[Gobsmacked]

I've now read a little more of this subject and hope you don't mind if I stick my two pennorth in as a message board owner without wishing to sound self promoting.

I have seen the opposite extremes of moderating and believe it is necessary to find a happy medium. Yes, it's true that the board owner should be able to specify the permissable limits but on the other hand without the members there wouldn't be a board.

I know of one message board where anything goes, including foul language and personal insults to such an extent that all which now remains is a series of such postings with nothing of any value to them whatsoever. I also know a board which is moderated by little hitlers who delete every off topic post or even those deemed to be off topic to the point where people soon stop posting because five minutes later half of what they said has disappeared.

I don't personally tolerate certain words (and have used an auto substitute feature in order to censor them which in itself leads to some hilarity when leg pullers try their damndest to outwit me) but thread wanders are tolerated and treated lightheartedly. In fact we even have an emoticon for them. There's no point in putting people off before they even get started.

It looks like a lot of customisation work has gone into the creation of this board and I must check out more of the features (there's my own little thread wander to illustrate a point) lol.