Cardiff Freecycle

CarolynH

I'm happy to mod, I already asked if you needed more mods.

My original thread wasn't intended as a personal attack on any of the mods.
It was merely my opinion that the posts don't seem to be consistantly moderated according to freecycle and the groups own rules. I stand by this opinion, although I daresay I'll get shouted down again for doing so.

If you want me to mod, and if I'm allowed to mod a group I've now unsubscribed from, please PM as to what I need to do.

Anyone else got any input into the group as we now have mod attention?

matphil

Hi.
I am also a member of the Cardiff group and I find it to be a very good group and a very busy one.
I like seeing the requests for advice and would like to see the reply's to it as well, although that's probably what this site is for.
I would also be more than happy to help moderate the group if you require more help, please PM me if you need some help.

alison99_2

I also think more mods are needed, unfortunately I live outside the Cardiff area so I cannot offer my services, but I do think a shake up is needed amongst the groups members, I'm sure there would be plenty of volunteers if you ask for some more mods.

lisagav69

When I mentioned 'concerns about the lack of mod input', I meant just that. It sounds like you have some of the same concerns (you mention wanting to implement some stricter rules). I don't think that mods should have to be glued to their pcs, nor should they stop having a life. But after reading your post, I do think the group should have enough mods to allow you to moderate consistantly and to the groups own rules whilst still having a life.

I actually agree with you in the fact that we need more mods and we have yet again asked the owners of the group for this so fingers crossed it should happen soon. As for the stricter rules, all I can do is put forward ideas to the 2 owners of the group as I am just a mod and cannot do that kind of thing without the approval of them, but I am all open for suggestions which I will in turn pass on

I know what you mean, what concerned me recently was what I took to be a very thinly disguised sales ad for nealy new pram. (Phrased as looking for advice on where/how to sell). Perhaps it's just me being harsh and the mods are more qualified than me to judge, it was just my opinion.

Everyone will have a different opinion of every message that gets approved which of course if fair enough. I remember the message you are talking about and it's a tough call. This person could of genuinely not been a member of ebay, not know how to place an ad with AdTrader etc and needed advice as a pushchair will sell better in some places rather than others. Or like you said, it could of been a sales pitch in disguise but on that off chance it is genuine they get let through. Sometimes you have to have a bit of trust in people! My main theory is if you don't like a certain message just ignore it as someone else will be interested in it! We have to try and see both sides!

Guess this was my mis-interpretation, I'm a recycling type of girl so focused on the landfill element, the fact that 'free' is in the name should probably have given this away. My bad :doh:

I think you might of took me the wrong way there! I didn't mean Freecycle was about getting stuff for free....I meant that more than likely about 80% of the members think like that and I'm sure it's like that with all the other groups in the country. Freecycle is based on the whole idea of keeping things out of landfills and I think a lot of people should be reminded that that is the purpose of the group. We wouldn't be moderators of the group if we didn't understand the real reason behind the organisation!

Any other suggestions then other than more mods? Myself I would like to see a tougher side to the Wanted requests but think having just one day for these is a bit unrealstic with the size of the group. As Cyber put it, if you think you can cope with what we are doing then by all means ask to be a mod using the email address on the group. You can reach all the moderators on the 'owner' address.

Seakay

Post 71930 on Cardiff Freecycle alerts users to a poll asking if we would like to have a Wanted Wednesday.

alison99_2

Glad to see one suggestion considered at least.

alison99_2

matphil wrote: »

Hi.
I am also a member of the Cardiff group and I find it to be a very good group and a very busy one.
I like seeing the requests for advice and would like to see the reply's to it as well, although that's probably what this site is for.
I would also be more than happy to help moderate the group if you require more help, please PM me if you need some help.

You may also find this group useful too
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thetaffycafe/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1

HTH

CarolynH

lisagav69 wrote: »

we have yet again asked the owners of the group for this so fingers crossed it should happen soon. As for the stricter rules, all I can do is put forward ideas to the 2 owners of the group as I am just a mod.

Hi Lisa. Just wondering, what is it about the owners that means the 'own' the group? I've always been confused with this term with freecycle groups. Surely freecycle is freecycle and the principles of freecycle should stand regardless of who started up the online group for a geographical area? It seems very strange that as a mod you can only activly apply some of the rules just because the owners have chosen those ones. (I'm not trying to sound confrontational, I'm genuinely curious and confused here).

lisagav69 wrote: »

Sometimes you have to have a bit of trust in people! My main theory is if you don't like a certain message just ignore it as someone else will be interested in it! We have to try and see both sides!

Thanks for explaining this. Maybe we need a 'cafe' site like the taffycafe. Sometimes it would be nice to see the advice given, and this way everyone would (and would have it for future reference so no need for another similar post another month).

lisagav69 wrote: »

Any other suggestions then other than more mods? Myself I would like to see a tougher side to the Wanted requests but think having just one day for these is a bit unrealstic with the size of the group.!

I'd like to see this too, how about 2 days? 1 weekend and one midweek or something?

Another possible idea, as a lot of people don't post 'received' messages. Would it be possible to encourage members to try to always post a 'taken' message, and to say in it taken by 'Joe Bloggs'? The reason I mention this is beacuse there seem to be a people who reply to every wanted ad -myself and my partner have advertised stuff about 10 times and had the same people reply with a 'good' story to the majority of stuff (stuff was mostly unrelated). Anyway, they actually had the first item from me, but never posted a received message. If everyone who posted a 'taken' message named the recipient, would it make it a bit easier to spot the people who are grabbing anything and everything? Just a thought.

Other than that, I'd just like to see a general tightening up of the rules. Like, the rules say no repeated 'wanted' ads for the same item within 1 month (I think?) So I'd like to see this enforced - it's not being enforced at the minute. Also the rule about first post being an 'offered' not a 'wanted' post isn't being enforced. Although I realise that these go back to the issue with there not being enough mods.

PasturesNew

CarolynH wrote: »

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Is anyone else here on Cardiff Freecycle? Just wondering if anyone else is getting concerned about the seeming lack of mod. input? I've had concerns for a while about the number of repeat wanted ad, begging ads, etc, all the usual stuff. But this really seems to be taking the mick and I'm wondering why it got passed .........

Wanted - Girlfriend, 20s, not a weirdo - Cardiff
I am looking for an intelligent, funny and preferably cute girl in her 20s. I am 27, 6 feet tall and also hugely intelligent, funny and some would say handsome. If anyone has one of these to offer I would much appreciate it. Thanks.

I mean .........!

Ooh I'd do him. Do you think he'll notice that I've lied and knocked 20 years off my age?

lisagav69

Just wondering, what is it about the owners that means the 'own' the group? I've always been confused with this term with freecycle groups. Surely freecycle is freecycle and the principles of freecycle should stand regardless of who started up the online group for a geographical area? It seems very strange that as a mod you can only activly apply some of the rules just because the owners have chosen those ones. (I'm not trying to sound confrontational, I'm genuinely curious and confused here).

There hasn't always been a group for each part of the country and there still isn't. One day a guy set up the Cardiff group within the Freecycle network on Yahoo groups. He in turn he set the rules for his particular group and then appointed moderators along the way. Hope that makes sense!! Each mod has a different level of things they can do. Not all mods for instants can ban member. It's up to the person who set up the group to to award thier mods with the powers they think is right.

Thanks for explaining this. Maybe we need a 'cafe' site like the taffycafe. Sometimes it would be nice to see the advice given, and this way everyone would (and would have it for future reference so no need for another similar post another month).

A member did set up a group after seeing all the advice requests go up but it hasn't took off as well as was thought. If you do what to have a look at it you can find it at: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/how-do-i-do-that/?yguid=162571556 but it's still pretty small with only 72 members.

Another possible idea, as a lot of people don't post 'received' messages. Would it be possible to encourage members to try to always post a 'taken' message, and to say in it taken by 'Joe Bloggs'?

The rules state that you actually only need to post a RECIEVED message if it is a return of a WANTED request that you posted. To be honest, I've given away stuff and not put a TAKEN message up as I actually just forget!

Other than that, I'd just like to see a general tightening up of the rules. Like, the rules say no repeated 'wanted' ads for the same item within 1 month (I think?) So I'd like to see this enforced - it's not being enforced at the minute. Also the rule about first post being an 'offered' not a 'wanted' post isn't being enforced. Although I realise that these go back to the issue with there not being enough mods.

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I am actually doing my very best at enforcing this rule, I really am. I reject a lot of messages a day due to this rule but now & again some do tend to slip through. Like you said, it comes down to not enough mods. I psyically cannot check every single wanted request that comes in so yes, the rule about posting wanted messages first doesn't get followed. I do however quite regualry (yesterday infact was the last one) reject messages when a member has sent in too many wanted requests in a short space of time.