Flaming on the Internet

I have with interest observed how some people behave in newsgroups and when they send e‑mail. John C. Dvorak mentioned that these people just surfed from group to group in order to spread venom. They use a language that never would have occurred in a letter or a conversation.

All parents will remember how their children went through a stage when the big interest was wee‑wee and ba-ba. The professionals will characterize this as “The anal stage”. Most children will outgrow this at the age of 4 or 5. When I participate in some newsgroups or read e-mail I have received, I can only conclude that some Internet-surfers have never left that stage.

Next time you observe one of these crap-throwers, you can calmly state the fact: “He is still not past the anal stage”.