realskiers

I actually like the way TGR works, and am not opposed to seeing vociferous disagreements every now and again.  I agree with Liam that sometimes an emphasis on civility can be overdone.  Personally, I value content over presentation almost every day of the week.

The PMTS forum is tech-support for PMTS users so, while I agree the debates made things more interesting, they didn't further the mission of the site any.  I think Epic is more about who you know and how much you pay them than what you know, and I imagine the new ownership will put even more emphasis on sponsored posts.

What audience does this forum intend to serve?

I'd post more on TGR, except I don't fit in well with the forum demographic.  I've gotten along great with every maggot I've met in person, but it seems most of those guys are out chasing BC powder while I'm riding high-speed lifts learning to bend a ski properly.  It's a different focus.  Maybe someday I'll learn to ski well enough that I'll get into more touring, but that's not where I'm at right now, and I've grown rather attached to the sensation of arcing a ski and the forces you can generate on hard snow.

I'd be happy to see some interesting debates, and would not be put off by a bit more flexibility with moderation.  I had a conversation a couple years ago with an exceptional coach (I don't think anybody here has met him), and he commented that he stayed off all the internet stuff because, if somebody posted something showing he was an idiot, he'd call him an idiot, and promptly get kicked off the site.  Would I be able to handle a little namecalling to get insight from people with his kind of knowledge of the sport?  ABSOLUTELY.