So, you're worried that they'll take offense from being disciplined, or moderated in any way? You should just let them leave, keep coming up with engaging content, and advertise. You'll be able to make that member back. Well, not them specifically, but they will have been "made up" for.
If you don't want have them leave the forum but want to stop it, PM them saying to stop. If not, there is nothing else you can do.
Setup a warning system(MyBB has it..) and give them warnings, if they reach 50% they're limited(can't post) then 100%(banned)
(2012-04-03, 10:37 PM)Maj Wrote: [ -> ]Even if you just delete their posts, they may take offense and leave the forum.
But it's better than your option of banning. It's better that they leave in a huff than you booting them out. They'll come back when they realise they should of respected your forum rules.
(2012-04-03, 10:23 PM)Maj Wrote: [ -> ]When you have large community you can do what you want. Ban, etc...
But if you have 10 users, every lost user can ruin your forum...
So you cant just kick them out even if you think they are not right.
Then just speak to them... be verbal. Not all Administrators need to constantly outlet that professional robot responses. Be yourself, get to know them and tell them to stop via PM's, or simply keep removing their posts. If a user stays because he can do as he wants, he's not a user you should want to keep. If deleting his/her posts makes him/her leave then good riddance.
If banning them or taking a moderation action makes them leave, oh well. You will attract more users when there is no arguing between the 20% of users you have (2 of your 10).
I read Managing Online Forums by Patrick O'Keefe. This guy is a genius and its an awesome book.
So... what he says about moderation?
O.K. As I understand, admin must:
1. PM them and tell to stop.
2. Delete their posts.
For one thing, remove the ability of members to give negative reputation points.
And what others said.
Just have a clean set of rules, if people find repetitive gaps, add new rules.
For example I have these
rules
No copying please
Pretty much covers me from everything, added the advertisement part some days ago as this guy kept spamming his site so I removed all links and reference to it from his profile as consequent.
But I added a rule to 'legitimize' my action sort of and not just being a apricot admin.
And about the whole users will leave part.
If they keep breaking rules and you give them consequences for that making them leave, you don't want them on your board in the first place !