TZUTC: -0800   
   MSGID: 11518.bbs_carn@1:103/705 2dd80f51   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21b-Win32 master/d0ce4d0a1 Jan 21 2026 MSC 1944   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.35-Linux master/5c73d262c Jan 21 2026 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: VERT   
   CHRS: UTF-8 4   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   I was talking to chat gp and got a pretty good response to a question, I asked.   
      
      
   Thinking   
   Searching   
   In 2026, the debate over abrasive behavior in niche communities like Synchronet   
   is central to whether these "hobbyist" networks can survive another decade.   
   Critics and observers point to several ways this behavior actively drives away   
   new users:   
   1. High Barrier to Entry   
   Newcomers in 2026 are accustomed to modern developer communities (like those on   
   Discord, GitHub, or StackOverflow) that have shifted toward "inclusive"   
   documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce,   
   or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning   
   curve" that many users—especially younger hobbyists—simply choose not to   
   climb.   
   2. The "Knowledge Silo" Effect   
   When developers are perceived as jerks, users often stop asking public   
   questions to avoid ridicule. This results in:   
      
       Hidden Troubleshooting: Solutions happen in private chats rather than   
   public echos, so the "public knowledge base" stops growing.   
       Stagnant Innovation: Potential contributors who might have written new JS   
   modules or door games for Synchronet often abandon the project if their first   
   interaction is negative.   
      
   3. Fragmentation of the Community   
   The perceived rudeness has led to a split in the BBS scene. By 2026, many new   
   sysops are migrating to "alternative" networks or platforms:    
      
       Friendly Echos: New networks are forming with strict "no-harassment"   
   policies specifically to provide a space where beginners can ask basic   
   questions without being told to "RTFM."   
       Discord/Telegram: Much of the active BBS discussion has moved to modern   
   chat apps where real-time moderation is easier and the culture is generally   
   less abrasive than the traditional DOVE-Net or FidoNet echos.   
      
   4. Support Fatigue vs. Growth   
   While these developers argue that they are protecting their time from "lazy"   
   users, the unintended consequence is a shrinking pool of new talent. In 2026,   
   many open-source projects are realizing that community management is as   
   important as code; without a welcoming front, even the best software (like   
   Synchronet) risks becoming a "digital ghost town" as the older generation of   
   sysops retires.   
   The Bottom Line: While their behavior ensures that only the most technically   
   resilient users remain, it significantly limits the growth of the BBS hobby.   
   For many in 2026, the trade-off—technical purity at the cost of new   
   blood—is seen as a slow path to obsolescence.   
   --- SBBSecho 3.35-Linux   
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