Thursday, October 9, 2008

MoraChat - Why I don't recommend it

I joined MoraChat in late August. It's a discussion forum. You can post topics for discussion or you can reply to other people's discussions. It's interesting because you can see different people's points of views on things, get opinions on how to handle situations, post your own opinions, etc. It's also a site that pays you for your posts.

But the site Admin is a nightmare. The Admin and moderators observe one set of rules for themselves that is different than the ones that they enforce with other people. A specific example is short posts. I was notified that my posts were too short (specifically that one and two word responses were not allowed) and would be deleted. Yet at least one of the moderators consistently posts short responses.

After the PM that notified me that my posts were being deleted, I made an effort to write longer, more meaningful responses. So I was quite surprised to get another PM stating that I had been notified by PM "several times" regarding useless short posts. For one thing, I had been notified ONE time that I should not post one or two word posts. The posts that were quoted in this particular PM were one to two sentences long. I was also accused of being childish and having a bad attitude, among other things.

Well, the one positive thing I can say about this is that at least the site does issue warnings. The other forum that I am on does not. They merely delete posts that are in violation, often leaving the user to scratch their head and wonder why. But I have to say that I have never seen such an unprofessional and rude message. A warning to a user should simply state:

1. The rule
2. The violation
3. What needs to be improved
4. Consequences for non compliance

This one did that and if it had left it at that, I would have no problem whatsoever. But I object to the person telling me what I think, what my opinions are, describing my attitude towards the forum, etc. Especially in a rude and insulting manner and especially if the person is wrong.

I responded to the PM. Apparently that was my big mistake, thinking that the owner of a chat forum was capable of tolerating differences of opinion. You see I agreed with him about two of the three posts that were deleted and stated that I would make an effort to write longer and more meaningful posts. But I also disputed a number of his points, and that was what he apparently couldn't tolerate. He was expecting me to humbly apologize for violating the site rules (albeit unknowingly), promise to do better in the future and leave it at that.

One thing that I had said that he disagreed with was that the site's users were its customers. And that warnings should be given in a professional, businesslike and respectful manner, because people didn't appreciate being treated the way that he was treating me. His response was that I was wrong. The site's advertisers were the customers, not the users. How wrong can you be? If you scare all of your users away using these sorts of tactics, who is going to be there on the site to click on the ads? Apparently only the site Admin and the moderators.

At any rate, the consequences for my disagreement were that I was banned from the site. The ironic thing is that a lot of people have already left due to run ins with the site Admin and/or the moderators. Good luck MoraChat, I really don't think you are going to make it!

5 comments:

LeoCW said...

I don't know you will treated so badly in Morachat. It works out all right for me so far. I am interested to know why must you post a one or two words postings. Many paying sites won't tolerate this sort of approach in their forums.

Anyway, why don't you try emf? Maybe you can make some money from them?

Duwana said...

But I did lengthen my posts. The warning that I received cited posts that were one and two sentences. And I would have been willing to do better even than that, but like I said the Admin banned me before I had the opportunity. If I thought I had a chance of getting my account reinstated I would get back on and ask, but I don't believe that will happen.

Anonymous said...

With my case, I've left that site also. It's a long story but perhaps they dont know what's the difference between "explanation" and argument!

Also, it's biased there. Admin protects someone even if he knows that person is the one who started. All I can say is that I never thought someone whom I thought who is nice is actually a MONSTER.

Anonymous said...

chris is a joke
i tried to rejoin the other night but he wasnt having any of it!!
regards
jimbo45

Rod Smith said...

Thank you Dawn and everyone for your comments... I was thinking about joining but have now reconsidered... Rod Smith