Don't remember this thread. Seems like it deserves an on-topic response though.
I've been coming here for a little while - I've seen the changes you guys were talking about, and I have to wonder why the complaining. I've tried other forums, but I come back here for a reason, and it has nothing to do with Gran Turismo. I haven't played the game in a few years, but I come here anyway.
I come here
because of the moderating staff, not in spite of it. I come here because they know how to let a healthy debate rage while carefully pruning out useless drivel or trolling. I come here for the level of maturity that the moderating staff offers and, to a certain extent, forces on the other members. I do this because I've seen what happens when such rules do not exist.
Yes, it would be nice if we could go back to a time when Gran Turismo was a game that attracted a smaller crowd of more sophisticated members. The success of the game has brought a crowd of people to this site, and the average maturity level has only gone down as a result. The somewhat self-moderating nature of the forum has been disrupted, but I'm glad that the level of contribution expected from the members here hasn't changed.
The Funny Pictures Thread is a fantastic example where some of the immature members on this site can't seem to keep the rules here in mind. It's mind numbing how often the moderators have to come into that thread and say exactly the same things they've said for YEARS. I love that thread, I go there just about every day, but I was happy when it was locked because a message needed to be sent not to abuse it.
I have almost no problem with the way this site has been run - and that's why I keep coming back. I love the fact that the moderators are generally good about not abusing their power too. I've gotten into heated arguments with several moderators about cherished beliefs (religion, global warming, politics, automatic vs. manual transmissions), and in almost all cases they manage to approach the conversation rationally and without using their status to bully those who disagree. I only encountered one exception in the years I've been here - and even that was resolved.
I'd like to thank the moderating staff for their efforts (and it is effort) in keeping this forum one of the best on the interwebs. It's the reason I keep coming back.