Before you post to any discussion group, you should take a little time to get to know the atmosphere. FAQs sometimes also contain 'guidelines for posting' - make sure you follow these too. Flaming Belonging to an active Internet discussion group is an interesting cultural experience. Most people are friendly and reasonable. A flame is a post that is less than friendly.
Flames often contain personal remarks about other posters, and can sometimes become abusive.
A flame war is a heated discussion where people have left behind their reason and have resorted to attacking each other. What can seem like a perfectly polite post when you write it can be interpreted as a scathing attack by the person on the other end. Read an actual flame war . While most people see flaming as destructive and a waste of time, some people have made an art form out of it. Another example of a flame war Netiquette - this page gives advice on how to conduct yourself in discussion forums so as to avoid being flamed.