Unfortunately I have a feeling that some of the leavers from the forum were due to some slightly over enthusiastic moderating on the Abdera section....more than a few took exception to the then heavy handed approach to moderation...caused, mainly by inexperience and that sent a ripple of disgust and unhappiness through many of the regulars
As someone who used to build forums like these and train moderators, I did warn that it could be detrimental to the forums as a whole if things were not toned down....by toned down, I mean that just cos something posted offends or upsets the moderator does not mean that it will have the same effect on the masses...
I suspect that those who threatened to leave have done so in protest...along with a few who were banned for basically losing their patience and voicing their unhappiness
The moderation has calmed down now, so maybe those who felt they were being alienated will return...time will tell