Whoa. I've never gotten involved in any of the 'mud-slinging' that goes on within the community, so whether or not you, or a pseudo you has been causing problems hasn't directly effected me. Kudos for standing up and admitting your faults.
What really struck me in your original post was how much depth you perceive there to be within online relationships. I'd never thought that someone could go to so much effort to become a part of something I thought to be so trivial.Perhaps I just see being a member of an online community as a lighter deal than it really is. I mean, I've been a poster at an American site for about 5yrs now, and I think nothing of my realtion to the people I've met there.
The thought of being more to them (to the people on this site included) than just a name on the screen had never crossed my mind. Neither had I ever thought that someone could actally take some brash comment from a stranger to heart.
Your plight has certainly opened my eyes to the different perceptions people have about online communities. This idea of people thinking of me as more than just 'Vat69' is new to me.
*Note:This is not to say I don't value the people I've gotten to know from the site, and have actually met. For the handful of people I have actually gotten to know somewhat (those who refer to me as 'Cheap Scotch',you know who you are.Along with that sexy 'Mark' girl :wink: ) I do really appreciate knowing you.