2015 Moderator Election

I was appointed pro tempore moderator here a year ago when Alex Chamberlain left. Since then, I feel I've done a good job protecting and nurturing the site, albeit sometimes in ways people may have found controversial. I see us as part of a larger ecosystem, and like any ecosystem there is a delicate balance moving from the micro to the macro.

Being someone who provides a lot of help is an important qualification, but being a moderator is not about answering questions. It is more often about deciding which questions can be asked. This helps to define the community and keep it sustainable. In this regard, I've communicated a fair and reasonable perspective, which is:

• Questions are the "demand" in a limited supply and demand economy.

• Cooperation is important in making the best use of a limited resource.

Stack Exchange allows people who do helpful work to play a role in how this supply and demand are regulated. Moderators are the most privileged representatives of this system. We are here to facilitate people getting help in an effective way, and doing this requires vision and commitment.

I would like to nominate myself to become an elected moderator. I have been an active member since the private beta stage (June 2012), and I have served as a pro-tem-mod since August of 2013. Over that time I have

• Maintained a high reputation currently 4th overall.
• Handled 1.3k flags more than any other moderator.
• Reviewed: 68 close votes, 253 first posts, 34 low quality posts, 60 late answers, suggested edits 613, 21 reopen votes.
• Cast > 2000 votes.
• Made 243 edits.
• I have actively participated in meta: 23 answers, 62 comments and 94 votes.

I feel a moderator needs to be a cop (keeping the peace), teacher, politician, and publicist. here are a few examples:

• Help a user see the bigger picture
• Draw users in, by suggesting they answer their own question.
• Take advantage of the teachable moment

I would like to nominate myself to become an elected moderator. I joined RPi.SE in September 2014 and have actively contributed ever since mainly by answering questions and the housekeeping work: editing (first to gain the Copy Editor badge), voting, reviewing, and flagging. Other than that I try to come up with some questions too, and participate in our chat room as well as meta. If I am not around SE, I play with my three Pis - all running Arch Linux - or support the "German Energiewende" (energy transition) in a non-profit association and a cooperative.

Some stats (though I hope that it is not about the numbers):

• Q/A: 5/120
• edits: >600
• votes: >850
• reviews: >2600
• flags: >300
• meta: 7 answers, 27 votes

Both in real life and on SE I believe in the power of the crowd and cooperation. Therefore it is my firm hope that a mod only has to step in in the rare cases where self-regulation fails.

It is my understanding that the community members define the goals and policies of the site together (e.g. in meta), with the mods aiding to focus and implementing it. As a moderator I would like to act as part of a team on behalf of and to the benefit of the community.

My name is Jacob, and I would like to nominate myself for our moderator election. I originally joined this site when I received my first RPi over two years ago. I've enjoyed watching the site grow, and helping it to move forward.

Currently, I'm a student studying Computer Systems Engineering (final year). I'm trying to improve my skills on the hardware side, but I'm primarily a software guy. So far, I've been an active editor and reviewer, and would like to take the step up to moderator.

Some basic stats:

• top 3% of users this year
• ~84,000 people reached
• 51 posts edited
• 92 helpful flags
• 831 votes cast
• 1,459 items reviewed

Edit to answer Jivings question:

I expect that a moderator needs to wear several hats. We get a lot of people who are not only new to the RPi, but also to computer science, electrical engineering, operating systems, and a several other related fields. Our moderators will need to balance being helpful and inviting, and maintaining the quality expectations that we've established for ourselves.

I also believe that our moderators will need to be active in the queues, and to continually guide the site as defined by the community.