You know, bear with me here as I will ramble on awhile. (I like doing that you know)

I was re-reading Mary Anne's post regarding how she was tired of spending her time to 'choregraph her words so carefully' avoiding provoking a flame war.

Well, this got me thinking....hmmm...I said.

I don't take too much time to pick words but usually go with whatever I've typed.

As a result some folks find my posts offensive. I wonder if its sexist of me to assume that the amazing dearth of women on these BBS is that they are genuinely hurt by flames and people's opinions.

I guess everyone here could hate my guts to sunday and I might blink twice - but not much more ;-)

This sensitive constitution in women may be something we should as a whole - take into account when we respond to women posting.

For example Lindy gets bashed to smithereens each time she posts...yet she toughs it out and hands back a few wallops as she sees fit.

I have never seen Mary Anne get that way in a post. Perhaps thats why she left. She could bring herself to wallop back.

I think half of us would've loved to see those wallops.

The scary thing is I know a LOT of librarians - the other day one told me 'You are our best customer.' (As I make a habit of cleaning out their 'Friends of the Library section' weekly. These folks are all very nice and cut in the friendly, selfless mold. I would never want to hurt any of them.

But anyway....how many women ARE posting or lurking here? 3? 5? The number must be incredibly small. I know Marcia posts fairly regularly and Lindy posts when she hasn't been banned (is she banned right now?) and then there was Mary Anne - a regular fixture.

Lately, I haven't seen any of them post.

So this BBS is becoming an all testosterone club - with one viewpoint: MALE.

That really seems unfortunate.

What to do though? I find myself aghast at the idea we have to put on kid gloves to post in reply to a woman - but perhaps we should at least refrain from the KO punches?

This post may seem sexist as heck - and I hope I didn't offend any lurkers. I just thought about it, and in my opinion I would think more women would be on BBS's posting a bit.

I know back at MSNBC there are so very few as well. I try to think WAY WAY WAY back to my first encounter with the internet...and actually 'caring' about crafting a post ...as if anyone gave a rodents rear....now I wonder if women never pass that hurdle and obsess about the details, crossing t's & dotting the i's. (something Justin and we other guys sometime overlook ;-)

The point is...do women post different?

Is there a whole different mindset and etiquette that we need to develop so as not to offend and drive away even long time women posters?

I would really love to hear everyone's thoughts on this...it is not just a fluke. Some weird thing is at work here in BBSland - and women are driven away.

I also see that these BBS are like a soap opera...private e-mails going back and forth and so on...it's funny in a way how each BBS becomes a mini-fiefdom of personalities.

This one is 'Klanland'....home of the grunts, progesterone impaired, 'mutual masturbators'. (LMAO;-)

Raoul and others... please 'pardon my french' ;-)

Totally mystified,

SDAI-Tech1

Here I go again...I am going to click post...without rereading or checking for typos.. CLICK aaaiigh too late...I wanted to cha-