Butta and lofi;
Here's the deal from MY viewpoint.
I have no problem with ANY lab members discussing, or debating or arguing with each other. It's healthy discussion.
However, there has to be a line, and for me it's when one member physically threatens another person.
If I threatened to shoot, batter, stab or bomb another person, whether they're a lab member, a friend, family member or colleague, -even a threat against their vehicle or other property- then that's not acceptable.
Ignoring all censorship issues for now, things get heated to a certain point, and there have been reported cases of internet arguments turning into homicides, or wheelchair-for-a-lifetime cases.
For that reason, I fully and absolutely believe that the line lies at physical action, or the threat of physical action.
I have a documented history of keeping an amiable regard for the person at the root of these discussions, and it does no good to speculate or discuss this too openly.
Butta, fair play. Your thread did get bombed and piled-on a bit. If I wasn't saving for a car right now, selling a house, working a day job AND producing two chamber music CDs at the moment along with trying to maintain a family life and raise a son, I'd buy the stuff myself, turn it into a couple of 1272s, write some dazzling eBay schpiel and prove you right. -If that stuff hasn't shifted in a couple of months, maybe I'll buy it then.
Lofi, fair play. You've made your disagreements well enough. It's ben irritating Butta, but you probably know that. -All the same there have been a couple of people who have agreed with your points, however I don't think that you'll change Butta's mind, and I don't think that he'll ever change yours.
Now I say "fair play" to BOTH of you because your discussion has reached a simmering, continuous, critical-mass. It doesn't actually explode, but it's not dying out either.
Of course the boiling and spilling over into this thread isn't really helping anything, but you both probably feel that you have a valid point and dont want the other to assert their viewpoint unchallenged.
Again, it's all good free speech and fair play.. if a little tedious for the onlookers. I'm not judging.
But Butta, if you said you were going to take a flight to lofi's city, and 'teach him a lesson', that's not fair play any more. That's the sort fo threat which you end up reading about in the papers. Likewise, if lofi threatens to damage Butta's car or whatever... THAT is the point at which it's no longer fair play. That's the point at which law enforcement considers things to have gone too far, and thus I think that it's not only fair but ESSENTIAL that the threats are diffused.
I know I've 'brokered' a couple of 'peace-deals' in these forums previously, and at the risk of catching flak myself I'm willing to see if I can help again, but I'm NOT involved with this so far.
I do however believe that overly-discussing the nature of the problem will very possibly not help matters. At least one person here may be very touchy about things, and discussing specifics or judging things publicly WILL be counter-productive.
If we step back and reconsider the fantastic resource which we have here, and how much better than Gearslutz it is, that might cause us to put things back into perspective.
I've corresponded with ONE of the people involved thus far, and I'm going to try and contact ALL the people involved. -In the meantime, I would repectfully ask that public speculation be halted, since it serves no long-term benefit, yet might potentially be VERY damaging.
-And PLEASE bear in mind that all four people involved are EXTEREMELY contibutive members. -Every single one of them has invoked the admiration of LOTS of lab members.
Judge only as you might WISH to be judged: By that I mean that if you'd wish for anyone judging you to have ALL the facts, and not just 'the other person's story', then please don't judge anyone until you are CERTAIN that you yourself are clear regarding all the facts... and even then, spare a thought for the parties involved, and please be mindful of privacy.
Respectfully to ALL concerned,
Keith Andrews