This is a Planet Stories post, but it is also a Paizo post. I am not trying to discount board posters whose feelings differ from mine with what I am about to say. I am just sharing my personal take.
Today I logged in to the Paizo board and while scanning what had recently been posted, I saw that, in service of the goal of making things as friendly as they can be, Gary had followed up on someone else's comment, to let them know that the poster had made some good points, but really hurt his case by tacking a gratuitous insult to another poster on the end. This is Gary, who works such long hours helping to keep our forums and orders going that he always seems to be at work, taking time to critique, in recognition of the fact that people were getting really upset over the issue of posts disappearing.
This, in addition to Paizo people from Lisa on down, taking time from their already busy schedule of production, and time from their planning on how to survive as a company through the tidal wave that is about to blast through, to explain how they would like the message boards they host run and why.
Nobody does this. Or maybe they do, but I have not seen it, and though I am fairly new here, I have canvassed the terrain of blogs and message boards heavily for many, many years, and have the low user IDs to show for it.
Again, not discounting anyone else's experiences or feelings, but I have been blown away. Even the Paizo staff members taking the most heat have been kid gloves compared to how moderation is usually implemented, and doing it while they are probably would rather be getting strategies together for when the shock waves from 4e blast through.
Sure, I have been on the fence for a Planet Stories subscription, and I will definitely be getting my money's worth, but I still don't have time to read them. I am buying today because I want Paizo to be here for a long, long time. Gary closed the deal, but everyone else gets credit for the assist. From where I stand, Paizo is a great company, and that extends to the people working for it.
I really hope everyone, posters and Paizo, can find common ground, because it's really all our loss if we don't. In the meantime, this is one guy's "thank you" for all everyone, company and visitors, contributes here. I am personally grateful for it, even if it might seem like this post puts me on the opposite side of the fence from you.