I do hope he returns, as he often adds fun, in one form or another, to the day.
I used to mod a forum and know the issues, and know a light hand is better than a heavy hand in this.
I left a model railway forum which was a moderator dictatorship. Many newbie questions were bluntly told to search for threads many years old. Anyone disagreeing with a moderator's post on a topic were told to shut up, and I'm not referring to any kind of challenge to a moderation event.
I left after I asked about posting photos and was very rudely directed to the same very unclear instructions I'd quoted in my question. I then asked if there was a dark option after an update in the forum made everything a bright [and for me, migraine inducing] white and was told I was a trouble maker. Two requests and two loads of manure, I left!