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moldyjacket
Former Member
Message 1 of 11

Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

I truly want to engage in a rational dispassionate discussion about this, Point One (and most obvious):

McAfee owns and is legally responsible for the forums and they get paid to do it. Yet most volunteer moderators typically portray themselves as self sacrificing martyrs for a cause, so why not devote all this time to the poor, chronically ill or disabled veterans instead of a for-profit company? What deep-seated need does McAfee fulfill that these other truly noble reasons can’t? All of these examples desperately need technically adept volunteers, I know because I do. Guaranteed: you’ll never have more opportunities and satisfaction than devoting your time to a non-profit humanitarian organization.

10 Replies
exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 2 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

All manufacturer's have volunteers manning their forums, why should McAfee/Intel be any different?   Those volunteers do report to McAfee staff however.  As to why people volunteer their time, well I'm sure the reasons are many.  Maybe they are retired and have lots of spare time like I do and feel a need to help.  But that's only one reason.

Yes McAfee/Intel own these forums but they are there primarily as a user-to-user medium.  It just so happens that the odd McAfee staff member or McAfee Support person gets involved from time to time.

Norton's are the same as are many others, Microsoft included.

If they only used employees then the products would be even more expensive than they already are as someone has to pay all those wages.

The deep seated need that is fulfilled is the public's need for help with their various problems.  We certainly do NOT portray ourselves as self-sacrificing martyrs.   If that's the impression you have it's the wrong one believe me.

spc3rd
Former Member
Message 3 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

Hi moldyjacket,

     There are indeed, many worthwhile ways for a person to volunteer their time to help others, both in person, through charitable organizations, and even here on the Internet.  What I say here is simply to accentuate the positive - - NOT protray myself as some kind of "do-gooder" or anything else.  My own life is what it is.

I myself happen to be an elderly, disabled Vietnam vet who's largely housebound now due to increasing deterioration in my health.  Every day for me is a struggle, dealing with bouts of severe nausea, vomiting, and other unpleasantries.  Not to mention trying to subsist upon a small disability compensation from one month to the next, and having no family, relatives, or friends to call upon in a time of need.  It's just me and my Maine Coon cat, Munchkin.

I do still continue to volunteer my time as a Global Moderator in another forum to try and help others with issues they may be having.  So, in my view, the help provided by Moderators here, such as, Peter, Hayton, Tony and others are invaluable to me.  They are in fact, helping a disabled veteran - - me!

Best regards,

moldyjacket
Former Member
Message 4 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

Are you seriously proposing that without you and the other moderators, McAfee would be too expensive…that there would actually be even a one cent change in cost? Do they desperately need this help to manage their own forums? Many don’t because of liability.

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 5 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

That was speculation but it seems fairly obvious that manning this place only with employees would add to business costs, and someone has to pay those added costs and most corporations aren't exactly well known for their charity although I'm sure they do donate a fair amount.   You asked why should anyone become a Moderator and we answered.  Why does anyone become anything?  Usually because they want to or are being paid to do so as in part of their job.  An unfortunate few are in occupations they neither volunteered for nor wanted, well that's sad of course.

I was using the product for years and offered some advice to someone once which they found invaluable,the next thing I knew I was being asked if I would like to volunteer some of my time here and I said OK.  I've also been a beta tester for their software for around the same period of time.

Before that I worked full time but used to spend most of my spare time helping out at Microsoft Forums. or as they were then, Discussion Groups (nntp Newsgroups) for which I was once awarded MVP status.

But noone is indispensable and I'm sure they'd manage fine without us, but would everyone else?  That remains to be seen.

catdaddy
MVP
MVP
Message 6 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

Good Morning Pete,

                        First of all , please allow me to thank you for your service to our Country. I tip my glass to you.

I have a son whom has done (4) Tours in Iraq/Afghanistan, and a Son-in-Law whom is still to this day in Afghanistan.

                         This post is primarily directed to you,for in many ways we are similar. I am retired (Twice) over,and my Second Career was shortened by Significant Heart Disease, I will delve no further. I am also a Co-Administrator on a Heart Forum for patients with Heart Issues/and have ICD,S.

                           In addition, by being a Moderator  does indeed help fill the void left, by being incapable of working as I have all my life. And during the process, like yourself and many others can hopefully assist McAfee Consumers with their issues as needed.

                            I also am the proud owner of a (Cat) whom thinks she is a (Dog). Hence, is where my Username originated from. I want to send you "Positive" thoughts,and wish you the very best in your daily ventures. I have always went by the motto;  "Keep On !" " Keeping On !" for the alternative is much worse.

                            I might add also,  Sandhills (Southern Mid-Atlantic Region) United States

All the very Best to you,

Regards,

Message was edited by: catdaddy on 7/15/14 9:26:09 AM EDT
Cliff
McAfee Volunteer
SafeBoot
MVP
MVP
Message 7 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

As one of the "staffers" who pop in - I must say this place would die without the efforts of the volunteer mods - They are tireless in their efforts to clean up the spam, trolls, and other abusers of the system.

Mods would not be so necessary in a perfect world - if everyone dropped in here, asked a fair question after doing their research, and got an accurate (or at least plausible) answer, Ex-Brit, Catdaddy and their peers would find themselves with little to do.

HOWEVER, the quality of this forum is constantly polluted with scammers, spam, idiots spreading misinformation, and generally unpleasent people who just want to complain.

Would this forum exist without the mods? Probably not (though thankfully for all of you it's not my call) - Without the mods  I'd drop it and just get everyone to call support. Trolls tend not to call people, it's too much effort and has no gratification.

And of course, it's a lot easier for a volunteer to call someone out who a) should know better b) is rude c) is annoying d) thinks their problem with an out of date, unpatched OS is so important that we should change our development direction...

than it is for a staffer - sometimes we just have to, well, bite our tounges.

As to why do people become moderators in the first place? There's a lot of science about it, but it's the same reason people work at homeless shelters, animal hostels etc. The same reason people contribute to open source initiatives, Github, wikipedia etc. The same reason people join clubs and societies, and the very reason this is called a "community".

Sharing your time and expertise for free is no more or less worthy here than it is anywhere else - it's all personal opinion. I've volunteered at "first world" places and find my time here just as personally rewarding. To each their own so to say, and to those who consider the terminally ill more deserving than McAfee users, I would argue that (with due respect) they also have a lot more support available to them than Joe Smith who's PC just got hit with a virus.

To each their own, or as someone who most admire once said...

Consciously or unconsciously, every one of us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will make, not only our own happiness, but that of the world at large


Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

moldyjacket
Former Member
Message 8 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

Remarkable, a McAfee employee who says the job is not worth doing without the free labor to cull it; it’s just too “unpleasant” for him. Did anyone consider these are real paid jobs (culling) that require proper training to handle appropriately and could be feeding families?

exbrit
MVP
MVP
Message 9 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

That's not what he said at all....& I agree with the line beginning with HOWEVER.

If we want to help out here, that's our business.

SafeBoot
MVP
MVP
Message 10 of 11

Re: Why Should Anyone Become a Moderator?

**must bite tongue***

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