[Windows Phone 7 General] Elbimster:
An article was posted on Gizmodo a few weeks back which I think sums up this whole discussion perfectly. It's titled "Don't try to convert your friends to your tech religion". "Tech Religion" is a perfect phrase for the mobile landscape these days.

I personally think this article should be mandatory reading for EVERY PERSON on XDA as it describes what the etiquette should be when you're a supporter of one platform talking to a supporter of another. Below is a couple paragraphs from the article mentioning the author's thoughts on etiquette (useful both in forums and real life). Again, I highly recommend reading the full article, but at least read what I've posted below.

"Don't set out to convert. It works about as well with phones as it does with religion. That is to say, poorly (see: all of world history).

Don't be on the offensive. Any sentence that remotely resembles, "Ugh, you're using _________?" or "Are you really still on ___________?" or "When are you going to switch?" is verboten. Instead, of inquisition, try inquiry. Questions like "So, what do you like about your Android tablet?" will start an actual conversation, not an assault. Ask what got your friend interested in WinPho—but don't treat it like it's a heroin addiction. Show interest, even if you have to feign it. If they're reasonable, they'll do the same in turn.

Tech talk has to be reciprocal. It's a give and take—if you guys talk about the supreme suckiness of Android fragmentation, admit your own platform's shortcomings. Believe me, it has one. Every single one. It'll be a long time before my iOS stuff runs over 4G. We may devote hours staring at these things, but they aren't perfect. And if you're going to enter any kind of critique of another's stuff, be willing to accept the same of your own. Maybe your friend will come to realize you're using a superior gadget—or maybe you'll realize the same thing.

But above all, be understanding. Be forgiving. Be helpful if your friend needs help, but know the difference between advice and acceptance. You might be able to show someone a better way, but you can't force their hand without causing frustration, bad blood, and fanboy frenzy. Go forth in peace.

Oh, actually, if your friend is still using an original RAZR, slap it out of their hand and throw it down a storm drain."​

Full article: http://gizmodo.com/5854305/dont-try-to-convert-friends-to-your-tech-religion

I've been a poster at XDA for 6 years now [EDIT: 4 years; had this mixed up with PPCGeeks], and one of the best and worst things about it has always been how passionate the people here are. It's great because it attracts some brilliant programmers and devs. It's bad because people take things said on such a personal level. Personally, I'd try to follow these rules when posting:

1: Don't post angry; If you're angry when you write a post, let it sit for half an hour before hitting "submit". It'll make a huge difference in the tone here, I promise.

2: Ask how you would react if you saw your post; If you were going through threads and saw your post, what would you think? Be honest. If you think you might find it offensive, other people will. Might want to re-think your wording if that's the case.

3: Stick to your own Forums; If you're an Android fan who hates WP7, stay in the Android forums. Same thing if you're a WP7 fan who hates Android. Don't go around starting fights. This leads into my next rule . . .

4: If you can't say something constructive, don't say anything; This doesn't mean don't criticize, but do so in a constructive manner. Instead of "I hate X" say "Does anybody know how to change X?" The same applies to responses to criticism. Be the bigger man and try to understand where the criticism is coming from, and perhaps you can help the critic realize something he or she didn't know about the platform. Which goes into my final rule . . .

5: Keep an open mind! None of the platforms are perfect, and nobody knows everything about all of them. People choose based on their own needs, desires, and likes. I like WP7, and did not like Android when I had it. Does that mean Android sucks? For me, yes. For others it works great and there's nothing wrong with that.

Anyway, because of the length of this post I'm sure it will be completely ignored and bypassed but I felt I had to contribute it anyway. I suppose if one person comes away thinking "he makes some good points" it'll all be worth it.

At the very least read the article I quoted!