Here is the description I gave when last asked about the forums:
The Hardware and Tech forums are filled with knowledgeable individuals that are always willing to help, although some will get mad at you for not knowing some pretty obscure stuff
The gaming and windows/apple/*nix forums are full of fanboys
Hot Deals is a great place, and most of the people in FS/FT are excellent. I'd go there before bothering with ebay
Love and Relationships is fine if you're looking to lose brain cells
ATOT is middle of the road between 4chan's /b/ (a hellhole of endlessly repeating memes, child pornography, and general idiocy) and Something Awful's GBS (a hellhole filled with endless bickering, faux intellectual neckbeards, and general idiocy). If I had to describe ATOT with two words it would have to be "off topic"
You ever watch a bunch of monkies fling poo at each other? If you give those same monkeys religion and a box full of exlax, that's P&N