This is a serious question. Does the thread starter "own" the thread, and able to set the rules for what is and what is not is acceptable. I'm really not trying to stir the pot. I just want to know. Thx
I don't see any pot stirring in your question!
It's a good question!
The original poster sure can set some rules, but there are a few people here who live for the act of derailing threads, and being rude to others simply for the sake of being rude.
With a "my way or the highway" mentality, and words/actions that reveal a clear inferiority complex, aka "Keyboard Cowboy", they do what they can to be the bullies in town.
They've even managed to run some really decent folks out of town.
But not me. I'm not afraid of them, or their friends' neck tattoos, or any of their harmless words on a screen.
Ya see, bullies count on getting their way, by being the loudest and the meanest. And when others don't cooperate with their terms, they get all flustered and threaten people with physical violence, or team up to derail threads, like children.
Their response to this post alone will prove my point...unless they choose to remain silent, in an attempt to discredit me.
Either way, I don't care about folks like them.
It's the regular folk like RyBryLawDudeGuy that I care about.
He's the OP here, and regardless of what rules were originally set forth, he reserves the right to amend those rules.
The mods are here to keep the peace, and will step in when necessary, but for the most part,
it's up to us civilized folks to agree to keep the peace ourselves.
Can the OP set rules/guidelines? Yes.
Do people always follow them? No.
Is there anything that can be done to stop them? Sure, but it usually involves simply closing the thread. The mods have too many threads to monitor, to do much clean up work inside each thread.
Sometimes a chain of argumentative posts will get deleted, as may happen to this post.
Other times the damage is too great, and the thread is locked/closed. And it will remain on the forum, frozen in time, as a testament to the communication break downs that occur, or the bullying that goes unchecked.
So I think that sums up my answer to your question.
It's like the Wild West.