Zombies! discussion
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Major Changes to Group Settings? Privacy & Bookshelf
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1. I didn't even know there was a group bookshelf. Off to take a look.2. I don't have any problem with a mod having to approve someone joining. But I'm not a group moderator. For the Yahoo groups I have, anyone can join, but first time member postings are moderated. That means I only have to worry about someone when they post their first message. Since most people lurk, it isn't a lot of work. But having to approve every single person joining the group would have been a lot of work.
As far as the group bookshelf -- I don't find it very useful. Maybe if it had the "Average Rating" and "Number of Pages" datum columns to sort by. For example, the recent "short story challenge" could have just sorted the bookshelf by number of pages to get a bunch of zombie short stories.
It would also be useful if I could limit the list to Kindle (or eBook) editions.
It's also curious that such functions can't be done on the genre page:
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/zombies
I suggest mod rights to view IPs. that would eliminate much of the drama and bolstering of fake accounts to prop up a book. Plus it would get rid of the reason to even have such Orwellian practices in princes. Look at how many people voted on February's book of the month as opposed to January. Staggering, no? It also raises the issue of how a book like Walkers made it to second place last month, bro.I don't feel violated by having the two moderators see my IP since I highly doubt I'm going to hacked by a mod.
This all is a step in the right direction, but I feel a bit overkill when a simple "Hey, look a fake account. Let's ban it." would suffice. Or better yet simply ignore the accounts like Carol.
I meant places not princes. Using my phone so it fixes a lot of my typos but auto corrects in an embarrassing manner.
Regarding the group privacy setting, I'm just wondering, on what grounds would someone be denied membership? Unless there is something you are screening for, it just seems like more work for the moderators. Honestly, I don't have any strong feelings either way...just curious as to the thought process.I'd also like to say that, while new to posting here, I think the moderators are doing a good job handling some fairly unusual stuff that doesn't seem to pop up in the other GR groups that I'm in (I'm assuming this is probably growing pains?). I also appreciate Netanella's level-headed approach in providing input. Class acts, all the way around.
I'm sorry you don't find the bookshelf useful. I for one find the bookshelf useful and have used it on more than one occasion. Those types of settings can be editing in your own personal bookshelves. On other group bookshelves with open book entry, the settings feature is also not an option.
I don't know if the mods can change settings on the group's bookshelf. And I get that members probably shouldn't mess around with settings. However, I still stand by my position that limiting members' ability to add books to the bookshelf is heavy-handed by the mods, and I'd like to hear from them.
Sara wrote: "I also appreciate Netanella's level-headed approach in providing input."I don't. I think we should all gather around the town hall and scream "rabble, rabble, rabble".
Sara wrote: "Regarding the group privacy setting, I'm just wondering, on what grounds would someone be denied membership? Unless there is something you are screening for, it just seems like more work for the moods..."Agreed, Sara, I would think that adding books and accepting or declining membership is more work for the mods, as opposed to their moderating our (sometimes crazy) discussions and keeping the threads clean.
Yammy wrote: "Sara wrote: "I also appreciate Netanella's level-headed approach in providing input."I don't. I think we should all gather around the town hall and scream "rabble, rabble, rabble"."
I'm a "rabble-rouser" all right. :) My mom was over earlier and we got into an argument over Obama and the Affordable Health Care act. Argh! And I love my mom!
Netanella wrote: "I for one find the bookshelf useful and have used it on more than one occasion."In what ways did you find it useful?
Yammy wrote: "I think we should all gather around the town hall and scream "rabble, rabble, rabble"."I can get a bunch of torches cheaply from Amazon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gSQg1...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XazOmi...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLvGnr...
Click on "Group Home" for the Zombies! group. It gives you graphics of the books the group is currently reading: either BOTM, Buddy Reads, or R4R. I like to see these, and maybe I'm a nerd, but so what? (I like nerds, and I like myself.) Sometimes I've added the books to the bookshelf and labeled it as Buddy Read. This way other members may see these images and decide to join in! I know the mods are busy and sometimes books currently being read by group members have not been highlighted in this way. Freezing the bookshelf will mean the mods will have to do this for us.
I've also used the group bookshelf feature (as I have on other groups to which I belong) to look for books that I may not have heard about but are listed as genre books that I might be interested in reading. In this fashion I have discovered many books that I might not have known about.
Randy wrote: "Yammy wrote: "I think we should all gather around the town hall and scream "rabble, rabble, rabble"."I can get a bunch of torches cheaply from Amazon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gSQg1...
..."
And we'll need to stock up on Pop-Tarts for the coming apocalypse!
Mod
2) Membership access will stay private for a while at least - and probably permanently - to deny entry to fake accounts. So far since I changed it, almost every applicant has been fake. One or two of them reapplied once they were denied. It is far more challenging for the mods to deal with trolls once they're in the group than it is for us to deny them entry in the first place. The people who are legitimate will be added.
EDIT: The bookshelves have been fixed.
Thank you for responding so quickly, Elizabeth. I appreciate that the bookshelf was an accident. And for letting us know about membership access. I can understanding the reasoning. However, how can you tell if an applicant has a fake account?
By the way, this "rabble-rouser" took her meds this morning and will apologize for jumping to unfounded conclusions as to why the bookshelf was frozen. *sheepish grin* and glad it was fixed!
Mod
Three legitimate new members have been added today, BTW :)
We're growing! I'm "pregnant" with anticipation!
Netanella wrote: "Click on "Group Home" for the Zombies! group. It gives you graphics of the books the group is currently reading: either BOTM, Buddy Reads, or R4R. I like to see these, and maybe I'm a nerd, but ..."I like those as well, but that has nothing to do with the Group Bookshelf.
And, BTW Mods, the R4R topics for Grace Lost is from last July and frozen for new comments, even though the R4R was supposed to start 6 days ago.
Netanella wrote: "I've also used the group bookshelf feature (as I have on other groups to which I belong) to look for books that I may not have heard about but are listed as genre books that I might be interested in reading. In this fashion I have discovered many books that I might not have known about. "
Hmmmm. I found the genre page more useful for that since it had sections for:
-- New releases (overall and previously read authors)
-- Most read this week
-- Lists
-- Popular books
But, again, it would be nice to do the various sorts and filters on those sections. Ah, well.
Randy wrote: "I like those as well, but that has nothing to do with the Group Bookshelf...."Actually, it does. If the book is set to "currently reading", then the image appears on the Group's Homepage.
Anyway, moot point now. Elizabeth fixed the boo boo.
I never even knew we had a Group bookshelf, huh.
Today there seems to be a couple of changes that occurred on this really cool site:
1. The bookshelf was frozen so that only the moderators could add books to the Group bookshelf.
2. The group type was switched from "open", where anyone could join the group, to "private", where new members have to be invited or approved by a moderator.
Now, I'm not sure if anyone else has issues with these changes, but I do. I'd like to think that we are all open to comments, suggestions, and improvements, and we have a good dialogue going on.
Freezing the bookshelf to "mods only" is excessively dictatorial, in my opinion. I would like to see what other books other members contribute to the zombie bookshelf. There are currently almost 500 books in the bookshelf, many of them contributed by authors as they release a new book or by fans of zombie literature who are sharing their favs. And as we've started BOTM or Buddy Reads, I've added these books to the shelf because I like to see the graphic displayed on the the group's homepage.
Now, I'm not sure why the mods have frozen this feature, but I am publicly asking them to "unfreeze" it, or at least post their reasoning here.
On the second issue, I would also ask for a public discussion as to why this group should become "private" invite or mod approval. Yes, there have been issues with potentially "fake accounts", but I will put out there that this is a pretty common occurrence with many website, particularly retail websites and scammers writing fake reviews to bolster sales for products. Limiting membership to a reading group to curtail "fake account" activity, if this is truly the impetus behind the change, is like cutting off your hand because you have a hang nail. Much better to save the hand and use a good pair of cuticle scissors instead.
I post this as a way to open some real dialogue and discussion on any significant changes that are made to the group's settings. I do not think it fair or respectful to the many group members, some of whom have been on this group for years and probably find much amusement in the postings of us later members (I include myself as a newbie).
Respectfully,
Me