It's really too bad I'm coming to this note so late, but for the record...

Factor One

IT people are often mean because they are always responding to requests for help. An IT person may be very pleasant and understanding by nature and have excellent social skills, but when they get overloaded, a little unpleasantness is bound to peek out. This is often exascerbated by customers/colleagues/friends/family not trying or not being able to solve their own problems.

Automobile mechanics often feel this way.

Factor Two

Being good at something that few other people are good at leads to arrogance: "Well, you opinion doesn't matter to me anyway." What they don't realize is that the worth of a person is not based on their expertise in that particular subfield.

These are the ones who really need their egos stroked by participating in public forums where their abilities really shine. The downside is that their arrogance leads them to put others down.

Usenet is lousy with this type of person.

Factor Three

Anyone can have a bad day. If you're in public places a lot, everyone sees your bad days. If your 'presence' is in a public forum like the Perl Monastery, then your bad days are a matter of public record.

This could be any one of us.

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Allolex