OT - willingness to allow OT posts

[mel]

Before I start this thread I pray I have properly signified that this is an off topic post in the subject line.

There is a couple of things I don't understand. Everyone hates trolls yet I'm amazed at how many of you take the time to read the post... and the replies.. and then take the time to tell the suspected troll how much you disapprove of them, followed by chastising those who reply by doing what??? replying yourself.

In virtually every OT post where there is an opinion expressed there will be at least one or two replies telling the OP how much they hate OT posts... yet they still read them.

This one really cracks me up. The reply that starts," I don't usually reply to these sort of posts but..." But what? It's an admission that from time to time these sort of posts actually interest you preceded by denial of participating in them. Funny stuff...

AAAAAHHH!! It got through my filter!!! Now I MUST read it and REPLY to it and tell them how much I've been inconvenienced!!

I have never seen anyone get flamed for going off topic in a thread that originated on topic yet this isn't perceived as a double standard.

Now....before you proceeded to flame me, I understand the necessity to keep the integrity of this group intact. What I don't understand is the inability to ignore that which bothers you. It's as if you hate it but can't help yourself.....

[Fly-by-Night CC]

DUCK'n'COVER, man, DUCK'n'COVER!

[Juergen Hannappel]

In a bar sits a man and curses loudly about a five dollar tax increase. A bystander at last cannot bear it anymore to hear the man curse all the time, so he offers to pay the five dollars for him, so that he has no more need to be angry and curse. To this the man replies: "That would be the worst! For lousy five dollars i would be prohibited from cursing!"

[Leon]

What I don't understand is the

You apparently do understand. You could not help your self either.

[Alan Rentch]

Unisaw A100, I agree wholeheartedly with you :-)

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 17:39:03 -0600, Unisaw A100 wrote:

[Fuddzy]

u got it AND explained It

amen

[mac davis]

like trying to keep your tongue away from a broken tooth??

[mac davis]

you can say that again!!

[Upscale]

I agree whole heartedly, that in most cases, a troll is looking to ruffle feathers and get a response of any kind. And responding does nothing except to inflame another response, ad infinitum. But, what about the "right" thing to do?

In the case of this Robert troll attacking Lee Valley Tools, he's impugning the reputation of a respected company and its owner. He's been doing it for some time and has never shown any inclination to stop. Not replying to this troll would might cause him to eventually stop, but that's not a certainly. And, it's not in my nature to idly sit by and watch something that I think is intrinsically wrong. It's like watching some vile act that you could stop if you wanted to, but you decide to just not get involved.

Rob Lee can occasionally reply to this idiot, but essentially his hands are tied. Any real involvement will make him look like the corporate mogul beating on the little guy and it would ultimately result in a negative effect on his company and his business. That's what this Robert troll is looking for. To me, that's just not right, so I speak up. If you say something enough times, many people come to believe it. I refuse to let Robert troll get away with that crap. Again, it's just not right. So what do you do? Give me another option and I'll explore it.

Soap box off.

[mel]

(about responding to trolls)

In the case of this Robert troll attacking Lee Valley Tools, he's impugning the reputation of a respected company and its owner...

Ok you bring up a good point. When the "troll" has clearly taken the effort to spew verbal vomit then a reply to refute the nonsense is warranted in most cases. Some of the time though the replies merely state, " Troll" or " Go post somewhere else".

[mac davis]

it's also fairly effective to address the post not to the troll, but to the rest of the NG.. as in "despite what others may have posted, I feel that XYZ company is reputable, blah blah...

A troll has no life and has found a way to get attention, much as a child that can't get positive attention will go for negative attention... So, ignore the troll and address the topic.. it drives them even crazier...

[Prometheus]

"The only thing needed to allow evil to flourish in the world is for good men to do nothing." Winston Churchill (paraphased)

[Fred the Red Shirt]

We hate trolls which means we hate to let the trolls say what they are unopposed. Especially when the troll puts our name in the Subject header. I don't _think_ I've ever started an off-topic thread.

A true troll is posting (or crossposting) for no reason other than to disrupt the newsgroup.

More troublesome are those who post off-topic, but otherwise sincerely