I'm a bit concerned that the moderation standards being employed currently are the becoming same as those of another forum.
The standards of this forum previously were not like this in the past and should remain free and easy i.e. Forum members by and large self moderated.
While there was one unfortunate time in it's history that things went a bit too far, with blame lying with both the perpertrator (Saad) and some members. The perpertrator has since left (thankfully) and those members that attacked him (on a racial level) appear to have gone to ground.
The two forums are separate entities and should remain so. Otherwise, there will be no need for the other forum if both are the same. If this standardisation of both forums moderation is allowed to continue, what might happen is that both forums may die and members will start visiting vwwatercooled exclusively - which I am sure is not the desired outcome for both parties.
So lets return things to the way it was in the past, before the Saad debarcle. Let us not impose the moderation standards of another (competing) forum on this one. If things get too out of hand, by all means, step in a sort it out.
But don't remove or edit posts w/o first consulting the relevent members. Explain in detail why their posts were offensive and give them the opportunity to explain their actions (and try to understand their actions), before imposing harsh and punitive measures (and threats of violence).
This is the role of a moderator - to be impartial and to keep a cool and level head, to try steer the conversation towards a more civil outcome - Not to stop it entirely. This forum is a community and it's members should allowed to express their opinions openly, without threat of censure by a specific group of people with a specific agenda.
