> I was never really overjoyed at the prospect of a chatroom being added to RinkWorks, and maybe now I know why. I really enjoy the forum where people have time to stop and think about what they are saying. Chatrooms always seem to lead to trouble.

Granted, a chat room makes it easier for people to become at odds. It also makes it easier to clean things up before they get out of hand. This time it didn't work out, but I'd say that just one major scuffle in over a year of operation is pretty good.

Rather than blame or credit the mediums, I'd rather blame and credit the people. It is a tribute to the strength of the RinkWorks community that people were willing to work it out once a major difference of opinion happened, and I think that it all ended peacefully makes a great statement about this community vs. most others on the Internet, in which people simply would not find it worthwhile to invest the time to actively seek healing in.

I think it's inevitable that a group this close encounter heated differences of opinion now and then. As long as they don't happen too often (they certainly haven't so far), then what counts is what happens afterward.