User blog comment:Rupert Giles/Layout Changes: Breakpoints and Typography/@comment-5189447-20150529124653/@comment-5454372-20150530121801

Let me just say, I'm Australian, and I don't use 90% of the stuff in that link. "Mate" really depends on the context in how it's used -- you'd have to read the tone of the sentence.

That little tangent aside: I find throwing insults around actually damages any truth or logical point that might've been contained in said person's post otherwise, as it makes other people more likely to associate said point with the inflammatory attitude, and hence less open to accepting it at all.

While one (ideally) shouldn't be ignoring valid points being brought up in a disagreeable manner, the one bringing them up would do well to just be civil so that issue's avoided entirely.