I honestly find it no more offensive than being told to "f*** off" and I am a firm believer that occassionally people (myself included) need to be told just that.

Depends on the context. Telling someone to shove off a boat happens all over the world every day with no offense taken by anyone. Telling someone to shove off in a belligerent manner usually isn't so much offensive as escalatory to an already difficult situation.

Now if you want to describe a particular situation in which it was used instead of throwing a multiple meaning phrase out there and letting people assume the context in what you are asking, that is your choice. It isn't a very good question though.

Specifically, as I'm sure you know, in regards to response to a perceived insult I had in the General Forum. I posted my perceived "hierarchy of politeness" above to Darksiege in regards to similar phrases, but I'm curious as to whether that matches with other people's. See, I wanted to assert my anger at being insulted without being all-out impolite, but if people (such as DS seems to) find its on an even-keel with "**** off," I'd rather not use it.

I think it's telling someone would think that the idea of an appeal to popularity matters.

Ignoring your passive aggressive BS, as usual, I have to ask, why?

Urban dictionary has it as the "Canadian" equivalent of "get lost." That doesn't tell me much though, such as whether most people find it offensive. Whether something offends us is subjective, and as such an "appeal to popularity" is the only well-reasoned way to determine if a phrase is largely offensive.

In all fairness, Taskiss, the poll was created before the thread in General became locked.

Taskiss, why are you ascribing motives to DFK! that aren't there? He's not continuing an argument. He is genuinely interested in the reception of "shove off", for future reference.

Get what? I cannot put those stars together contextually.

user control panel -> board prefs -> edit display properties, enable word censoring <on/off>

It is what it is, shuyung. Only DFK! knows for sure why it is the way is is, and folks will make of it what they will, based on the reputation he's gained with them.