It's changed a lot in some ways but in others it hasn't. We still have flame wars, just not nearly as many. I'm amazed at some of the stuff they argued about, it's kinda funny to look back on all this even though I wasn't here.
i think during 2004 the forum became a lot more "normal", and by the time i joined in late 04 there was a good amount of members and not as much flaming/crap.