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I’ve noticed many posters calling other posters “trolls” lately.  

 

On DakkaDakka, trolls have become big, green, ugly, disruptive posters who hide under threads and eat topics and GW for lunch.  The natural thing to do is call such a monster out and kill it…usually by a gang of others complete with flaming posts.

 

The ironic thing is that trolling is a fishing term.  On the internet it’s short for, “Trolling for suckers.”  One poster baits other posters and if someone bites … game on.

 

Turning trolls from a verb to a noun is counterproductive.  You can deal with the merits of a troll (verb: as in fishing).  The best way is to ignore them.  Forum trolls are seeking attention.  Derailing topics, name calling, and flaming is exactly what trolling for suckers is all about.  It seems to be happening more and more on DakkaDakka.

 

Please take this as an observation rather than a lecture.  Troll-reaction on forums is a community consensus.  In fact, most troll-reaction I’ve seen seems targeted at real trolling.   I’m just not sure the reaction improves the forums or decreases the trolls.       

I find that quietly reporting them to the mods seems to work well.  Don't respond to the troll, just use your Alert button.  Once a particular poster has received enough complaints, the mods will take action.

Agreed.

So thats what the aslert button is for? I never knew that. so how does it work exactly??

It sends and Alert to the mods about the post you hit the Alert button for.  There are four areas of complaint that you can pick from a dropdown box, and then a comment box to add further information (I use the duplicate option to indicate if a post is in the wrong forum, then explain "wrong forum" in the comments box).  I don't really end up using it very often, but I have seen definite results.

-=Edit=- Heck, if you're curious, try it out on this post.

Its like the little red button in the middle of the DEFCON control panel......DON'T PRESS IT!!!

I am proud to eb a trolle.



- Greenie

Posted By Green Bloater on 05/11/2007 1:44 PM
I am proud to eb a trolle.



- Greenie

  I think you're allowed to troll if you claim to be a troll in your sig line. 

Posted By Green Bloater on 05/11/2007 1:44 PM
I am proud to eb a trolle.



- Greenie

Hmmm spelling...

...Is that you, Beef?

Beef fail spelling?

That's unpossible.

Exalt!

Malfred resembles an unkempt titmouse, but his wit is, as the Cathayan cook once said, spot on.

Are you mockering me, Jester?

Anytime you say something with a negative slant it can be viewed as trolling since there will always be at least one person that must respond. I think there is also a reverse troll category as well.

- Greenie

Yeah, suckers.

Yeah.

I keep seeing these cultists dangling down in front of me, but everytime I send a deep one out to fetch, he gets reeled in. Is something going on? Perhaps I should send the Hounds of Tindalos out for some non-euclidean dinner since my deep ones are having such a hard time.

My head hurts after reading that... cannot comprehend those big words o yours.

- Greenie

I just try to block him out. I have "ignore Nyarlathotep" tattooed on my corneas.

And I would never mock the great Malfred.

But only after you (didn't) follow my directions to The Stinky Pinky Gulp N' Guzzle Big Rig Snooze-A-Stop and instead wound up at some goatse-rific midnight roadside rest stop. You still love me though, don't ya?

Possibly.

That sounds like a female response if I ever heard one!

- Greenie

Posted By Green Bloater on 05/13/2007 9:30 AM
Anytime you say something with a negative slant it can be viewed as trolling since there will always be at least one person that must respond. I think there is also a reverse troll category as well.

- Greenie

*smooch*

Actually, that alert button's primary function is to increase the size of my inbox.

Real men have really big inboxes.

- Greenie