The other board on which I frequently post www.straightdope.com has been around since 1996 and has experienced much of the same issues that it seems FT is only now addressing, call them "growing pains" if you will.


Straightdope.com takes a more passive/aggressive approach to flame wars. Instead of erasing incindiary posts and removing the user, they have allocated one board specifically for flame wars, referred to as The BBQ Pit.


Straightdope.com, from my impression, is substantially larger than Flyertalk. I think the introduction of the BBQ Pit was introduced with the hopes that if only a small percentage of fire-starters used it, it would "clean up" the boards quite a bit. It seems to have worked. Regarding the code-of-conduct, if a user does flame someone within the confines of a non-BBQ Pit discussion board, they, and the post will be removed.


From first glance, the BBQ Pit theme may reflect poorly upon FT. But it comes down to the denial of reality. Everyone knows flame wars happen, though not everyone wants to read them, I present you with one possible solution.


Risque as it may be, The concept works very well at Straightdope, it may here as well.

Happy to help,




[This message has been edited by Peregrine (edited 06-03-2001).]