Totally Off Topic re Freecycle

On Jun 15, 6:12*pm, Jack Campin - bogus address
wrote:
That's all well and good, but no one can post unless they approve the
posts. *All members are moderated. *The rules they've set down, it's a
wonder *anything* gets posted to that group. *Not so oddly, I haven't
seen a single post in over 2 months, so they must be 'sending back for
editing' every post that's been sent.

Don't you have Gumtree there?

I've never even looked at Freecycle, I will *not* have anything to do
with Yahoo in any shape or form. *Gumtree works okay.

Not in my area, no, the only thing available is Freecycle (and from
what I'm reading, it's just the power mad here that are causing a
problem).

I have several groups on Yahoo, and since I only new memberships (they
aren't "public" in the sense that you have to be approved before you
can join), there isn't moderation (with one exception, and that's
because of spoilers for a tv show, but I just add spoiler space and
approve the post), unless someone is a spammer, then they are banned.

"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in message
...
On Jun 15, 5:42 pm, "Joy" wrote:
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in
...





So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

I've never seen anything like that in my group. I do remember a post
requesting that people don't add their sob story to a "wanted" post.

Joy

That's just it though. No one does that. They never say *why* they
want something, only that they want an item. They say they want a
color tv, if anyone has one they aren't using (or has one they are
considering getting rid of, or whichever add-on the moderator seems to
find offensive). This is just beyond strange to me.

I'm heartened to read that it seems to just be my area, though
disheartened that the mods here are so "picky" about what you can say
(beyond being chatty). It's no wonder the group is so quiet. I hate
to think of someone who maybe *needs* something, who won't ask now
because of that.

***

It sounds to me as though your group needs a new moderator.

joy

"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in message
...
On Jun 15, 5:57 pm, "Cheryl" wrote:
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in
...

snip

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Your freecycle moderator seems a little more over the top than my local
freecycle but the two that moderate our freecycle sometimes come out with
"rules" that are strange and really controlling to me, too. I've learned
to
just ignore the control freak bitches.

That's all well and good, but no one can post unless they approve the
posts. All members are moderated. The rules they've set down, it's a
wonder *anything* gets posted to that group. Not so oddly, I haven't
seen a single post in over 2 months, so they must be 'sending back for
editing' every post that's been sent.

***

That is sad. It defeats the purpose of Freecycle.

Joy

Seems a shame that they're completely overlooking the
"community" side of Freecycle. Luckily, our moderators
aren't that overbearing. I'd rather have someone give a
short explanation of why they need something rather than
the "I want it" posts.

While it's true that Freecycle is supposed to exist to
keep items out of landfills, somewhere in the charter
it *does* mention supporting a sense of community (or at least
it did when I signed up). Depersonalizing the posts to that
degree seems (IMHO) to go against that concept.

There have been many times when I've seen a "decent" wanted
post, realized I had that item, and passed it along because
obviously that person could use it more than I could. People
that just post "I want this" messages could just be looking
for stuff to re-sell. At least if they give you a story they've
had to put some thought in to it, and might *really* need the item
in question.

Certainly if your group isn't offering much, you don't have to worry
about wasting bandwidth with excess verbiage...

You don't happen to live at the edge of one group that you could switch
over to, do you? Sounds as if your moderators might be killing the
group, which is just as counterproductive as too many words...

Purrs -

Chris (who has gotten some decent toys for the fur kids thanks to
Freecycle)
Smokie Darling (Annie) wrote:
So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote:

I'm heartened to read that it seems to just be my area, though
disheartened that the mods here are so "picky" about what you can say
(beyond being chatty). It's no wonder the group is so quiet. I hate
to think of someone who maybe *needs* something, who won't ask now
because of that.

Annie,

Are you seeing my post? If so, please let me know.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear that not all Freecycle moderators are like
this. However, one of the moderators in my area is *exactly* like this.

A few years ago, the guy who was moderating our group decided to step
down, and he posted to the group for volunteers to take over. I had
time on my hands so I volunteered. Turned out one other woman also
volunteered, so he decided to hand the group over to the two of us
to be co-moderators. This was *not* a match made in heaven.

I've moderated a lot of email lists, too, and my style is pretty
relaxed. This woman was the most anal-retentive control freak I've
ever met. She would reject posts if they didn't have one of the
Four Approved Subject Headers, all in caps, right at the start of
the subject line. I would reject a post if it wasn't clear why the
person was posting, but if it was obvious, then I let it through.
So, for example, if someone posted with the subject line "offered:
vinyl albums", I allowed that. My co-mod would yell at me, "Why did
you approve that post? It didn't have the correct format!" (The only
correct way to post an offer was, "OFFER: Vinyl albums".)

We really didn't get along. I tried to avoid conflicts, but she was
frequently on my case about stupid little infractions. I swear, this
woman was a hall monitor when she was in grade school. (Hall monitors
were real goody-two-shoes kids who watched the other kids and tattled
on them if they broke rules.)

But the following little story was the clincher. Apparently, one member
had given another member a lift for his car, so that he could get a
scooter into the back. The lift had owner's manuals, but the giver
couldn't find them. But then later she found them, so she posted: "To
the man I gave the lift to, I found the manuals." Of course, the poster
child for OCD (ie, my co-mod) rejected it, because it didn't have the
appropriate format. I said that I thought the post should have been
allowed, since a scooter lift is complicated equipment and he might
just need the manuals? Her response was, "Then he can buy new ones."
Um, isn't that counter to Freecycle's whole purpose? Why should people
have to *buy more stuff*, which will result in more stuff in landfills,
when someone had the exact item he needed, and was trying to give it
to him??

I've always regretted not forwarding this exchange to the main leadership
of freecycle, since to me her actions were so incredibly over the top
that she violated the spirit of Freecycle while following the letter.

Shortly after that, I quite moderating. I simply couldn't work with
someone like that. I let her know this was why I was quitting. And she
let me know that she couldn't work with me, because "you think you can
make your own rules."

So - sorry, Annie, but apparently there's at least one more moderator
out there who's like yours! At least I live in a very populated urban
area and there are a few choices of groups I can join, so I don't have
to be on hers!

Again, Annie, are you seeing my post? Please let me know. I've had
some trouble reaching you in the past. Thanks.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Smokie Darling (Annie) wrote:
So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

I don't follow mine that much, but I've never gotten an e-mail from the
moderator saying anything like this. This just sounds like pure picky
silliness to me. I think the moderator's getting a little full of, um,
herself, and maybe it's time for a change.

Ginger-lyn

Well, it sounds like your moderator is a little over the top, but some
people are like that.

I've been with Freecycle for a long time, almost since the beginning,
and I am owner/moderator of several groups, and member of several
others. Also, I'm on the moderator groups, so I hear all of the back
chat. I'm going to let you in on some of the things we talk about.

No chat. These are not chat groups, and chat is not allowed. If you
want to chat, there are plenty of other places to do that. We're
keeping it simple.

No sob stories. I get this a lot. A sob story can be as simple as
'needing' a stock pot, or as complicated as a long story about a
single mom with 6 kids, disabled and living alone, and how much she
desperately needs diapers and formula for the 3 littlest ones. The
amount of back story allowed is up to the mods, but we try to keep the
stories down because it becomes a competition as to who *needs* the
stuff more, and that just makes things worse. People have left groups
because they're tired of the stories, and I don't blame them. I allow
a certain amount ("my lawnmower broke last week and my grass is taking
over"), but I recently dinged my group about their stories.

Some mods limit the wanteds, and some don't. Yes, it seems excessive
if someone is asking for a relatively new SUV so they can get to work,
but you never know. I've seen people give away entire households full
of stuff because their last parent died and the stuff had to go
*somewhere*. One of my friends (across the country) actually got a
nice flat-screen tv from freecycle! On the other side, if someone
is asking and asking and asking for a long list of new, nearly-new,
and/or high-end stuff, they tend to get only one thing - a
reputation. Nobody gives to people like that. We call that Freecycle
Karma.

The beauty of Freecycle is that we don't have to justify what you ask
for. Just ask. Your personal financial standing is not important.
The goal is to build community and keep things out of the landfill.
That's it. If everyone behaves like an adult, Freecycle is a
beautiful thing. I have an extraordinarily good group, from what I've
read on the mod group.

I'm sorry that some of the mods are control freaks. I do have subject
line requirements in my group, but as long as they meet the
requirements, I don't care about letter caps.

Oh, and a 100% moderated group is not allowed. If you really suspect
that, it should be reported.

And, if your group seems to be really out of control, there is a
central authority to report it to: YourStateName @ freecycle.org.
For my state, that would be maryland @ freecycle.org
That is the GOA for your state. As always, they are volunteers just
like the rest of us, so be patient. I do hope they will help. Once
again, like us, not all of them are good.

Jane

"Bobble" wrote in message
...
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in
:

So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)


I belong to 3 freecycle groups and in each one, we are often reminded to
be polite in our requests, and show gratitude. We've never come across
what you wrote, quite the opposite. Different moderators, different
strokes...

Bobble



IMHO, moderators often let some misguided sense of power go to their heads.
That's why I won't participate in most moderated "groups". Seems to me the
moderator of the Freecycle group Annie refers to is wasting more time
worrying about the phrasing of requests rather than doing what I see as the
job of a moderator. That is, keeping out rudeness, filth and wholly
inappropriate listings.

Jill

"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in message
...
So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

My moderator is just as bad, yes. Maybe it's rules handed down by
"management" - whoever they are?

Hugs,

CatNipped

On Jun 15, 7:15*pm, "Joy" wrote:
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in ...
On Jun 15, 5:42 pm, "Joy" wrote:





"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in
...

So, I participate in Freecycle in my area. Mostly, it's been a waste
of time and space, but... Recently, our "Admin" decided to send out
the following message:

//quote//
Please note that the comments that are becoming common place in WANTED
postings are not needed or required.

They will NO longer be allowed. Please only state what you are
WANTING. If you must add something so that our members know exactly
what it is you are WANTING that is fine. But the comments such as, "if
you have one you are not using", "I could really use", "if you have
one that you no longer want", or "if you have one sitting around" type
comments will no longer be allowed. All of those statements are
obvious and not needed in order to describe the item WANTED.

Also, do NOT use the word NEED in your descriptions. Freecycle's
mission is to keep usable items out of the landfill. Freecycle is not
here to fill "NEEDS", though many members may receive items that they
may need. Messages including NEED in them will be returned to the
poster for editing.

Thanks for all your help in keeping Grand Junction Freecycle running
smoothly.
//end quote//

Now, I don't mind the comments, personally. It always sounded as
though they were being thoughtful. As to the *need* portion, that is
just asinine. Why would I send a message for something that I 'want'
if I didn't "need" it?

Just curious, is this type of moderator action common for all
Freecycle groups (I own/moderate several Yahoo groups, and I would
*never* dream of sending anything like this to my groups)? No one
chats in there, btw, it's just posts about what's out there and what's
wanted.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

I've never seen anything like that in my group. I do remember a post
requesting that people don't add their sob story to a "wanted" post.

Joy

That's just it though. *No one does that. *They never say *why* they
want something, only that they want an item. *They say they want a
color tv, if anyone has one they aren't using (or has one they are
considering getting rid of, or whichever add-on the moderator seems to
find offensive). *This is just beyond strange to me.

I'm heartened to read that it seems to just be my area, though
disheartened that the mods here are so "picky" about what you can say
(beyond being chatty). *It's no wonder the group is so quiet. *I hate
to think of someone who maybe *needs* something, who won't ask now
because of that.

***

It sounds to me as though your group needs a new moderator.

joy

How would one go about that? The one who sent the post is also listed
as the group owner (so Yahoo won't do anything). I don't think that
you'd get anyone to another freecycle group here, because *they* won't
let the post through announcing it.