GoSeigen wrote:How are users supposed to know that this is what the Mods are doing? Is a Mod fawning over a new user supposed to be a hint for everyone else??
They are not supposed to know (or not know). And, you'd need to ask the moderator in question but I suspect not.
GoSeigen wrote:And how long does this assessment of humanity take, are thirteen posts not enough?
It varies depending upon the responses. We have no hard and fast rules. It is also a bit of a judgement call, which would be bad if we got wrong.
GoSeigen wrote:And why would a mod direct such a new user
to a discussion board where he/she/it has already started two new threads?
Perhaps because the mod was just trying to be helpful without wasting his day scanning through a board on the off-chance the advice wasn't needed? But possibly also to elicit a response to better make the aforementioned judgement call?
GoSeigen wrote:I wouldn't want to get the impression that they are just making things up as they go along...
Heaven forbid, no. We've had years of training on how to differentiate between humans and AIs.