Ed,

>Yes, Tamar, I'd like to be able to exercise free speech, which is why I'm spending more time on devx, where I have both a moderated discussion area (devx.vfp.general) and a free-fire zone (devx.off.ramp)...

You've just illustrated a basic truth with that statement: Freedom of choice about what forum to use *is* one of your basic rights. However, freedom of speech is *not* one of your basic rights in a privately-owned forum.

The forum owners have, as do newspaper editors, the right to allow or deny whatever they choose in their product. That is well-established and irrefutable from a legal or constitutional standpoint (if we were holding Michel to US laws).

>I've strayed from the basic issue here - UT will benefit from having a non-topical Chatter area IMO, and will lose some of the people who contribute here to other areas if those people feel there's a need for a more open forum format.

Perhaps it is the fear of that threat or promise or prediction that has kept the management in limbo. However, as I have said before, there are plenty of experts to go around who don't insist on complete freedom of expression with no limits.

I agree with you that a chatter area is needed, and I prefer not to see it restricted just to topics related to the forum.