Is there a forum moderator?

[Yammer]

The title says it all really.

It would be really helpful at times like this, when lots of people are having the same problem, or a new camera is as yet unsupported, that something is added to the forum Announcement box. Apparently, many people don't bother to read through the forum for similar issues, but they might take notice of the highlighted box at the top of the page.

Anyway, is there actually anyone who moderates here, or is it just the case that a staffer announces updates every few months?

[station_two]

You might have better luck if you post in the forums forum, Yammer.

The old timers like to call themselves forum hosts rather than 'moderators'.

[John Waller]

Moved from Camera Raw forum.

[Yammer]

Well, hang on a minute.

My post was just moved to another forum by a Mr John Waller. Presumably, John Waller has the power, and deemed it necessary, to move this post. So that sort of answers the question—only it doesn't!

So, John, are you a "moderator" of the Camera Raw forum, and/or are you able to update the Announcements box? Are there more of you? How did you know to move my post?

[station_two]

Yes, there are more Adobe MVPs, not just John Waller.

[John Waller]

I moved your post because the question was more appropriate for the Forum Comments forum and is more likely to be seen by someone who can do something about your request in this forum.

So, John, are you a "moderator" of the Camera Raw forum, and/or are you able to update the Announcements box? Are there more of you? How did you know to move my post?

No, I'm afraid I'm not able to update the Announcements box but there are people in this forum who can (or know someone who can).

There are lots of MVPs and moderators. Many visit here regularly and can consider your request.

[Yammer]

John Waller wrote:

I moved your post because the question was more appropriate for the Forum Comments forum and is more likely to be seen by someone who can do something about your request in this forum.

So, John, are you a "moderator" of the Camera Raw forum, and/or are you able to update the Announcements box? Are there more of you? How did you know to move my post?

No, I'm afraid I'm not able to update the Announcements box but there are people in this forum who can (or know someone who can).

There are lots of MVPs and moderators. Many visit here regularly and can consider your request.

Although I have spent many hours on Adobe forums, they have been almost exclusively in the relative backwaters of the Camera Raw and Bridge forums. Consequently, I have no idea what an MVP actually is (other than they have some sort of elevated status), and I make no apology for not learning the jargon.

Having used internet forums (I use the term generally) since the early 90s, I have found that some are (1) inhabited by moderators, (2) some are not, and (3) some are moderated infrequently. By posting in the Camera Raw forum itself, the test was to see if a Camera Raw forum moderator answered—if one existed—therefore, the lack of an answer would also be an answer. Do you see my logic?

So now I have to wait and see if someone who moderates the Camera Raw forum will come to this different forum? I think I'll just assume answer 3.

My question to that person(s), if they ever find this is:

When punters arrive at the Camera Raw forum, usually with a "when will my camera be supported?" or "what is this new bug" question, which has already been answered 10 times, would it be possible to add a short note/link to the Announcements box to address these repetitive questions, and save us all having to repeat the same answers, please?

[John Waller]

Consequently, I have no idea what an MVP actually is

Help is a Conversation: The Adobe Forum MVP Program « Adobe Creative Cloud

[Yammer]

John Waller wrote:

Consequently, I have no idea what an MVP actually is

Help is a Conversation: The Adobe Forum MVP Program « Adobe Creative Cloud

So an MVP is a user with brownie points and some forum privileges. Doesn't really help with the original problem though.

[Dave Merchant · Accepted solution]

To answer the original question:

Yes, we have several hundred moderators on the site - a mixture of Adobe employees and community volunteers. All moderators are either MVPs or Staff, but not all MVPs and Staff are moderators. We don't identify moderators by a special badge.

Moderators can perform actions on the posted content in the areas of the site they have a responsibility for (they can edit and move posts, lock topics, delete spam, etc.) but they cannot change the 'Overview' pages for a product space or post system announcements. That's the job of Community Administrators, and there are only a few of us. Except for emergency messages, all the product-related announcements are created by the Adobe Product Teams (PT), and it's entirely up to each PT as to what they choose to announce, or not. Since only one announcement is visible on the banner at a time, having too many means that most people miss out on seeing the important ones. Instead, each product space is encouraged to add links on the Overview page to FAQs, HELPX documents and Adobe Blogs, however keeping these updated is again the responsibility of each PT. Some are busy doing other things - like fixing the bugs!

[Yammer]

Thanks for the explanation, Dave.

So, basically, it sounds like we're stuck with things as they are. Jive is a bloody awful platform; it's slow and unintuitive, gets worse with every update, and, it seems, there seems to be no facility to pin common faults to the top as they arise, nor anyone who would implement this if there was.

Using the forums feels like wading through treacle, and it's especially frustrating when you know that users could help themselves if things were set up better.

I've been a regular on a couple of Adobe forums for 7 years. I've stopped using the Bridge forum for reasons outlined above, and I'm starting to feel the same way about the Camera Raw forum. It's just not worth the effort any more.

[RickCP]

mytaxsite.co.uk said on Sept. 01, 2012:

"These forums are to resolve any problems the customers might have with various Adobe products. Apart from this, I agree, these forums are not pleasing to the eyes for somebody who wants to spend whole day and night browsing the different threads that are posted here almost every minute".

"About the Forums Redesign" (Archived 2012) Is this Discussion replaced somewhere?

[station_two]

Yammer wrote:

Using the forums feels like wading through treacle…

Yammer,

I fully agree—now that I know what 'treacle' means. 

1 British term for molasses.

2 cloying sentimentality or flattery:treacly |ˈtrēk(ə)lē | adjective