ATTN: PLEASE READ THIS

Hey Jibbers,
This is EC_Jibber13, I’m pretty new to NS.com, but I’m a seasoned veteran of ski forums and chats. And I bet a lot of you think of me as an ass for saying wat I’m going to say. But, that’s your first mistake. The point of these places is for people who love to ski, where we can speak our opinions and not get flamed for doing so.
After talking to a long time member, I’ve come to know that this place has the same problem that many other places are starting to have. Flame wars. They ruin any good place. I’ve seen it happen all over the web. Don’t believe me? Check out mtbreview.com, check out freezeonline.com, those places are pretty bad. People are afraid to post b/c of the fear of being made fun for asking about something, or voicing an opinion. This shouldn’t happen, people should have freedom from fear and not afraid.
My understanding is that the bulk of this problem is coming from the newbies. The people that just became a part of NS.com My respect goes out to those newbies who are being respectful and thoughtful. Newbies and flamer war starters, this needs to stop. I’ve been where you are before. I was a newbie too. And boy did I ever get bitched at. So, this is how I got around it. I stopped posting. For a while, not permanently. I played ghost and pulled the old fly on the wall trick. I watched the resident gurus post and talk. I learned how to be respectful and thoughtful. I learned how not to get one “my elders” nerves. After a while I started posting again. This time I was warmly welcomed. I was thoughtful, watched to make sure I wasn’t offensive. And wen I did screw up, I made amends. Long story short. I ended becoming one of the most liked people on that forum. I was the only one there the whole summer, and I got some free gear for helping out. So you see, being nice pays off….
So, just don’t be an ass. Be nice, and be smart. And it’ll pay off.

Respectfully,
EC_Jibber13