Your academic writing vs the board debate points are outstanding, and I'd add following up on forums topics started by OPs ought to be the norm as well. Take this thread for example and see how far it goes away from the original subject which is totally ignored for the ulterior motive of some.

When I wrote my thesis for my degree, I checked and double-checked every word, phrase, sentence, comma etc. Likewise with a novel I recently finished writing. If it ever gets published I doubt it will be in the same format as is it now, but at least I know that it's written with acceptable grammar.

There are times when what can only be described as 'poor English' is totally unacceptable, and other times (such as forums like this), when the rules should be allowed to be relaxed. After all, on discussion forums like this, what is more important, content or commas?