h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Read the thread. It starts to get funny on 4th page or so.

Good journal, Ivan.

I know there are plans to make h2g2 international, to drag it out of its small anglocentric world. I'll help with that. In fact, I may even start and write the odd guide entry again, something I haven't done for more than two years.

As for the trolls: yes, I notice them. I unsubscribe from threads. I don't know what else to do.

I'm allergic to trolls so I avoid them like the plague.

I would rather bring a smile: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8118257.stm (I thought of you, I have no idea why)

GB

Thanks for dropping by, everyone.

I'm glad to see that various thoughts have struck a chord with various people, depending on their own experiences with this site. It's nice to have the feeling that I'm making sense to someone somewhere. Now, what to do...

BMT, thanks for coming out of the shadows and saying what you said. It isn't that far removed from what I meant, though it was rather more blunt - as you'd expect with me making a career out of being diplomatic.

Kea, thanks for the post in support. I'm not sure how well-placed I am to help out in a semi-formal sense, considering my erratic state of health etc, but I'm happy to be a sounding-board in the short term while I sort myself out a bit.

The one thing I really want to pick up here is Hati's idea of an anti-troll agency. I like this a lot. The current moderation system deals with trolls haphazardly, and doesn't cope at all with what I've identified as Troll Type 4, the insidious troll. Maybe we need an anti-troll alliance, a flying squad who can come into threads with a heavy insidious troll presence and run interference. This could be a creative use for the hootoo tendency to go offtopic. If the anti-trolls take a thread offtopic even faster than it usually happens around here, the insidious troll will lose effectiveness. I think this idea needs to be kicked around a bit, 'workshopped' even (however much I loathe that word) to see what comes out at the end. If anyone's interested in thinking this through with me, let me know. Email address on my space, for those who don't already have my 'real' email address, or PM facility in Noesis (which I keep wanting to call Nosies).

I honestly believe that trolling is the biggest immediate issue for hootoo. It's not how to get people to write for the Guide or participate in the Community, but how to stop trolls from putting people off doing either of those things (as has happened in my case). Lack of participation is the symptom; trolls are a part of the disease. We need zero tolerance for trolls. I'm happy to discuss this further too.

Oh, and GB - thanks for the wallabies. Drugged marsupials add a certain something to a thread.

I'm reading and am off to think about all that, I'm up for workshopping the anti-troll flying squad

Respect for that post Ivan

Peanut

>>
I honestly believe that trolling is the biggest immediate issue for hootoo. It's not how to get people to write for the Guide or participate in the Community, but how to stop trolls from putting people off doing either of those things (as has happened in my case). Lack of participation is the symptom; trolls are a part of the disease. We need zero tolerance for trolls. I'm happy to discuss this further too.
<<



Workshopping this sounds good. I don't have the energy at the moment, but please keep us updated occasionally if it seems right to (in this thread would be fine).

I love the idea an unofficial anti troll flying squad, that would be the community saying that 'your behaviour is unacceptable'.

Flying Troll Swatting Squad? Count me in!

I love the idea too- I would be happy to volunteer for that!

I guess being a chair of h2g2c2 means that I can't join in such fun community activities any more..

And posts a link:
F2121986?thread=646783&post=7091470#p7111125 (post 39)

*thinks*

*waves to BMT*

A light hearted troll swatting sounds a lot of fun, but I do just wonder if it could make the situation worse in some cases.

I often see people complain, 'there was nothing wrong with my behaviour, but a clique just jump on me'.

Jumping on someone and swatting their behaviour is great fun, but it's not going to help them see why they need to change.

But I want Troll spray, do you think Raid would do?

I am sure if there are nice people out there with the will and skills to explain anything to a troll, they will find their way to do that. It's not that the anti-trolls rush in and shoot everyone in sight. The general idea is to fight the global economy crisis with rotten apples. Or with comfy armchair. Or both. Fun, mostly. I have lost my dictionary, otherwise I'd say something clever and witty.

Ooh so in a light hearted fun / role playing sort of way. That would be great. If a thread was getting a little too serious you could jump in with some troll calming..

My favourite troll story was about arsenal who thought that all the women love him and the usual yada-yada. In some 400 postings he was talked into being a pregnant teenage girl who is so confused that doesn't know her way around etc. I am not sure how he felt about it but eventually he vanished (probably was banned forever) and the fun was over.

In my opinion, Trolls are easily identifiable and aren't we all guilty of a little flaming from time to time Everything is public here, so there is nothing to hide from others if the vindictive choose to pursue their point against individuals on PS. When it drifts into nasty That's not so good, however people are advised not to reveal personal email addresses

The real danger lies with the sock puppets, they are clever and insiduous. Like a trojan horse virus attack

Isn't it rich?
What a great site!
Me here alone at my desk,
Having a fight.
Send in the trolls.

Isn't it fun?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps posting such trash,
us, who can't move.
Where are the trolls?
Send in the trolls.

Just when I'd stopped reading that thread,
Finally knowing the bulls**t they're posting is trite,
Something offensive and stupid catches my eye,
I must hit 'post'.
I must reply.

Don't you love farce?
Our fault I fear.
We think that what we write matters.
That there's a "here" here.
But where are the trolls?
Quick, send in the trolls.
Don't bother, they're there.

Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Reading and posting this late
Into the night?
And where are the trolls?
There ought to be trolls.
I love a good fight.

/me bows to Mrs Zen

awesome post





blame 2legs

re 33:

We will be very lenient, very patient and very diplomatic - at first...

But once we've made our point very clear we will be anything but if the trolls don't play nice after that

Fair enough?