i'm not going to ignore guest - I think guest has some valid points - especially about the BS.
Sending all guests 'to coventry' is not a solution.
The guest does appear to be presenting issues that could be considered and could be addressed rather than being flamed & dismissed.
Its not a game, it should be a debate - but some members are so sanctimonious and insular that they don't want to debate. Most of the insults are being slung by members (suggesting guest is masturbating over posts for heaven sake!!!!) [with the exception of the fat'n'ugly red herrings].
Mudcat is in danger of becoming a cosy little club for people to bolster eachother's egos & reinforce some kind of common-denominator viewpoint. It is being choked by irrelevancies - yes there's still music, but there's music elsewhere too - and people leave all the time.
If we really do care about the Mudcat as a serious music forum then the bullet must be bit. Criticism is hard to take - but its usually worth listening to & acting on.
Of course since I am posting as guest this post will most likely be ignored derided or flamed. Such is the disease.