TES Community

[Scumble]

Where the dickens has it gone? Is it gone gone? Has it been renamed and I just can't find it?

@greenbeetles

'The enclave forum was set up by its admins, mods and their friends to serve themselves. Their main interest is in criticising members not in their circle which, for example, is why bans come out of the blue without prior warnings.'

How very odd, Dr Linus, that you can speak SO definitively about:
a) the membership;
b) the discussions;
c) the motivations;
of a forum of which you have not been a member.

Probably from some members of the Proboards forum who were banned without good reason posting here with their experience. Maybe you should have a read, rather than being so pompous.

'Probably from some members of the Proboards forum who were banned without good reason posting here with their experience. Maybe you should have a read, rather than being so pompous.'

Why do you assume I haven't?

Dr Linus can speak for himself.

@Fadeyushka
"Apparently I was banned for 'refusing' to engage with other posters who requested that I back up my opinions with evidence or links."

Yes.
They are very peculiar, some of those people.
They seem unable to extricate themselves from classroom mode, forever demanding that people answer to them.

[quote DrLinus]@Neededabreak

"there is evidence from smaller internal networks that there is much to be gained from them"
Such as?[/quote]
I'm not sure why you ask given that you have written off the new venture, but they are used in internal communications platforms for some businesses/organisations.

[quote DrLinus]@Fadeyushka
"Apparently I was banned for 'refusing' to engage with other posters who requested that I back up my opinions with evidence or links."

Yes.
They are very peculiar, some of those people.
They seem unable to extricate themselves from classroom mode, forever demanding that people answer to them.[/quote]
I've just been put in the same position here... interesting... no it isn't really... but my response was deliberately vague since I simply don't need to provide an answer, I expect Dr Linus will agree.

Mrs.Needabreak said:

"I've just been put in the same position here... interesting... no it isn't really... but my response was deliberately vague since I simply don't need to provide an answer, I expect Dr Linus will agree"

Have you just been banned as a consequence, as happened to Miss Fadeyushka?

Despicable from TES.

A period where some of us relied heavily on the forums for support and advice during these very difficult times. I had personally been using the International teaching forum daily for over 10 years!

At a time when we have lost our freedom, some our jobs, and most of us are at home due to Lockdown, the decision to remove the TES community without warning is an absolute disgrace.

We need a new forum and we need to let all the old posters know that it exists via Facebook, Twitter etc. People could join with their old TES usernames .Seems to be one on Reddit called TES International Teaching but there are no posts yet as far as I can see.

We can bounce back from this and make the new forum better and more popular than ever. Let's do it!

@Kandahar

Mrs.Needabreak said:

"I've just been put in the same position here... interesting... no it isn't really... but my response was deliberately vague since I simply don't need to provide an answer, I expect Dr Linus will agree"

Have you just been banned as a consequence, as happened to Miss Fadeyushka?

No I am able to post and got a useful response to my Bay tree question.

I do think the point about moderation is really important and while its done by posters it will always be questioned, sometimes though on TES we all made errors of judgment and got caught out, it's subjective by nature but in my view quite necessary although at various times we will all feel it unjustified.

I am not sure how a them and us situation is helpful so hopefully won't continue. This was an initial meeting place after TES went down though like me some found it challenging to adapt to as a networking platform, then Staffboards was created to help with this, it's progress and though I wont comment on the individual moderation issues, it is what it is.

If anyone can suggest something better I would genuinely be interested, PM if you'd rather, thanks.

@Kandahar

Mrs.Needabreak said:

"I've just been put in the same position here... interesting... no it isn't really... but my response was deliberately vague since I simply don't need to provide an answer, I expect Dr Linus will agree"

Have you just been banned as a consequence, as happened to Miss Fadeyushka?

Oh I'm not Mrs just Neededabreak or NAB is fine.

I was referring to being asked for more information to support my view.

You can try telling him you're not Mrs Neededabreak but it's an affectation he persists in even when told people actively dislike it. If he tries it on any other threads on Mumsnet posters won't be as polite as you were.

@asnac it won't. It will be reported and deleted. The vindictive posters on this thread will make sure of that.

@Neededabreak I read your post as you explained it, having been put in that position myself by that poster.

Telling people to justify their views is a bit like when you are complaining about something, the company says glibly, 'Put it in writing.' It is a strategy to get the person to just disappear or stop asserting whatever. And I totally get people stating, 'I can't be bothered to find evidence right now.' Perhaps the person is in the middle of something, like marking papers, or tending to an emergency situation or too tired etc.

It is really bad form to be kicked off a forum for something like that. But I think, as there are hundreds of people on the forum, kicking out one or two daily, isn't a big deal for the site owner.

I sometimes think that because of the apparent belief that there was an alternative forum set up for the old TESSERs, TES decided not to bother reinstating one. If only they knew there are problems emerging with the replacement.

I haven't commented on the new forum yet, but I am sure if I had done, I would have probably been kicked out too. So perhaps, the only way to survive on that chat forum, is to say absolutely nothing.

@staymotivated

Telling people to justify their views is a bit like when you are complaining about something, the company says glibly, 'Put it in writing.' It is a strategy to get the person to just disappear or stop asserting whatever. And I totally get people stating, 'I can't be bothered to find evidence right now.' Perhaps the person is in the middle of something, like marking papers, or tending to an emergency situation or too tired etc.

It is really bad form to be kicked off a forum for something like that. But I think, as there are hundreds of people on the forum, kicking out one or two daily, isn't a big deal for the site owner.

I sometimes think that because of the apparent belief that there was an alternative forum set up for the old TESSERs, TES decided not to bother reinstating one. If only they knew there are problems emerging with the replacement.

I haven't commented on the new forum yet, but I am sure if I had done, I would have probably been kicked out too. So perhaps, the only way to survive on that chat forum, is to say absolutely nothing.

The old Forum was closed by TES before Christmas. The new one started on 1st January with a clear statement that it would be temporary "place of refuge and support whilst TES is down - or beyond if needed " and it was needed as TES have closed their Forum.

Personally I think that was their plan all along - if they had intended to reopen it, they would have said so, and ensured their so-called 'Maintenance' was completed within a day or two.

I do think the point about moderation is really important and while its done by posters it will always be questioned

I agree. Professional and objective moderation is best but not easy to achieve.

@staymotivated

Telling people to justify their views is a bit like when you are complaining about something, the company says glibly, 'Put it in writing.' It is a strategy to get the person to just disappear or stop asserting whatever. And I totally get people stating, 'I can't be bothered to find evidence right now.' Perhaps the person is in the middle of something, like marking papers, or tending to an emergency situation or too tired etc.

It is really bad form to be kicked off a forum for something like that. But I think, as there are hundreds of people on the forum, kicking out one or two daily, isn't a big deal for the site owner.

I sometimes think that because of the apparent belief that there was an alternative forum set up for the old TESSERs, TES decided not to bother reinstating one. If only they knew there are problems emerging with the replacement.

I haven't commented on the new forum yet, but I am sure if I had done, I would have probably been kicked out too. So perhaps, the only way to survive on that chat forum, is to say absolutely nothing.

I’m sorry, but I cannot agree with this (para 3) as I’m pretty certain that the decision to close the TES forums was taken last year and the “down for planned maintenance” message was just a smokescreen, therefore before the new place started up.

My evidence for this: I emailed TES during the ‘downtime’ around the very end of 2020 and I mentioned I was upset that I couldn’t ‘see’ some threads that I used (tips for teachers, alternative sources of income for teachers, to name two). I was sent detailed information on how to use ‘way-back machine’ websites to view this old content. Why do that if re-opening TES forums after the ‘maintenance’, was still on the table?

Talking of evidence, @DrLinus, please reply to my message from yesterday, specifically what makes you sure that our data on TES still exists (even though others have been told it has all been erased)? Furthermore, Dr, if it has been erased, what is the legal time period (for data retention) that you refer to, because they must be in contravention of that, if indeed someone did clear the hard drives on the 18th.

@Janegrey333

I do think the point about moderation is really important and while its done by posters it will always be questioned

I agree. Professional and objective moderation is best but not easy to achieve.

Well, you don't have to use the new site if you don't like the moderation process

@Janegrey333

I do think the point about moderation is really important and while its done by posters it will always be questioned

I agree. Professional and objective moderation is best but not easy to achieve.

Sorry - to add - external moderation of course comes at a cost, agreed.

@staymotivated why do you want to be a member of a forum you haven't posted on and seem to think you'd be banned from if you did?

@Weald56 there was a belief that the new forum was going to be the promised land for all the TES Community refugees. I, for one, believed so, and was praising Emily for setting it up, until I learnt that the honourable @Florianus was booted out and he didn't have a clue why. And remember, TES announced they were not reinstating the Community forum, after the other one had been established and idiots, like I was at the time, were singing its praises and it had garnered hundreds and hundreds of old Tessers in a matter of days.

Once I learned of Florianus's fate, I knew there really was trouble in paradise. Yes, other were moaning about being kicked out, and I thought they were baddies, posting stuff like how much they loved Bojo etc. but now I know you can be booted out on a whim, I'm not impressed. It will probably be me, next, if I ever write something.

Those that are on the site and defend it, like you, and sooty and coffeekid, can't say a bad thing about Florianus because there isn't anything bad to say about him other than him being way too skilled at his repartee, and I figure, they are just as shocked to hear he was booted out as I was, but haven't the balls to speak up about it.

When I first came to TES years ago, I remember being ribbed by Florianus and his mates and I was getting really upset, Florianus nobly backed down. He's not a baddie, and knows when to stop and wouldn't intentionally hurt another by going for the jugular unlike other TESSERs.

Florianus is very popular and I am sure a lot of the old Tessers who are fond of him, are wondering where he is now, unaware of his current fate. I reckon if I did a post mentioning him, all the Emily fans lurking here, would out me and I would be kicked out instantly.

It's like the plot of some Cold War Thriller.....

@ilovesooty, Chelsea and Coffeekid did an amazing job of inviting all the refugees to the site. I joined in the hope of getting in touch with old Tessers who I am really fond of, but who unfortunately haven't joined or may have and have already been booted out by Emily on a whim.

Let's hope they turn up here, where it's safe to be yourself.

Of course, I wasn't aware it was so bad, until now. If only I knew then, what I knew now.

One person stating this had happened to them, then perhaps you can ignore it, but I reiterate, Florianus being booted out and still not knowing why, then it's serious.

He has a lot of friends that are still on that site and who probably haven't a clue what has happened to him.

Be careful if you PM them, otherwise Emily might boot you out too.

I get the impression she isn't someone you can freely discuss issues like this with.

@Weald56 sorry, the message at 15:37 was meant for @manchestermyself. Really difficult to navigate on this site, as there aren't any avatars.

@ilovesooty

Sorry - to add - external moderation of course comes at a cost, agreed.

Particularly the case when the site is a closed one?

Mumsnet, for instance, have not closed the site to anyone and there is no fee to pay. They have recently installed Premium for posters who may wish a different sort of service. The experience is the same for everyone, however.

Perhaps that is the way to proceed on the new site which has attracted quite a number of former TES posters. Some have registered but have not posted. You cannot compel people to post, remember. It is their prerogative to choose not to.

Earlier on, I noticed at least one person on the new site feeling she had to declare she could not pay a fee, at the moment. Other posters tried to persuade her to stay. That was awkward and I felt it was a pity she had been put into that position.

Clearly some posters who have registered for the new site have not spent enough time on there to be able to judge realistically how things are working.
Firstly the person who set up the site has made it absolutely clear that there is no obligation for anyone to pay anything at all in order to be a member. The running costs she has posted are low enough that those posters who make a voluntary contribution will provide ample funds to cover costs.
Secondly you will see that the site is fast resembling the old Personal board, as it was in its heyday, with lots of light-hearted threads, chat and games. There are very few politics threads; it is not the a replica of the most recent incarnation of the Personal board on TES, the one the former Opinion posters transferred to once their board was taken down. The majority of posters are seeking out a bit of light-hearted relief. They want to be among friends, as they were before TES pulled the rug from under them.
It has been made clear that any debate that takes place must be done without recourse to personal abuse or snide remarks; some of those complaining here on this thread were the first to offer snide put downs and run to the mods to get people banned on TES. Whilst I might be inclined to think that the moderators have been possibly a bit trigger happy in the speed at which they have banned one or two posters, I can see it from their point of view - they want to nip things in the bud before they escalate. But to conclude, some posters on here are hankering for a board which is not the one represented by the new site.

For the poster who is unaware of why one poster was removed from the new forum, perhaps it was for sneering and putting down another poster and where she lived, and then exacerbating that by sneering even further when pulled up on it. Said poster was on my Ignore list on TES, as he was for many.

The inference above that people being expected to pay a membership to the new forum is absolutely incorrect and mendacious. People are aware that there may be some cost in setting up the forum and have offered to contribute as and when. If and when that happens it will be personal choice as I am sure you are aware. It is free for anyone to join who is capable of following reasonable T&Cs. There are hundreds of people there.

The stirring here by some posters who supposedly work in education is very depressing. No wonder TES removed the forum, a decision no doubt taken a long time ago. It was too risky to keep because of the nature of some of the posts and the fact that they are liable for such comments.