But at least you know he's the same person - and it means that it's possible to balance off in your mind the posts and the topics where he is more likely to communicate courteously.

Looking at all the handy aspects about having a membership it's hard to see any signifucant reasons not to. You don't get ever spam via the Mudcat.   Unless you get your email address you nevwer get emails from Mudcatter either. I suppose it woudl be possible to get PMs from othwer Mudcatters which were a nuisance, but thats never happened to me, and I'm sure that if it became a problem fro anyone the offenders would be shuty down.

So come on in, the water's lovely. But if you decide not to, than do please try to stick a name or label after your "GUEST", even a temporary one for a particular thread perhaps, to make it possible to have a conversation.