Adam: While I can see where you are coming from, in your cafe analogy, KoS isn't "someone overhearing" but (as a prolific poster to the forum) is part of the group sitting round having the discussion. If Duckie had said "KoS, you point of view is crap because actually what Sherburne is saying is XYZ and you have to admit that there is some cogent argument in there" there wouldn't have been an issue, afaiac.
What he actually said, to bring it down to the lowest common denominator, is: "KoS - (and he singled KoS out for particular criticism, and not for the first time, from a multitude of short, knee-jerk responses, my own included) - Sherburn is awesome, he has opened for Michael Meyer and he writes a lot about techno, so that makes him worthy of respect, and you are dork for not realising that."
Maybe I am just too much of a hippy, maybe I am so old that I have learnt that you don't attract flies with vinegar, I dunno. But imo Duckie's response at this stage was just as daft as anyone elses. And with the (little) knowledge I have gleaned as a result of his past posts in his previous incarnation, it is evident that he is considerably more articulate and intelligent than to just base his response on something so shallow. Unless he was playing "flush the fanboy" for his own amusement and that of others.
I may be conpletely wrong, and I apologise if I am. But I will maintain my position that, if someone is obliged to resort to personal attack, they have lost the argument.
Let's argue about the content, not the people participating in the argument.
