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    FWIW, the "official" guidance for comments can be found here: stackoverflow.com/help/privileges/comment - note the emphasis on their transient nature. I tend to think the current situation for those questions and answers - temporarily locked, with a prominent notice directing folks here for discussion - is a good compromise between unlimited tangential discussion and silence. Commented Oct 3, 2013 at 18:19
  • 2
    Yeah, I knew the "C" word would show up eventually. Better than invoking Godwin's Law, I guess. What you're failing to recognize is that we don't allow folks to do anything they want in this sandbox. There are plenty of other sandboxes on the Internet where you can freely voice your opinion (they're called forums), or you can write your own blog, if you're so inclined. Commented Oct 3, 2013 at 20:21
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    In case anyone is wondering, I've done a quick update of the MSO faq post about comments. I changed the "When should comments be deleted" section to stress the ephemeral nature of comments, which should have been there all along. Commented Oct 3, 2013 at 20:26
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    @RobertHarvey: I was there when Godwin's Law was invented (though using a different name). I would never compare you to Hitler. I merely said I consider you to be a bad (i.e. ham-fisted / authoritarian / humorless) moderator. Deleting comments fits the literal dictionary definition of "censorship", so I do not know why you object to the word here. "The comment censorship on SO has gotten out of control" is a straightforward expression of an opinion without hyperbole. Commented Oct 3, 2013 at 20:56
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    You're certainly free to use the term, but it implies the presence of "free speech," which is not, strictly speaking, an active component of Stack Exchange, or even a desirable one. The content on SE is too tightly controlled to support the notion of free speech, so the idea that we're actually stifling someone's freedom of expression is ridiculous, since no such freedom actually exists here, except within the strict confines of the Q&A framework that SE has created. Commented Oct 3, 2013 at 22:49
  • @Laura: Thank you. Now that I know the SO policy has changed, I also know I want no part of it anymore. Is there a quick way to remove all 570 of my answers from the site? Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 2:03
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    @Nemo you don't own your questions anymore, but feel free to delete your account. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 2:57
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    @Blorgbeard: Charming. Nothing mindlessly legalistic and authoritarian about that at all. Apparently the only control I have over my own thoughts on SO is never to provide them again. Which, thanks to you, I have resolved to do. Cheers. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 3:44
  • 1
    @RobertHarvey: You are objectively wrong. "Censorship" does not imply the presence of "free speech". "Censorship" implies "the practice of officially examining books, movies, etc., and suppressing unacceptable parts". Your job as a comment censor is to encourage a useful and -- dare I say it? -- enjoyable environment for SO participants. You are very bad at your job, since by your own assertion you delete any comment -- no matter how well-liked -- that does not conform to your limited, joyless vision. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 3:46
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    @Laura: The "few and far between" wording was infinitely better. It was clearly written with a vision of something collaborative, lightly-regulated, and fun. The new vision is sterile, authoritarian, and boring. It's the difference between an open-air bazaar and a visit to the DMV. Of course, arguing with the folks at the DMV is like trying to "teach a pig to sing", so I will stop arguing with all of you shortly. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 3:52
  • @RobertHarvey: I realize arguing with you is pointless because the concepts are totally alien to you, so I will stop now. Feel free to have the last word and then go back to doing your little thing unchanged. For my part, these are the last words I will write on any SE venue ever. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 3:56
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    @Nemo just providing information. But whatever, feel free to rage-quit because a single off-topic comment of yours was deleted. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 4:08
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    @Nemo chill out lol the whole human race has this admin abuse problem not just stack network Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 4:44
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    @Nemo Our policy hasn't changed. The posts tagged faq here on meta are maintained by the community and are meant to help provide extra information, historical context, or examples of how Stack Exchange works. They are not "official" policy, and unfortunately, in this case, there was an error in one of the statements about comments. I'm sorry to hear you aren't happy with the clarification, and you are of course free to stop participating in the site, but I hope you reconsider and that you understand our goal isn't censorship, but rather maintaining high quality Q&A with few distractions. Commented Oct 4, 2013 at 13:46