It just seems a bit overly controlling, heavy handed, and unnecessary.

If people are making posts that you as a mod find concerning why don't you warn them instead of abruptly closing a thread without some discussion with forumites that use the thread/enjoy its content. 

Why not put a post into the thread stating that the content is starting to be of concern - and give examples so we can better police ourselves? 

It's not just this thread: I find this undemocratic approach is the norm and honestly I believe some mods use it to dampen conversations which conflict with their own belief system (usually club support i.e Victory).  

You are the mods, it's up to you to manage this. However, I know the current approach irks a few forumites who actually contribute more content to this forum than the 442 magazine writers do.

More or less said this in the feedback thread only to have it deleted.

No warnings, just one user caught with his pants down complaining to the mods and its closed.

Seems some around here are a protected species.

This thread will be locked momentarily.

It is a lose-lose situation. I've had regulars on here tell me that part of the issue of this forum is we (the mods, this was aimed at) have allowed dreadful multis too much freedom and it has killed the forum off.

Like I said in the multi thread, I saw no positives coming of letting it stay open. That was my decision and I stand by it and the action of closing it. That thread is just riddled with personal attacks from lots of different sides of the story, and has the potential to blow up even further. I don't find it worth it. And for the record, no one complained to the mods about the Multi thread. We took it upon ourselves because we saw the potential and going ons not being worth it. So throw that tin foil hat out.

If you see a multi, please provide the examples to mods privately. That's how we want multis dealt with. 

I appreciate when feedback is given, as do the other mods, but I think there a few assumptions here that things weren't dealt with, or attempted to, privately in the present or past on matters of this nature or this exact matter. 

Most mod decisions are discussed and agreed within the mods circle, and you'll find the large majority of the conflict threads you're bringing up are usually communally agreed that they need to be shut down. 

If we (mods) close other threads without the warnings/potential to self-police in future, please bring it up either in the feedback thread or as a PM. We've got no doubts we can always be better and more consistent, and are happy to learn and listen. 

Cheers.

The thread is and always has been at least a little mean spirited but it's escalated recently.

I agree with you in general inala and we do that in threads that have some redeemable discussion but in our opinion the thread in question really does not.

People with multis complaining about other people with multis.

The sheer ridiculousness of it all was a great read. 

It was actually a great thread. Full of forum history and background which kind of helps newbies get a grasp of the forum dynamic somewhat. 

Shame to see it locked... 

I can understand your position.  But you completely prove my point.  That the current draconian process for such actions is completely devoid of any democratic process involving the participants who actually use the forums.

Why not raise this issue in a post?  Why not notify the offending posters and take down the posts in question?  Why not use other approaches?

You will alienate actual contributors to this forum without inclusive practices.  And you most likely encourage trolls and multi's who actually see harsh actions, such as locks on threads, as victories.  They encourage anarchy to garner reactions.  By locking down threads instead of democratically policing them you are helping them achieve their goals.

this.  there was a lot of really interesting content that had come up through the discussions.

I understand your point but we do use a variety of approaches to facilitate healthy discussion on this forum. Not all of them are overt and very few of them are "draconian".

I'm yet to see a good case for the thread to be re-opened. If people want to chat about forum history without snarky attacks at other users and ridiculous accusations, they're welcome to do so in another thread.

^ grow a pair and either reopen it or delete it.

As I'm not being given the courtesy of responding to the pathetic accusations levelled at myself from this forum's village idiot........and his two hundred multis. You're treating the symptom and ignoring the cause.

Sooks

This is a good post clearly setting out issues that have arisen.

Mods can constantly be in a lose/lose scenario. We should appreciate some are willing to do the thankless job of moderating.

 It is a strength of this forum that  they discuss issues that arise on the mod panel for moderation and consistency purposes.

Even though some newbies have suggested that forum history has been interesting, a thread based on multi speculation can be harmful when people are wrongly accused. Nobody knows for sure who is who.

At the same time you've raised some good points, IB.

^^ wrongly accused, lol.

You've been outed on every sports forum across Australia.

For some strange reason they tolerate your behaviour here......farknose why.

And yet Decentric the mods have banned posters on your say so.

So explain to me how you reconcile this statement "Nobody knows for sure who is who" with the fact that in the multi speculation thread you openly brag about getting a poster banned.  

More hypocrisy.

I think this practice should be lauded outside the mod panel.

BTW I think it's awesome that Decentric keeps bumping these threads and creating new ones.  Every single person that reads them is one step closer to understanding what sort of a person he is.

So keep posting Decentric, you're doing a better job of drawing attention to your sad behaviour than any number of posters could.

Cheers! 

People using multis are the problem full stop despite having the thread open or not.
Keyboard bullies ? hardly, idiots being smart arse's such fun hiding behind a keyboard.
GTFO and just stick to the one name, this is one of the major flaws of the forum.