A quick word on "Overwhelmingly Negative Influences"

[robvalue]

In my opinion, the ONI rule should be about what it says: a negative influence on the forum. Not just on discussion, we already have rules for disrupting discussion. Someone can affect the whole atmosphere of the forum, make many members uncomfortable, and clearly have no particular reason to be here other than to ruin the experience for everyone else; all while carefully skirting the rules. So I would see it as a plug for all the holes in the rules, now and in the future.

Of course it's subjective, but that's why every single staff member has to sign off. If not one person on staff thinks a member has anything to offer and is an overwhelming negative influence, then for the benefit of all the other members, I think it's quite reasonable to cull them. This is way more than a discussion forum, it's a community. It would be selling it short to say otherwise at this point.