What is flaming on a computer?

To flame someone online is to type something disrespectful to them. When multiple people do this back and forth, it is known as a flame war.

In chatrooms, the consequences are often getting kicked out of the room or banned. On message boards, flamers often get their posts deleted and they often eventually get banned if they continue. Of course, it depends on the type of message board. In some forums, people actually go there to flame each other. Usenet newsgroups are often unmonitored, so flaming, rivalries, and even feuds are common.