I don't know myself exactly all the circumstances that may lead to a dead post, but I don't really need to know - all I know is that the posts are rather off-th

I don't know myself exactly all the circumstances that may lead to a dead post, but I don't really need to know - all I know is that the posts are rather off-the-rails and outliers, or just plain bizarre. As for correcting the user's behavior - I think we make the calculation that interactive correction is impossible or infeasible at this time and in this forum. This is a self-interested calculation, but I think I must agree that it's a healthy self-interest. Eventually, if they will be more careful not to alienate other users and make more useful and helpful comments, others who have showdead=Yes (like myself) could vouch for them. I may have done so once or twice (I don't recall actually doing so), so that circumstance would seem to be rare...