Rodman,

My contributions in-line...

>Hi Bonnie,
> Here's my take on the twit filter and JVP's messages.
>
> It seems that all the people that gripe about trolls spend a great deal of time feeding them (Dennis, Jim, Walter and some others) Well if you dont want the threads to continue it's simple. Dont engage John. John is a good debater and can discuss a lot of these issues with some authority.

When ANYONE spouts, in a VFP forum (and continuously) things like:
1) VFP is dead
2) anyone still doing VFP has their head in the sand and is a weenie
3) .NET is the ONLY way to develop and has been so for a long time
4) similar to above, incessantly and repeatedly...
it demands a response so that people do not get scared out of VFP for silly and irrelevant reasons.
JVP is decidedly NOT a "good debater". He consistently shifts the focus OR challenges some immaterial statement OR resorts to name-calling OR cuts things short when he has no decent answer. Saying a lot of immaterial words and out-voluming the opposition does not a "good debater" make! Likely he'll soon find this out in a court somewhere in his new career.

>
>As for the twit filter. If michel really wanted to make this the collegial "lets all get along" environment he is shooting for... then make the twit filter free. Real simple solution.

You can be very free with other people's money! Also, see below for the 'lets all get along' part.
For what it's worth, I have never used, and never will use, the twit filter. Seems to be inconsistent with a collegial atmosphere, at least in my little head.
>
>What michel has done is begun a campaign of censorship. He says he doesnt censor but he really does. It was he and he alone that made the decision to ban JVP for no good reason. As a matter of fact there are quite a few major contributors on this forum that disagree with Michel's banishment of JVP.

This isn't quite true, as least as I've got things figured out. It is quite clear (now) that someone has to complain about a message first BEFORE any form of review/judgement is done. So, in fact, the problem STARTS with someone other than the UT. Perhaps someone who is genuinely offended by something, but also possibly by someone looking to nab people for their own silly reasons or possibly someone who wants a fully PC environment on the UT.
It's really really hard for all to get along when someone in their midst can ANONYMOUSLY bring some message to the attention of UT staff claiming offense, particularly if they're of the last two categories I named above.

>
>But michel won't answer anyone who asks him why JVP was banned. I think as an owner of a public forum he should let people know exactly why he was banned. Otherwise people may face the same fate without ever knowing why.

This is a pretty loose hook on which to hang your hat, wouldn't you say. UT might then face legal action of some kind because whatever they might say would be quickly twisted by JVP - as he has been seen to do in just about any "debate" involving him. If I were UT I surely wouldn't say anything else to anybody else!
>
>It seems like 1984 to me.

Might that be because you've got a blinkered view of things?

Jim


>
>Rodman