Interesting backlash to what some would think should be common every day mature behavior. Perhaps my views are generational and well entrenched, but I have tried to think outside my own prejudices and see this issue from the other side.
I for one, fully support HTC's new approach. I noticed an immediate impact last night on the quality and maturity of general interpersonal behavior on Channel 1 and 2. I believe HTC's "filter" response to the increasing degrading interaction that was happening there, indeed reflects both their personal values, as well as the general age, character and nature of the majority of players within the AH community. We do not permit profanity in our on-line flight sims business focus group either.
However, as I said to Pyro in a separate thread, "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter", so this general channel 1 stance is bound not to please everyone.
Although I don't appreciate BotaBing's style of making his point, I do support his position that private channels should be exempt (if technically possible) from this censorship. A squad will police it's own based upon their group standards of decorum and as far as one to one conversation, it should also be uncensored and purely academic for purposes of this discussion.
IMHO, vulgarity in general is not the issue. I spent 17 years in the military, many as a paratrooper and the colorful language was built into the culture. The issue is about what any group endorses as acceptable behavior and it is apparent that besides the corporation that produces the product, the majority of the community also supports the standards HTC have chosen to represent.
Again, personally, I think one's use of profanity tends to diminish as one gets older. One is usually less stressed out about life, have matured more and generally feel more secure, with less need to reinforce self esteem and self control using provocative expression. Well, except when HT bounces me for the 10th time and nails my old badger's hide to the wall.

Anyway, enough said as I've probably added to the tenseness of this type of thread and opened myself up to some pretty healthy flaming.
Salute to HTC for the stance and also a salute to BotaBing for the courage to challenge it using his right and obligation to dissent.
Regards,
Badger
Looking for a different kind of environment to discuss your favorite on-line flight simulator?
http://www.egroups.com/group/flightsimsonline P.S. I'm curious about this membership. Would any of you speak to HTC's staff such as RONNIE or YANKEE on-line channel 1 using profanity? More importantly, is it simply about censorship of the medium some of you object to, or would you feel comfortable on the telephone with them expressing yourself with vulgarity as well?
[This message has been edited by Badger (edited 09-23-2000).]