Poor Moderation

The correct way to deal with a perceived mistake on the part of a moderator or administrator would be to use the REPORT POST button and comment in the box that appears. We can then look into the issue and decide what to do, if anything.

We do occasionally make mistakes - we are humen, too. It might have been kinder and more polite of you to contact the administrator in question via private message to query their decision rather than publly shaming them for one (possible) mistake.

Of course you can complain, but this isn't the correct way to do it.

I will contact Ford myself and ask him to review the thread in question when he is next online.

Now this user has not received any help, probably received a negative strike on his account and has now gone else where to ask a legitimate question.

No, that did not happen on this occasion.

To be fair, if the OP of this thread, or the original thread, were aware of the Report Post option, it says:

Note: This is ONLY to be used to report spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) missing code tags, poor thread titles posts..

Not particularly well worded, but it does not appear to include this scenario.

That's why I also suggested using a PM.

However, the OP seems to see the thread closure as some form of harassment, so I think it is covered.

For what it's worth, I agree, but I still don't think that the OP has gone about this in the right way.

@Pete: not aware of that comment being public knowledge, though common sense.

Although the OP of this thread, and the original thread, are long term members, neither are prolific users so may not be aware of the etiquette, intricacies, niceties or foibles of using the forum.

I have to say that, when I read the original thread, it felt like Ford had jumped to an unfortunate and wrong conclusion ... but, not my circus.

@Pete: and, more recently, the advice (from Admin/Moderators) has been to leave moderation to the Moderators

... so may not be aware of the etiquette, intricacies, niceties or foibles of using the forum.

To be fair, etiquette and common courtesy are no different here to real life. Would the OP have made his complaint in this way if someone in his team at work had made a mistake? I know that when I was at work, a notice on the staff room notice board to say a colleague had made a mistake would have been a reprehensible act. That person would have been hauled over the coals for it, and quite rightly so.

Even I, the (self-perceived) very model of moderate moderation, have days when I could kill....

An extreme example. But this is not the workplace. However, if it were, maybe it needs to be considered whistleblowing. The OP of this thread clearly thought there was an issue to be addressed that s/he did not want brushed under the carpet.

Even I, the (self-perceived) very model of moderate moderation, have days when I could kill....

Your point being ...

Originally Posted by TMS

An extreme example. But this is not the workplace. However, if it were, maybe it needs to be considered whistleblowing. The OP of this thread clearly thought there was an issue to be addressed that s/he did not want brushed under the carpet.

If the OP went about it the right way and THEN felt he or she had been ignored, then yes, he or she might have a reason to do what he or she did. As it stands, it was, in itself, an extreme reaction to one perceived mistake.

It's oh, so easy to carp and whinge from the touchline ...

Originally Posted by TMS

Your point being ...

We can all make hasty decisions on occasions...

Originally Posted by PrizeGotti

Probably gonna **** some people off by complaining, but I've got to highlight this bad form to stop you driving traffic away from your own site.

Earlier today this thread was posted;
https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...using-vba.html

The thread was instantly closed. Why? Because a site admin could not be bothered to read the question properly.

At no point does the user request any help "regarding breaking or bypassing any security measure."

His question was pretty simple, how does he perform a function he would do in a web browser with VBA? He's not asking to crack a password or bypass anything, he's just asking to recreate an action he would do manually in his browser with VBA.

Now this user has not received any help, probably received a negative strike on his account and has now gone else where to ask a legitimate question.

What makes this whole situation worse is that fact it was a site ADMIN, not even a moderator, that did this.

Step it up people, you're better than this.

No, you most certainly have not p'd anyone off with this post, and definitely not me - I welcome all comments (both good and bad) on any post that I - or my fellow mods - might make. I am not above criticism, nor am I above making mistakes...and this appears to be 1 of those times.

As you yourself have just done by stating that I "could not be bothered to read the question properly", everyone makes assumptions and forms decisions and responses based on that assumption, whether said assumption is even close to accurate or not. Being the admin here makes me no less immune to making assumptions than anyone else.

Having said that, I will be the 1st member here to admit when I think I have made a mistake, or an error in decision making - and this is 1 of those cases, and I apologize.

I should have (and will correct it now) asked for more info on the intent here. Then, based on that reply, made a more informed decision.

For what it's worth (and to address some other concerns raised above), the OP did in fact PM me regarding my comment, and this was their PM to me...

Hello Ford, I do understand your closing my message. (https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...using-vba.html)

Would you have a suggestion on how to ask the question without violation? I do know the password, I am just looking for a way to automate TO this point, then stuff the KNOWN password into this window.

Thanks
Bruce

Had I asked questions 1st, Im sure that would have been the reply I would have received anyway, and the thread would not have been closed.

Again, I thank you for bringing this to my attention (PM or Report would have been better, but this worked well too)

I will take a look at the comments regarding Reporting threads, and adjust as necessary