I try to avoid making a fuss over things like spelling and grammar. It's not everyone's strength, particularly if the writer doesn't hang around computers as much as some of us do. (For example, I have much more trouble with written communications than typed communications because writing is awkward when your used to typing and I suppose the opposite is true too.) People's country of origin and socioeconomic class tends to make a difference too, and I don't want to be put off by a person just because they were raised in a different part of the world or within a different cultural context.

Yet I do believe that the tone of the message does make a difference. If I look at some of my posts here, I'm proud of them. In other cases, I look at them and wonder what I was thinking. Oddly enough, my assessment of the quality of the message usually corresponds to how well they are received via follow up comments or karma. Yeap, I take those things seriously because I want to be a better writer. That's particularly true when I'm trying to make a point. (I'll never be a novelist, but I love a good debate!)

So please do be careful what you say, especially on public forums because they are public. Not only will the way you say something reflect upon your reputation, but it will determine the type of response that you receive. If you can't say something clearly, perhaps it is best left until you are in a better state of mind. Going back to your "buy new, not used" message, maybe you should have waited for things to cool off in your mind for a week or two. Maybe then you would have been able to phrase things in a way that people would better appreciate.