Who's your friend?

I've been a member of many Forums, mailing lists and groups and I have to say that I've never had a major spat or flame war with anyone outside the UK. Just recently I joined the opensuse.us forum and although its only been a couple of weeks already I've hooked up with a couple of members who have been welcoming and friendly unlike some UK groups where I always seem to get the one individual ready to swoop down from their perch like some demented bird of prey screaming "You're wrong, thats not right" and so on.

I often wonder why? Is it that they are frightened of someone new muscling in on their territory? Do they get a kick out of humiliating you in a quasi public forum? Or is it a UK thing?

Everyone is wrong once in a while but its the way you correct that error thats important you don't have to be 'Billy Big Boll@&#s' about it. My favorite bone of contention is where people don't read your mail properly, they see a word or paragraph that makes that 'Red Mist' cover their eyes and whoosh of goes the flame wars if only they'd read then re-read before replying it'd save a lot of greif.

So far I've not met an American I don't like they have all been witty and down to earth true they speak another language ;-) but we shouldn't hold that against them. :-)