I have been on Gransnet for about a year now and it has not been at all how I expected it to be. My comment is partly prompted by Gransnet asking for people to comment on it. I think I joined it because I needed someone to chat to, to ask questions and get support. Looking back I think I was naive. I have had support and most welcome it was too but that is often countered by unnecessary sniping and harsh comments. Posters often seem to delight at sniping at each other and forgetting the thread theme. It also seems that some famous figures invite nothing but bile and derogatory comments and yet others for no discernible reason can do no wrong. I have thought about the different attitudes and think it’s because I was naively expecting everyone on here to be my friends. After all, we have friends because they mostly share our opinions, have similar interests and have history together. If they disagree it tends to be noted in a subtle caring way. It’s taken a while for me to notice that Gransnet is just a group of people with disparate experiences etc that are not ‘on my side’. I have been reduced to tears by some of the sniping that goes on, not only to myself but to others. Then again that is the trouble with the written word, it is just black and white. I hope you can understand what I am trying to say. I am not criticising as such, just saying what I feel.