> But it's perceptions, not facts, that matter. Is the perception *really* that this is such a hostile place, akin to a job interview, where you can be accepted or rejected based on how others feel about it? What on earth created this perception? Maybe it's my moderation of the forum? My deletion of posts is never personal, but, again, it's perception that counts. Maybe it's comments made here years ago, the one koalamom quoted about posts needing to be intellectual, original, or at least funny. But that was years ago, and tides change. It's probably time to move on from standards set up to seven years ago and abide by principles that better suit the times.

I urge you to consider that this is the same for every other forum I've seen. On signing up for your first post, there is the very real knowledge that what you have to say is going to be judged by the panel of current regulars. Whether this is a hostile air or simply implicit depends on the atmosphere of the forum and one's own issues with insecurity.

I think all of us have seen at some point the classic example of this where some daring n00b makes an interesting point, only for the first reply to be from Mr. 10,000 Posts saying, "Christ, not this again." The response may be more polite than that, but the overall effect is the same.

Politeness and atmosphere do come into it quite heavily when I think about Rinkworks. The unwritten rule is, "Be polite, unless you really think that the other person is some AOL moron who can't spel proparly." If John Q AOLer has had a quick look round the forum before posting, he'll probably notice that everyone else is using correct (enough) English. First thought? Whatever he says will be deleted. It usually is, right?

But you know what? I, personally, am OK with that. I would rather see the omgwtflolbbq brigade put off posting here if it means trading message rate for coherence. However, that's just me, and it's straying from the point somewhat.

Emphasis on appearance, and judged before a panel of your peers? The job interview analogy stands. However, the fact that it does so is what makes this forum unique. An interview is a nerve-wracking experience designed to sort out the wheat. If one is not comfortable enough with what they have to say or the way they have to say it to post here, then they probably won't do it. As far as I am concerned, that saves everyone the bother of having to read it.

The problem, if you want to see it as one, is balance. The atmospherically induced self-spam filter discourages the senseless garbage but may also false positive an interesting post from an insecure author. The solution is to retrain the filter and adjust the atmosphere by having the regulars post more often. A more active, less serious, but still sensible board is more likely to attract new people.

The interview needs to go casual, rather than having a panel of three with clipboards and someone else taking minutes. The analogy wobbled a bit there, but it still kind of holds.

Mat "We'll get back to you" thew