I'm of the opinion (being an ex-mod from here) that what the message board software needs is an add-on or feature that disallows members from replying to a particular thread if they keep causing trouble in it (they can still view but not reply and if members bag that user out after they're kicked they get warnings). For the mods it is a lot easier to lock and remove a thread, especially when it's one with 10 pages and the negativity is strewn across the whole thread.. I remember wasting so much time "cleaning out" threads that other things went by unnoticed.
The main problem with the current system of locking is it seems the same kinds of threads are reappearing and ending in the same fate, and members who contributed positively to the threads are disadvantaged because the thread was locked sending out a message that if members try to resurrect the discussion then their threads will meet a similar fate.
On
my message board which is running on phpbbfm (heavily modified version of phpbb, not as powerful as vbulletin but it's free) I have a feature where I can kick users from a thread if they're causing trouble.. but I have no idea of where such a feature could be found for vbulletin which is what JC runs on, or if the guys in red would consider it.. but I'm just getting it out there
