It was incredibly easy to get banned there as many with the ability to ban were as petty and spiteful as the average SA poster. I had seen accounts get banned for something as little as not using punctuation and paragraphs(I'm not exaggerating).
Earlyish forums on the web were sometimes a bit anal about proper grammar. I remember posting on a Cedar Point (a large amusement park in Ohio) fan forum back in the late 90s early 00s and written into the terms of service was an agreement to use proper grammar and punctuation.
Uft, the amount of forum threads from 10 years ago that start out helpful for whatever I'm trying to solve which descend into massive arguments about miniscule things is frustrating.
I see grammar arguments a lot.
Which is why threaded conversations are better. The petty argument goes in one direction, and the information goes another.
Although linear threads are much easier for timeline based searching
because behaviour like this usually kept stupidity low, or paid for server costs by exploiting idiots with money to blow, instead of selling out to huge corporations.
In all fairness, the rules strongly suggested you lurk for an extended period of time so you don’t get banned. They definitely had some non-traditional rules.
I must respectfully disagree with your assertion that not using punctuation and paragraphs should be a bannable offense on every form of written media to exist because while it is true that punctuation and paragraphs greatly enhance the readability and clarity of written communication it is also important to recognize that language and writing are inherently flexible and evolving forms of expression there are numerous contexts and situations where the rigid application of punctuation and paragraphs may not be necessary or even desirable consider the vast array of poetic forms that eschew traditional punctuation and paragraph structure for the sake of rhythm flow and emotional impact similarly many modernist and postmodernist literary works deliberately abandon conventional punctuation to challenge readers' perceptions and to convey a sense of disorientation or stream-of-consciousness thought furthermore the digital age my name is chatgpt has given rise to new forms of communication such as text messaging and social media where brevity and speed often take precedence over strict grammatical rules in these contexts the use of punctuation and paragraphs is often minimal or non-existent yet the messages conveyed are still understood by the intended audience imposing a blanket ban on the absence of punctuation and paragraphs would not only stifle creativity but also fail to acknowledge the diverse ways in which people communicate it is also worth noting that not everyone has the same level of proficiency in written language for those with dyslexia other learning disabilities or those for whom english is a second language the conventional rules of writing may pose significant challenges these individuals should not be penalized or excluded from participating in written discourse simply because they struggle with punctuation and paragraph structure instead we should foster an inclusive environment that values the content and intent of their communication rather than its adherence to rigid formalities additionally there are cultural differences in writing styles that must be considered what is deemed appropriate or acceptable in one language or cultural context may not hold true in another imposing a universal standard for punctuation and paragraph use would ignore these important variations and contribute to a homogenization of global communication that undermines cultural diversity therefore while punctuation and paragraphs undoubtedly play a crucial role in enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of written communication it is neither practical nor fair to enforce their use universally across all forms of media doing so would overlook the rich diversity of expressive styles the unique challenges faced by different individuals and the evolving nature of language itself instead we should encourage a more flexible and inclusive approach to writing that respects and accommodates the myriad ways in which people choose to express themselves
because they struggle with punctuation and paragraph structure instead we should foster an inclusive environment that values the content and intent of their communication rather than its adherence to rigid formalities additionally there are cultural differences in writing styles that must be considered what is deemed appropriate or acceptable in one language or cultural context may not hold true in another imposing a universal standard for punctuation and paragraph use would ignore these important variations and contribute to a homogenization of global communication that undermines cultural diversity therefore while punctuation and paragraphs undoubtedly play a crucial role in enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of written communication it is neither practical nor fair to enforce their use universally across all forms of media doing so would overlook the rich diversity of expressive styles the unique challenges faced by different individuals and the evolving nature of language itself instead we should encourage a more flexible and inclusive approach to writing that respects and accommodates the myriad ways in which people choose to express themselves