Posted by boB on April 15, 2000, at 12:50:32
In reply to Charging for Psychobabble!, posted by Abby on April 15, 2000, at 11:21:22
Dear Doc Bob,
I have had some experience with board control from the other side of the fence. I caused one guy, Neil Slade, to shut down his board. I was not abusive, at least not in terms I consider inappropriate. When he called me a reptile, I willingly referred to myself as a reptile, which he considers equivilant to admitting to being satan. This guy is stuck with his system of belief and cannot handle challenges.
I got on him when he was on Art Bells' Coast to Coast show claiming to cause changes in the weather by using their minds. I was not entirely skeptical of their claims, but there was no way I was going to tolerate absolute belief in their claims. Neil resorted to the most adolescent tactics, rather shouting in large letters on his board, posting replys then pulling them off, and finally, just dumping the whole board. He now has it back up as a "Secret" board, and I don't mess with him, though some of my friends still reply in language we have learned will not set him off to badly. Neil aslo used his server control to delete unwanted messages, but that can really leave some confusing unraveling threads.
As for Art Bell, he says he will retire in a couple of weeks. I mention Bell here because he might have set the standard for controlled discussion. He requires a home phone number (which he does not disclose to users) as a way of requiring people to identify themselves in his on-line discussion. Anything less allows people to easily set up a web-based e-mail account and go on line as whoever they want to be. That is really what I am doing here. I used this alias when I crossed swords with Slade and Bell and it was convienient to use it here rather than set up a new one. I've already written honestly and frankly on your board about the reasons I post annonymously, and you haven't complained, so I figure we must be pals.
The point I am trying to drag out here is that registration or other control methods work by regulating the efficiency of board use. Flamers are often to lazy to make the effort to register, especially if it involves waiting for an e-mail confirmation and then replying with a pass-code delivered via e-mail. But I guess the theory is that many of the people you are interested in helping are also somewhat lacking in attention span, so such an tactic might impinge on their use as well. Anyway, that is how most states regulate hunting and fishing - they regulate the efficiency of methods used to hunt and fish.
I have not perused your archives, but I wonder if this reckless style of posting has been an ongoing thing, or if it correlates to my introduction of a different style of critical dialogue. I do seem to have a talent for creating a stir without drawing too much attention to myself. I just wonder if that is at play here (or maybe if you consider this a dillusion of granduer)
Oh, and I wanted to compliment the design of your board. I don't always edit every misspelled word, but the popups and edit capacity are great!
poster:boB
thread:30069
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000411/msgs/30100.html