Let's not feed the trolls

[Adept]

I'm embarassed now. I make it a policy not to respond to trolls, but this one slipped by.

Quintus is a fairly clever troll, but still a troll. Nothing can be gained from responding to his posts. Just let him rant and he'll get bored and go away. The motivations of these people are a bit of a mystery to me, but I know they get bored easily if ignored.

At least I'm in good company, since many intelligent and clever people here seem to have banged their head at the same wall for way too long.

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

It took me several posts to realise he wasn't actually reading anything I, or several other people, said to him.

That's almost funny.

He also seems to group several people's posts into one block and reply as if they were all statements spoken by one person.

I think that's quite transcendent, myself. Like, maybe we're all just this one big gestalt entity. That's the kind of thing that could've helped me with my Psychology 'A' Level eight years ago.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

There are 2 things you can do

1) Try and explain to him calmly and rationally why he is wrong

2) Try and explain to him calmly and rationally why he is right

3) Ignore him as a troll

4) post badly written attacks on Mongoose as a coporate entity

5) post badly written attacks on the MRQ writers

6) post badly written attacks on Quintus....






OK so this won't make a lot of sense unless you have read the post where he says he has two options and then lists 5, but not making a lot of sense at least is in keeping with the theme....

 

[Voriof]

It took me several posts to realise he wasn't actually reading anything I, or several other people, said to him.

That's almost funny.

He also seems to group several people's posts into one block and reply as if they were all statements spoken by one person.

I think that's quite transcendent, myself. Like, maybe we're all just this one big gestalt entity. That's the kind of thing that could've helped me with my Psychology 'A' Level eight years ago.

There's probably a psych paper or two in there if you care to write one.

I seem to have missed out on the badly written attacks. All the ones I get are distressingly well thought out! I must have levelled somewhere or something. Oh well, back to playing Oblivion!

Jeff

 

[ninthcouncil]

Alternatively, we could feed him to the trolls...

Though it has to be said that largely by accident, Quintus has stimulated other people to make some interesting posts, even if these have no chance of satisfying his lust for incomprehensible self-vindication.

 

[homerjsinnott]

I'm sorry I really don't agree with this thread, go and look at all his recent posts. You may not agree with his views or the way he has posted at times, but he has made some positive posts and some good points (if not tactfully put.)

To have a thread just to slag someone off I find tasteless and crass.

Why hasn't this thread been deleted, when others less offensive have?

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

I'm sorry I really don't agree with this thread, go and look at all his recent posts. You may not agree with his views or the way he has posted at times, but he has made some positive posts and some good points (if not tactfully put.)

In amongst repeated threadcrapping. And just because someone has good points doesn't mean they aren't capable of trolling. You can't seriously read those screeds and say they're reasonable debate, Homer. While not all of the guy's posts are that calibre, enough of them are skewed, pointless rantings that several people clearly found him unbearable after reading through them.

Judged by a council of peers, and all that.

To have a thread just to slag someone off I find tasteless and crass.

I said he doesn't read replies and mistakenly groups people together in his own replies. This is hardly the stuff nightmarish insults are made of.

Why hasn't this thread been deleted, when others less offensive have?

Because as far as I know, the guys in the office aren't deleting threads any more and haven't been for ages, as I've mentioned in the past.

I'll email one of the guys and ask for the thread to be closed, because you're right - it's not polite. But warning against trolls is a staple of online debate, and when people act like trolls and post like trolls, you'll see troll warnings. Whether you think one or more of their points are salient or not, it's clear there were issues slightly larger in his posts than "good points not tactfully put".

 

[Adept]

You're right, do delete the thread please.

I still stand by my comment though, and am rather embarassed of not recognizing the postings as trolling though.

I'm sorry if this thread offended, but trolls are a big problem on the net, and one must be able to address it somehow.

 

[Banned Beetle]

Quintus is a fairly clever troll, but still a troll. Nothing can be gained from responding to his posts. Just let him rant and he'll get bored and go away. The motivations of these people are a bit of a mystery to me, but I know they get bored easily if ignored.

Why don't you just not respond to his posts and let others do what they want to? Stupidest thread on this board so far.

Trifle.

 

[Quire]

Trif, don't beat around the bush mate, say what you really mean!

- Q

 

[homerjsinnott]

And just because someone has good points doesn't mean they aren't capable of trolling. You can't seriously read those screeds and say they're reasonable debate, Homer.

You are right, I don't find most of it reasoned debate, but we have all trolled at one point or another, so we could Pm the guy or even say in a thread that he is being OTT and ignore his rants til he's reasonable.

I said he doesn't read replies and mistakenly groups people together in his own replies. This is hardly the stuff nightmarish insults are made of.

Fair point, I didn't say anyone was very insulting though.

Because as far as I know, the guys in the office aren't deleting threads any more and haven't been for ages, as I've mentioned in the past.

Sorry, I must have missed that.

I'll email one of the guys and ask for the thread to be closed, because you're right - it's not polite.

Thanks.

Whether you think one or more of their points are salient or not, it's clear there were issues slightly larger in his posts than "good points not tactfully put".

Again fair point, he was angry about something, I just know what it's like.

Thanks for listening DBC.

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

Thanks for listening DBC.

Next time I'll try and do it without being so tetchy. Sorry, dude. Just a bit of a bad day at my end.

 

[Banned Beetle]

Trif, don't beat around the bush mate, say what you really mean!

- Q

What? Am I being obtuse again? You know I must watch my replies to avoid going back to the IP-scrambler.

The guy is just venting his frustrations. When the frustration pass, he'll either have quit playing MRQ or be attempting to houserule it into something workable.

...or he will be banned from the board.

Trif.

 

[Mongoose Doghouse]

Morning gents & ladies,

Having been pointed in the direction of this thread by the Rt. Hon. Aaron Dembski-Bowden, I'm locking it down.

Hey, it's Christmas, Yule, Hanukah and the like... so happy holidays from myself & the studio, whether ye be troll, fanboy, grognard, newbie or tragically lost browser!

Looking forward to 2007...