3. You ask me what harm the ending of public speculation would do. I really don't think that there is any public speculation on the subject. The phrase 'Public speculation' suggests that a number of people are asking the same questions or, indeed, speculating as to what the answers to those questions might be. There is no 'number of people' from where I am standing - just you.

Even if it were just me who wished to be informed - the current and continuing speculation as to if this was an accidental closure or not - would still be taking place in public. In anyone's book - that would make it public speculation.

The following public speculation was made in a post following yours - in Closing threads Even if that is only three fellow posters publicly speculating - there may be many more reading - who may be interested in the answer or hearing what harm it would do to our forum - if our forum were to be provided with the answer?

Subject: RE: Tech: Closing threads?
From: GUEST,Jon - PM
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 07:07 PM

How likely is it that this thread's closure was really inadvertent?

Given the one click process Joe Offer described, I'd say it's very likely. I don't know the mechanism here but it is also possible that the "culprit" was unaware of what they did.

>Snip<