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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

unable to post from laptop

283 replies

SecretNutellaFix · 01/01/2014 00:21

Hi Julie,
There appear to be a lot of us unable to post from or laptops and computers. We are all getting the message

Sorry we are not accepting new threads right now.

Can you help us out?

OP posts:
saintlyjimjams · 01/01/2014 09:28

Oh there should have been a ? after NYE.

I saw the threads last night, they were irritating but obvious piss takes & the majority were daft rather than hugely offensive. It shouldn't have been too difficult to zap the bad taste ones while leaving the 'shall I let my dog babysit while I go to the pub' 'only if it's a staffie ' ones (can I admit the staffie reply made me guffaw )

AngryBirdRoast · 01/01/2014 09:28

Look no one got killed. No one was even injured really.

Some of you are talking like no one from MNHQ ever got slightly pissed off before.

It's not the case. I can remember plenty of times when Olivia or someone else sounded pretty grouchy and had to take a firm line.

But no one seems to be able to remember those times because it's easier to have a pop at poor old Julie.

In some ways it might have been better if Rebecca hadn't apologised - I'm not having a go at her either but it seems to have given rise to further outrage and people thinking they were justified in their horror, when in fact, nothing much happened to write home about.

Shouldn't we all just forget it and move on?

annieorangutan · 01/01/2014 09:30

Exactly ohyoumerry and all these people saying thats it Im leaving. Well fuck off then I doubt you will if you cant cope without mn for about 2 hrs.

These things are always so stupid eg a poster is banned for 2 mins then you get right we are leaving, its changed, no humour, huge amounts of people will commit suicide over this etc. What if for some reason site maintenance had occured over same period Im sure most people would just get over it. Im sure we will have another one next month over some lame issue yaaawwwn

DeckTheHallsWithBonesAndSkully · 01/01/2014 09:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StealthPolarBear · 01/01/2014 09:31

exactly Glaikit. If I messed up I wouldn't expect my boss to discuss it with clients, or on a public website, other than the bare facts of the mistake 'we' made and how 'we' are going to sort it out.

AngryBirdRoast · 01/01/2014 09:32

Murder,

yes, I know they are busy at that time. (this time)

I don't think that means it isn't about a sense of expectation or entitlement...I don't mean that to sound totally crass.

Of course people get more upset when the cultural expectation is to be with jolly friends or family and they are on their own.

That's normal. But the fact is if they can override the cultural expectation a little, then they may realise that just because their NYE is spent alone it doesn't mean their life is over.

Don't get me wrong. I have been there and have both supported and used the samaritans myself. But it was never their fault if I lived or died.

NotJustACigar · 01/01/2014 09:32

I never saw any joke posts so don't know if they were racist, sexist, homophobic, disabilist etc but if they were then that shit is never funny. I also think it's really unfortunate people couldn't post over New Years who needed support but a commercial site like this one is probably best not taken too seriously. Not because the people who post here don't do a lot of good but because it could be taken away at any moment, sold, or changed into something completely different. The Samaritans and the like are in a much better position than we are to offer support as they are trained to do so. What if one of us, though well meaning, accidentally said something stupid to make a situation worse?

AngryBirdRoast · 01/01/2014 09:33

Deck,

you might be old Grin but I've been here since Jan 2007, so I'm not new.

I'm not angry about it at all.

annieorangutan · 01/01/2014 09:34

Ive been here over 6 years under many different guises but I really dont give a fuck tbh. A newish mod made a mistake and probably feels like shit as this is her job and wants to do the right thing as we all do. I expect its very daunting running a large site like this and pleasing everyone.

HoneyDragon · 01/01/2014 09:38

Kitten

Yes, you're right. The problem arose publicly when the HQer started a thread in chat, rather than AIBU. At first people thought it a joke. HQ often start threads for banter ... Then when the HQer made it clear it wasn't and was posting to say she would ban without warning it got unpleasant - particularly when the threat was made along the lines of "and there's still x amount of the school holidays left".

That comment tongue in cheek, fine, humorously sympathetic. To then be told the op was serious makes that comment sneery, condescending and unpleasant.

So you can argue it was nasty on HQers as well as posters parts.

And that it was all happily done publicly until one party regretted and edited their comments.

So possibly some apologies and handshaking on both parts?

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 01/01/2014 09:40

I think there are going to be a lot of regrets all round.

AngryBirdRoast · 01/01/2014 09:43

Lovely Kitten...Smile

ButThereAgain · 01/01/2014 09:48

Bit of a tangent, but I do think this episode shows how inappropriate it is for the moderators to be posting in a chatty informal way. I've always found that informality rather cringeworthy and obsequious (on both sides) and increasingly it seems to get in the way of effective and clear moderation. I can understand the staffs' desire to try to preserve some of the community spirit of a much smaller site by adopting chatty, non-professional styles, but it just looks more and more like amateurishness.

FrameyMcFrame · 01/01/2014 09:51

I missed all of this because I'm always on the mobile site anyway so it made no difference to me.

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 01/01/2014 09:54

Morning everyone and Happy New Year Brew

Just to let you know, we've posted over here.

SilveryMoon · 01/01/2014 09:55

Completely agree ButThereAgain

saintlyjimjams · 01/01/2014 09:57

I am interested in the moderation of Julie's posts that went on - bit naughty HQ. stirs

Seriously though, as someone who had my biggest row with MNHQ this year over moderation (after 12 years on mumsnet ) I think this is something you have to sort out. It's not great to make the wrong call, take ages to fix it & then have another member of HQ say 'whoops someone inexperienced was a bit trigger happy sorry be nice to them' ( which was what happened during my row). They shouldn't have been in the position in the first place. Some threads/evenings are going to be controversial - you need to pay the extra for someone bombproof/experienced to be on call as well.

God I sound self righteous this morning, think I need my cup of tea. Am a bit bemused by last night, no more, but remember being very upset by the Salisbury fiasco which was essentially the same scenario. It would be good to sort these issues out really.

AlaskaNebraska · 01/01/2014 10:00

Hi j. Do you know just think that the posters shoulnt be expected to be bad on NYE? Is that a thing now?

WhoKnowsWhereTheMistletoes · 01/01/2014 10:05

I agree about that Butthereagain, I don't like the mods joking and chatting either, it blurs the lines.

I missed most of this as I have AIBU hidden and was using the mobile site to post on regular threads only last night. I saw one sick sounding thread title which had been deleted in Most Active. I don't really blame Julie for pulling the plug if it all spiralled out of control. Hopefully MNHQ will be supporting her today.

PacificDogwood · 01/01/2014 10:08

Storm in a tea cup and I feel sorry for Julie now who made the wrong call but should not have been left to it on her own on NYE, of all evenings.

I am not 'angry', I did find some of the 'jokey' threads in poor taste, but recognised them as 'jokey' - I think generous use of the 'delete' button for individual posts, even OPs, would've been enough.
The more obviously sarky or funny ones -
As stated above MN Bingo has been around for some time and a drunken NYE at home seems the obvious night when it might get started Grin.

So, calm down, dears (joke!) and Happy New Year to all Thanks.

MNHQ
RowanMumsnet · 01/01/2014 10:08

@saintlyjimjams

I am interested in the moderation of Julie's posts that went on - bit naughty HQ. stirs

Seriously though, as someone who had my biggest row with MNHQ this year over moderation (after 12 years on mumsnet ) I think this is something you have to sort out. It's not great to make the wrong call, take ages to fix it & then have another member of HQ say 'whoops someone inexperienced was a bit trigger happy sorry be nice to them' ( which was what happened during my row). They shouldn't have been in the position in the first place. Some threads/evenings are going to be controversial - you need to pay the extra for someone bombproof/experienced to be on call as well.

God I sound self righteous this morning, think I need my cup of tea. Am a bit bemused by last night, no more, but remember being very upset by the Salisbury fiasco which was essentially the same scenario. It would be good to sort these issues out really.

Thanks Saintly and yes, you're right, this situation just shouldn't have arisen in the first place. We'll take a close look at our escalation procedure (is that what they call it?) Last night was truly unusual in that almost all other site staff were properly off-radar.

Post-hoc editing is obviously not good unless we signal it really, really clearly. In the case of last night the fact that this didn't happen was probably down to the MNHQer being overwhelmed and knackered, but (again) the fact that she was left feeling like that in the first place is something we need to address.

SauvignonBlanche · 01/01/2014 10:13

Very glad to see thing got sorted out last night. Flowers

curlew · 01/01/2014 10:14

I just went and did something else when the "bingo" started. One or two were amusing, but it's actually much harder to be funny than people think it is. And an entire screen full of people trying and failing was pretty boring.

I don't like it when junior/new staff are hung out to dry, though. Worst call of the evening in my humble opinion.

NotJustACigar · 01/01/2014 10:15

Thanks for Julie, everyone makes mistakes. Tis bad enough drawing the short straw and having to work New Years, then this happens!

MrsCampbellBlack · 01/01/2014 10:16

I so agree with you Curlew.