Debating on the forum

At AOS we see no wrong at all in challenging arguments/opinions in a robust way but we obviously draw a line at attacking the individual behind them.

Where threads become lively and discussions within possibly become heated moderation will occur only when this particular line is crossed.

We should desist from being too precious about our purchases, the way we set them up and thought process behind them. All members should also be able to distinguish clearly between an argument that may make their blood boil over or see red mist, and personal invective having a similar effect. The former is acceptable here, the latter is not. If you retaliate with personal invective to an argument that makes you angry, moderation will almost certainly be against you. If you argue your point robustly without recourse to getting personal you will likely enjoy considerable immunity from intervention by moderators.

All moderators and administrators play dual roles in both keeping this place running smoothly, facilitating meaningful discussions along the way and participating in those discussions on an equal footing with all other members. There is no rank pulling or editorial line unless clearly stated as such.

The two roles are not played simultaneously and other members should feel free to challenge the viewpoint of a mod or admin just as they would any other member.

The purpose of this forum is to share experience from which we may all be able to benefit in order to further our music listening enjoyment. We should not feel as though we are treading on broken glass or eggshells while this takes place.

Steve,

What provoked this post ?

Thanks

The last few pages on this thread, Peter:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1988

Marco.

P.S Due to a software glitch you've been able to repsond here (which I will fix) as this is an area reserved only for admin to post announcements, so I'll lock the thread in the meantime :)

Now (hopefully) fixed.

Marco.

As our forum grows and the becomes more widely known, we are going to hit some controversy.

We are aware of problems and are looking at solutions, however we are never going to be all things to all people and we will continue to promote a subjectivist approach to system building along with faith in the ability to trust our own ears.

Some may feel that admin members here have tendencies to think we know better than everyone else. Whilst it is true that there are certain key areas where we feel confident in the expression of our opinions and experiences, this forum embraces many aspects of the hobby including a number outside of our areas of knowledge from which we can also learn.

For example, I feel confident in expressing opinions on ancilliaries (stands, cables etc) and system setup, but I know next to nothing about turntables or how to stream music from a computer to my kit. These are areas where I have everything to learn. I'm also no good with a soldering iron and my DIY skills extend as far as cleaning the pins on my valves or changing a fuse.

I do trust my own ears though and feel that everyone else here should trust theirs. Our experiences may differ but lets take it as a given here that nobody is either telling lies or imagining what they have heard.