Also, to speak on a couple points:
1) The reason for sometimes trying to moderate discussions from one thread to another is that way we can actually try to encourage discussion on a specific topic. Sometimes if a topic gets too broad in scope, the argument becomes cyclical because you get away from the topic at hand and then eventually it comes back around to what was first discussed... but nothing new is generated... yet the discussion continues because it
feels new again. So it just prolongs a dead discussion.
2) You should never fear having an opinion. While we don't typically discuss the how's or why's that certain posters are no long with us, let's just say that the ones I know of were not for hockey related opinions.
3) The rules are something we can't do much about it's set down from above and we try to work within them to encourage the discussion as best we can. You have to remember as well, for some reason this particular board goes through mods I think faster than most, and so most of us are still getting the hang of our newfound abilities and trying not to go mad with power.
4) I do think recently we've had a bit of an improvement in discussions, though the GDTs themselves have been a bit slow.
I'm also wondering if the slowness of GDTs isn't because of the increased reliance on streams and how out of sync everyone is. When I'm moderating a GDT for example, I end up finding out what's about to happen before it comes through on GCL all the time since that's the only way I can watch games. So then I have to decide whether I just do cleanup every 5 or 10 minutes, or just end up having the game spoiled on me for every major event
If it wasn't for the fact I'm moderating I'd likely stay out of the GDT and pop in only on period breaks. Nothing to do with the board itself, just the fact I want to enjoy the game first and foremost.