> The problem is you are a flake. $ dict flake ... 4. a person who behaves strangely; a flaky[2] person. [Colloq.] [PJC] ... 2: a person with an unusual or odd personality [syn: {eccentric}, {eccentric person}, {oddball}, {geek}] ...
Your yourself say you notice a lot of people exhibiting similar behaviour, so it doesn't appear particularly strange, unusual or odd to me. > (No that wasn't an attempt to put you down or be > unkind. It's simply the most accurate word I can think of. Colloquialisms are frequently both unkind and inaccurately applied, and regardless of your intentions, your use of "flake" comes across as no exception. Saying "you're a flake, but that's not meant unkindly" is like saying "I'm not homophobic, I just don't want gays teaching my children." > Vague fears of persecution are a sign of mental > instability which can't be fixed by an operating system free or otherwise. Vague fears?? I don't think it would take either of us very long to find examples of rude, dismissal and condescending behaviour in the BTS or mailing lists. Claiming someone who hesitates to jump into a social environment that is sometimes friendly but sometimes hostile to be mentally unstable is not really the most eloquent way to make your point. At the very least, it certainly helps make these "vague" fears more realistic. Ben.