Punisher_6D said:
Most other forums I frequent the mods don't comment at all. Here, they are usually part of most threads. My 2 cents.
I am an online participant in two military forums (Army.ca and SOCNET) - both are very well run (the professionalism shown on SOCNET is on a par with army.ca, the mods are, perhaps more impatient and severe with "newbies" there than here). On both of these, the mods participate in the discussions.
I am also a participant on three woodworking forums (Sawmill Creek, Woodnet, and Fine Woodworking). The first two are volunteer type boards, much like army.ca, and the level of discourse is professional, polite, and intelligent, if at times heated - the mods there ALSO participate. Fine Woodworking is a COMMERCIAL site, designed to push people to Taunton Press publications, it is a fine forum, but it doesn't hide its' commercial nature - the mods there do NOT participate (I assume they are employed as moderators/website managers by the website owner).
I have only briefly perused other forums (including Globe and Mail "comments" sections) - I find them cluttered by ignorant, disrespectful, obnoxious, and generally ill-informed idiots.
My experience (as limited as it may be) indicates that most
non-commercial boards worth participating in include the mods in the discussions. This is, in my opinion, a worthwhile endeavour as usually those who are interested enough to volunteer to moderate, are
also knowledgeable enough to offer insightful and valid discussion (whether that discussion is woodworking or military in nature).
I'd be interested to know which non-commercial forums you participate in that show such a level of professional conduct as those five I've mentioned above, and DO NOT allow their moderators to participate.