In article , Jay Beckman
wrote:

"Ken Lucke" wrote in message
...
In article , Jay Beckman
wrote:
Charles,

It's not just this newsgroup.

Usenet in general seems to be going through some kind of bizarre
sociological sunspot cycle.

I subscribe to photo groups and groups related to flying and being a
private
pilot. I realize that Usenet is the electronic equivalent of the wild,
wild
west but all of these groups are just baraged with the most inane crap
these
days. Trolls, baiting, name calling and a complete lack of (and
disregard
for) educated opinions that foster discussion. Instead, all I see lately
is
"I'm right, you're wrong and F*ck You if you disagree..."


And this is different from how usenet has always been.... how?

Can't speak for all of usenet but the rec.aviation.* newsgroups have
traditionally been an oasis of calm, rational, helpful discussions (election
years not withstanding...) against the sea of insanity that can be and often
is usenet in general. But 2006 has seen the s/n meter just peg with
inumerable OT bombardments, cross posting to and from the most illogical and
nonsensical other groups and a general disregard for the respective charters
of each group.

Naw, most of Usenet's always been that way, _especially_ ever since the
Endless September started (Today's Current Date: September 4843, 1993).

I'll admit that back in the early 80's, most of Usenet was sane, but
that was because you actually had to have a clue to even figure out how
to get on it, and the clueless n00bs hadn't even HEARD of "the
internet"(it wasn't to be known as that for some time), let alone
Usenet. Also because you knew, at least by third person, a very large
number of fellow users who often were sysadmins - and they could screw
up your peerage if you ****ed them off - you were polite for the most
part, but flame wars were not all that uncommon even back then, either.

I've been on usenet for a fairly long time and until this year, I'd never
even established a kill file. This year, I'm having to wrack up names
faster than Death himself.

The photo groups have also been (by and large, IMO) relatively sane by
comparison but it's getting so that you can't even ask a basic photo
question without the dicussion decending into OT flames.

That again is fairly common. You just have to consider the source,
ignore the flamers, and persist. Just hold your conversation outside
of the flamers, as if they didn't exist, and eventually they usually
stop tying to bait you.

Maybe I'm just getting old but those who play the online equivalent of class
clown(s) (every group has at least one and regulars know who they are) who
run on about the same old crap over and over and over again have ceased
being funny.

Yup. Ignore 'em.


I really do think maybe the OP is correct... There just isn't anything
worth talking (typing) about any more.

Totally diagree. There's lots of stuff to discuss, as long as you
stick to the topics at hand and don't get distracted off into some
pointless discussion over plastic vs. metal or some other silly
obsession that whoever might poke their nose into a thread might have.

--
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a
reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating
the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for
independence.
-- Charles A. Beard