All, I know on the subject at hand.

by Charles, Wednesday, February 25, 2015, 10:27 (3564 days ago) @ anachronism

In setting up a new board, here is what I can contribute to the subject.

1. Keep religion and politics out. Nothing will set people against each other quicker than those two subject.

2. Invite a core of level headed people to join and form the nucleus.

3. Set an upper limit on the number of members and stick with that. Once the limit is reached, new folks will have to stand in line until an opening appears. Set up some system like many clubs use, if you don't post anything in six months or a year your membership is deleted to make room for somebody who will.

4. The original board was unmoderated and that is how they wanted it. I would try and operate with a statement of principals and boundaries and not have a moderator until and unless the members felt the need.

5. There should be no "owner" of the board. Costs should be shared by all. More than anything else the concept of "we are in the owners house and he makes the rules" has been the death of the Cast Boolit board.

6. Ban the use of the word "boolit".

When boards become large, then they start to be money making deals. Companies buy ads, and folks selling stuff pay for the privilege. The cast boolit board has become a business for the owner and therein is found many of the problems. Bigness invites profit for the owner. Two things to avoid.