DIY Forums good or bad

[heatingman]

Been looking at various diy forums, this particular forum is the busyest and the advise given does appear to be reasonably correct, might take a while and involve banter & abuse, but the truth prevails in the end.
I only check the gas/plumb bits but can summise that other advise is of a similar standard.
Just been on a forum, the leading spokes person did not even know or advise on a pluming kit (which would have been the correct answer to op). Just pontificated about there Corgi and knowledge and the flue issue was not a problem for neighbour.

The point of this long post (apart from boredom) is,
Shouldn't there be some sort of compulsory monitoring to ensure advise is reasonably correct and safe or a big pop-up stating that advise may be given by a complete idiot, and

How does the moderator thing work?

 

[imamartian]

Shouldn't there be some sort of compulsory monitoring to ensure advise is reasonably correct and safe or a big pop-up stating that advise may be given by a complete idiot, and

How does the moderator thing work?

monitoring? so you want to police the internet? good luck !

moderator thing? who knows? we don't even know who they are?

 

[heatingman]

No I'm a realist and don't expect the internet to be policed, I'm just a bit shocked, scared and suprised that someone says "pull A & B apart, throw away C and flatten D. This might be put across in a very convincing and knowledgeable manner and poor old poster does it, if there aren't measures/contradictions given. There is nothing to say the advisor might be talking total tripe.

On the other issue, I'll read a thread and seconds later its all changed and in a different order, does that mean there is someone vetting every single post first, in real time. Sod that for a job, especially if its voluntary!!!

 

[Agile]

All this "moderating" is done on an unpaid basis just for the feeling of power that it gives them!

It just feeds their power complex!

Its a pity that they cannot channel all that time and effort to a socially beneficial use!

Tony

 

[Softus]

Its a pity that they cannot channel all that time and effort to a socially beneficial use!

I disagree.

Despite all the petty niggles, and the grief that we give them, collectively the moderators do an astonishingly effective job. They are part of this site, and if this site is a success then it's partly because of them, not in spite of them.

Or are you just narked because you want to, but aren't allowed to, advertise "Such and Such and Sons Expert and Opinionated Boiler Services [North London] Ltd." for nothing?
________________________

I'm just a bit shocked, scared and suprised...

The opportunity for users of this site isn't to be spoon-fed and led into danger, but to receive objective and substantiated advice and information that they can take away, think about, and put into practise.

So if you're advised to uncouple a gas pipe from a gas valve, then have a think about that suggestion and decide for yourself whether or not this is a safe thing to do.

A novice can always ask questions to verify the accuracy and safety of the advice being given. IMHO anyone who's genuine won't mind explaining the reasoning behind it.

 

[Thermo]

No I'm a realist and don't expect the internet to be policed, I'm just a bit shocked, scared and suprised that someone says "pull A & B apart, throw away C and flatten D. This might be put across in a very convincing and knowledgeable manner and poor old poster does it, if there aren't measures/contradictions given. There is nothing to say the advisor might be talking total tripe.

On the other issue, I'll read a thread and seconds later its all changed and in a different order, does that mean there is someone vetting every single post first, in real time. s** that for a job, especially if its voluntary!!!

so what you are saying is you expect people to be able to come onto a forum and have knowledge and advice given to them and have it checked by an "expert" to ensure that its correct. How much do you want to pay for that service then?

 

[noseall]

the information given on this forum is there for ALL to see.

there is no hiding place.

give out bad or incorrect info' and a herd of experienced tradesmen will shoot you down.

it does not take Einstein to work out good advice from bad.

the sheer numbers of members is enough to regulate the info' given on this site.

if you have been in the construction industry for long enough, you will be able to tell straight away whether someone is reading from a book or speaking from experience.

 

[kevnurse]

The self-regulation concept is fine, except that the OP could read the first answer, act on it and never come back for any further advice. So, if the first answer is wrong, or dangerous, the damage is done.

However, anyone who does anything solely based on anonymous advice in a forum on the web must accept the risk....

 

[heatingman]

Sorry guys wasn't having a pop at anyone, I agree with Softus, this site does appear to have some effective control. Just wondered how they did it?
I'm certain if someone was advised to to something blatantly stupid/dangerous the mods would delete/re-write/amend.
But is this a voluntary thing by the site and done in real time, every post read by mod.

The googler that goes on a site hopes/expects to get advise from people with a certain amount off knowledge, and yes on here bad info is shot down by the herd of experienced trades.

Is there or should there be some guidelines/code of practise governing advise forums/ to protect and preserve the unwitting from the unknowing.

 

[megawatt]

The Mods aren't there to validate the advice being given HeatingMan they are simply there to ensure that the forum works as it should i.e. everyone keeps to the rules.

The validity of advice on this (and any other) public forum varies from excellent to downright dangerous but the latter is generally highlighted by peer review and the offender put straight PDQ.

KevNurse's point is quite valid though and I'm sure many an OP has taken bad advice and acted on it at some point.

Not much you can do really ... People must use their own common sense and judgement and, if they attempt something they are not competant to undertake simply on the advice of someone here, they are beyond help.

We cannot mandate for stupid people.

MW

 

[noseall]

We cannot mandate for stupid people.

MW

 

[Richardp]

you will find that if anyone gives the wrong or bad advice someone else will jump in fast and say so, this is the best diy site around, the mods are good, we're all handsome buuggers.

 

[RF Lighting]

Have you seen the rogues gallery?

 

[Softus]

I'm certain if someone was advised to to something blatantly stupid/dangerous the mods would delete/re-write/amend.

I couldn't be more certain that this doesn't happen.

But is this a voluntary thing by the site and done in real time, every post read by mod.

No. There is no such real-time reading.

The googler that goes on a site hopes/expects to get advise from people with a certain amount off knowledge, and yes on here bad info is shot down by the herd of experienced trades.

My general experience of what happens is entirely different to that.

Is there or should there be some guidelines/code of practise governing advise forums/ to protect and preserve the unwitting from the unknowing.

No. It isn't broken, so it doesn't need fixing.

 

[breezer]

Hello, popped back for a few days.

I would say in general the advise given is correct.

now suppose i gave advice like

"use red paint on a wall it will then make the blue paint turn yellow"

Now that is blatantly obvious that it is wrong, so the OP would figure that (well you would hope so)

But if i said

"use white paint on a red wall you will need to give it a couple of coats"

that is about right (i just picked paint you understand)

Now if the OP chooses to ignore that advise, OR i am wrong its not my fault because when you signed up you are supposed to read the T & C's which has a disclaimer something along the lines of

"you use the information given at your own risk" (judgement / what ever)
(listens for noise of admin checking the T & C's)

So really all of us / you give the best advice we can or advise we believe to be true at that time (unless its a blatlanty obvious wind up)

So it is up to the OP to decide if what they are being told is correct, and if that advise is correct, but they do it wrong its not your fault.

As for the mods, there are two people on this forum who know who they all are.

But its not up to the mods to say if the advice given is right or wrong. nods are there for a few reasons

1) To stop abuse of other members

2) to move wrongly placed posts i.e a question about wiring a house in france being posted in UK electrics, becuse it was written by a UK resident, it should go in electrics out side the uk.

3) remove any spam, or attempts at free advertising (oh does any one want to buys some.....................)

4) For us to take P*ss out of

5) On most forums you get invited to be a mod, so when / if you do you feel proud to do the job, not because you hate xxxxxxx and can delete his / her posts. There can be no provado (is that the right word) in being a mod on this forum becuse we dont know who they all are.

If it helps, i am a mod (there, i have said it) I have a parker and scooter with lots of mirrors, oh sorry wrong mod, but seriously, I am a forum moderator on another forum, that is nothing to do with diy what so ever, and it uses the same software as this one does, but over there everyone knows who the mods are (your name is in a different colour) But generally over here with the rate that posts are made its not surprising they do miss the odd post, but there is always the alert mods button.

so if something strikes you as being totaly wrong and not a wind up, please press the alert mods button.