In Reply to: flaming posted by cockies4 on Saturday, 12. February 2005 at 14:19 Bali Time:
"Flaming is the performance of posting messages that are deliberately hostile and insulting in the social context of a discussion board (usually on the Internet). Such messages are called flames, and are often posted in response to flamebait.
Although face to face flaming is as old as time itself, flaming on the Internet started in the Usenet hierarchies. A flame may have elements of a normal message, but is distinguished by its intent. A flame is never intended to be constructive, to further clarify a discussion, or to persuade other people. The motive for flaming is never dialectic, but rather social or psychological. Flamers are attempting to assert their authority, or establish a position of superiority. Occasionally, flamers merely wish to upset and offend other members of the forum, in which case they are trolls.
Similarly, a normal, non-flame message may have elements of a flame - it may be hostile, for example - but it is not a flame if it is seriously intended to advance the discussion"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_war