How could I become forum staff?

[Tipped OuT]

Hi, I'm just wondering what's the requirements to become a "forum staff member". I know I'm far from deserving that, but I would like to know, so I could possibly work my way up there. :P

[gn2]

I think you just need to be asked.

[swoll1980]

Hi, I'm just wondering what's the requirements to become a "forum staff member". I know I'm far from deserving that, but I would like to know, so I could possibly work my way up there. :P

Why would you think you don't deserve it? It's moderating a forum, not a Nobel Prize

[mips]

Keep your nose clean and help out. Becoming staff is by invitation only.

[Tipped OuT]

Why would you think you don't deserve it? It's moderating a forum, not leading a nation.
Well cause I haven't been here for a long time, not fare to the people you have +1000 posts in helping people, like you.

[mips]

Why would you think you don't deserve it? It's moderating a forum, not leading a nation.

Sometimes I think the latter would be easier :biggrin:

[wieman01]

One of the criteria seems to be not to ask for it. You'll be asked when the time comes and you are ready for it.

[NCLI]

At least world leaders have people to help and protect them, forum mods are just screwed and completely on their own.

[swoll1980]

Well cause I haven't been here for a long time, not fare to the people you have +1000 posts in helping people, like you.

I don't think the staff here likes me very much. Besides I'm sure you would be a better mod than me.

[benj1]

you get offered a blue pill or a red pill

[Tipped OuT]

At least world leaders have people to help and protect them, forum mods are just screwed and completely on their own.

Lol. True. You screw up, you screw up. :P

[swoll1980]

One of the criteria seems to be not to ask for it. You'll be asked when the time comes and you are ready for it.

That's a ridiculous notion. If someone is well behaved, and has 5,000 post, and 3 years in, they would be disqualified from consideration because they asked? That seems pretty arrogant of you to say that.

[wieman01]

...

[pwnst*r]

starting a thread about it won't help your chances.

[wieman01]

That's a ridiculous notion. If someone is well behaved, and has 5,000 post, and 3 years in, they would be disqualified from consideration because they asked? That seems pretty arrogant of you to say that.
No, this does not quite reflect my opinion, but seems to be the trend in the forums community. I know a number of boards and it's the case in any of them. Correct if I am wrong.

[Tipped OuT]

starting a thread about it won't help your chances.

Just asking how dude. Relax. :lolflag:

[ddrichardson]

One of the criteria seems to be not to ask for it. You'll be asked when the time comes and you are ready for it.
Just playing devil's advocate here but you need to nominate (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership/RegionalBoards)yourself for Ubuntu membership and the process is transparent (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership), shouldn't the forums be the same? Are we not one community?

It would seem fair to the OP to let him in on what criteria he should aspire to if becoming forum staff is his goal.

[pwnst*r]

Just asking how dude. Relax. :lolflag:

lol

[wieman01]

Just playing devil's advocate here but you need to nominate (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership/RegionalBoards)yourself for Ubuntu membership and the process is transparent (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership), shouldn't the forums be the same? Are we not one community?

It would seem fair to the OP to let him in on what criteria he should aspire to if becoming forum staff is his goal.
Frankly Ubuntu membership and forums membership aren't quite the same. The FC decides who will be nominated and who won't. Believe it or not, but this isn't a very democratic process. The founding fathers of the forum never intended it to be.

You have a point there, but life just isn't always fair.

[gn2]

Just playing devil's advocate here but you need to nominate (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership/RegionalBoards)yourself for Ubuntu membership and the process is transparent (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Membership), shouldn't the forums be the same?

Depends on whether the community pays for the hosting.
Whoever pays for the hosting decides on how the site is run and it looks like that's Canonical (http://www.whois-search.com/whois/ubuntuforums.org), not the community.

[ddrichardson]

Frankly Ubuntu membership and forums membership aren't quite the same. The FC decides who will be nominated and who won't. Believe it or not, but this isn't a very democratic process. The founding fathers of the forum never intended it to be.

You have a point there, but live just isn't always fair.
They are indeed different but the point is that they are both community positions that people can aspire to.

Like I said, playing devil's advocate but one might argue that that's in contradiction to the Ubuntu Code of Conduct which the "founding fathers" did intend - "be collaborative", which asks that work is done transparently and while not development I'm sure you'd agree that it's a valuable resource to the community and hard work on the forum staff's part; and certainly "When you are unsure, ask for help" - as the OP is asking for your help, then again I can't argue you've given him the answer.

Just devil's advocate - discussion is always so much more entertaining then argument.

[Therion]

I've moderated/admin'ed on some forums in the past.

IMO, it is a job that 98% of people would not want, and of the 2% that are (moderating), 50% shouldn't be.

[wieman01]

They are indeed different but the point is that they are both community positions that people can aspire to.

Like I said, playing devil's advocate but one might argue that that's in contradiction to the Ubuntu Code of Conduct which the "founding fathers" did intend - "be collaborative", which asks that work is done transparently and while not development I'm sure you'd agree that it's a valuable resource to the community and hard work on the forum staff's part; and certainly "When you are unsure, ask for help" - as the OP is asking for your help, then again I can't argue you've given him the answer.

Just devil's advocate - discussion is always so much more entertaining then argument.
:-)

To answer the OP's question: Try to be helpful, be polite, build up credibility and a good track record. Do some networking and get to know people. If you do so, I am sure I'll see you in the "staff corner" one day.

[the8thstar]

As the saying goes: "With great power comes great responsibility." I trust the forum staff to be wise enough in their choice, which I'm sure they see for the long term.

[forrestcupp]

I've been around a while, and I've seen quite a few people ask this question. If I remember correctly, most of the people who asked were fairly new. I may be wrong, but I don't remember any of the people who asked ending up as staff.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong; I'm just saying what I've seen.



To answer the OP's question: Try to be helpful, be polite, build up credibility and a good track record. Do some networking and get to know people. If you do so, I am sure I'll see you in the "staff corner" one day.

Do what wieman01 said, and also don't keep asking. If you annoy the powers that be, that won't make them want to work closer with you.

[ddrichardson]

Depends on whether the community pays for the hosting.
Whoever pays for the hosting decides on how the site is run and it looks like that's Canonical (http://www.whois-search.com/whois/ubuntuforums.org), not the community.
Canonical also pays for help.ubuntu.com, the team maintaining that has a transparent process for application and indeed a system to support training new members.