PhilL, Im going to direct this at you, because you are someone I respect and I know you'll listen, and your answer will be honest.
There are people who have ops at BFC chat, that really have no business doing so. I don't know how that "honor" is choosen really, and it doesn't matter. But there are people with ops that don't even post at BF. Why is that?
Then, there are ops that <i>regularly </i>boot people for fun. I guess some people think it's funny, but for me personally, it is a huge hassle. It is <i>very </i>difficult for me to get on mIRC anyway, and a challange to stay connected. Obviously, others have the same problem. If I can get reconnected at all, it usually takes more than several minutes. Most of the time I just can't get reconnected, period. Is that funny?
Then the issue of FNG's. As a rule, I try to make a habit of emailing new BF folks to say welcome, etc. etc. Not every single one, but most. In return many have emailed me back after a week or so saying they tried to chat with us at mIRC and have been met with
hostility and rudeness. They've tried to be polite, and were completely accosted. Phil, you can't sit there and tell me that most folks are given a chance to fit in or not. I've been there, and seen how they are treated, right out of the gate. It's unfortunate..cause a lot of these people turn out to be very nice, and extremely knowledgeable. They're not being thin-skinned, they're not even given a chance.
Chat could be a lot more fun and would draw a lot more people if some people would just be a little more tolerant. We can be gross, crass, silly, disgusting, cuss like sailors and beat each other with trouts till the cows come home. But a little respect about the issues I've mentioned would make it a fun, cool place to be.
db, I <i>was </i>there in the beginning, as a rep of Spyderco, (different ID). It was friendlier and fun then...new people were allowed to get the feel of the place before being ignored, and ops were actual BF posters.