I am against increasing restrictions to solve problems such as this. In my experience, increasing freedoms and relying on the mature majority to resolve conflicts as they see fit is more effective. The true power of any community-driven entity lies in the members of the community, not in the rules or those who enforce them.
If there is a problem with certain members -- or non-members, as it might be -- of the community, the only way to truly and finally resolve it is for those members to be encouraged to ameliorate. I don't think there is a single way to make do this, however; for some it will be as simple as kindly pointing out their mistake, for others much more is required.
In all cases, it is important to remember that the experienced members of the community are in the best position to incite improvement. We cannot rely on inexperienced members to single-handedly improve the community and their part in it. We cannot expect them to learn if we don't make an effort to teach them.
Quote:EMOTICONS ARE BAD
I quite disagree with this. Overusing emoticons is detrimental, but prudent usage can greatly increase the level of communication between people. Of course, there are varying opinions on this, just like with all things. It does bring up a valid point, however: Tolerance from veterans is just as important as a willingness to learn from newbies; vice versa is not altogether inapplicable, either.
