Comments on: Shiny, shiny tools won’t save you from trolls http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls Picking out patterns in the chaos Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: nick s http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2285 nick s Thu, 21 Dec 2006 06:15:37 +0000 http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2285 I think it's time for the term 'trolling' to cross back over to 'traditional' media. That is, trolling for responses, aka 'Classic Trolling'. John Dvorak has admitted he does it, and it's a classic tactic by the lazy journo: write a piece that's guaranteed to provoke a kneejerk response, then use those responses to write the next week's piece. Easy money. But when pieces from print media appear online, and have an online readership that may surpass that in print, it's only fair that certain conventions of online conversation should apply. If a columnist is trolling, it should be appropriate to call it out. But what if a comments section bans trolls? And what if an editor isn't averse to trolling columnists? After all, it's a good way to keep people reading. [This leaves certain bits of print media in an awkward position. Take the letters page: it has space limitations, is often edited for publication, and any letters editor will admit that plenty of silly trolling pieces will make the cut, just to keep Mrs Trellis of North Wales from writing in for a month or so. Having comments facilities for letters seems inappropriate, not least because of the imbalance between content written to fit two different policies, where the original pieces may have been edited without the author's oversight.] I think it’s time for the term ‘trolling’ to cross back over to ‘traditional’ media. That is, trolling for responses, aka ‘Classic Trolling’. John Dvorak has admitted he does it, and it’s a classic tactic by the lazy journo: write a piece that’s guaranteed to provoke a kneejerk response, then use those responses to write the next week’s piece. Easy money.

But when pieces from print media appear online, and have an online readership that may surpass that in print, it’s only fair that certain conventions of online conversation should apply.

If a columnist is trolling, it should be appropriate to call it out. But what if a comments section bans trolls? And what if an editor isn’t averse to trolling columnists? After all, it’s a good way to keep people reading.

[This leaves certain bits of print media in an awkward position. Take the letters page: it has space limitations, is often edited for publication, and any letters editor will admit that plenty of silly trolling pieces will make the cut, just to keep Mrs Trellis of North Wales from writing in for a month or so. Having comments facilities for letters seems inappropriate, not least because of the imbalance between content written to fit two different policies, where the original pieces may have been edited without the author's oversight.]

]]> By: Kevin Anderson http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2284 Kevin Anderson Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:13:17 +0000 http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2284 Phil, to echo what Suw said, we've had really consistent problems with Movable Type. Both Suw and I tried all day yesterday to get into the MT backend with variable luck. Personally and professionaly, I'm pretty tired with fighting with Movable Type. I hope Six Apart is listening. Anyone from SixApart want to contact me for a chat? You know where to find me. Phil, to echo what Suw said, we’ve had really consistent problems with Movable Type. Both Suw and I tried all day yesterday to get into the MT backend with variable luck. Personally and professionaly, I’m pretty tired with fighting with Movable Type. I hope Six Apart is listening. Anyone from SixApart want to contact me for a chat? You know where to find me.

]]> By: Suw http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2283 Suw Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:57:45 +0000 http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2283 Phil, we're aware of the porn comments. Unfortunately, Corante's installation of MT has been really rather flakey recently and it has been very hard to get into it and do any work at all to clean up the crap left by the spammers. As soon as the admin pages are accessible again, those damn comments will be gone! Phil, we’re aware of the porn comments. Unfortunately, Corante’s installation of MT has been really rather flakey recently and it has been very hard to get into it and do any work at all to clean up the crap left by the spammers. As soon as the admin pages are accessible again, those damn comments will be gone!

]]> By: Phil http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2282 Phil Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:24:43 +0000 http://strange.corante.com/2006/12/18/shiny-shiny-tools-wont-save-you-from-trolls#comment-2282 Moderation. It's often one of the overlooked issues with community. As I write, five of your last six comments are pr0n trackbacks. I'm not saying that undermines your argument, because it doesn't, but it is a bit unfortunate. Moderation. It’s often one of the overlooked issues with community.

As I write, five of your last six comments are pr0n trackbacks. I’m not saying that undermines your argument, because it doesn’t, but it is a bit unfortunate.

]]>