Closing "questionable" threads?

Ok.... I know that there are certain things that the forums can't encourage, but there are a number of threads I see getting closed that are not fully justified. The most notable I've seen in someone asking about BitTorrent. Well, last time I checked, there were just as many people using BitTorrent legally as illegally. This is like saying that it should be illegal to learn how to pick locks. There are lots of people (including a friend of mine) that make their living picking locks legally for people that have lost their keys. This is getting as stupid at the kid here in Georgia a few years ago that got kicked out of school for bringing a Tweety key chain to school.... Bringing weapons like chains is an expulsion offense.... but it was a stupid key chain that would fit in the palm of your hand.

Is is possible for the moderators to stand back for five seconds and look at posts before just closing them for being questions about something that is "illegal."

We reserve the right to close, delete, edit anything we deem offensive or illegal, live with it. BJ

Well that was really diplomatic of you BJ.

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Originally posted by Calpitor
Well that was really diplomatic of you BJ.

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Ya know, when you have been around as long as I have it gets a little tiring that some members try to second guess us on what we do, if people do not want thier threads closed they should give a little thought on what they are posting. Jupitermedia, the very people who own & run this site are very liable to lawsuits & it's my job to see that we do not post anything that would make them targets for lawsuits. I for one love this site & would really feel a great loss if it were to be closed down because of a post that should not have been there to begin with, thats my opinion & im sticking to it. BJ

Typical.... we think it might be bad, so we can do whatever we want. Sorry.... but that is zombie mentality. If someone says they are burning music to CD's, you can't just assume they are doing something illegal. The same can be said for software like BitTorrent.

If the moderators just delete questionable posts rather than determining whether the post is valid, what is the point of having moderators? The programmers can just set up key words that just automatically get threads deleted.... and save you and the rest of the mods some time.

I find it amusing that I should, "live with it." Hard to, "live with it," when there is no place for someone like me to protest a post being closed, deleted, or edited. So, I guess you can say that I am dealing with it by posting this.... but I guess you can just close, delete, or edit this post like you've done before....

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Originally posted by flachebaq
TypicalI find it amusing that I should, "live with it." Hard to, "live with it," when there is no place for someone like me to protest a post being closed, deleted, or edited. So, I guess you can say that I am dealing with it by posting this.... but I guess you can just close, delete, or edit this post like you've done before....

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I dont have any intentions of editing, deleting or closing this post, you do have a right to protest something if you want to. You have to understand that we have to do certain things sometimes that everyone dont agree with, unfourtunately thats the way it is. BJ
PS: I dont see that the original poster protesting about it, just maybe he understands why we did what we did.

I would say someone read this and understood it.

That's nice Train, but BitTorrent, for example, is not inherently illegal.

You will not use these forums to violate any laws nor to discuss illegal activities.
Still applies. Bit Torrent, Kazaa no difference in my book.

Kazaa is not inherently illegal :) Even lawyers know that.

If you guys are going to make a rule against discussing "peer-to-peer file sharing applications, regardless of their use" then please post such a guideline.

I didn't really want to jump on this thread. I only did so because I found BJ's response of "live with it" reprehensible and offensive. But I would like to take the opportunity to ******** something here. P2P software itself isn't illegal be it Bit Torrent or Kazaa. If your book says it is Train my best advice to you is to tell the publisher it is time for a rewrite. Although our Supreme Court has decided downloading music from even the most questionable sources is legal, the have decided uploading music ripped from CDs is. Your own courts have made similar decisions.

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P2P software itself isn't illegal

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True, but its use can be and there is no way for us to know how it will be used. Even if everyone who posts in a thread has the purest of motives, lurkers may (probably will) put the info to illegal use.

In case you haven't heard, lots of people have been sued for downloading copyrighted material. A basic principle of the legal profession is sue the deep pockets. Its just a matter of time until the RIAA's attorneys realize that organizations like Jupitermedia have more resources than the average teenage thief.

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Originally posted by jerryctx
True, but its use can be and there is no way for us to know how it will be used. Even if everyone who posts in a thread has the purest of motives, lurkers may (probably will) put the info to illegal use.

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Don't ask / don't tell :)

If Jupitermedia's lawyers have advised them to tell you guys to crack down on this stuff, then I understand your hands are tied. But otherwise, I think it would be best to not read so many what ifs into your own rules. That is of course just my opinion.

Obviously you are within your rights to enforce the rules, as vague on the subject as they may be, any way you want on a privately-owned forum, nobody is debating that. (In response to the "live with it" comment above.)

The same questions arise when people ask how to bypass passwords in Windows or Linux. It's trivial to do if you have physical access. Information could at one point be found on Microsoft's site in a kb article.

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Originally posted by jerryctx

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True, but its use can be and there is no way for us to know how it will be used.

That would depend entirely on the question posted wouldn't it? For example "How do I get rid of all the spyware that is included with Kazaa?" or "Can you download movies using Kazaa?"

Even if everyone who posts in a thread has the purest of motives, lurkers may (probably will) put the info to illegal use.

You assume far too much here I would think. Do you have any empirical data that shows those who 'lurk' have malice of forethought?

In case you haven't heard, lots of people have been sued for downloading copyrighted material.

You're way off the mark here. People are being sued for having songs available for download

A basic principle of the legal profession is sue the deep pockets. Its just a matter of time until the RIAA's attorneys realize that organizations like Jupitermedia have more resources than the average teenage thief.

I don't particularly like generalities even less when they are filled with hysteria. Jupitermedia's only culpability in this area could be if they were to be found promoting the use of P2P software expressly for the purpose of sharing copyrighted material.

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Originally posted by jerryctx
True, but its use can be and there is no way for us to know how it will be used. Even if everyone who posts in a thread has the purest of motives, lurkers may (probably will) put the info to illegal use.

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Well.... My local Home Depot does regular does regular classes on the weekends. A friend's kids had a great time back last summer learning how to plant seeds and take care of them until they grow into something. So... that said... I guess they know how to grow marijuana too?

You can't just put a blanket "no" on everything that is questionable. I'm just asking for one of two things: Either change the policy so that it is crystal clear what can and can't be posted; or, let all the moderators know that they should let a thread play out some before making blanket decisions about something like BitTorrent.