I own an IPB board too

[Genma Saotome]

My own IPB Board is www.elvastower.com (railroad simulators).  I use an older version of the IPB software (one of these days I'll go to version 4). I've managed my board since 2006 and was an Admin on it for 3 years before that.  Some thoughts for you:

• Set up a forum where only the DEV's can create a topic but anyone can reply.  Use it for the DEV's to ask what people think about idea a, b, or c.  Because only DEV's can create a basenote you have complete control over the topics.  Everybody will know topics came only from the DEV's.
• When you post a decision about something (or an update to a decision, lock the thread.  Ask people to start new threads in response.  It will make DEV's posts MUCH more visible to board members.
• When DEV's post something in a thread created by members do something with the font used so it really jumps out -- Bright blue or dark red lettering for example. Prefix the post with a bold <<ADMIN COMMENT>>, same color.  Doing so makes a DEV post immediately obvious to everyone.
• When a DEV finds the need to edit/censor/delete a post I strongly recommend you ALWAYS provide a clear explanation of what was wrong, what you did, and why you felt it necessary to do whatever it was you did.  Use that special color.  IOW don't just delete a post, or a thread... blank 'em all out if necessary but leave the posts there with your explanation.  The reason this works is you know people will go looking for replies to their post.  If the thread is gone they'll speculate about why it was removed... or just think the worse of you for doing it  They deserve an explanation.  In short, you are more likely to get some respect if you show some respect, even with the a$$holes who post here.
• When you want a thread to close, for whatever reason, post a "this has become abusive message", or whatever the problem is and then tell them no more about whatever it was that started the fire but if people really feel the need to post their last word on the matter they may -- one post per person only, no replies to any of them -- and leave the thread open.  In my 14 years I've probably locked only one or 2 threads.  All the others where I intervened sputtered to and on their own.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Genma Saotome