Chess.com’s community is changing

Eff you!!!

just kidding .  Seriously though, I agree that there are a lot of negative people on this site, and in the chess community in general. Perhaps they are upset that they can't figure out how to defend against 1.e4, or perhaps they just have crappy manners and horrible parents. At any rate, its just something you will have to get used to. I applaud your enthusiasm, but all the hecklers and the haters are not going anywhere anytime soon. I have been making good use of the "block member" option in live chess, though I can't figure out how to ignore myself yet :P

Little joys, little joys. Spartan off-colour gags make my day. Andrew Martin did it the other day when someone wrote 6-700 words of pretentious nonsense about chess and he simply replied "I don't know what you are talking about"- he didn't have to answer the question. Unfortunately, the sensitive puritans of the site were up in arms because of the 'poor guy's feelings'( insert sarcastic whiney voice here), prompting Martin to place a disclaimer that he was not insulting the guy, when he clearly was, even if only on one level.

If this is how you react to a little banter and rudeness on the internet then how do you function in the real world? Or are you civil to each other the whole time? Nothing sounds more boring. Have you never met someone rude and were you able to ignore them, maybe have a comeback or did you let it get to you, and ruin your evening/day/week/month? if the latter, then the world and internet is too much of a harsh place for you and I suggest going to a disney forum.

I assume no one has a problem with traditional wit( the OP said something about sarcasm), so try and pwn them old school;

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/class-insults-p1.php

We're not children( well, those of us that aren't children), and we can take a bit of flaming or simply ignore it if we don't like it.

i like to talk so im gonna put my two cents in...ridiculous postings shouldnt be an issue, if you dont like a topic or posting dont think about it, ignore it, go on to the next, it has no bearing or consequence to you real life in any way shape or form.  people saying stupid things in the live chat room about chuck norris, so what, ignore them...if you want to have a conversation with a few select individuals invite them to privat chat...absurd or off topic forums arent taking up any space on your hard drive, dont read them if you dont like them, ignore them.  jerks how harass you during live or online chess, same thing, ignore them.  what they say has nothing to do with who you are and your worth as a person, they dont know you, theyre ignorant, ignore them. as for chatting while playing a game, im used to not talking during games in real life so if i dont say anything while playing. i think thats normal, a hi and a good game are all i said in real life so no different here. the online chess is a little different, i guess you have  more time and, theoreticaly, you could get to know your opponent better, but if you got 14 games going on, with 12 different opponents, roughly every other week or so, its hard to keep track of all those people...i dont know, i say enjoy the good things ignore the bad and hopefully the ones who are here for good conversation, good people and good chess find each other.    

p.s.

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease." "That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "on whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."

On the plus side, I really feel there's been a big improvement since the cheater_1 episode has ended.

 You are 99% right.  My only quibble is the part about people taking things personally.  I think when someone legitimately points out a wrong, as you did, it's not being overly sensitive.  I've seen 2 instances so far where someone reasonably, and without rancor, points out that something was inappropriate.  Amazingly to me, in both cases people started attacking the person for "not being able to take it", etc. & the original offender gets off light.

By the way I've only had good experiences so far in actual games.