. For the overwhelming majority of forum members we have ever had to approach this is usually enough. However every now and then we have members who repeatedly skirt the rules or challenge the staff who is trying to get them to abide by them. on these cases a ban is a measure of last resort and is only applied after repeated attempts to get the person to ease off on the disruptive behavior.
It's only after nothing else seems to work that a temporary or a permanent ban is applied. Of course there are exceptions such as in the case of spammers, or in the very unique situations where staff members have approached members repeatedly, yet have continued to disregard the requests of the moderating staff.
All that Ernie and the rest of the forum staff is asking is for the general membership to help us help you. It is understood that we won't always be able to see eye to eye on everything. That is why we ask all of you to help us keep things interesting, friendly and most of all respectful. in this way we hope that everyone, not just a vocal few, can have a productive and enjoyable experience from talking about watches on the forum.
How are moderators appointed?
Behind the scenes at Watchuseek is a Moderator Team that helps Ernie take care of the forum. We generally work as a Moderator in a given forum based on our expertise.
When you report a spammer or troll, the post goes to our Moderator Panel where we figure out what to do. Most Moderator candidates are identified and confirmed through that panel.
What makes a good Moderator candidate?
(1) Knowing something about watches and actively contributing to the forum.
(2) Respecting the Rules and appreciating why they are in place. This is a privately owned forum and we are here as Ernie's guests.
(3) Mature, calm, cool, collected. The best Moderation is no Moderation.
(4) Able to work as a Team Player and not let one's ego get in the way of what's best for the forum.
What are moderators-at-large, and what is their position visa-vis regular moderators?
The MaL (Moderator at Large) thing doesn't mean they're the super-police ... it really means they are on call to help other moderators zap spammers, or take action against severe violations of the rules, when no forum moderator is present, and until what has been done can be reviewed by the appropriate forum moderator. The forum mod., rather than the MaL (all of which are forum moderators, too, by the way), is the true executive authority of Watchuseek moderatorship.
Who are the moderators?
A list of the current moderators, and a short bio and picture of some of them, is to be found here.
Why do I see something that is against the rules, and no moderator has done anything?
Most likely because no moderator has seen the problem yet. The moderators are volunteers which devote some of their free time (besides job, family, sleep, eating, other interests ...) to making Watchuseek a safe and enjoyable place for thousands of members and even more visitors. But the moderators can't be around all the time. For 24/7 coverage, Watchuseek relies on its members. Members are requested to report (please see the red-rimmed warning-triangle icon in the lower corner of your user name/avatar box) suspicious posts so that they can be discussed among the moderators, and acted upon.
It is EXTREMELY important that spam and pornographic posts be immediately reported using the "Report Post" button. That way the first available mod. can ban the offender right away before more posts are made on the forum. Cleanup can then follow as soon as possible. The reason the forum is relatively clear of spam and other ugliness is due to the diligence of our members. Please join in immediately reporting anything of this nature.
Where do I find these "Watchuseek Forum Rules" everyone is talking about?
Links to our Rules and Guidelines are in all our fora. You may also find them here:
Why do "such terrible things" happen sometimes on Watchuseek?
Such things sometimes happen when members get to talk about other subjects than watches. As one of the moderators commented on certain events: This is watches, not life! This is a WATCH FORUM. This isn't a factory, a sports team, a classroom, a military unit or any other organisation. IT'S A WATCH FORUM! IT'S FOR TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IN OUR SPARE TIME!
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