I think I've mentioned before that my first ever post on Mudcat (quite a few years ago) led to a baptism of fire.
I copied a light-hearted (some would say just plain silly) article from the then Salt Town Poets website in which I erroneously used the word 'whence' instead of 'whither' and was met by a virulent and totally unexpected attack on my credentials as a poet and writer of English.
I have to admit this gave me pause for thought, my trivial error seeming to me to call more for a humorous ticking off and gentle correction than a personal attack.
Please understand, this was not the kind of ultra-nasty stuff we've seen so often on some Mudcat threads and I didn't lose a second of sleep over it.
But the whole affair had the effect of well and truly marking my card as far as the Mudcat forum goes.
I persevered and have, I hope, been able to contribute something of value to Mudcat through the years.
But I too know quite a few people who have given up visiting the Mudcat because of the nastiness.
The point Joe makes about remembering that 'real people' are reading these threads is a telling one.