Jon,

I see no evidence of trolling or wind ups from the guest users in this thread. I do, however, see us (yes, us--not me--we have what appears to be at least three anonymous guest users in this thread, possibly more) contributing to a thread asking anonymous guest users why they choose to post anonymously.

Because one/some of the guest users makes certain Mudcat members feel uncomfortable with their insights and contributions, doesn't make them trolls (certainly not by the common Usenet standard, available at any of the on-line jargon dictionary sites, or general practice of trolls in Usenet groups).

But your claim here that at least one guest user here is a troll, I see in your message just the sort of sadly predictable over-reaction that starts the whole vicious cycle. Because both reasonable, polite guest users and members are now beginning to support the anonymous and identified guest users, we see things once again on the brink of descending into flaming guest users. Justification? Well, you think one of them is troll.

This thread was started by a guest user, who asked other guest users why some would choose to post anonymously. The guest users have been very civil, IMO. Even members have come into this thread to say the flaming of guests was inappropriate in this thread.

Mudcat has a serious problem with a few *member* trolls though, who routinely try and incite other members (as some have noted, there is a regular group of members who can nearly always be counted on to join in and gang up on guest users they don't know, don't like, or just plain disagree with) to leap on the lemming wagon, and start flaming away.

Max allows the guest user to choose how they wish to post. He has stated he is not willing to change the log-in at this time. It seems to me, there is a core group of members who are really pissed off at Max about this, but are taking it out on the guest users because they haven't been able to make Max give them what they want to wit: not allowing guest users to post in Mudcat anonymously. I believe what some members actually expect here is for Mudcat to operate like a private mailing list.

It doesn't, and Max has said it won't. This disgruntled lot seems to have attempted to usurp Max's authority here, and defacto rule the roost by playing gate keeper in ways which Max may or may not support.

But the point is, as long as the forum allows it, members who treat guests badly are clearly alienating some newcomers and occassional users. That isn't very conducive to the discussion of folk music here, especially when there are many other excellent forums for discussion of folk and blues music where one needn't put up with jerks like some of the self-appointed Mudcat cops here.

.05 worth, and the meter is still on. ;-)