Hi Michel,

in another forum emotionally charged messages are "classified" by the users themselves. Take a look at

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/foren/go.shtml?forum_id=78551&list=1&hs=48&e=all

SInce this is user regulated, this mechanism probably is very cost effective, but it is far from perfect: you still get typical pro/anti Linux,Windows posts, but the colour coding in the title treeview and post helps enormously to skip some parts less concerned on technical matters. Another bonus point: This will not soak up reader's attention span like walter's attempt to selectively follow some JVP messages with "don't feed the troll" messages (which IMHO lessened the signal to noise ratio, for certain shortime in the running thread). In the heise forum (which has a far greater topic span) this helps a lot, especially on days when I am trying to read only technical posts.

On UT's "procedures" for banishing: At least after the recent ban "baiting" was mentioned, and it was assumed that Claude [in his right mind] would have posted less emotionally. I personally have my doubts (I thought his posts in the last few weeks were getting more "charged"), but I think adding 2 timeouts as fixed steps before banning would be beneficial. Such a forced timeout might give the irate poster in danger of being expelled time to cool down before the equivalent of nuking his account. I do believe some people might be aggravated at being "silenced" even for a short time, especially if the other poster is not. But you can always offer to silence them in this forum for longer duration <g>.

Personally I don't feel more "at home" after the banishing of 3 often read posters starting with JVP, but even in barroom situations it takes a lot for me to get riled up/threatened - and "threatening" across the keyboard only lessens my estimate of the poster. I don't think UT banishment is highhanded or willful, but adding these timeouts as fixed steps might keep some people here offering technical info. And only very stubborn people could argue they were not forwarned <g>.

my 0.02 EUR

tg