Should this, in whatever form it takes eventually, maybe be on the "How To" page - and then repeated in the FAQ?

I would agree with that.

"Am I done, now" being a shout-out to Doyle's last line is rather poignant. It kinda stops working, if it is not a quote.

Mmm . . . I guess. I'm more liking it for the "no better Angel line to title the 'last' thread with" than the shout-out-iness. Just like it better with "we". (shrug) But I will not be too upset if it is "I".

I think we need to do more than "encourage". I think it ought to be grounds for a warning.

It would have to be looked at in context, but if being just plain mean is warning grounds so is threatening blocking. I hope friends don't start with the blocking threats in jest unless it is really damned obvious because this would be very confusing to newbies. please don't block me

Speaking of the FAQ, there will be an entry explaining how to use the filter. I think there ought to be a line at the end saying something like "announcing you've filtered someone is considered extremely rude, and may be grounds for an official warning".

I think it needs to be stomped, too. I don't even think joking about it can be allowed, because newbies may not get the difference. It is one of the "The first rule of filter is that we don't talk about the filter" situations.

See, I think the day we start limiting what we can joke about is...um...an unfunny day?

I'm completely in favor of people not using the filter as a club to harass people with, but we can't pretend we don't have history with each other. A lot of us give each other shit. It's what we do. It's just something newbies will have to figure out.

In theory I agree, Dana. But part of what happened with Schmoker was that he tried to joke with people the same way they joke with each other, and it went really badly. I dunno. I don't want us to say something cannot be said, because that's getting kind of TWoP, but the tone would be so subjective that it might be easiest to make the rule that you don't talk abotu the filter.

I guess it goes back to one of the crucial questions -- who do we place the burden on? Do we take responsibility for making things as smooth as possible even if it means controlling our own behavior, or do we expect newbies to pay attention and pick up on our admittedly complicated behaviors?

I am a very, very firm believer in the onus being on the writer, no matter how long they've been around.

It's not just a question of newbies. I think the sensitivity on this issue is such that even jokes among people we know to be joking will make some of us uncomfortable.

Anyway, I wouldn't expect that we'll have a ton of filtering jokes. I'm just against saying "Do it and you'll be warned!" I liked the first part of Jon's proposed wording: "announcing you've filtered someone is considered extremely rude". As for a warning, we've laid out grounds for a warning in the ettiquette: "Consistent demon-like behavior may earn a warning from the Stompy Feet." I think that covers it.