Posted by verne on November 27, 2006, at 9:49:12
In reply to Re: the cap on block length, posted by Dr. Bob on November 26, 2006, at 13:08:54
Dr. Bob, you say: "But what if they never realize? Or realize, but don't change how they act? I think it would be disruptive if people were posting something uncivil every 2 weeks"
I think long blocks are more disruptive to the community. For every blocked person, several posters leave or protest. Countless threads have been started on this board complaining about the administration or length of blocks.
In contrast, blocking even the most persistent troublemaker every two weeks, wouldn't cause the hue and cry among the community that long blocks engender. The constant administrative battles over the civility guidelines, the constant protests, and the collateral damage (posters falling on their swords), would no longer be necessary.
Long punitive blocks beget self blocks, self-exiles, and even deliberate offensive posts leading to blocks. How disruptive is that?
I think, if we must have longer blocks (more than 2 weeks), it should only be for deliberate personal attacks. Even the law makes a distinction between crimes against property and persons.
Here, the slightest misstep, a wrong word, receives the same punishment as an all-out personal attack. Sometimes a carefully crafted personal attack escapes blocking altogether, while a missing asterisk reaps a long banishment.
It seems like the spirit of civility is being lost to the letter of the law.
verne
poster:verne
thread:707313
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20061018/msgs/707767.html