1.  The "silence is golden" theory.  

It's a bit disingenuous to regularly engage in expressing one's opinions freely in one -- or in several -- online communities, and then to suggest that it's somehow illegitimate for others to do the same thing.  This is especially true when the same behavior -- and more -- has been SOP over a long period of time for some.

That's what public forums are for: speech, not silence.

Newtek invites its members to speak freely.  And that's what some of us have chosen to do.  If others don't want to say anything -- and if they wish to regard their silence as constituting a virtuous act -- then that's their privilege.  Others of us might choose to speak out, and also might regard our active speaking on the topic as a virtuous act.  That's our privilege -- especially as we are members in good standing of Newtek's community.  And we are both loyal customers and users of their software.

BTW - If any 'stomping around tantrums' were in evidence over there, I completely failed to notice them.  I saw a discussion which happened on another board: with the observation that it wasn't terribly different in tone from the 'discussions' which regularly occur over here (and elsewhere -- it sounded a lot like the internet to me).

If it's legitimate to disagree over here, then it's equally legitimate to disagree in another community -- where one also owns a house: and therefore has an abiding interest in the community affairs of that other "town".  It matters to some of us what happens in the places where we live and are active.  So if we see something that we think is wrong -- some of us will point the problem out.  Being a new member of a community who just moved in a little over a month ago doesn't preclude one from speaking at the local townhall meeting -- and it doesn't instantly call into question one's motives for speaking out when one does so.  I never cease to be fascinated by constant attempts to side-step factual issues by attempting to call a poster's motives into question.  Of course I fully understand the reasoning behind that tactic: because if the poster's motives can be asserted to be bad, then their opinions (with which I disagree) can be ignored and summarily dismissed; and one need not go to the trouble of answering them directly.......especially when there is no handy answer to be had.  Better to either call them a name, or else to say that they are motivated by jealousy / desire for personal glory / desire to draw attention to themselves / desire to stir up trouble / whatever.  You can then proceed to blithely overlook whatever they've actually said.

Participating in a community is an act of virtue: and not one of vice.

Odd how some seem to be of the opinion that others are allowed to speak in one and only one public square, but not in others.  While the reality is that if everyone were to choose silence: then not much would ever get done.

**2.  The "fanboy" theory.
**
There's more talk about "fanboys" to be found at the link below.  It's been my observation that once in awhile an individual who is critical of a given software package, and who is then challenged in turn for their criticism, frequently resorts to calling the critics of their criticism "fanboys".  In other words, it's totally OK, and perfectly legitimate for the critic to criticise something as much as they like -- but it isn't OK, nor is it legitimate for others to point out the virtues of the same thing.  Because doing so makes the supporters into "fanboys".  In other words (again): there's one set of speech rules which apply for the self-styled critics, and then there's another -- very different -- set of speech rules which apply for any supporters who might dare to take a hand in the discussion.

In other words (x3):  I'll call them a name ("fanboy") in a feeble attempt to de-legitimize their thoughts/opinions on the matter.

http://www.newtek.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75613&page=30

Quite an interesting read a few posts down at that link.  The 'interesting' part starts about 2/3 of the way down the page.  Somebody in that thread likes to use the term "fanboy".

**3.  A point of agreement.
**

*Quote - If it fits in the pipeline, it goes in the pipeline.
*Exactly!

Precisely.  IIRC, several of us argued that very same point over there.  So there's no disagreement on that score: as the point's already been made.  Or at least it's been made in that thread.  Which is a good thing to share at Newtek as well as here, IMO.

Hmmmm.  Many of our fellow community members over there even agreed with it.  So I suppose that Lightwave users really are smart, after all.

Something To Do At 3:00AM