The biggest difference between the heyday (as I recall seeing the tail end of it) and the subsequent ups and down is the notion that nullifying each other should be normal discourse. While there were always a few merchants of disrespect around, the tenor by and large was interest and continued discourse, not ad hominem slanging matches. Those who feel this is a fine and normal way to conduct a dialogue in a thread are sad and sorry cases, and they dissipate the positive energies of the community and act as a spanner in the works. This is also true of those who believe that cutting up others in a good source of humor. There are better ways to build a civilization.