And may I show your own feelings regarding Free Speech:



Voltaire must be spinning in his grave over comments written by the owner of a gaming forum about a member simply because the owner of the forum does not agree with what the member writes, and the methods that member espouses.May that NEVER happen here.
This forum should be the place where ideas can be freely expressed, tested and tweaked without ridicule, fear or favour. If we read something we disagree with we have two choices:1  Express our thoughts politely and tactfully with consideration of the other person's feelings 2  Change the channel -- switch to another thread entirely and ignore the one that we disagree with.How often is somebody hurt because of the WAY an opposite opinion is expressed? More often than not I would think. For this to continue to be a happy, gentle and productive place two things need to happen:

• We all need to be sensitive and careful in how we write our opinions of others' ideas and thoughts. (Choose our words carefully as though we are the recipient)
• And us Moderators need to be vigilant and make it possible for YOU to continue to write...

Yes, it's a fine line. isn't it?

My point is that it's time to end the continual PUBLIC criticism -- it serves no useful purpose but detracts from the tone of the forum as a "happy, productive and gentle place."

Free speech has to be used responsibly. 

And some of the statements being made are dangerously close to LIBEL.

As a moderator, I'm trying to act responsibly by encouraging members to steer our energies into more productive outlets.

By the way, in so doing I'm not defending the indefensible.

But I am saying enough criticism is enough. Time to stop it and move on.

QuoteBut I am saying enough criticism is enough. Time to stop it and move on.

Ok. Cease fire. I won't comment upon him till someone starts singing praises of him. OK?

What caused this decision?  And, how much do we need to keep this forum up and functional without ads altogether?

QuoteWhat caused this decision?  And, how much do we need to keep this forum up and functional without ads altogether?

Wally, it is not about money. Steve is not paying anything for ads, as Victor said. Victor is under some contractual/moral obligation to put Ads of Steve on every site that he owns. Do you want to lose Victor as admin for the sake of removing Steve's ads?

Indeed, it's not a matter of losing the monthly fee from the ads because there isn't any.


We can put up with them in the bottom, I guess since we're all saavy it will serve him for search engines and won't really disrupt us here. It's pretty clear they aren't part of the forum by being laid after the forum's layout/template, not to mention the 3rd-party ads advice.


So, I'll keep on doing my best as an admin so we can get past this. Right now the best course of action being the old adage: Let's move on.

OK, got it.  And, yes, moving on is always better.