If flaming works to force some people to consider their words, it also almost institutionalizes the idea that others don't have to ever consider their words. The truth is, technology is too important to be left to newspaper reporters, politicians, corporate lobbyists and government regulators. The Net is revolutionizing commerce, culture, education, and soon even politics. The United States, which loves to describe itself as the birthplace of liberty, has lots of problems with the idea. The Net has raised issues relating to freedom to completely new and complex levels, since the Net is the freest medium in American life, and the freest in its history.
Freedom is great, and it's easy to be for it.
Hostile environments aren't great. Increasingly, they do a lot of harm. The first website that figures out how to preserve the one while eliminating the other will shroud itself in glory. The latest installment of Geeks in Space is up at The Sync . Listen to CmdrTaco, Hemos, and Nate talk about the latest events to happen - or not happen in the computer world.