I prefer to let a thread run its course providing that folks are reasonably polite about things and play the ball rather than the player ...
i think thats the obvious job of every moderator in an open forum . but what is this forum for?
imo there is not a problem when a variety of people with a variety of personal knowledge takes place in a discussion. its finally an advantage.
the problem is imo that the very most people here , especially at some subforums , claim to be some what they never are and never were. in most cases the "dreamer" is obviously a pilot with xxxxx hours on an widebody or a high degree engineer.
you will find tons of threads where "fake" people try to sell internet knowledge and manual readings compared with computer based flight simulation as actual real facts and the debate starts until the general loss in interest ends it - until a new debate starts.
this turns nearly every thread into stupidity and the " fights" come up automatically.
the rare people who really work on a flightdeck have so no use of a forum what originally might be intended for them .
today its more and more a platform for dreamcatchers . and honestly- in nowadays i do not see many reasons for what this profession is a "dream" where the dreamers catch on it.
nevertheless -i personally would strongly vote for a subforum where you have to make a proof who you are to post ( but not sure how it should be done via internet and how anonymity is given) or a profession identification in your signature after you prooved it -with postings free for everybody.
cheers !