I TAKE IT PERSONALLY

[AuntPeggy]

It has happened to me several times on this board. The first time it happened was when I opened my first thread. Just dipping a toe into the water, so to speak. Now it has happened again.

I opened a thread about a maintenance matter. Several posts addressed the issue. Then someone said something that another decided to nitpick and then the entire thread devolved into a psssing match.

A gentle reminder to keep it civil went unheeded. An attempt to bring the thread back to the original topic went unheeded.

*MY* THREAD WAS LOCKED. I TAKE IT PERSONALLY.

 

[Jim Logajan]

I'm guilty of making nit-picking posts; not sure whether I did any of that on a thread started by Aunt Peggy. I've also managed to be directly insulting sometimes, which I later regret. Insulting posts tend to accomplish the opposite of the intended point of posting at all.

I believe it is possible to disagree with someone and not insult them, but it takes extra effort when composing a reply, so sometimes doesn't happen. (That's my own excuse.)

I like to think that nit-picking sometimes serves a legitimate purpose (such as alerting readers to some less obvious corner cases that can cause problems) but often serves the less legitimate purpose of alerting the world how clever the poster is. I like to think I nit-pick for the first reason, but know that sometimes the second reason is the reality.

By the way, I believe there may be another "solution" the moderators may be over-looking: don't be so quick to lock threads. My own humble opinion is that you've not allowed the fires to die properly of their own accord, so they reappear in new threads.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Disagree.

I've been using my real name (you think I'd make up a last name like that!?) online since about 1988, when I first started using Usenet. I've either been fortunate or not confrontational enough to ever have anyone use that information to come punch my nose or worse. On the other hand, a review of this thread shows that online arguments on unmoderated Usenet forums have lead to some nasty offline problems.

Still, I don't think using real names would make much difference for some personality types.

 

[Jim Logajan]

As far as the main part of the board, it's really tough to vet and ensure that the names given are "real names". How do you vet it or prove it in a fairly open board?

Don't make it fairly open; e.g.:
"To register to use PoA, please enter your credit card information in these fields...."

Minimal charge of, say, $10/year.

OK - pilots are notoriously cheap, so maybe that is too much. :wink2:

 

[Jim Logajan]

I'd get banished for life and my modem burned...

Relax, nothing will happen to your modem.

 

[Jim Logajan]

*MY* THREAD WAS LOCKED. I TAKE IT PERSONALLY.

So fundamentally it was an action by the moderators that triggered your reaction here. Ironically then, I believe your beef would appear to be partly with the moderators.

I believe all the posters in the original thread who were allegedly being insulting were long time members who are normally civil and reasonable.

Anonymity doesn't seem to be a factor in this case - at least to me.

Too bad a thread can't be set to lock out only those posters who have persisted in using insults after having been warned privately to be more diplomatic in any future posts on that thread.