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I found this term on the history of Tanenbaum and Torvalds debate, but I couldn't find the origin of the term.
I've understood the meaning (from UrbanDictionary):
A flame war is a heated argument between two individuals, that results in those involved posting personal attacks on each other during or instead of debating the topic at hand.
So, what is the origin?
to flame OED figurative
b. Of persons: To burn (with envy, fury, indignation, etc.); to look angrily or passionately upon. to flame out, up: to break out into open anger or indignation; to ‘fire up’.
As in:
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xxii. f. 'Whiche wholy flame with enuy and hatred'.
and
1681 J. Crowne Henry VI i. iv. 49 I flame with fury to be at it.
More recently:
intr. slang (orig. and chiefly Computing). To rant, argue, or harangue, esp. via an electronic medium (such as e-mail or postings to a newsgroup); to send an inflammatory, abusive, or (esp. in early use) inconsequential e-mail or posting, usually as a hasty response or in a rapid, angry exchange. Also trans.: to send (a person) such a message. Cf. flame n. and adj.
as in:
1981 CoEvolution Q. Spring 31/1 Flame, to speak incessantly and/or rabidly on some relatively uninteresting subject or with a patently ridiculous attitude.
