.....academic conferences split into at least three camps. Most of the
time it's quite cordial. Things usually hot up in the evening bar
sessions :-)

Yes, conferences are usually not the worst offenders - a change of
scenery lifts the morale, especially when the conferences are in nice
places abroad. I was thinking more of written exchanges. I remember an
ongoing feud between two colleagues in The Lancet which lasted about 2
years and ended up with one party emigrating to Australia! I think
meeting face to face tempers the emotions more than sitting down at a
computer keyboard where you can't actually see the party involved.