I'll just add my experience to what
Hal has stated. I started off as a normal member here like everyone else. I lurked for a week or two, because I wasn't sure what the attitude toward newbies would be (the community was much smaller then). I started posting because I felt that I needed to give something back since I was taking from the board without really doing anything to give back. After a while, I donated because I still felt like it wasn't enough. I applied to be a mod because I was spending a lot of time here and I felt that I had to give something back. I'm an admin now, and I'm still doing all that I can to try and give back at least a little of what I've been given by the community. I don't expect everyone else to go to that extreme, but I just want to at least try to give back some of what I've received from this place.
Some see the rules, and think they are authoritarian controls. I see them and see
Hal trying to bring new people closer into the community. Top five lists can't tell much about a person. Getting them to state their thoughts, ideals, and how they justify them is what gives insight into the members. His wanting to reduce negativity will only help to strengthen the community. And I've never really understood why people feel the need to be negative in some threads anyway. It's kind of sad to see people who have to bring negativity into threads that were created for the sole purpose of cheering others up.
Okay, I think I'm done rambling........for now.
