Please use the main thread to discuss…

There's one problem. You cannot have discussion in the main thread. It's a dogpile.

People like to break into smaller clusters to have discussions.

Considering the "discussion" is about a change impacting the forum community with the intent to improve the forum community, stifling actual discussion by locking/deleting ancillary threads does not foster a positive, constructive forum environment.

What you probably should have done was create a separate forum just for all this discussion once the magnitude of response became apparent, and moved threads there instead of locking/deleting.

Yes, it may not be as cool as trying to prop up a monolithic megathread. Yes, it may not be as empowering as clicking those lock and delete buttons.

But it would have been respectful.

You know, sometimes a little good publicity is just as good as a lot of bad publicity when it comes to, you know, good publicity.

Just sayin'.

*dives under a rock with 1c in his mouth and prepares to get buried*