The wording of replies has....

[Marcia M]

I agree with Natasa. I was once PM'd by someone asking how to find work. I'm pretty sure it was because my photo, with the words "Community Guru" was on display. I don't work for oDesk and take no responsibility for what happens to other members. If oDesk wants to post photos on the forum and give important titles, do that with the mods.

[Dianne M]

I've had some members sending me PMs about their account suspension and asking me to reverse it...maybe because they see the label community guru plastered under my name so they think I'm working for oDesk. It's why I added a forum signature stating I'm just a forum contributor.

[Ronald T]

The wording of replies also has a lot to do with how members perceive the officiality of the replies. Combined with oDesk's assigned titles like "Community Leader," "Community Guru," and others, authors of posts often use simple terms like "we," which gives the impression that "we" [we? oDesk?] have done this, done that....

Another form of reply that could mislead members are those that include phrases commonly used by oDesk support since oDesk started using remote contractors as support agents e.g., phrases similar to I am sorry to hear...sorry for the inconvenience..., etc.

[Manish A]

"authors of posts often use simple terms like "we," which gives the impression that "we" [we? oDesk?] have done this, done that...."

Can you please figure out those authors using “we” (except “Community Manager” ”Moderator”).

"Another form of reply that could mislead members are those that include phrases commonly used by oDesk support since oDesk started using remote contractors as support agents e.g., phrases similar to I am sorry to hear...sorry for the inconvenience..., etc."

Please also figure out those regretting upon the issue.(except “Community Manager” ”Moderator”).

We (representing to community members) are here as volunteers to help our co-workers, and shall I assume anyone playing with me shall be chargeable to write this.

Being a part of this community I have tried to get my co-workers awared of what they need to know. Nothing personal, depends on thinking.

[Natasa M]

Lol! :

If you are referring to my reply "I actually wish that we have just... " I used plural because I was referring to everybody who has any title, mostly because your question was about everybody-not just me personally.

I really don't intend to change my wording (and anyway, I think this was my only post where I used we -I am an individualist and fierce one, at that! ) If I feel empathetic, I definitely won't withhold my support because you perceive it as inadequate.Sometimes it means a world when somebody writes:"I understand how you fell," even if it is a complete stranger. Also kudos to Dianne and Stephen for writing that they are just members in their signature, but I assume that here are intelligent people (maybe I shouldn't assume that though?)  I don't  really think this is an issue, and we didn't ask for that titles at the first place as Stephen said. Yes, I 'd prefer not to have a title (to clarify) but there are more essential things than that. 

[Stephen B]

@Ronald

With respect you post a lot of questions of forum users with titles imposed on them, and when they answer you get all paranoid because they use the word "we" occasionally. It's a forum, and if any of us (oops, mask slipped...) were so insular and self-obsessed as to never use the word "we", then we probably wouldn't be on the forums (or would just be stalkers).

All I would suggest is that you keep posting, and then one day you'll be promoted from a mere power member to who knows what?

Would oDesk really choose to secretly employ a load of users to nag and whinge and complain about and pull holes in everything oDesk is doing? (Well, then again, I wouldn't put it past them as they obviously haven't got the best procurement skills)

So, with the utmost respect to anyone who is uncomfortable with these names...

none of us want them, none of us asked for them...but hey, there's a lot worse going on around here to worry about...

[Dianne M]

This is funny Ronald,

Everyone with elementary comprehension and who has the ability to read can see that just because someone has the title guru doesn't mean that he or she works for oDesk (obviously many don't have that and shouldn't be freelancing, I posted about this the other day).

I'm very careful with my wording when I my post, using 'we' and 'us' is almost always followed with (clients and freelancers) or (members of the platform) or (forumers); but you see, some people simply do not have the comprehension skills to register that. 

Would paid employee rant or add an anecdote about their own experience? I guess not.

Here's another thing: Would a paid oDesk staff answer something so thoroughly and with personality?

Haha! We all know most of the suport staff types like robots and simply copy pastes things.

Anyway...I posted a related thread about this and also made sure my forum signature clarifies I'm not a paid minion haha. If people would read my posts, there is always some degree of sassiness to it, example "I'm sorry you've experienced it. I see that you've been a member for 4 years. I think it's about time that you read about about the site ____ and ______ so you don't have to ask this again"

I'm pretty sure the platform's staff don't have that sass!

[Ronald T]

"We" initiated some controversy...LOL....

No offense intended.... I [we] had only seen a few posts whereby I [we] believe members either intentionally or inadvertently emphasized their position [role] here in the Community. The wording of the posts combined with the assigned Community Roles could have been easily misinterpreted as officially from oDesk.

We gotta go now! Have a great day!

Edited 01/08/2015 RT/lwm