I would say that for every elitist troll on any given tech forum, there are twenty members that know just as much, if not more that choose to remain in the background - "lurkers" if you will.

Most people who make a living in technology are far too busy to go to forums just to "rip on n00bs", if they have time to visit forums at all.

Anyone who takes pleasure in demeaning an inexperienced forum member likely has self-esteem issues. And probably a small wiener. I try not to pay them any mind.

If a newbie is scared off from the IT world because of what some nitwit says on a forum, then chances are they didn't have the sand to make it in the IT world to begin with - or in any other field for that matter.

That being said, I have been "humbled" more than a few times for posting something up that was... ermmm... "less than correct" - people said mean stuff and negged me and even hurt my feelings!

But I lived. More importantly, I *learned*!

Haters gonna hate. Suck it up.