[Off-topic] SimonTS:
Firstly, thank you for replying.

Even if I had the time or inclination to do so, I would find it rather difficult as the majority of the problem posts will have been moderated or deleted, so I have no way to access them anymore.

I am not disputing the fact that a lot of the members with higher numbers of posts cause the problems. I would also place money that the members you are referring to have probably obtained 90%+ of their posts in OT, rather than through useful, valid contribution to the rest of XDA. XDA is not, I have said it before as have many others, a social media site - but OT is a useful part of it for the stuff that shouldn't be in the technical areas.

You don't like the 100 post limit before getting access to OT? OK, so make it 10 posts, in line with the Development forums. I know that you would rather people come in here to 'spam' their 10 posts before sticking their useless questions in the Development threads, but that is a self-defeating way of doing it. It is much easier to come in to OT and post 10 "pointless, but not quite spam" posts just to gain access to the development areas - whereas if they are kept out of here then it is much easier to pick up on the spam and report it so it is dealt with quickly and efficiently. As for who you end up kicking out of OT - that would be down to the members who chose not to 'play fair' in here - whether they have 10 posts or 10,000 makes no difference to me. I have already stated that I kept out of OT for months now because of the state it was in, which is a shame as it used to be quite a fun, relaxing place to pass time.

To be honest, the majority don't like the way things are right now - as you have found out - so surely trying something different is better than leaving the staus quo which is, quite obviously, not working the way you or we want it to be.

“It is better to have tried and failed than to live life wondering what would’ve happened if I had tried” – Alfred Lord Tennyson

---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 PM ----------

OK, fair enough. I'm just trying to make suggestions in the hope that OT might get back to the way it used to be. As long as the current situation continues that won't happen, so I'll withdraw from this before I get accused (by mods or members) of trying to interfere or tell people how to do their jobs.

The simple fact is that the rules in OT need to be different. The base rules should, absolutely, hold tight across the entire forum, but there should be the understanding that OT is a different place. If I am at work and punch someone, or down the pub with my mates and punch someone, the punishment will be the same. However, if I'm at work I probaby won't be having a laugh and calling someone a d**khead as that would be a sackable offence, but if I'm down the pub after a few drinks I might do so - and what I would expect would be, if I'd done it to someone who took offense, the pub owner giving me a two week ban. If OT isn't different to the rest of XDA then what, genuinely, is the point in it? You guys acknowledge it is different, which is why all the device-specific 'OT' threads were closed down and force to move here.