My problem with the admin account is that there isn't a faceless omnipotent admin. There are official statements presented by one of a very faceful group of mortals. I don't think that should disappear.

Couple of options. If we use 'admin', we could sign the post to indicate just who is wearing the armor. Or I suppose we could set up some avatars, sort of like the e-mail names, i.e. Big Stompy Foot (DX) or Big Stompy Foot (ita).

I don't think a face needs to disappear. But there *is* a difference, maybe only in my head, between a post with the admin login at the top saying, you're offending us and please cut it out and a post with just some random user's name at the top saying that. I understand the actual wording of the warning would make it clear it's official, but ISTM that it's double-extra clear if it's from the admin account and reads something like, "This is Whoever, speaking for the stompies. You're offending us, please cut it out."

Not a huge deal, just a random thought. If it doesn't make sense, perhaps we could post a list of Stompies somewhere? It just seems more sunshiny and friendly that way, and it would make it clearer to new people who has those powers.

Edit: Or, what DX suggested.

I think stompy announcements should be announced in specific HTML, like the H1 tag or something. Is there something from the stylesheet that's sufficiently outstanding-looking?

People almost never post in colour, unless they're being frivolous, though one poster does it for quoting people, which I find distracting.

An official announcement is always bold and in red, something like that?

We should definitely have a list somewhere. On the etiquette pages.

My feeling about the admin login is that it makes us look like we have more power than we do. Than we should.

If it doesn't make sense, perhaps we could post a list of Stompies somewhere?

Actually, there's a list at the top of this thread. Course, you only see it on the first page of posts. Maybe it should be in the FAQ.

I'm seeing both sides of it.

One hand, faceless stompies is sort of like the appearance of the hooded executioner.

Other hand, hooded executioner would certainly get your attention.

I think it would help if Serious Stomping had its own sort of distinctive format to make it clear that it wasn't just an in-thread objection.

wrod, ita.

My feeling about the admin login is that it makes us look like we have more power than we do. Than we should.

I can see that, but isn't the point of an official warning to be official? I think that as long as whoever does it signs the warning, it would be an acceptable use of the ID. The problem I foresee is that if a troll or even a clueless newbie is causing trouble, then they probably haven't read any of the FAQ and etiquette stuff anyway, and won't know that John or ita or Jon or the rest of us are admins.

I think the "official posts are bold and in red" thing would work, especially if it were announced in the FAQ or etiquette along with a list of Stompies.

My feeling about the admin login is that it makes us look like we have more power than we do. Than we should.

I totally understand the feeling, but my reaction to this is that you would have exactly the power you would be claiming to have -- to act in the board's interests, and provide official warnings on etiquette violations. It's not like admin post = martial law or word of Joss, or anything.