> If an op NEEDS to use these tools, warn
> repeatedly before doing so. Even if you KNOW a
> problematic User is not going to listen to you
> until you do Kick him, you still have to give
> people the opportunity and choice to be civil.
>
> There is every sign to indicate that what *we*
> might perceive as a "casual kick" is NOT
> perceived that way by a large number of people.

I can support that statement. I was kicked, by Sam, I think the very *first* time I came into RinkChat. This also happened to be my first personal involvement with RinkWorks, other than reading the various features. (I didn't start reading and participating in the forum until after I'd been a chatter for a few weeks.) I came in, and there was some sort of political discussion going on. I don't even remember what I said...it wasn't to Sam, but someone else, while Sam was in the room. I think I was disputing a point someone had made, and I probably said something mockingly or of an incendiary (flaming) nature, and got kicked.

I was mortified. I didn't even go back into the chat room for a couple hours, or maybe even the next day. I was thinking, man, I just got kicked by Sam himself; I made a terrible first impression, and now no one on RinkWorks will ever like me!

Fortunately, I did come back, and even went so far as to apologize to Sam for whatever it was I had said that made him kick me. And he didn't even remember doing it! It was, I suppose, a "casual kick" as you've described them, and I eventually got used to that sort of thing. But my experience shows that a "newbie" may not and probably won't interpret a "casual kick" the way it was meant.

Grishny