(IMHO)In My Humble Opinnion

Walker34

I used news groups extensively back in 1995 when I was very ill and had great difficulty getting relevant advice from any of the usual places one might look in such situations. I got really good advice for free on the internet, which did not exist at all in Ireland at that time, except for the the odd technical institution, or
high tech multinational. The people I corresponded with were all in the US,and being ever conscious of the risk of litigation they frequently prefaced their comments with the above acronym (IMHO), which tended to diffuse any such risk by clearly indication that the ensuing text was AN OPINION,freely held and expressed for the purpose of social interaction rather than financial reward or gain. It might be prudent to use this acronym on any posts which might be construed as sensitive.........and this is just "my humble opinion.....freely held and expressed for the purpose of social interaction and enlightenment".

johnnyskeleton

Sometimes "in my opinion" is a way of indicating that there is an alternative view which I am aware of, but with which I disagree.

For example, I can say that a soccer team needs to be united at all times, but in my opinion Roy Keane was right to walk out when he did.

I realise that what I say will not ring true for everybody, but it is my view.

Walker34

You lost me there Johnny,I am suggesting a legal workaround to anyone who might be admonished for posting anything sensitive or controversial or possibly libelous.
Its important since we just emerged from a prolonged period of censorship (900years+) that we are not cowed by those who express irritation or discomfort at someone asking for assistance or help.

johnnyskeleton

Walker34 wrote: »

You lost me there Johnny,I am suggesting a legal workaround to anyone who might be admonished for posting anything sensitive or controversial or possibly libelous.
Its important since we just emerged from a prolonged period of censorship (900years+) that we are not cowed by those who express irritation or discomfort at someone asking for assistance or help.

My point is that, in relation to a given set of facts (say a poster says they were caught with cannabis but didn't know what it was), I could say:

1)In my opinion, the recent decisions of the Supreme Court mean that it is not a defence not to know that it was cannabis.

OR

2)In my opinion, the prosecution should have to prove that you did know what it was.

In the first case, I am giving legal advice qualified with the disclaimer in my opinion, in the second case I genuinely am offering an opinion. In the second case I know that there is a very strong argument against what I say, but in my view that argument is wrong.

Walker34

IMHO,
My point is that by expressing your views under the heading (IMHO) you are stating that you are expressing an opinion rather than dogma or advice.Opinions
are more readily defensible because holding one breaks no law as far as I`m aware, but then again I would not be surprised at anything these days with TWOT and all that carry on.

grumpytrousers

First up - I'm gutted that Dubya et al didn't call the current campaign The War Against Terror...the acronym would have been far better...

a propos your suggestion regarding IMHO - i trust you suggest it in the context of a means of tip-toeing around the charter that prevents one from dispensing legal advice.

I think, to be honest, on any other board collective, what you say would be find and would hold water. boards.ie is currently on the wrong end of litigation by a certain Irish Concert promoter over 're-publishing' something that had already appeared elsewhere and the thinking is *probably* grounded in the notion that if some muppet relies wholeheartedly on 'advice' given here (whether preceded by IMNO or not) and suffers a serious loss, they might come to us.

My own personal take is that such a viewpoint is a load of old cobblers and that any such claim against us would be doomed to failure on the grounds of, um, stupidity and the fact that boards.ie owes no duty of care to provide legal advice.

be that as it may, those are the rules and we have to live by them. There's nothing wrong with, rather perversely, stating a point of fact; if somebody says 'i got caught with a kilo of heroin, what could happen to me' then I think one can easily say

'you'll be charged, you'll be tried and if found guilty get anything up to ten years'.

if the person askes 'i got caught with a kilo of heroin, what should i do?' we can't answer!