I hear ya.

I've had my share of arguments here on the board, but rather than call people names and fight with them, I PM'd them and it usually just turned out to be a big misunderstanding.

*Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…*

(Heck, you might just make a friend out of that enemy.)

Well, if you'll allow me to add my two cents…

there are two points being made here. The first point being that flame wars should be permitted in an isolated forum only for the sake of containing, solving, and eliminating personal vendettas or political problems in an extreme and chaotic manner. The other point is that, thereby allowing a thread for flame wars, this will not solve any problems and will consequently add unnecessary fuel to the fire. CJ created an analogy stating that a thread for flaming will be a way of containing and monitoring heated arguments until they desolve just like isolating a fire in a small area so that the flame can be extinguished. Well, I disagree with that concept. If anything, containing a flame in a small pressurized environment over time will lead to one inevitable event…maximum combustion. Now, GBN/GBC history has shown that no good has come from a flame war. Small and insignificant arguements that start out from controversial topics have lead to and concluded in hatred between members of the board, hurt feelings, discension in the ranks, and in a worst case…the downfall of a community. If I am wrong in saying this, then I accept criticism to my error. If anything, I do not believe that a forum for flaming is necessary because there is already a board forum for politics, site suggestions, complaints, etc. Honestly, is it really necessary to set up a speaking forum that will result in the equivalent of an apocalyptic battle of distainful and angerfilled words? No, it isn't. My feelings are that, out of the two forums that allow talk of unorthodox or political conversation, the Miscellaneous Forum and the Board Talk Forum are the only lawful environments where people should go to speak their peace because that is what they were created for. This website is an enviornment for fans of Ghostbusters. There are many of us with different beliefs and values. Some of us are mature (yes, I said some..because there are others who do not exhibit that nature) enough to create and debate on topics in an adult-like manner. I am not pointing fingers or naming names, but those people know who they are. As for Vego's suggestion of having a flame thread, I value his opinion, but I disagree. I hardly see the need to create a thread that will outright allow people to engage in a fight. I know that is not what Vego intended as “flaming”, but ultimately, that is what will happen.

CJ - it was jsut a sarcastic remark.. i was in a bad mood before (well i still am) but tings are better

Chad - I have no arguement against that… for once you have made sense to me.

Mr No Ghost - guuhhh….. (*ray)

Oh and for those of you wondering: as are most of my posts in the Board Talk forum having SOMETHING to do with either Bo or PC in mind… this one didn't i was jsut htinking it would be a good idea

Dr. Ray Stantz, GBI Executive
This place will pop like a frog on a hot plate.

I have to agree with Mr.No-Ghost, putting something so potentially violent as a flame war into a single topic, and even possibly forum would be in my mind a risk. Those things always have the potential for exploding into something bigger and nastier then from what they start.

Flame wars will always be an unfortunant side effect of online communities…but if we don't actively encourage them then things in my mind will be a little bit more peaceful, but that's my opinion.

We can all talk around it, but we know what needs to be done. I believe in the Ghostbusters Message Board, that fact is true. And while some of us may…take more extreme measures of keeping it the way we feel it is necessary, the rest of us do what needs to be done.