This thread has devolved into pointless philosophical discussion and navel-gazing.
To get back to the point of Dabs' reputation:
Dabs has never given me a reason not to trust him in our eight years of doing business.
Historical / on hold or not, his escrow service is reliable and one of the best games in town.
He easily could have dipped years ago on his obligations.
He just did an escrow for me where he held $4000 for over a week because the terms of a contract needed hashing out:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5448307.0Not that my word ought count for much, but I trust him. I've met him in person, too, in the Philippines, many moons ago.
Good to see Dabs doing his old things. The escrow topic does not seem to have many activities from long time. Anyone without knowing him will not give much attention but someone who knows Dabs from years will still trust him. I think the lending based on that trust too. Dabs is having difficulties as far as I know too but no matter what situation you are in a good man is always a good man.
Well done.