really, the key is to not develop too much of a negative rating. I've been in both restrictively moderated and practically unmoderated boards, and this one isnt bad at all....maybe a bit lock-happy sometimes, but often there's no doubt in what was about to break out...sometimes stopping it before the flamewars helps keep thngs in order.

For example, I know any board I go into, some folks will like me, some won't care, and some will put me on ignore. Really that doesn't bother me, I'm past worrying about that. The key is wording. If your going to be harsh let them know prior and to use a good selection of words.

If you think someone is an effing moron....why not just call him on his words and not resort to namecalling...a simple "umm, it doesnt work that way, you can't blah blah on part X, because blah blah" will suffice. And sometimes, an emoticon is all it takes to change the entire tone of a post. It's the little things that can totally skew a post....try it sometime.

If you wanted to see how bad an under moderated board gets, I participate in one, and it's pretty bad...I often make sure nobodies around when I go there for fear of offending hte entire human race...that board is like a train wreck....just cnat stop watching it happen...and really nothing ever gets done, just a bunch of e-penis-measuring contests, and the most antisocial behavior i have ever seen....people literally post there just to try to become the most offensive person there...be glad this board has mods that try to do as well as they can. Sometimes a person will get ran over that didnt need to, but that's why the warning system exists, to give them some chances.

Now for over moderated....one board I was to, the owner of it was also the owner of a company that made products realting to the hobby the board was around....he had a tendancy to ban anyone who was even the slightest bit critical of his product. a simple "this cable didnt fit my reciever" would get you a ban. If you were tearing into his product (and his products were in all truth pretty bad), he IP bans you and reports you to your ISP. He also banned anyone who tried to use science to compare audio products... THAT is a dictator. Big difference.

Whatever you got banned for, best hting you can do if your not IP banned yet is to learn why you got banned and try to not do it again. Your idea of blunt may not be blunt but just crude...You have to remember crude is in the eyes of the reader.