The level of flames just use to be much, much lower.
I've been on net discussion sites since the early days of Compuserve. What made FR so special, to me, was that it was moderated. Other sites were always overrun with mob-mentality types, mostly teenagers in those days, who would flame everyone who disagreed with them.
FR use to be like that.
Now, I get called names every single time I post on a political thread. I'm a political conservative, but I'm not pro-life, and I'm not against gay rights. Therefore I'm a blankety-blank-blank liberal.
And I'm not so worried for me, I've been flamed by the best of 'em, oer the years. But I'm worried what that does to lurkers. It chases away folks who may have something to contribute but don't want to risk flames.
You're kidding, right?
Search some of Deb's old posts and get back to me.
Look at some of the discussions from 1999 as well.
Pretty much.
“It chases away folks who may have something to contribute but don’t want to risk flames.”
I have to disagree. I was a lurker until one day I was reading a thread that really made me mad. I signed up immidentlly to voice my anger. Been here ever since.
The Thin-Skinned need not apply.