[Air-l] Reflections on flame wars.

[jeremy hunsinger]

robert m. tynes wrote:

>In order to refine/re-morph our *flaming* definition a bit more(focusing
>in on motivations), I'd like to offer this query:
>
>When is the following (see below) a flame, a typo,
>gibberish, or a joke?
>
>	a.)o(i.r.
>

it depends a bit, but i would say this is a joke, changing the 'o' to an 
asterix and keeping the inverted parentheses would have been a flame to 
me or could have generated a flame from me, because that has certain 
meanings in certain arenas that I am familiar.  Of course the above 
might have other meanings in different contexts that I am not familiar 
with and could generate a flame from others.

I think that sometimes we might be thinking of flaming in a negative 
context though, it can be, but really for some it is a highly polished 
artform which has a variety of social purposes.  It takes a certain 
skill with words to generate an applicable insult, and that should be 
appreciated for what it is sometimes, but also it can be appreciated as 
a way of normalizing a channel or newsgroup, etc.  

>
>
>
>-Robert Tynes
>
>
>
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jeremy hunsinger		http://www.cddc.vt.edu/jeremy
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