Net Rage

[Jack Harrison]

From New Scientist, 16th July

When a thread or topic is started on a user-generated forum on the internet, it isn't long before one of the contributors makes a seemingly unprovoked attack on a total stranger. What is it about non-face-to-face contact of this kind that makes this more common than it would otherwise be? John Anderson, Warsaw, Poland

This is being posted on 17th July at 1430 BST. Let's see how long it takes for a row to start on this thread.

Jack

[Tony Moore]

OH P**** OFF, JACK!!

[Jack Harrison]

OH P**** OFF, JACK!!

Oh yes? You can't even use the correct number of asterisks

Jack

[Annie]

We had "net rage" on another forum I post (prolifically) on - it all got rather nasty towards the end of last year, there was much sweary name-calling of the particularly disgusting type. Most of us know eachother socially there anyway, which probably didn't help. There were threats, there were tears, there were threads twenty-two pages long - all this from a group of mainly professional people ranging in age from about 21 to 50!

The internet's great, the trick is to remember never to trust anyone or anything on it; and never date anyone you meet on the 'net - you can guarantee they won't be nearly as funny/clever/good looking in real life

[Hamearis]

This is so obviously a dig at me!
You bl**dy web Nazi!
Ham

[Neil Hulme]

Bet you've never even seen a Cabbage White - 'Belachan-pants'

[Susie]

Bet you've never even seen a Cabbage White - 'Belachan-pants'

Says Thai lady-boy!

I got banned from a forum once for teasing a vegetarian. Some people have no sense of humour.

[Jack Harrison]

Rosie wrote:

I got banned from a forum once .....

Of course, I have been banned from another lepidoterists' group for calling the moderator a "stuffy old f-rt".
I never did understand why he took umbrage

Jack

[Susie]

Hehe, I have a feeling we were both banned from that forum, Jack. I got let back on though, eventually.

[Jack Harrison]

You should have got cross ROSY because I called you ROSIE. (Freudian slip - my first ever girlfriend was called Rosie)

I have never grovelled and asked to be let back in to ....... That makes three of us (to the best of my knowledge) who have been banned from that particular group. I'm quite glad in a way that I was. ukbutterflies is a far more dynamic bunch of people, none of whom can possibly be described as "anoraks" - all perfectly normal nutters......

Hope you can make it to our party. See thread under Field Trips and Events.

Jack

[Susie]

You should have got cross ROSY because I called you ROSIE. (Freudian slip - my first ever girlfriend was called Rosie)

I just put that down to senile dementia

I bumped into the webmaster of that particular forum at a party and he was so charmed by me he invited me to go back, I didn't have to grovel (although I have grovelled to get back on to another forum I was banned from).

I would love to go to your party, Jock, but I don't think I am going to be able to make it because of family commitments.

[Jack Harrison]

Bring the family. Spouses/partners and children are invited too.

We will undoubtedly be discussing such exciting topics as megapixels, PhotoShop versus PaintShopPro, Bridge cameras versus DSLRs, Gruditch versus everyone else.....

Jack (NOT JOCK)

[Gruditch]

ME , its Eccles who won't let a single photographic topic go by, without bagging on about his bl@@dy Sony.

Gruditch

[Susie]

Personally I think all this photographic nonsense is over rated.

Bring back the days of netting and pinning specimens. Can't beat having the real thing hung on your wall rather than some picture.

[Tony Moore]

Now, now, ladies and gentlemen. Order, ORDER!

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Rosy,
Let's turn up at Jock's place, chuck the TV out the window and smear belachan behind the radiators! Oh, and while I'm at it, you're a man-lady-boy

(P.S. Jack, would love to come but not sure yet whether I might be stranded on an oil rig in Angola! Will let you know ASAP)

[Rogerdodge]

....won't let a single photographic topic go by, without bagging on about his bl@@dy Sony.

Yeah......the Image Stabilisation is built into the body Y'know....yawn.......

Roger

[Gruditch]

Roger, what are you still doing at home, your supposed to be here, PE weekend. Bl@@dy time waster

Gruditch

[Susie]

Hi Rosy,
Let's turn up at Jock's place, chuck the TV out the window and smear belachan behind the radiators! Oh, and while I'm at it, you're a man-lady-boy

Drat!! My cunning disguise has been foiled. Yep, I am, indeed, a bloke trying to confuse and confound the unexpecting into believing that I am a woman. Worked for a while though, didn't it?!

[Tony Moore]

Well done, you guys!

This is the eighteenth reply on the subject (if I can count posts better than I count asterisks!) and still no sign of the descent into malign and vituperative incivility, which was anticipated. What a gentlemanly and ladylike group we aurelians must be.

A.M.