I feel the need to speak up as I'm one of the worst offenders (if indeed any offense has been given) and was front and center in the given link. I've worked in environments that were very conscientious of being prim and proper and also where there were virtually no rules.

Perhaps some personal background is in order? Perhaps not. I'll over-share anyway. =)

It's not my habit to be offended by words or phrases in and of themselves. The company I've kept since childhood has typically been rather free with words (sometimes profanity, other times just rather blunt opinions, etc.). That's a large over simplification, but all that to say that I have always tended to be a bit lenient with verbal communication. I sometimes don't even know when someone has said a word that society has chosen to bleep out. It's just... another choice in the communication bag that some people use. I'm rather agnostic about the topic of propriety in language.

at one time it was at least safe for work. Right now it’s an open to google sewer where swearing is becoming the norm rather than the exception [...]

I suppose that since no rules were initially made for the room's culture, I approached it as an IRC channel. Nearly every IRC channel I've been on, regardless of the topic or room sponsor has been jealously free from restrictions. It was my poor decision to transpose the culture from one medium to another.

I do believe that there does need to be some stated expectations. I had nary a clue that anyone was upset over the subject matter, language or attitudes. We'll need to set our goals explicitly, rather than just use nebulous terms like "professional" or "safe" since those terms have wildly different interpretations based on a person's own point of reference.

and rallying the pack to pile on the clueless noobs is commonplace. The 'chat pack' is running amok.

Now this tendency does indeed bother me. Bothers me a lot. I've seen an increase in vitriol - once again, even in myself. Although, the best that can be done is external behavior modification since the core issue is with a person's inner self choosing to demean another human and that can only be changed from within.

It’s a sad thing to see, it’s gone too far, and it needs to stop before it starts to harm SF and the great work that is does by association.

Which aspect do you think is most harmful? For myself, if I simply saw the great contributions to the site and then walked into the chat room for the first time and saw colorful language, idioms and/or metaphors I wouldn't recoil in any amount of disgust and think "INSUFFERABLE HORROR!! I'LL NEVER COME BACK AGAIN!!" I'd simply think "Oh hey, people are here."

However, I would have a bad response if I saw the acidic tendencies toward new or less seasoned people asking simplistic questions.

##TL;DR

I say bad words. I'll stop if people want me to.

I feel the need to speak up as I'm one of the worst offenders (if indeed any offense has been given) and was front and center in the given link. I've worked in environments that were very conscientious of being prim and proper and also where there were virtually no rules.

Perhaps some personal background is in order? Perhaps not. I'll over-share anyway. =)

It's not my habit to be offended by words or phrases in and of themselves. The company I've kept since childhood has typically been rather free with words (sometimes profanity, other times just rather blunt opinions, etc.). That's a large over simplification, but all that to say that I have always tended to be a bit lenient with verbal communication. I sometimes don't even know when someone has said a word that society has chosen to bleep out. It's just... another choice in the communication bag that some people use. I'm rather agnostic about the topic of propriety in language.

at one time it was at least safe for work. Right now it’s an open to google sewer where swearing is becoming the norm rather than the exception [...]

I suppose that since no rules were initially made for the room's culture, I approached it as an IRC channel. Nearly every IRC channel I've been on, regardless of the topic or room sponsor has been jealously free from restrictions. It was my poor decision to transpose the culture from one medium to another.

I do believe that there does need to be some stated expectations. I had nary a clue that anyone was upset over the subject matter, language or attitudes. We'll need to set our goals explicitly, rather than just use nebulous terms like "professional" or "safe" since those terms have wildly different interpretations based on a person's own point of reference.

and rallying the pack to pile on the clueless noobs is commonplace. The 'chat pack' is running amok.

Now this tendency does indeed bother me. Bothers me a lot. I've seen an increase in vitriol - once again, even in myself. Although, the best that can be done is external behavior modification since the core issue is with a person's inner self choosing to demean another human and that can only be changed from within.

It’s a sad thing to see, it’s gone too far, and it needs to stop before it starts to harm SF and the great work that is does by association.

Which aspect do you think is most harmful? For myself, if I simply saw the great contributions to the site and then walked into the chat room for the first time and saw colorful language, idioms and/or metaphors I wouldn't recoil in any amount of disgust and think "INSUFFERABLE HORROR!! I'LL NEVER COME BACK AGAIN!!" I'd simply think "Oh hey, people are here."

However, I would have a bad response if I saw the acidic tendencies toward new or less seasoned people asking simplistic questions.

TL;DR

I say bad words. I'll stop if people want me to.