Responses to requests for support.

Firstly let me say that overall I think that the "team" running this site is doing great job.
Things here seem to be running smoothly for the most part however I have noticed that when various support request issue(s) arise, sometimes long, or should I say seemingly long periods of time go by without any responses indicating in any way that the issue is being looked, action being taken or currently being worked on.

Plus if a Edited to add in some cases response is made no follow up information is provided either via the open board or through PM's.
Is there a way this could be fixed, or the issues addressed in a more timely manner to let members know that action(s) are being taken? I don't think anyone likes to be ignored, or at least have the feeling that they are being ignored even if that is not the case.

Also a clarification would be appreciated here, are not the Mod's here to be the buffer between us members and the Admin? I have a hard time understanding why a moderator would recommend that a member directly contact the Admin for support, unless it was a "personal" issue, like changing a "handle" or something similar.

If it is an issue that affects all members should not the Mod's be the POC's and let them take it up the ladder for the membership?

It also keeps the Mod's in the loop about what actions are being taken on the board as well.

Thanks again for all your hard work here "team"

Difficult !

You see Admin lives in 3 countries with 3 different wives and has about 7 jobs to support his wild life style. Unfortunately his plane he flies back and forth is the old Sopwith Camel bi-plane with a 24 volt system and no decent antenna anywhere. He can't adapt his laptop to work while flying, poor fellow. His 15 kids take a lot of his time up when he's on the ground. Unfortunately his life style only allows him about 17 minutes every 5 days on JREF. The staff here feels he will stroke out or have a heart attack soon, which, if he lives , may give him more time on JREF. Anyway, be patient, and he will always get to solving our problems eventually.

Uncle Frank





PS - Hopefully you will get a stright answer from someone sane soon.

As one of the guiltily accussed, I offer my apologies and an explanation.

In terms of technical software issues, only the admin can help. Moderators can only "moderate" the forum. I can offer advice, move and delete threads, give infractions and ban users, etc., but I can not fix issues of a technical matter. It's not in my realm of authority.

In honesty, sometimes I see the support request and do not respond, because I know that my response will be taken as "staff", as it should, but there is simply nothing that I can do. So I wait in the hopes that someone "in the know" will reply, and when they don't...I forget about the request oftentimes. (Out of sight, out of mind)

Above is in response to threads requesting support. Reported posts is another issue entirely. If we were to do follow up by PMing every member who reported a post, I swear we'd have to quit our jobs! That's a little faceatious (sp?), but we get enough reported posts that it would be counterproductive to respond to them with more than our actions on the board. Please understand.

Obeika...please PLEASE don't edit your posts so much! lol I feel like I have to respond from the beginning all over again! Please either think out your post more fully before hitting the "send" button or write a new post!

Obeika said:

Things here seem to be running smoothly for the most part however I have noticed that when various support request issue(s) arise, sometimes long, or should I say seemingly long periods of time go by without any responses indicating in any way that the issue is being looked, action being taken or currently being worked on.

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Please see my previous post regarding this point.

Plus if a Edited to add in some cases response is made no follow up information is provided either via the open board or through PM's.

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Could you elaborate what you mean more clearly? Are you referring to editted posts?

Also a clarification would be appreciated here, are not the Mod's here to be the buffer between us members and the Admin? I have a hard time understanding why a moderator would recommend that a member directly contact the Admin for support, unless it was a "personal" issue, like changing a "handle" or something similar.

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I think you are referring to me. As I understand it, moderators "moderate" the forum. That is, we keep the forum from degenerating into an all-out brawl and manage minor requests. I don't see us as a "buffer" at all. The admin have a different realm of responsibility that moderators do. When you have a problem of a technical software matter, it enters the realm of the admin.

If it is an issue that affects all members should not the Mod's be the POC's and let them take it up the ladder for the membership?
It also keeps the Mod's in the loop about what actions are being taken on the board as well.

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There isn't such a strict "chain of command" currently. At least I don't think there is. Like I say, it is as I see it more of a separation of duties.

Could you elaborate what you mean more clearly? Are you referring to editted posts?

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No I am not, I refer to replies for assistance or support included with in the following link Forum Upgrade.

I think you are referring to me. As I understand it, moderators "moderate" the forum. That is, we keep the forum from degenerating into an all-out brawl and manage minor requests. I don't see us as a "buffer" at all. The admin have a different realm of responsibility that moderators do. When you have a problem of a technical software matter, it enters the realm of the admin.

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No it isnt just you, I can not remember exactly where I saw it but another Mod or Mod's made the same comment(s) to other members in different situations with different requests. Also since the Admin here is not around daily the only people that we can contact are the Mod's for timely assistance.

My point is that if a support question or request goes through a mod to the admin it would probably get the admin's attention faster than him having to go through a ton of individual posts to search out any requests. It streamlines the process.

please PLEASE don't edit your posts so much

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Sorry about that, waste not want not.....

Obeika said:

No I am not, I refer to replies for assistance or support included with in the following link Forum Upgrade

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I'm sorry...I must have dain bramage...I still don't understand what you mean. (Sorry!)

Sorry about that, waste not want not.....

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Incidentally, as I'm sure you have already noticed, when you edit a post, it doesn't show up again as a new post, so oftentimes the edits you make can be missed by people who have already read your posts.

No it isnt just you, I can not remember exactly where I saw it but another Mod or Mod's made the same comment(s) to other members in different situations with different requests. Also since the Admin here is not around daily the only people that we can contact are the Mod's for timely assistance.
My point is that if a support question or request goes through a mod to the admin it would probably get the admin's attention faster than him having to go through a ton of individual posts to search out any requests. It streamlines the process.

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I recall members having reported that they've tried to PM Thomas only to find his box was already full. In other words, not being able to get through for technical reasons.

Also, with many of these software fixes in the past, isn't hasn't been a matter of him not knowing, but simply not having the time to troubleshoot the forum as fully and timely as some would like.

Request of post being merged, deleted, advice is needed the advisors and moderators can be asked. For the technical request that should be taken care by either admin 1 or admin 2. However they are not arround all the time due their own busy work (they are aware of this problem), so for these technical requests you can also contact me and I can have a look at it. If I can't find the problem I will send a message to one of the admin's and all we have to do then is wait and see.

I have missed the previous thread, or forgot about it (exclude other Fora in new posts), but have send a message to the admin about it.

Dutch Baka said:

Request of post being merged, deleted, advice is needed the advisors and moderators can be asked. For the technical request that should be taken care by either admin 1 or admin 2. However they are not arround all the time due their own busy work (they are aware of this problem), so for these technical requests you can also contact me and I can have a look at it. If I can't find the problem I will send a message to one of the admin's and all we have to do then is wait and see.

I have missed the previous thread, or forgot about it (exclude other Fora in new posts), but have send a message to the admin about it.

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Quite understandable, about them being busy, we all get that way. Thanks again for your hard work at keeping things moving smoothly here. Much appreciated.

Incidentally, as I'm sure you have already noticed, when you edit a post, it doesn't show up again as a new post, so oftentimes the edits you make can be missed by people who have already read your posts

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You are quite right and I will keep this in mind for the future. Sorry for any confusion.

Dutch Baka said:

Request of post being merged, deleted, advice is needed the advisors and moderators can be asked. For the technical request that should be taken care by either admin 1 or admin 2. However they are not arround all the time due their own busy work (they are aware of this problem), so for these technical requests you can also contact me and I can have a look at it. If I can't find the problem I will send a message to one of the admin's and all we have to do then is wait and see.

I have missed the previous thread, or forgot about it (exclude other Fora in new posts), but have send a message to the admin about it.

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OK, thanks for the response ! Hopefully it is something that he'll have a chance to take care of in the next several weeks, at least by the end of summer. Simpler than fixing a chat room on the blink, no doubt !

Dutch Baka said:

Request of post being merged, deleted, advice is needed the advisors and moderators can be asked. For the technical request that should be taken care by either admin 1 or admin 2. However they are not arround all the time due their own busy work (they are aware of this problem), so for these technical requests you can also contact me and I can have a look at it. If I can't find the problem I will send a message to one of the admin's and all we have to do then is wait and see.

I have missed the previous thread, or forgot about it (exclude other Fora in new posts), but have send a message to the admin about it.

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That is all that was needed or requested. And perhaps a note posted in that forum to let those interested know that the Admin was contacted. As it were, nothing was being done, and no one made any effort to let us know that the problem would be looked at. The entire issue seemed to be getting ignored!

Thanks Dave!

This is slightly off the topic, but congrats Dutch Baka on your "promotion" to Admin!