Farewell Threads - Good or Bad?

[rogerd]

In another thread here, the subject of "farewell threads" came up. These are typically either started by a departing member or by a friend of the departing member, and meant for final goodbye comments. What's your opinion on these? In one sense, they can be a healthy and positive way to recognize the contributions of a long-term member. If the member is departing because of disagreements on community policy, issues with other members, etc., though, these threads can create more strife.

Do you permit them? Or allow some and not others?

[Demaestro]

I say it is pretty subjective and really comes down to specific situations.

For example someone passes.... it would seems appropriate to allow it.

If it is someone who has been removed for multiple violations of TOS or what have you then I might let it depending on it's overall mood.

This is why you want good level headed mods who can make this decision on a case by case basis. There are too many different possible scenarios to cover that one blanket answer to this question wouldn't apply to all cases.

[netchicken1]

Bad...

The first few may be innocent, but once the precedent is set then if a disgrunteled member leaves he stirs up trouble with it. You will look bad trying to shut it down. Its like giving someone a stick of dynamite and waiting for the match.

[pageoneresults]

I say it is pretty subjective and really comes down to specific situations.

I'll mirror that comment.

I see nothing wrong with a long time member saying their good-byes. They've earned the respect to do that.

But, if it is on a sour note, I'd have to take premptive measures to make sure it didn't drag the community down. I'd most likly nip it in the bud early and "Egg It" as they say. No need to bring the community into issues such as that.

And again, this will all depend on the specific situation. I think it needs to be on a case by case basis with some basic guidelines in place. You know, the absolute do's and dont's. ;)

[rogerd]

>>For example someone passes

I guess that would be difficult to argue with, unless a TOS violation was somehow involved in the member's demise. :) I guess that would be a "Final Farewell" thread.

I've found the majority of "farewellers" return within a few months, though I suppose that would be unlikely in the scenario suggested by Demaestro.

[MThiessen]

If the member is departing because of disagreements on community policy

This is a VERY negative thing for a board, but censoring it out be deleting it might be worse PR.

A board is discussion, and CENSORED discussion is a very negative thing. Everyone seems to dislike it, the original poster, the viewer who wonders "what's all the fuss about", etc etc.

Some things should be censored no doubt. But that list of what should be censored should be *very* small.

People *will* talk whether you want them too or not, if done too often too extensively, your core may even wander off to start their own board...

Food for thought?

[rogerd]

That's really the tradeoff... but I think if the TOS is clear (e.g., specifying that discussion of moderation takes place only by PM or email), then nuking a thread full of rants about moderation will be acceptable to most members. In general, if you set expectations in advance and follow your own rules, you'll have fewer problems.