Upcoming changes to the comments section

Dear friends,

[This is yet again a post which 90% of you can ignore and which is directed at a most annoying 10% who mistake this blog for a kindergarten.  No need to point finger - we all know who is who.  Anyway, here goes:]

Over the past couple of days, when I looked at the comments section I have felt quite dismayed by the level of hostility which some of you have for each other.  I should tell you that as soon as I move this blog to the new server there will be a new set of strict rules for comments.  Anonymous comments will still be allowed, but I will ruthlessly impose the following rules:

1) all comments must add something substantial to the conversation.  No more comments like "hell yeah!!" or "that is stupid".  Unless it adds substance, it goes to /dev/null.

2) all comments must be respectful to everybody: author of the post, moderator, fellow posted and myself.  Forgive me for saying so, but I am sick and tired of the level of nastiness some thread reach.  Any form of disrespect anywhere in a comment and the full thing goes to /dev/null.

3) absolutely no more labeling.  No more "troll", "zioboy" or other labels.  If you disagree with somebody, explain why with facts and logic.  Let me deal with "trolls".

4) absolutely no CAPS. Capital letters are considered as YELLING.  So don't.

There will be other rules, but the ones above are just the basic requirements of "savoir vivre" which, to my great regret and frustration, some of you clearly need guidance with.

Right now, I have neither the time, nor energy, nor software to enforce these rules, but I would consider it as a personal favor if you all already decided to abide by them.  I will try my best to enforce them starting now.  But yes, those of you who are dead-set on picking a fight with each other might escape my vigilance and so will avoid my friend /dev/null for a while longer, but in less than a month you will have to go and spew your vitriol elsewhere.

So why don't you start behaving like adults now?

Thanks,

The Saker

PS: here is a rule of thumb you might want to consider: if you see that I did not let your comment through, ask yourself which of the above rules it violated.  Kuz it did.