So, If IRC is so good (or even better than this forum), then why not trade arms, drugs etc there ?
Firearms are legal in the US, some drugs in the netherlands, prostitution is legal in some countries.
Bitcoin is money for the free, the forum just reflects that, the way it's run is not mine to define, but I nonetheless agree with its rules.
There is always a starting point to censorship, but there's never an ending point... Why not ban everything remotely controversial ?
I'm willing to bet over 90% of those who use the internet don't use IRC, and will never want to.
I'm not saying IRC *replaces* the forum, neither am I stating that simple communication means accessible to most internet users are useless.
I agree with Shadow here. My stance has nothing to do with morals, and I think it would be pretty silly if we let the board go up in flames because we allowed sales of drugs or other illegal goods. I've seen forums shut down for this exact reason before and the host doesn't give a damn about "freedom of speech" if they think it's going to come and bite them in the ass.
The forum would just change host.
Porn and gambling can be legal.
Drugs and fire arms sales can be too. It's all relative.
I could care less about those topics. But if someone up high catches wind of drug sales going on here, it will bring a lot of unneeded attention and problems.
Attention is always in favor of bitcoin.
This board is important for the long haul of the bitcoin community and the continued technical development of the system, and it would be foolish to lose that because we couldn't make a few rules on what can or cannot be sold here.
Technical development mostly happens on github and IRC, and that's only counting the main client.
To people who are unhappy, uncomfortable with the way this forum is being run, it is your right to feel that way, but you'll always get better results and general satisfaction by using your own freedom to make something that suits you (start a new forum with your rules, emphasize on what *you* feel is important, have links from this forum to yours etc.) instead of asking for other's freedom to be limited.