As we all have noticed, there is a continuous stream of threads of the kind "iPhone is better than Android is better than Maemo is better than iPhone is better than... etc". These threads are numerous and also contain a large number of posts, so obviously there is real need amongst many community members to let out opinions of that sort.

However, many others feel that such threads are pointless and only serve to clutter the space, hiding what they consider are more interesting posts.

Couldn't we simply have an Advocacy forum for such threads where they can reside without being accused of trolling. Advocacy threads that are started in the wrong forum could perhaps be moved by moderators to the advocacy forum, keeping the rest of the board clean. Preferably, the board might even have a preference setting so that the Advocacy forum does not show up in the "Active Topics" list either, for those users that never want to see such posts.

You'd think that is what the Competitors and Off Topic areas are for.

Well there is a competitor's forum already that "iphone is better" and "android is better" posts belong in.

I suppose that there may be other things you could advocate though...?

One could argue that threads like "Why I am selling my N900" or "What the next N900 should do right" or even "Why my N900 is great" and "Why should I buy an N900" are on-topic and are not (at least not directly) related to competitors, at least it isn't immediately obvious. And if it isn't obvious, the threads will certainly not end up where they should :-)

I'd like a customizable N900 desktop widget of the active topics column. Add the possibility to filter out threads by keywords, or to "x" them so they never appear again.

Yes, that's how matters have evolved, but I can sympathise with wanting to separate "Competitors: Let's discuss the pros and cons of interesting, non-Maemo, handheld devices" from "Competitors: Let's choose sides and see who can yell 'Your favorite band product sucks!' the loudest". Whether a battlefront forum would help the site though, I'm not sure.

How about a "crappy opinions" forum? Moderators could put posts that they disagree with there!