As much as I dislike these spats (and the concomitant recursive "postings about posting") I feel grumpy enough right now to add my (hopefully value-added) suggestions:

1. For those who feel compelled to dredge up old posts or continually make content-free responses simply to have something to do while making a run toward 2 million posts, we could establish a "all {insert name here} all the time" forum where the individual can go and play with himself (or herself - hereinafter use of the masculine pronoun should be considered unstressed usage) to his heart's content. As with all cases of playing with oneself, 'twere best done out of the sight of others.

(1a. An alternative was suggested by Rudi some time ago, as I recall. If I recall correctly, he suggested that a person consumed by such a need could simply begin an "all me" thread, post replies to it continuously until he came to a climactic posting, and then (properly cleaning up after himself) delete the whole thread when he was done running up his numbers. Unfortunately, now that the "delete thread" capability has been removed, the sanitary solutions are not as available.)

2. However, if the onanists (for that's really what it is - they cannot possible think they are giving anyone else pleasure) absolutely insist on doing it in public and infecting (infesting?) the worth-while threads and fora in the process, I recall reading somewhere of a tweak to the software that would permit a reader to simply "ignore" all postings made by a particular username. They would simply never appear on his screen; threads would omit postings made by the person sent to Coventry, and instead continue on topic.

If this can be done, I'd really like to see it offered. It would give real meaning (and efficacy) to the "just ignore them" advice. After a while the spammer would see that his posts seem to have absolutely no effect, and would have to make a choice: Either stay with the old habit and continue to rack up posting numbers (which would mean nothing since few if any readers would see them), or change his act and username (which would start him over as a new member and would result in loss of the "prestigous" posting numbers).

3. There may be a less complete, but less drastic solution. If everyone who wants to post non-frequent flyer stuff (which to me includes recursive posts and flame wars) would have the elemental decency to put them in OMNI, we could go back to "live and let live", where those who are primarily interested in quantity can have their desires met, while the rest of us who are primarily interested in quality would have an easier time separating the wheat from whatever else is out there.

At least, that's the way I see it.

(And Jailer, this is not about you or the point you made to begin this thread. This has been biting me for some time, and I just happened to be on this thread when something finally set me off.)