Guy Kewney, one of the best IT columnists in the business, wrote in the 14.08.2006 issue of IT Week:
'The trouble with an online community, however, is that humans often don't cope with tem very well. I think you could draw interesting parallels with the use of artillery: it bypasses our empathy reflexes, because at the moment we press the button to "send" we can't see the look of fear and horror on the face of our opponent. A skilled moderator can dampen the flame wars that result, but it's unrewarding work, requiring a thick skin.'
'People online can treat each other in a truly cruel way – and these aren't truly cruel people. Even their victims are capable of seeing that. But it happens, time and time again: people escalate a minor misunderstanding into a full blown feud.'