When these threads pop up I often wonder if I'm one of the accused or one of the "good guys". (eek) So, that being said...
It seems like people who hang out here tend to get irked at TPF after a while. This very thread comes up now and again, like a lot of the others. Occasionally it turns into ideas about how to create a newer and better TPF world... most of those ideas seem to kinda fizzle.
When I first came to TPF I knew basically nothing about photography, and I have learned an ASTRONOMICAL amount from many of you since being here... lately I find I don't tend to learn as much, and I think this becomes the rub for folks who have been around longer... they are more the teacher and have less teachers of their own... they become more the object of admiration and have fewer folks to look up to...
(btw, I'm not saying I'm a photo god...

... I think I have a good technical handle, but most of my stuff is soul-less shots of buidings... I look up to a LOT of people on these forums for their artistry
and technical mastery)
I wish there were more people with such creativity that would post more, but a lot of them have been chased away (such as Chiller).
For me, I
think I only tend to get smarmy when I think someone else is being unfair or unkind to others. To be honest, this is not my duty or place and I feel somewhat guilty for it. I am not the self-appointed police man of TPF... that being said, I do feel a bit defensive about this place and feel the need to protect the community... despite it's various flaws, there is a lot of very positive things going on here and I think that should be valued and protected.
I'm kind of rambling, so I think I'll shut up now.