I registered 2006. We had quite a few changes to the culture and tone in this forum. I don't like what's going on here right now either, but my reasons are different. In fact, they're the exact opposite of some of your points. I feel there's too many people atm who run around in uniforms, yelling and whistling and telling people to step off the lawn. (My rant about this is elswhere and not worth searching for.)

i'm and old man and my memory may play tricks on me, but this was a more fun and relaxed place years ago.

Now you are concerned about the signal:noise ratio and suggest even "a bit more rigor in moving or merging", which is what I've had enough of. - Maybe then what they're doing right now is the perfect balance to keep both of us happy?

About karma and thanks: karma is highly overrated. It's nothing new, it was established years ago and it needs a little tweaking every now and then, but overall, it works fine and means little. Now that for the first time (IIRC) karma can equal real money (=discount), everybody gets obsessed with it. This is good in a way, because in makes some members finally link their profiles or register at maemo.org at all, but in the end.... It's just a number. The algorithm to calculate it can change, give more or less weight to "Thanks", who knows? Thanks in this forum should not be restricted because of karma considerations. If anythying, karma calculations could be changed on how thanks are being handled in practice.

And finally: Ordering an N900 isn't a requirement for being active in this forum. Stay. We'd miss you. You make me think of my holidays in Cornwall...