hmm. and to think the evening before this thread started, Chris Weeks had me talked into taking Magus back if Magus apologized.
Magus was banned because he refused to follow RFF rules of civility and decorum. It is that simple. See
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item2
Any other imagined reason that Magus was banned is just that -- imagined. After two warnings from me, warnings from the moderators, and Magus asking to be removed, he finally had his way. Maybe we gave him too many chances and he started to not to believe the warnings.
Needless to say, the events at the beginning of this thread are distorted in order to justify Magus. I'm not going into the details, because it's not worth the effort. We tried to keep him a productive member of the RFF community instead of banning him, to no avail.
Banning RFF members with over even 50, or even 25 posts is actually a very rare thing. While spammers and trolls are given a quick boot, members who take the time to contribute are highly valued members of the RFF community. Sometimes a nudge or warning is needed, but hardly ever is anything required beyond that. RFF is about building a photographic community, but communities need rules to function. The aim is to provide a place where people can discuss all things rangefinder and a bit beyond in a polite and civil environment, even if those views are very different. We can learn from each other and enjoy the ride along the way.
Stephen