[aznpos531]

I really don't think the quality of the gear/gun is the real issue here. Everyone knows that you get what you pay for and that higher quality stuff is more expensive for a reason; it will perform better and last longer. It's not even debatable...it's the cold hard truth.

A big part of the whole "flaming" and "elitist" thing going on at ASC is really about communication. As mentioned several times and as I've witnessed a number of times myself, sometimes the OP of a thread doesn't get the answer they were hoping for and flips out. I agree, immature and closed to the opinions of others. However, the whole process of the OP posing the question, to it being answered, to the OP using the term "elitist"...how does it come to be? Let's look beyond the content of the question and answers. While the written (or typed) word doesn't carry any "tone", it still has a certain air associated with how a statement is worded. If the delivery of an answer to a question is simple, to the point, informative, helpful and friendly, it'll be much better received than if it were condescending, insulting and otherwise unfriendly or discouraging.

At this point, I imagine the seasoned veterans of the sport going "Every noob that comes around thinks they can be a 1337 sniper with some China clone spring gun with high fps. I'm tired of saying the same thing over and over." I can understand that and I agree that it gets tedious. Everyone has a point where their patience runs thin and emotions come into play and the need to be harsh comes in. I'm not saying that those giving good advice are at fault. As a matter of fact, I'm not saying the either party is at fault...not completely.

What I am saying is that a forum is where people share their opinions, experiences and knowledge on a common interest and where people come in search of information (in the form or opinions, experiences and knowledge). So the basic function (for lack of a better word) is giving out information and obtaining information. This goes back to what I said about communication. The process involves one party relaying information and the other party receiving, processing and understanding this information. In order for that to be successful, both parties need to play their part well. The party relaying info needs to do so in such a way that it can be received and understood by the other party, who, in turn, needs to do their best to receive and understand the info that they're given.

Statement of the obvious right? So how does this come into play other than the obvious? When the one answering the question (giving out info) is being helpful, informative and friendly, they are increasing the chances of the OP (the one to receive the info) actually receiving, understanding and accepting what's been said. If one, on the other hand, is being mean, unfriendly and insulting in answering the question, they are lowering the chances.

On the flip-side, when the OP is being close-minded and immature about an answer, they are not playing their part in communication...they are not receiving and understanding. Being on the receiving end of communication requires that you be open-minded and willing to learn. Bringing preconceptions that may be inaccurate is not a good way to learn, Remember the tea cup story? Long story short, a person goes to a master to learn under them. They are somewhat overconfident and even arrogant. They dislike what the master tells them to do and hate that the master won't "teach" them. When the confront the master, he gives the student a tea cup and begins pour tea into it. It fills up, but the master keeps pouring. When the student protests, the master says "Precisely, If the cup is already full, how can you fill it?"

Furthermore, if they ask a question that's already been answered many times, it's also a failure, on their part, to obtain information. Let's use this as an example: User comes and starts a thread and asks a question already answered in another thread. They didn't search, their fault. Some possible answers would be:
a) "Use the search function"
b) "Did you even try looking before you posted?"
c) "Read the FAQ's you idiot"
d) "[here is the answer to the question]. Next time, you can use the search function to see if you question has been answered before."
If you were the OP, which answer would be best received?

So really what I'm trying to say is, when someone gets "flamed" or called an "elitist" it all comes down to communication.

Sorry for my unorganized post...I'm not a very good writer, but those are just my thoughts, albeit messy.