Super User's broad scope overlaps with several other Stack Exchange sites, including but not limited to Ask Different, Ubuntu, Server Fault, Unix & Linux, Software Recs, and others. How do you intend to handle issues of scope overlap? How would you handle a flag suggesting that a question about OS X be migrated to Apple.SE, or a question about bash migrated to U&L?
If the question posted is off topic completely (i.e. software recommendation only, dealing with mobile phones not connecting to a computer, etc), then it should be reviewed for its quality, then migrated if it looks good. We don't like crap coming in, so we shouldn't send crap out. For those that are on topic on both sites, I would leave it here, unless the OP requests a migration due to not having answers here. Yes, we are Super Users, but we can't answer everything as well as specific professionals in certain other sites; I know I can't.
Stack Exchange has established quite a few norms over the last years, which dictate the default action to be taken in several situations. After a few weeks of moderating, you find yourself in strong disagreement with one of these policies. Would you take different actions and deviate from the norm based on your personal assessment of the situation, or would you follow the established rules in order to keep the moderation coherent? If you thought a policy needed changing, how would you approach that?
Well, the great thing about being a mod on another site (Freelancing) is that there are specific rules and protocols to follow. I like having what I need laid out, in black and white. For the grey areas, that's where the Meta is for. On FL, we had made many rule changes based on what the community wanted, and thought would attract more and more professionals. It's not as large as Super User, but it's still in its beta, and growing more and more.
Super User is a community of people, and often people disagree (whether on the topicality of the question, correctness of an answer, etc). While many users discuss things civilly, some don't. What is your approach on handling arguments that get out of hand, or are distracting from the original topic?
Does it help the question? No? Fine, get rid of it. We are not here for personal squabbles in the questions. Save it for chat, or out of the SE network. If I had issues with a user, and I am not a moderator yet, Chat is the best place to discuss it, even if it's in a private room. As a Mod, I know there are other ways to discuss it, but they are only used for the most extreme of purposes.
If the information is being challenged as factual, and the person challenging says it's incorrect without offering any improvement, I would ask for them to cite a quality source (i.e. Microsoft, Apple, etc) before taking further action. Again, not everyone knows everything, but I like knowing I can back up almost all of my answers with sources, if required. Typically, I have in the past, and I don't see any reason why asking for a source to cite on certain issues would be wrong.
A diamond will be attached to everything you say and have said in the past, including questions, answers and comments. Everything you will do will be seen under a different light. How do you feel about that?
I will not really change my posting habits. I have a diamond on another site, and people still treat me as a regular user, in regards to voting. I understand there are many users on this site with more reputation than I, but I'm not here for that. I'm here to try to make the site a better place.
Topicality (that is, whether a question is on-topic or off-topic for the site) is broadly described in the Help Center, but there are often questions that test the boundaries of the topicality guidelines, causing some users to disagree on the topicality of a question. Describe in a few sentences your personal view on the topicality rules of Super User, and how you might apply them as a moderator. You may cite other content on the network as a reference for your answer, but answer in your own words.
Well, let's take a specific example: software recommendations! Many issues we see here could be solved if only the perfect program was made for it! In fact, I used to support software recommendations in SU questions, and I argued on chat, tooth and nail, that they should be allowed! But, understanding how the SE model is, I can understand why it would decrease the value of the site as a whole. There were many lengthy Meta discussions about it, but the important part is that it involved the community (and SE staff). Does that mean the rule can't change in the future? Not necessarily, but understanding why is a big help for how the community shapes it.
When Windows 8 came out, SU ran a contest about it. But, we also know that Windows 8 can run on a Laptop (on topic), desktop (on topic), tablet (on topic now) and a phone (off topic). When it came out, the Meta post decided that the Surface Tablets (or other Windows 8 tablets) would be a wait-and-see, then it was decided that they would be allowed, especially if the issue was reproducible on a Desktop or Laptop. A perfect example of the community coming together to help shape the network.
How would you deal with a user who produced a steady stream of valuable answers, but tends to generate a large number of arguments/flags from comments?
Use the Superping. Essentially, call him into the Ask a Mod chat or a private chat room, and explain what we are seeing as issues, and how we would like for the behaviour to change. Can we change it that way? Possibly. But calling out a valuable user in Meta would probably not be the best. On FL, we had an issue dealing with spam flags, and some of the highest rep users were flagging, then editing (which invalidates the flags, and reset the 6-vote threshold for silently removing spam without a mod). I made a meta post (without calling anyone out) explaining that we loved people flagging actively, but explaining the process wasn't quite all there. I realize this isn't the exact question being asked, but I feel it relates to how I would actually do it.
How would you handle a situation where another mod closed/deleted/etc a question that you feel shouldn't have been?
There is a mod chat room - Use it. I feel I can trust the current mods on here, as I have for many years. If they felt something needed to be closed, they would have found the reason and made the call. If I feel strongly about it, just talk in private. If the closed question (which can still be commented on) has lots of feedback explaining why it should be reopened, I will ask the commenters (commentors? Sheesh, that isn't in my dictionary either!) to either make the post acceptable (through editing) and letting the community decide; or I will tell them to make a Meta post. Community involvement is what I'm after here... And learning how to spell commenters.
What will you do to breathe life back into my the Super User Blog?
I'm not going to lie: I don't write for the SU blog. I would love to see it active again, but even seeing my own blog (link in profile, if you're curious), you will see I'm more about words, not necessarily pictures. The current posts we have in the blog are great, and I wish it could continue. I just don't feel I have much value to add to that one, while trying to get mine started.
Now, as a personal idea, I would love to hold a contest for some new blog writers, and possibly even ask SE for some swag to send out to some of the better posters, and then get the entries posted. If there is regular activity, I could see more and more people visiting it, and wanting to be a part of it.
A user takes major offense at content in another user's profile (e.g. about me text, or avatar) and repeatedly flags posts by that other user within a few hours, demanding that you remove the offending content from the profile. You look at the user profile, and it doesn't appear to be against the rules. Neither user is available in chat. What do you do?
Well, to be honest, people can find anything offensive. Religion, politics, dirty jokes, nudity, etc. But are we the moral police? I don't believe so. However, if the material is obviously offensive, and trying to be offensive, then there would probably be no reason to not take action. If it is just the flagger's personal views, and it seems harmless (i.e. I see the picture in everyday life), then I would likely just ignore it. If it's borderline, I would confer with the other, more seasoned mods. Barring that, create a meta post, and find out if other people can possibly find it offensive.
What is your current approach, overall, to handling new users when they come into the site and appear not to understand our rules/customs/guidelines? If you became a diamond moderator, how would that approach change, if at all? For the purposes of this question, you may assume that the new user is not posting something worthy of the "Spam" or "Offensive" flags; that would make the question too easy to answer ;) Instead, just imagine that the new user has posted an answer with quality problems, or asked a question in an "Answer" post, or asked a question that has been asked many times before and is widely duplicated -- something along those lines. Pick an example and explain how you deal with it.
As I currently do, I use a userscript that inserts various comments auto-magically for me. The comments explain that the information they provided does not belong in an answer, and explains where to find the information in the Help Center. I also know of tags like [edit] or [help] for posting into comments. If the information is correct, there should be no reason to delete it. If it's very low quality, to the point it's garbage, I would add a comment for them. Simple stuff! We have rules and help pages that explain exactly what should and should not appear here, so it's just a matter of getting them to read and understand it.
