Reply #14: Very wise. I approve 100% but have a question -

[seventhson]

Please move this to the "ask" forum if you prefer -- but it is YOUR topic.

First: Can we have a restatement of the rules with the changes?

Can you guys come up with a clean and clear definition of "FLAME WARS"?

One of the BIGGEST problems here is NOT necessarily the first post in the thread. Usually the FLAMING begins with inappropriate insults etc. (I know I have been guilty of it before in my exuberance) and the thread gets locked due to the flamers. If the flamers RESPONSES were deleted then the problem may be solved. Often a deleted poster will bitch about it or start a new flame fest thread -- but this will be taken care of under the rules.

Those who FLAME a thread in violation of the rules need to have their posts deleted.

For me it will be difficult to avoid responding to provocative posts (flame bait). It will also be difficult to sometimes refrain from posting a ggod jibe in response.

But I think the flaming of legitimate posts en masse by any group in inapproriate ways "You need you meds" or "another tinfoil hat post" or "aren't you late for work at McDonalds' (a recent fave targeting me which actually inspired a teenage girl to privately DU mail me to find out why I was so smart for a kid heh) OR you're paranoid, etc...THESE typers of responses DO violate the rules and should be (and have been sometimes) deleted or at least WARNED on.

I have tough skin and can take the heat and do not like to alert. And I can give as good as or better than I get so... I prefer NOT to alert but to spar. It can really get boring though with persistent felons who wait and bait and keep the flamefest going.

And an unresponded to charge is often like an admission otherwise people think you are conceding a point.


Anyway - thanks for the efforts as always

STARTING a Flame war intentionally is sometimes not intended but may very well be caused by those who want the thread deleted. If the offending RESPONDERS are penalized a LOT of these problems will now, with the new rules about STARTING threads, be GREATLY reduced.