Greetings all. I wasn't a member of "that other site," but thought this one sounded interesting.

I'm an engineer and patent attorney, and was using the Internet before the web was a thing. Even in USENET times, it seemed that many online gatherings quickly gave way to our worse instincts--flame wars, cliquishness, general self-centeredness, and other nonsense.

I'm curious as to whether it's actually possible to build a true sense of community online, where I define "community" to mean something more than the collection of individual egos involved. Respect, camaraderie, even--dare it be hoped--caring about others at least as much as oneself.

Let's see if the Nth time's the charm.