Hi All, its been a while since this subject came up! I suspect if I went back I could post the same answer I gave last time!
My take is, the vast majority of us are amateurs (some more gifted than others) and we do this for fun and enjoyment. When you start out you are full of positivity towards your new found fledgling career as a World famous songwriter and producer. Only to realise when you come into contact with experienced people on the forum that you have a lot to learn. If you were to be 'battered' in a review at this stage it would have a really bad impact on your progression/development. So I try to find the positives in the song and if I have sufficient knowledge to comments on something that is wrong, I will do that too. You have to be honest but should be able to read what stage of development a songwriter is at and temper your criticism. The same goes for their playing and singing. I think most people on this forum do try to be constructive and focus on the positives, and occasionally you'll get some idiot who'll crash in and cause consternation, but they tend to be short lived. I've learned a lot from being on this forum. When I listen to my early songs I can see the development and that is largely due to little improvements all along the way. An invaluable resource in my mind!
Mt threepence worth!
Cheers
Jamie