Hi Jim,
I have already made a post on the unfortunate situation that ensured in the latest thread in our forum but that should be expected though not to the level of adding personality attack and insults. Like Peter has rightly wrote, Web 2.0 means community network of diverse people, business men and women, fun seekers, students, appretices, experts, academics, spoilers, name it. And so we should be ready for everyone but "different rules do apply here than in traditional business even though a business is a business regardless where it is being run"
Here's an except from my last input posted in my forum in case you have not seen it yet:
Now to Leslye and Jim I say welldone but please do it in a most respectful and responsible manner. Our forum was created with diverse opinion from our over 70,000 members in mind and I want to state that we have gone this far because of the ability of members to shoulder and contain each other's opinion be it for or against a particular topic.
Let me put it straight here that any article that does not present some element of debate and strong views of diverse interest is incomplete and can never elicit the supposed excitement the forum is meant to, but we must guard against our mode of expression.
To Leslye:
If you check Judy's Review, you'll appreciate how interesting and controversial your article is meant to be.
"Leslye is provocative throughout her writing and has created an article that will most definitely provide us with a great amount of conversation. There are some, even many, among us who will disagree with much of what she has presented. And, in a community of 60,000 plus, we can be rest assured that there will be others who will agree 100%"
But that is something you should be proud of and brace yourself early enough for different views for or against your expressed opinion. Honestly, I do not agree to all of Jim's views about friendship and business which I'll love to address them in my next post but again if we fail to look at these views objectively and try to marry them to our already-made opinion, we'll miss the main point of learning from one another. I have looked through Jim's posts and wouldn't want you to see his expression as a personal attack but opinion attack which can be sorted out in the spirit and basis of your topic - BE A FRIEND NOT A STRANGER. If you want to achieve this you must develop the thick skin and capacity to withstand criticism, though such critics must as well be healthy. You should also bear in mind that you are the chief moderator of this thread, please try to be as friendly as possible, don't be a stranger!
To Jim:
We must do our utmost best to identify and respect the limit we can get to in airing our views offline or online. What I mean is if you observe that the second party is not ready to accept your opinion or views, it does not make much wisdom to force it down his or her throat. In other words discontinuation is the best solution. Having to follow up an unacceptable view is by itself unacceptable and I am sure that is what Geogios and Peter are trying to put through.
Having address this issue I will like to appeal to both of you to cease addressing each other's post for now. Leslye, please kindly address other posts that has nothing to do with Jim's opinion and Jim if you need to add more contribution, please let it be on a different issue altogether.
I wish to express my gratitude to the two of you for your interest and understanding and sincerely believe that very soon you two would turn friends instead of strangers!
Many thanks to you Peter and Georgios for trying to add words of wisdom to the case, I pray we find better ground for healthier friendship.
Shalom!
Sam