No more internecine backbiting! It's about damned time!

[trogdor]

Kudos to Skinner for putting a halt to it, hopefully once and for all. The 250 post rule should be especially effective. Let's all shake hands and be nice to each other.
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Come on. (oh, all right)
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There. Don't you all feel better? Now, if we can only get the candidates to do this.

[Padraig18]

1. I'll not only shake...

.... I'll hug ya and smooch ya, if you like. :hug::loveya:

[Skinner]

2. I actually feel really bad that I had to do this.

My preference was to avoid taking such a hard line. But in many ways I was out of options. I hope that it does not ruin this forum, because it used to be my favorite.

[papau]

4. "favorite" - a bit of watching a food fight to read - but fun!

:-)

[Padraig18]

6. I think it will become a BETTER forum, Skinner.

I think the actual exchange of information, etc., will increase. :)

[LuminousX]

27. Also, the limitations will make people think a bit before spouting

I know it has already stopped me once already from posting something questionable. And that really is key, isn't it? If I'm posting something that I think might cross the line, I shouldn't be posting it in the first place unless I feel truly passionate about it and am willing to accept the consequences.

I think the new rules will also keep the people who just like to start stuff just to start it.

[MuseRider]

7. Kudos Skinner.

I appreciated some of the fighting going on in the old forum but you are right, it was too much. These rules should help and I, for one, appreciate them. Now, I hope I can stay within the rules, damn more stuff to remember! It is also one of my favorite forums.

[last1standing]

10. This is one of the problems with success.

You'll find that the larger this forum grows the more issues you have to handle between posters. I definitely appreciate all the work you've done and will do.

Thanks.

[trogdor]

13. Quite the contrary.

It was getting to the point where I wouldn't want to come over here anymore, and I think a few folks would have missed me.

[Crunchy Frog]

18. Skinner, I like the new rules.

They are really draconian but I don't think you had any choice given what this forum was turning into. I especially like the rules on number of posts and length of membership. This will do alot to keep out the children and the disruptors and I know that I will be trying my hardest to mind my own P's and Q's as well.

I think you guys have had a herculean task dealing with this forum, and have done an outstanding job.:toast:

After the primaries are over, I think we should hold a fundraising drive just to send you to Tahiti for a couple of weeks.

[TexasSissy]

21. How did you....

put the little face icons in your post? I can do that on e-mails (via hotbar), and sometimes a keystroke, but not in a post.

[Crunchy Frog]

25. Do you mean the graphic in

the sig line or the smilies?

[DoveTurnedHawk]

20. I Actually Think This Will Be Great

Intelligent people will still be able to discuss and debate.

Kudos to you!

DTH

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. Thank you for your efforts

I made a post below that I would have attached to your post had it been up when I composed mine; just a suggestion for a friendly amendment. I very much respect what you are trying to preserve here.

[RetroLounge]

24. I think it's a good rule. Thank you Skinner.

of course, there will be a whole lot of people in the lounge posting "ask me anything" threads for a while! :)

[mmonk]

3. Very good

This may improve substantive discourse on positions and position differences between candidates here.

[wtmusic]

5. Wow, it's a crackdown

That certainly got my attention! Elad's programming rocks...

I got my wrist slapped (banned for 24 hours on Tues.) Totally deserved it.

Hopefully this will 'elevate the level of discourse'.

[11 Bravo]

8. Amen!

n/t

[edzontar]

9. I just hope it doesn't get TOO boring...

A few laughs or pissy exchanges never bthered me, just the orchestrated, "Stop the Candidate Movement" stuff.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

11. I think the new rules will help...

:yourock:

[arwalden]

12. Rule Number Eleven --- Excellent!

-- Allen

[democratreformed]

14. Wow! A popup reminder too.

I am looking forward to improved communications.

[maddezmom]

15. Kudos to Skinner

all the admin and mods for giving us another shot. :)

[TexasSissy]

16. Did you actually read the rules? No profanity allowed, I think.

[returnable]

17. Let's hope it has the desired effect...

:toast:

[Crunchy Frog]

19. I think one effect of this

may very well be that we see an influx of new posters (older DUers) here who have a more mature outlook, and had previously been scared off of this forum by the extremely low quality of discourse.

This had become a forum that was becoming limited to flamers, and those who wear asbestos underwear, with more reasonable people avoiding it like a plague pit.

I will be looking foreward to reading the opinions of other DUers who may now feel that it is safe to come in and discuss candidates in a more civil and sane atmosphere.

[Tom Rinaldo]

22. Overall very positive.

I am glad to see this. My only question does regard the 250 post rule. I oppose it in it's current form. Many Democrats are finding DU for the first time right now because of the Presidential race, and that is what they are most interested in talking about now. Many I am sure have valuable things to contribute, I regret that they will be unable to do so here where much of the discussion is focused.

I do however appreciate the huge potential for abuse regarding people new to DU participating in this forum. I would feel a lot better though if instead of a strict lock out here for those with fewer than 250 posts, there was instead a special Probationary status, zero tolerance for rule breaking until 250 posts. In other words if someone new to DU violated the rules for posting to this forum even once prior to hitting 250 posts, their posting rights here would be suspended until they reached the 250 post cut off, at which point they could return subject to the same rules as everyone else.

I think that would reasonably protect this forum, while allowing for an expanding circle of activists adding to our debates here.

Given a choice between the old rules or the new ones as written though, I prefer these new ones.

[Crunchy Frog]

26. I do somewhat agree with you

on the post count rule, but not the membership length. I have noticed a few long time members who have very low post counts coming out of the woodwork to offer their opinions. I don't think they should be forbidden from posting on this forum.

I see far to many new people, some of whom are deliberate disruptors, others of whom are just overenthusiastic about their candidate, but post in a very disruptive fashion. These people tend to come riding in as crusadors for their candidate and end up making both the candidate and his supporters look bad. I think the one month rule forces these people to get a feel for the culture of this place, to develop a committment to it beyond promoting their candidate, and to learn how to express their views in a constructive fashion.