Search

Title

Author

Article Body

Manager


Manager - AB7RG
Manager Notes

Please Do Not Feed the Trolls

Created by K1JRF John on 2021-08-10

Please do not feed the trolls! They have gas problems!

 

Trolls stink. Sorry, I know we are supposed to be all inclusive these days but trolls just stink. They ruin things. Except for other trolls no one wants to be around them.

 

From Wikipedia: “In internet slang, a troll is a person who starts flame wars or intentionally upsets people on the internet. This is typically done by posting inflammatory or digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community …. with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses or normalizing tangential discussion. This is typically for the troll’s amusement, or to achieve a specific result such as disrupting a rivals’ online activities...”

 

It’s probably appropriate to define “flame” also. “A vitriolic or abusive message posted on the internet or sent by email, typically in quick response to another message.”

 

We get to see trolls on lots of forums. As hams we even get to hear them on the air. The general unwritten rule for handling these types on the air is to just ignore them. If you can continue your QSO do so and amazingly they quickly go away. Worse case is to spin the dial or take a break from the radio. And of course, some may say “but you're letting them win if they chase you away” and while in one sense that is accurate you are handing them a much bigger win if you engage them because THAT is what they are looking for. Trust me, when you ignore and leave the trolls alone, they are much less happy with the result than you ever will be. They get angrier, pass gas and leave! You win!

 

I would suggest we do the same thing we do on the air on our ham forums. To moderate or not moderate a forum is a big decision for the web master (been there done that many times over the years myself with various hobby forums and I was a Compuserve volunteer moderator way back in the days) but do not think for a second that by responding to a troll you are going to help clean up the problem. It’s the opposite You are only feeding the trolls and remember trolls stink!

 

Thus, when someone trolls on your favorite forum by all means report them to the site admin by whatever procedure you can but in the words of a fine lady “Just say no!” Don't answer the troll. In fact, make an extra effort to answer the actual question someone else asked (this being an example if a troll busts in on a thread) so that the troll just gets lost in the niceties of people helping each other. They hate that for some reason. Makes them pass more gas they get so angry (See trolls stink:)

 

Imagine your least favorite troll starting some annoying thread and the replies stay at a big fat ZERO! How glorious.

 

And while I'm on my little soapbox I wanted to share another phrase someone shared with me many years ago ... Attack ideas, not the people behind them.

 

73 John, K1JRF

 

 

 

KC8VWM2021-10-18
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
I used to post articles here, but I don't anymore...
KU5QM2021-09-02
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
They're everywhere, although it has really been quiet here compared to years past.
N8FVJ2021-08-28
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
Yes, these Hams are the most discussing and vile people on the ham internet sites.
Reply to a comment by : VE3CUI on 2021-08-15

Wow...!!! That's SOME vitriol hurled your way, after I read some of the posts on that link you sent me... Imagine if you had posted an article that just *might* have raised a few hackles, to the effect of, "...Let's all embrace our 'radio fraternity' by having us Hams share the 11-meter band with all of the CURRENT denizens therein, in exchange for giving THEM unfettered access to all of OUR bands...!"
Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-15

Here: https://www.eham.net/article/40601
N8FVJ2021-08-15
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
I meant I added reviews of 811A tubes as early as year 2000
Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-15

All the article was about is viewing inexpensive used HF amplifiers for sale. It did not have any disputable technical info. On one nasty reply I was told I stole data from an 811A tube review posted in 2017. However, I had views of 811A tubes starting in 2000. So accuser reply stated I am menially ill like the other Troll stated earlier.
VE3CUI2021-08-15
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
Wow...!!! That's SOME vitriol hurled your way, after I read some of the posts on that link you sent me...

Imagine if you had posted an article that just *might* have raised a few hackles, to the effect of, "...Let's all embrace our 'radio fraternity' by having us Hams share the 11-meter band with all of the CURRENT denizens therein, in exchange for giving THEM unfettered access to all of OUR bands...!"
Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-15

Here: https://www.eham.net/article/40601
N8FVJ2021-08-15
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
All the article was about is viewing inexpensive used HF amplifiers for sale. It did not have any disputable technical info. On one nasty reply I was told I stole data from an 811A tube review posted in 2017. However, I had views of 811A tubes starting in 2000. So accuser reply stated I am menially ill like the other Troll stated earlier.
N8FVJ2021-08-15
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
Here: https://www.eham.net/article/40601
VE3CUI2021-08-15
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
N8FVJ Yes, morbid curiosity here compels me to say that I would just LOVE to see some of those unwarranted "...balls of flame" that were hurled your way, first-hand...I think I can sympathetically relate to you in that regard!

To that end, can you please attach a direct link to the website here, in order to facilitate my gaining access to it...?

Many thanks in advance...

Eddy (VE3CUI - VE3XZ)
Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-15

If you want to read how discussing these trolls are that call me anything from mentally ill, an idiot, stealing info from others, etc read my article 'Help, I need a cheap HF Amplifier' written in 2018. You see who the trolls are.
N8FVJ2021-08-15
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
If you want to read how discussing these trolls are that call me anything from mentally ill, an idiot, stealing info from others, etc read my article 'Help, I need a cheap HF Amplifier' written in 2018. You see who the trolls are.
VE3CUI2021-08-15
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
Sometimes people expressing an opinion of a divergent view apart from that-those of the rest are automatically labelled as being racist, homophobic, Islamaphobic, sexist, etc. etc. etc.

Now, I'm not suggesting here that all so-called "...Trolls" are being improperly labelled --- just that WE all don't effectively become "...Trolls" ourselves by piling in atop the crowd that's already done so. Remember the old adage of, "...I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
K6CRC2021-08-14
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
I am on a couple of forums where a simple question, many times from a new ham, is posted. Then those answering the poor guys' question got into it with him or each other. It is not like we have TOO many new hams, so I would think we would be on our best behavior trying to keep people in the hobby.

Try to resist the temptation of a FTFM (read the .... manual) comment, or respond with 'Back in the old days, EVERY General would know that!'. Maybe just an answer or a reference to more info is best.

Scream at the dog if needed, but be nice on the forums please!
KD9IQO2021-08-13
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
You can't just let a rabid troll decimate the community. Some very talented engineers have already opted-out rather than endure the unrelenting venom. There comes a point when the forum administrator(s) must take a stand. Just about ready to opt-out myself.
Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-10

How do you address someone that simply attacks you and posts ignore your comments, he knows nothing, etc. My attacker is famous, thus has immunity to being banned for a period.
N0JY2021-08-12
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
I have been chastised, vilified, poked, provoked, insulted, misquoted, misrepresented, and it seems like everything short of an actual physical run through the wringer. And I got mad at first. All of this for just volunteering to do what I like, my "ham radio hobby stuff"? XYL asks "why do you bother?" Good question.

There is no better truth than what John said, and I think most people know that. I did, and I don't fault anyone for not immediately responding to the troll in the "fight or flight" moment of the first round, but you can quit any time and still come out on top.

Nobody ever actually asked me if I'm just stupid, or mean, or lying, or stealing, or any of the whatever -ist -gist stuff as was put forth by trolls. So I think that verified to me my faith in fellow hams, that they are just people having fun with their hobby, doing and sharing whatever their choice of the myriad fun and fulfilling aspects of ham radio are, too.

And they know the difference between other hams who bother to do the same with their time, and the trolls, who apparently bother to study and achieve an amateur radio license in order to instead - get on the keyboard and be a troll?

I agree that most people really deep down inside probably do not give a rat's talk what other people thin or say to flame and stir the pot. Trolling works well at targeting just the one or few intended, and rolling the eyes of possibly tens or hundreds of others, hihi!

I would offer a suggestion for a tweak to the quote, "Challenge ideas, not the people behind them." People, hams especially I would wager, are more likely to accept a thoughtful challenge - which could then lead to either a better idea or a better understanding - than an attack on the/their idea, which sorta sounds adversarial.
(But I know what you really meant.)

73! - Jerry, N0JY
KD7YVV2021-08-11
Re: Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
The answer to your question is simple.
You don't.
A troll or anyone else who does something disruptive to cause chaos/dissent does so for the attention.

My question is, do people really deep down inside give a rat's tail what other people think/say to the point that it causes conflict?

There was a news story here about a star wars shop in Aberdeen Washington regarding a sign he posted.

Now, being from the "I don't really give a hoot what people think" (NJ), I can't wrap my mind around the concept.

What I've noticed however not just on forums but in the news, on youtube, etc. that a lot of the content is geared towards causing conflict.

I don't mind a good discussion or debate, but lately it seems, things are posted for the "shock value".

Therefore, as intelligent beings, we have a choice: follow the Vulcan philosphy of IDIC, mind our own business and live life on our own terms, or, find every little thing that we find offenseive etc. and live a miserable life based on what others think/do. I choose the former.


Reply to a comment by : N8FVJ on 2021-08-10

How do you address someone that simply attacks you and posts ignore your comments, he knows nothing, etc. My attacker is famous, thus has immunity to being banned for a period.
N8FVJ2021-08-10
Please Do Not Feed the Trolls
How do you address someone that simply attacks you and posts ignore your comments, he knows nothing, etc. My attacker is famous, thus has immunity to being banned for a period.