Internet message boards have a peculiar way of intensifying both negative perceptions, and especially escalating negative participation, to a level that probably most of us would not approach were we having a face to face. It's always been that way, is a universal phenomenon on every message board in existence, and the internet has been around long enough that by now most of us should realize that. Obviously some people do a better job of compensating than others.
All in all, although they are prone to the occasional brush fire, I think some level of public airing of transaction disagreements are probably more rather than less beneficial to the overall community.
What is really bad form is sort of the reverse ad hominum argument:
1) Person A has what they feel to be a legitimate beef with Person B.
2) Person C thinks Person B is one of God's greatest gifts to the world of taping.
3) Person C based on their feeling for Person B refuses to acknowledge it is entirely within the realm of possibility that Person B did in fact totally fuck Person A.
4) Therefore Person C decides that, although they have no real objective knowledege, clearly Person A must be a lying sack of shit.
Then all the many other supporters of Person B also start to pile on.
As far as Nick's cables go, I bought a set over a year ago, just got a second set last week, and I think they are great cables.