The beta forums have newer software, or at least a few more options here & there, like being able to search for only dev posts. I hope those features make their way to these forums.

As far as bad behavior, beta posters have more opportunity to be disruptive and anonymous because the forums aren't limited to paying customers. There also seems to be quite a few trollish posters who have obtained multiple beta keys to make large amounts of posts and threads without fear of losing beta access or being identified.

I don't pretend even these forums weren't infamously horrible a year or more ago. Sadly that is likely to return. A lot of the "problem" is having a huge number of users posting, which seems to make many posters try to shout and take extreme positions just to be noticed. Fan forums aren't immune to this, but the smaller population leads to more personal interactions and less abusiveness and trolling.