I wanted to respond long ago, but I’ve been “flat tack” lately… :-/

I had a very lengthy response that addressed multiple things levelled at me, most of which were: flat-out wrong, highly debatable, or right -but with a reasonable explanation. It also outlined in great detail, several actions that I’ve taken, the processes that took place, the reactions, & my subsequent actions & thinking. I’ve decided against doing all of that because in doing so; there was no way around getting equally personal & finger-pointing in places. Plus it’d open things up to further examining, cross-examining, interpretation, & mis-interpretation, which I just don’t have time to burn on. The time I was spending at TMO was already at its limits, & lately has been quite a bit more than I’d hoped.

Instead, I’ll make a general statement;

I won’t be drastically changing the way I’ve been doing things, if I’m completely honest with myself I’ve only ever taken decisions to the best of my judgement, & that judgement “by & large” has been sound. I’ve never been subversive or “supportive of one team over another”, never. Maybe in some peoples eyes it’s seemed that way, but it’s certainly not something I’ve done deliberately, or even subconsciously IMHO. I’ve only ever tried to ensure that a healthy & constructive level of debate occurs, anything that goes too far beyond the spirit of that I’ve sometimes moderated/tempered.

This public airing changes little about how I operate, my core approach remains the same. I won’t be here as much to put that into action, but I’ll no doubt get reports, & I’ll still be popping in of my own accord occasionally, so if/when I see behaviour that goes too far, I’ll take action. It’s always possible to counter or convey some points, without getting too personal towards one or more people, it’s always possible to stick to the main thrust of a thread’s topic, without persistently digressing. One thing that will change about my approach; if a move’s occurred & there’s genuine confusion (i.e. not immediately hostile & accusatory) & the report tool’s used to politely explain why you disagree, then I’ll certainly review the decision ASAP & make any changes if/where needed.

In my prior post I explained why an edit note wasn’t left in this one instance, & I conceded (& explained) why such an approach is error prone, hence I said that I’ll do it for all edits from now on, no matter the context or situation. Generally I’m fine with some digression, especially if it’s humorous or light-hearted, but if it becomes persistent to the point that it deserves it’s own thread in another or the same sub-forum, or in the OT sub-forum, then I’ll act. When things get too personal my threshold is generally a bit lower. If there’s still some good points being made & it’s completely topical, then I’ll edit & leave notes. If it’s too personal or OT (or both), & it doesn’t seem to fit in the current or another thread, then it’ll be deleted. Oh, & as was repeated throughout this thread after I clarified what really happened; I’ve never edited posts for spelling or grammar reasons, that just makes no sense to me. Of course, the never-ending battle with SPAM remains a constant, & is something I’m sure we can all 100% agree on.

Let me clarify too personal; too personal is levelling insults or labelling people with unflattering names, too personal (IMO) doesn't include the occasional use of colourful language to express oneself, I personally have no problem with that if it's not directed at anyone. Too personal is directly attributing some negative traits to someone, whether well-founded or not. Too off-topic: if Fred addresses an OT side-point that John makes, but to the exclusion of everything else that was in John's post, there's a good chance Fred's post will be moved. Especially if Fred's post provokes a series of completely OT posts addressing his OT (but contextually legit) post. Whatsmore if users engage in light-hearted OT banter that carries on for several posts or more, that may also be moved.

Is my "entire definition" of what’s personal & OT slightly different to other folks? Probably. Is my line for crossing into too personal/OT slightly different? Probably. Have I ever crossed that line? On 1 or 2 occasions lately I have, on a few more it’s debatable (for those instances I had a detailed rationale, but as explained I’ve decided not to elaborate), BUT on-the-whole I haven’t. Can I do better? Of course. I would hope that I remember the standard I expect of others, & not get sucked into setting a bad example by feeding in situations where I shouldn’t, or reading too much into things where I mustn’t, or getting overly personal myself. Will I forever do that from now on? Probably not. On occasions I’ll mis-step, but far more often than not I’ll hold to that standard, it’s a fine line to walk sometimes.

Whatsmore, we all have different interpretations of situations that’s based on; prior interactions (perceived or known) with one or more users, & where we sit fundamentally in our overall “life view”. As a mod, far more often than not I don’t let such things cloud my judgement. If on-balance it’s poor behaviour but I agree with the general sentiment or points being made, then I’ll take action, if it’s poor behaviour & I don’t agree with the points being made, the same remains true. Just so there’s no perceived “conflict of interest”; in the future if I feel someone’s getting too personal with me, & in a manner which seems entirely unprovoked, instead of moderating myself I’ll report them & leave it for other mods to judge.

To those who think there’s some sort to of bias going on, why don’t you try me, just once. Try using the report tool or PM if you think something happening isn’t acceptable. Just be sure you’re not in part responsible for that poor behaviour, if you are I can’t guarantee I’ll “take your side”. I’ve never given infractions or bans (except for SPAM) & I don’t plan to any time soon, only if folks relentlessly behave poorly, are completely non-cooperative, & extremely rude/threatening will I contemplate that, but even then my preference would be to defer to a super-mod/admin. On the matter of open mod logs, if I understand what’s being proposed I don’t see why not, I’m not sure how workable/practical it is, but if something practical can be devised then I’m all for it, I’ve zero to hide & I’m confident of the vast majority of my actions.

For some of the commitments I’ve made above I might need the occasional reminder, so if/when needed by all means politely refresh my memory. I wipe the slate clean of any hard feelings towards those who’ve levelled accusations & insinuations (however well-founded or not), life’s too short to harbour anxiety/bitterness. Plus, I simply don’t have time to get into a hugely detailed “who’s on the right side of the narrative” thing, such things are never that binary anyway. Apologies in advance for not addressing any new posts directed at me in this thread, I’m no longer subscribed & hence won’t be following, I’ve said all that I intend to say.

Best Regards.