Echo Binary

Since I was exposed to the internet, I was very interested in community forums. I have joined different board with themes starting from animes to movies, computers to teen-talks and back. I have learned so much from Animenet.com, one of the most active anime community back in 2000. It is rule of thumb not to let forum members flame each other; otherwise, the community will be in total chaos. I remember back then two factions emerged in the forums and the admin (Tom) couldn’t handle the pressure from different parties. That’s the version I know, but even if the details I know are incomplete, I know he closed animenet.com because of personal and online community problems. Animenet.com is now just a history…

It all started with trolls picking and flaming others. A lot of bashing was happening back then but I stepped aside and didn’t side with any group. Sometimes it’s cool to be neutral.

After years of troll-free posting in forums, yesterday in one of the forums that I administer, a troll claimed that I don’t know proper netiquette. and that I was rude when in fact I was only asking a question on my previous reply to the original question. The question is “What’s your point”. It’s very common in everyday English language. In other words, “What do you really mean” or “Can you highlight your subject”. It was misinterpreted by a troll in my forum and he reacted violently by posting a page of insulting words addressed to me. I was stupefied. People are getting too sensitive, harsh and rather unintelligent because they put themselves in a very shameful position. I pity them. As long as my conscience is clean, I will not bend at them. I can simply ban them from Munsci forums whenever I like. After all, trolls are not allowed in our online community.