[81alum]

I value the observations from everyone; sometimes observations from those at a distance are more objective than from those of us who are closer to to the program.  That said, those of us who do meet up can put names and faces to the posts--the posters are not disembodied text but real people.  We learn the personalities attached to the opinions.  As such, we have greater sensitivity to the nuances, irony, and idiosyncrasies of the posters that help us put the posts in a context.  That does not make us better, but it gives us a different perspective--not so much towards Stanford WBB but to each other.  It promotes civility when you realize that the people you are exchanging opinions with are going to meet up with you in the near future.   And civility and kindness--even among Stanford WBB fans who have been know to disagree--are worth cultivating, even when a piece of text rubs us the wrong way.

[81alum]

I value the observations from everyone; sometimes observations from those at a distance are more objective than from those of us who are closer to to the program.  That said, those of us who do meet up can put names and faces to the posts--the posters are not disembodied text but real people.  We learn the personalities attached to the opinions.  As such, we have greater sensitivity to the nuances, irony, and idiosyncrasies of the posters that help us put the posts in a context.  That does not make us better, but it gives us a different perspective--not so much towards Stanford WBB but to each other.  It promotes civility when you realize that the people you are exchanging opinions with are going to meet up with you in the near future.   And civility and kindness--even among Stanford WBB fans who have been know to disagree--are worth cultivating, even when a piece of text rubs us the wrong way.