I've been active on USENET for, um, eleven or twelve years now.

Some people are smart, intelligent, fun, interesting, and worth knowing. Some (a smaller number) are complete fuckwits. And the vast majority lurk, or post misspelled and slightly clueless questions (albeit without an ounce of malice intended).

Usenet is just another place. (Although I do have a creeping nostalgia for the way it was before 1994 and AOL opening up their gateway.)

Incidentally, Cory, don't underestimate the drive-by trolls that boingboing has attracted: some of 'em seem to have taken a dislike to me, to the point of posting knocking reviews on Amazon. Malice on Usenet or other discussion systems can have real-world side effects.