I can only suggest that when conversing electronically, it's easy to forget the human aspect. When you only talk to (or about) a name via a console in Corpus.Medium, you can forget there's a real person you're arguing with, even hurting. It's only at shows like Wakefield when you meet people for real that you realise the flaws in electronic expression, and that your annoyance isn't so heart felt.

The response I high was highly offensive and accused me of many things I simply didn't do. I understand the antagonist later boasted to his colleagues how great he was for being so rude.

The RISC OS community is one I'm too often ashamed to be associated with, when such behaviour and dishonesty is thought to be ok.

Surely ALL users have better things to do like getting on with either using RISC OS or programming for it and living their lives rather than debating the finer points of nettiquete? Ive seen many a usenet arguement over the last few years that has resulted in hundreds of posts generated, all because Mr User X disagreed with Mr Developer Y.
And the end result? The community ends up upset, people fall out, bandwidth is wasted (for people on dialup), and little or no progress is made with important issues like making the OS better and helping the users achieve what they need to achieve with the OS.

Like many a mother has said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". On that note I hope we can all put our differences aside and get on with more important things.

I hope Peter will reconsider his decision, although I can't blame him if he doesn't

What TIB has neglected to mention is that this is hardly an isolated incident. Earlier this year, I enquired why they thought it appropriate to antangonise me by deliberately and retrospectively spelling my name wrongly throughout TIB.

The response I high was highly offensive and accused me of many things I simply didn't do. I understand the antagonist later boasted to his colleagues how great he was for being so rude.

The RISC OS community is one I'm too often ashamed to be associated with, when such behaviour and dishonesty is thought to be ok.

What he actaully did was try to tell us how to do our job, call us unprofessional, and poke around in our private forum. After saying thanks but no thanks, on his third email I told him where he could shove his advice.

Am I the only one? I think not. Is he still listed as part of the editorial staff on Drobe? No. And don't give me any bull about that being his decision either.

I'm sure, in person, Mr. Naulls is a perfect gent. But online, he is extremely antagonistic, and when people point this out to him, he'd rather argue the toss with everyone instead of saying, hey, maybe, with all the people saying this, there's something to it. I'm no angel, but at least I realise that, and ask advice from those around me.

It's sad when someone feels the need to take a break from the RISC OS community. It's sadder when they can't see it's their own fault. This is not all about one web page - it's about everything that has lead up to it.

I met Peter for the first time at Wakefield, albeit very briefly. He came across as a polite, highly intelligent, well-dressed person and an enormous asset to the platform due to his software and porting work.

Whatever people's personal opinions are we cannot afford to lose yet another highly competent programmer who is willing to work for next to nothing for our platform. Justin, Kira et al are sorely missed.

It would be be appreciated by those of us who care if the necessary reparations were made. And quickly.

No wonder he's leaving us with such headlines. Not to mention why the need for an 'and' after the comma and the '?' at the end.

Peter Naulls is one of the most essential, most important people in the RISC OS community. Give him a break. He deserves much better than the abuse he's getting.

Going back on topic, it's perfectly clear that people on all sides of this have made a mountain out of a molehill, and should both have thicker skins and be a bit less ready to dish out criticism and insults for everything they perceive as being wrong, or dislike.

Are you going to tell the handful of remaining developers the same message? That they have to sit there or ignore people who are being insulting, lazy or dishonest? They may well have far better things to do.

If Firefox is so important, then people other than just me should also be making a huge effort. It's not enough for hundreds of people to be appreciative, but have to suffer such users compounded by getting peanuts for your efforts.