USENET is still the only format that gets discussions right. (1) First and foremost, it's a medium that uses a dedicated newsreader that is customizable by the user in ways that no web-browser or forum application can be. Newsreaders can employ rulesets to whack out spam, garbage, nonsense - even posts that contain off-topic phrases like "gun control" or "abortion." (2) As someone already pointed out, the best feature is that it shows the user only the new posts, if desired. Web forums (the few that offer this...) depend on cookies or other nonsense that are periodically expunged by users. (3) You can killfile posters on USENET. Again, a tiny few web forums offer this, but ... cookies. (4) You can killfile threads on USENET. (5) Most USENET groups are unmoderated. Nothing irks me more than some jackhead "moderator" deleting a post because I'm "trolling." One man's "thoughtful, impassioned, polite criticism" of [thing the moderator likes] is another man's "trolling."

@LukeMorton: The main argument against employing plonking / killfiling comes from the operators of the site, who reason that leaving piles of troll-posts around could discourage new users from "signing up" and participation in the community. Speaking for myself, I don't find this argument compelling. I think most new users evaluate the site primarily on the basis of the content itself, and the quality of comments are way down the list. Everyone has been to the internet rodeo by now, and we all know comments are the new usenet. As a previous poster mentioned, the best solution is a blend of both solutions. Let the users individually plonk posters they no longer want to hear from, and reserve banning / removal of posts for the operators in the case of truly egregious (racism, pr0n, etc...) posts which will reflect badly on the site.

"Hellbanning" is becoming so ubiquitous (particularly on newspaper sites...) that aspiring trolls have already found the obvious solution; simply create a "stealth" account to check and see if they can view their posts from the "troll" account from time to time. Got banned? Can't see your posts? Create new troll account. Laugh at moderators; "Ha, ha - you so smart." This tactic also works perfectly well against "errorbanning" and "slowbanning." Simply check using the stealth account. No errors? Site working fine? Time for a new troll account! What I think more (any?) sites should do is revive an ancient concept - the killfile. Let the users themselves decide who they don't want to hear from any more, on an individual basis. Point at a troll's post, press the "Killfile" button, and you - *just you* - don't see any posts from this guy again. This allows maximum flexibility and puts each user in charge of his online experience. This amounts to a personal-basis hellbanning. The troll vanishes from the radar of each user who finds him annoying - yet his posts remain. All he knows is that apparently no one feels the need to respond to him any longer ... and the few newbies who do respond aren't providing enough fodder for his ego. He rides off into the sunset.

Fuck the Turks. Israel should use cluster bombs and fuel-air explosives on the next "aid flotilla." It's not like anyone of consequence will be kakked out, and the video of MV RACHEL CORRIE being "flattened" by explosives would be most comical.