The True Crime Weblog Message Board

Let me be straight about this, folks -- publishing a PM from another board user without that person's permission is a breach of 'Net etiquette of the worst sort, ugly, and just an asshole thing to do, in general. I don't care who you are.

Since I have been made aware that someone did so here, I am tempted to shut this board down for a week. That may seem unfair, since it penalizes every user, but I believe it would also make a point about how nasty such a breach of board/Web etiquette truly is. It also makes it clear that I'm not prepared to tolerate it.

The only way I'll leave the board up is if the person who posted the PM apologizes publicly for doing so and promises not to do it again.

Understand the nature of what I'm saying here -- I've been on the Web long enough that I'm afraid I long ago passed out of my phase of needing to use a message board. That means that the idea of closing this one for a week or just forever doesn't really bother me much at all. However, I respect the fact that most people using this board may have come from my site at one point or another and might be a reader of my work, and that's the only reason I'm trying to be even halfway reasonable.

But that only goes so far.

I'm saying -- for some users, this is their playground. They like it here, it's become a social construct. To me, posting PMs without the other user's permission is a grave offense, and for that, I'll take "playground" permission away from everyone -- I. Don't. Care.

If I were in your shoes, I'd just find another board upon the closing of this one, or start my own blog. But I know such an idea freaks some people out. The ONLY reason I'm not shutting the board down right now, for good, is because I would like to be sensitive to anyone who places greater weight on what they've posted here than I might in their position.

So, my terms again -- apologize for posting the PM. Don't do it again. Or I shut this board down for a week. At the end of that week, I'll decide whether or not I want to be fussed with putting it back up.

I'd prefer people not make me the asshole here, but I am prepared to be that guy if I have to.

Steve

[font=Comic Sans MS]This thread is now redundant I'm pleased to say. I am therefore locking and de-announcing this thread.

Michael (Moderator)[/font]