I am notorious for flirting
I think do it for fun and yes I think that any positive attention is an ego-boost. However, if the people involved in the flirting are not clear of the boundaries and expectations, problems can occur. Chat is different things to different people. I view it as a way to have discussions, share ideas, and have fun with role playing that is sometimes difficult in real life. I don't take the flirting seriously on my end and I hope that everyone understands that since jj and I both go in chat. Yet, I do care for the people I talk to in chat and do take family or personal issues seriously. This is separate from the flirting aspect of chat because it is not a game as the flirting is.
However, people are different and some people get lost in the chat flirt and can blur lines as was mentioned by others who have responded. As with any relationship, meaning people who are together often, honest communication is the key to success.