>    > >Ya know, prior to the Web, people didn't publicly
>    > >berate strangers for making mistakes, even
>    > >dumb mistakes.  What the hell happened to just
>    > >plain courtesy?

You haven't read Mark Twain? Or for that matter, most pre-computer
writers?

While the flame wars were slower, being done via the letters page of
various newspapers and magazines, they still happened.

Morrow (first name forgotten, writer of _Towing Jehova_ among other
stories) continues this tradition in my local paper.

Frankly IMNSHO Mark Twain would have left the worst flamer I've seen
crying on the floor amidst the smoldering remnents of their computer.

It's just now *anybody* can do this, not just the literate.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! Polititions and civilations come and
jay@sprucegrove.com     ! go but the engineers and machinists 
http://enerd.ws/robots/ ! make progress
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