Forum Undesirables

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The simple solution to a troll is not to feed it. If someone creates a thread in order to incite a hostile emotional response, ignore it. Of course, we can't avoid posting all potentially controversial content and we probably don't want to. A healthy debate is often a good thing. It's a matter of intent in terms of posting such content.

Trolls don't want a healthy debate. They want to wield some personal ax they have to grind and to refute (usually in an insulting manner) anyone who disagrees with their statements and opinions on the matter. Even if the intent of the troll isn't immediately obvious when they create a thread, it will be once they reply to those who have responded.

Sometimes, even when we recognize that a troll has baited a trap in a thread, it's tempting to want to "take them on", but ultimately it does no good. A troll isn't open to changing their mind or even honestly listening to the opinions of others.

So rather than poke them with a stick, it's best to ignore them and walk away. When they realize that they don't have a "forum" for their slights and grievances, they'll move on.

 

Lurker: Someone who regularly visits the site but either a) doesnt register or b) registers but never posts

Wiki Definition

 

I don't agree that lurkers are undesirable. They may not contribute like active members but who says that we can't exist as a resource the way that a dictionary exists? Also, there's no way to measure the intent of people who create member accounts but never use them. At the time, they may fully intend on posting but something intervenes.

The only thing I can see that is undesirable is the creation of hundreds of unused member accounts that just sit in the database for months or years at a time.

 

Fair point Trip.

Ok, next up, similar to the Troll is the Flamer:

Again, Wiki

 

This isn't what you asked for, and I'm very new here. But I wonder about what this thread is for...

I guess I just don't like to see a main thread entitled 'Forum Undesirables.'

It's hardly welcoming...... and on a forum where based on my short exposure I've been amazed by the signal to noise ratio compared to others I've seen, I'm left thinking, WTF?

You could always say to newbies: if there is anything you don't understand, don't be afraid to ask - or Google.

Or maybe there's another sort of undesirable - netcop.

 

I suppose it could seem that way MacAllan but when you've moderated a few forums for awhile, you begin to see a different picture. It's all a matter of intent. No one is going to be critisized for not being familiar with discussion forums. After all, we were all in the "newbie" boat once.

What this thread seems to be about are those people who purposefully exploit the existence of discussion groups for the detriment of others.

While there is freedom of speech here, the staff can't allow a chaotic communications environment to take over. Trolling, flaming, spamming and posting pr0n just isn't accepted. That's why anyone who creates a member account here as to agree to some basic rules.

While I don't think of myself as a "cybercop", as a Senior Mod, I and the rest of the volunteer staff are here to try and make sure that CertForums remains a friendly and helpful venue for people seeking to advance in an IT career to ask for help and contribute to the community.

-Trip

 

Neffer: one who posts useless posts, usually devoid of information, for the sole purpose of increasing one's post count in an online forum.

We don't have this problem, here... but it's bad enough on some forums to warrant vacations our outright bans.

 

Swarm is also another forum undesirable.

It is a group of people on an internet forum that will gang up on another member to try and force them out.

 

Not sure if this type of undesirable has a name, but I suppose you could call it a 'click'.

A 3D artist forum I used to visit occasionally had a group of senior members that had a very elitist and negative attitude to everyone else on the forum. Although the guys were very skilled at what they did, they thought this gave them right to humiliate and bully those members that were less able than them. A lot of members posts were turned into flaming contests by this small group of members (most of them were moderators!!) and it meant people didn't bother posting any requests for help.

 

Should I be feeling anxious about this thread? I'm kind of assuming that if you guys really thought I was a troll, you'd have kicked me out by now...

Regarding Trolls - I can see how it might be relatively easy to spot someone making a 'derogatory' comment for the purpose of just being a nuisance, but I'm less sure how you'd spot someone being 'inflammatory' for no justifiable reason. Some contentious positions might be seen to be inflammatory. Some people might be 'difficult', but not have any real intention to distress others(That's probably me). Some people might like a healthy and lively debate. Some people may end up making derogatory comments in the heat of the moment and later regret them. Others may not realise that they have been interpreted badly. I think it might be really difficult to sort out what a person's 'intention' is. But it is easier to set rules around behaviour and ignore intention...

I'm very aware that I might be seen by many here as a pain in the butt, but not a Troll. Some might believe me to be part Troll at least. How do you know?

 

shambles stop being paranoid.

 

sorry....

 

I guess that was what was making me uneasy: 'undesirable forum behaviour' is one thing - calling it 'forum undesirables' makes it feel like something else.

And since this is supposed to be information for newbies, maybe you need to think about how that fits in with creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere?

 

I don't believe in the concept of "undesirable people," only undesirable behaviour.

I think people are 'more' than just their silly behaviour on internet fora.

I'm not condoning disruptive behaviour - I act as a moderator an another (non-IT) forum, where I (along with the other modrerators) have banned people for persistent undesirable behaviour.

As I said in my earlier post, I've found this to be a very friendly forum, with a high signal to noise ratio, and I'm not criticising overzealous moderating, as I haven't had the occasion to see any.

But labeling people invites bigotry, and all manner of 'undesirable behaviour' - and does not promote a welcoming atmosphere for newcomers.

 

There's a fine line... once you constantly become too much a pain in the butt, you become a Troll.

Where do you think the line is?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I must admit from the title of the thread i thought i'd see my name mentioned here.

I'm always told that i'm one of those undesirable people... You know the sort, gets on every ones nerves, acts the fool. Hell i even had a g/f call me undesirable once, then we split!

Only time i am desirable is when its a lads night out and they want some entertainment. You just never know what i might do witha few beers inside me!

 

What do you call those people who join a forum, ask a question, then never return? Usually this will be in a support forum and will have maybe a couple of replies asking for more information which are not responded to.

If I knew where the line was, I'd probably never worry about crossing it...