I agree with the feelings and ideas that you have stated above, but I don't see it happening in the near future. This may be a negative opinion, but I have seen this behaviour in most things and it is pretty much unavoidable.

In everyday 'real'(not on-line) life people get angry with others, they find fault with others, they let personality and identity stop them from learning from others. Most people don't show these feelings, because they are not anonymous, because others can put a face and name to others comments and negative behaviours.

The internet changes the way most people behave. Whether it be a small amount, or a large amount, we are all changed by the internet. It is because we are anonymous while on-line, and no matter what we do on-line, once we are off-line, no-one can identify us by our comments. In forums where more anonynimity is allowed more of this behavour is seen. Look at Slashdot and the AC behaviour. With perlmonks we have the ability to ++ and --. We can also join up with a different nick, and become a whole new person, we are not held as tightly to our actions as we are in everyday life.

We can't stop this behaviour unless we take away they ability to be anonymous, and that is not an option. Even if we did, people would find ways around any fixes we could make.

I don't mean to make this sound hopeless, it's not. We have one of the best signal to noise ration I've seen on-line. Most members respect everyone else here, and even when things do get somewhat ugly, they tend to get worked out quickly. I hope that things stay this way, and really think they will.

I think that the best thing that we can do is just pay attention to the positive and thought provoking questions and comments, and ignore the negative ones. The more responses and -- or ++'s a node gets, the more visable it is. If we were just to ignore the node, then it would just fall by the wayside.

Remember, just pay attention to the good things, have fun with it, and try not to let the negative bring you down.

--xPhase

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