Agree!
+1
This. Notes, IMHO, are the backbone of the forum.
Sometimes it’s ok to just read a thread without posting to it. If you have nothing substantive to add, don’t fill up the thread with platitudes just to hear the sound of your own voice. Ditto for links to supposedly funny youtube videos or stupid cartoons.
I agree that more tasting notes would be great. Martin Steinley’s recent thread on off-the-beaten-track burgundy and Pat’s thread on traditional vs modern Barolo/Barbaresco stand out as two particularly valuable recent threads so thanks to both of them and all who contributed.
The easiest rule of thumb is to act online as you would in-person.
Unfortunately, that not always translates as “nice”.
More so than not - the keyboard superheroes are all too common.
You really don’t want me acting the way I am at work. 
Mike, I couldn’t help but think that I’d seen this thread before… hmm… what was that… oh! Here it is: http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1559904. Although on closer analysis, this one employs a lot more attempted public shaming than the last one.
Going forward, maybe you and Larry Schaeffer could co-author your periodic meta-discourses on Wine Talk to avoid duplication?
Please let this post serve as a credit in the “positive goodwill” column, per your announced criteria.
Good catch, Jay. I forgot about that one. That one is more from the appreciation of Wine, this one is more of the appreciation of each-other. Nobody liked it then either…
The rules just never really change, no?
I think the Toddster should create a function that tracks the number of TNs posted per person so we can keep track and motivate people to post notes. We would offer prizes for the most prolific posters. I suppose it would have to have a link to CT to automatically track which posts are TNs.
A guy FORMER poster (a professor at an upstate university of renowned who I will not name in the spirit of the OP) once objected to my posting of TNs on average wines because it created too much clutter since he thought TNs were for great wines only. I offered him two choices - put me on ignore of F off. I guess I chased him away. I apologize for my bad behavior.
Funny. Clear out the ‘clutter’ so more Rudy,Ilan,Parker,PremiereCru,RealEstateBubble threads could proliferate.
I love the TNs, I love the discussions on vintages, the talk about winery acquisitions, the retailer praises and complaints, the ‘new and exciting’ producers, the ‘why don’t we talk about this producer more’ threads - all of it. It’s all there, folks…I just think there’s call now, and many times in the past, for more respectable behavior, that’s all!
If I didn’t suck at writing tasting notes, I’d write more of them myself! Plenty of people like Mike have far greater skill at that than I do, but I also love the super simple ones, and have commented on them many times in the past, because often it only takes a couple words to express one’s opinion on a wine, and it can really capture the moment.
True, but there are more nice people than jerks. I try to ignore the nastiness. Well, sometimes I read quietly.
Join some off lines and Berserkerfests and get to know other posters. Share a bottle of wine and chill!
Todd - get rid of the asylum and politics forums and you might capture most of what you want – would seem to eliminate a fair amount (although not all) of the questionable behavior.
There is always the Caveman-style: Mmmm; UGH!; Pfft!!! designed to convey quick and immediate feeling.
I so rarely look at Politics, and most don’t even have access to it (by their own smart choice - I CAN’T choose), and if I got rid of Asylum, how would I find out all the news around the world before apparently anybody else does?? Asylum is CLUTCH for me! 
Great suggestion - I’d like to see the removal of non wine related discussions too.
Also maybe a “flag” button so that people can mark comments that are inappropriate or incorrect.
OK, here’s my post. I like Asylum, lots of cool, fun stuff there. I find people actually better behaved there than they are in Wine Talk sometimes. I love, love, Travel forum, I’ve gotten so much good info there. I don’t venture into Politics.
But back on topic: This is a great place to learn and talk about wine. I do miss quite a few long time contributors who don’t seem to be around these days. I really miss having more producers and growers contributing (I was absolutely thrilled to see Tom Garrett post on the current Detert thread, wish there was more of that). To get that requires a measure of restraint and decorum that some people either aren’t happy with, or not capable of. I don’t advocate for everyone to pull their punches on every discussion that turns negative, but there are ways to say things that are less insulting and demeaning. Every single person here is smart enough to know that, and know how to do it if they want to.
I’ve sensed a sluggishness to the board. I don’t know if that’s just me having become saturated with too many years of wine bulletin boards, or if it is real. I’ve also noticed quite a few new participants. I hope that will continue, that some experienced ones who haven’t posted much (or at all) will come back, and that more winemakers will chime in from time to time.
No sluggishness - in fact, it’s odd just HOW consistent this forum community is. Different subjects come and go, summer is always a bit slower and winter always busier, more notes about certain varietals depending on the season, etc. This quick overview of about 3 months is funny, how it illustrates the evenness of the traffic here. It also looks like a wave that needs surfing - nice swell!
For those who don’t like what’s seen on Asylum, I can check into seeing if there’s a way to opt out of it, but otherwise, it’s easy to avoid by not clicking it