That is where I disagree with you Shambles. I think Joe has every right to speak for himself, and I don't think his actions have set any influence or directed actions to meet his suggestion. True, I don't think I would have voiced an opinion but he did, and so what?

As a fellow poster - of course this individual has everyright to speak for himself in as many threads as he wishes to (unlike me) and he does this.

But this was not the point being made - was it? It was this individual being seen to be speaking for others.

You may not judge this have set any influence or directed actions to meet his suggestions - but I have a different view. But perhaps you will accept the intention to incite is there - whether any posters take any notice of it or not.....?

In this role of the current Chief of the Mudcat Editing Team - both in editing comments and in posts here and on the Mudcat Help and Trouble Forum - and by the use of words like 'we' 'us' 'our' etc, this poster is seen to speak on behalf of others. Which quite understandably, will then be seen by many posters as an official Mudcat line.

The current Chief of the Mudcat Editing Team's favoured private agenda of a change to members only posting of BS and of him first approving any music related posts - does NOT currently appear to be the official line (although the way it is being pushed publicly by some of our 'moderators', it will come as little surprise if it does come to pass).

It is not an agenda that appears to be shared by all of our 'moderators' but it is an agenda pushed by the current Chief of the Mudcat Editing Team as the only solution the the problems on our forum that he now appears to see as insurmountable, without such a radical change.

And despite our best efforts, Mudcat is no longer a pleasant place to hang out and goof off or have a good discussion.

No - I for one do not agree with that statement - nor the only suggested solution to it - do you? But can any poster who does not agree and who values Max's open invitation for the public's open contribution and wishes for it to continue - really accept that this policy is in safe hands?

Given the push for this agenda - can posters really be expected to trust that our current 'moderator's' best efforts are being made to make Max's current posting policy work? Or could they reasonably suspect these best efforts are being made to demonstrate that it cannot?