I think the author might have missed the `usenet` era. Over the years it was running, I have had very good discourses in com.* and sci., without the debate, mu

I think the author might have missed the `usenet` era. Over the years it was running, I have had very good discourses in com.* and sci., without the debate, must-win aspect. I distinctly recall discussing the inner working of IPX/SPX and how we can develop tooling, compressions post LZH, and alike. We discussed direction for protocols and came to agreement on sometimes as nuanced things as bit flipping in the packets. Get into alt.*, and that is a whole different reality.