Digital vs film, Canon vs Nikon, major brand (Canon/Nikon) vs smaller brand (Pentax/Olympus/Sony), format vs format, full frame vs. APS vs. 4/3rds...my dad can beat up your dad...what is the psychology of fanboys? What is wrong with them?

Seriously...we've had 3 digital vs film threads that have amounted to nothing more than a childish "you suck / no you suck!" peeing contest.

There are countless examples of these threads in the past, and not just about digital and film. How many Olympus and 4/3rds arguments? How many Canon vs. Nikon? When does it all end?

I'm beginning to believe there are more equipment fetish fanboys in the world than photographers. That photography equipment R&D and production is financed for the serious artists by a mass of equipment worshiping weenies. Maybe they should be thanked as their fetish helps make photography cheaper for serious people. (Except when the fetish is on gear no longer produced.)

Still, I struggle to understand the mentality. Take my post in the last digital vs film thread: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=24075466

My point: you can get big, detailed prints with either digital or film, using many different techniques. So pick one and make an image deserving of the detail!

Now check out this response: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=24078782

And this one: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=24078766

Translation: "Well I can stitch 4x5 film TO and then film STILL WINS so NAH NA NAH NA NAH, NAH!" I picture the stomping of feet and the beginning of tears while this person posted back, like a child after someone insulted his favorite toy!

I mean, I'm just scratching my head at how STUPID this response was. When would anyone need to "stitch" 4x5? What, are you printing for the side of a skyscraper?

No, of course not. It's just another fanboy. He makes this stuff up so "film" can "win". Hmmm...well...WELL...I can stitch scanning backs and then digital wins! Infinity plus one! LA LA LA LA...I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Seriously, that's the level of this argument. That's how stupid it is. It's as if daddy Luttmann left the PC unlocked and baby Dave started posted using daddy's account. But he's not the only one. The thread was full of examples like this.

The entire thread was back and forth trash like this. People arguing for the sake of arguing, not for learning or for anything important.

Are these people actually an adults? Or children posing as adults? Please help me understand the psychology of the fanboy? What is with these childish people???