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This forum is way more friendly than alt.comp.xxx groups

V

vic user

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2003
Messages
724
Location
Ottawa, Canada
Maybe it is just me, but I feel far more comfortable asking questions on this forum, than I do on the alt.comp.XXX groups I belong to.

It seems there is a percentage of patronizing or snobbish people on some of those groups, and I have encountered none of this on Erik's forum.

Thank goodness for this place.

Chris
 
I have also found the people here to be very helpful, kind and outgoing. This is a great place to be.
 
Thanks (from everyone) for the kind words!

I like the community we are building. There are a lot of folks out there interested in old computers but, as mentioned above, some have different demeanors online than others.

The folks that visit here are truly top-notch!

Erik
 
Its a great place to be Eric can post your ideas and views without anyone thinking your stupid.

Glad i found this place is great fun!!! :)
 
I agree! I've posted on newsgroups previously, but I had nothing but flaming (some guy thought I had fake email address ,which I did not! :roll: )
 
Yes, I've found there to be a lot of "snobs" on usenet, (I have the knowledge and you don't -- RTFM) especially on alt.folklore.computers, but not too bad on comp.os.cpm.

--T
 
Indeed, the VCF is my second-most favourite forum for discussing vintage computing hard- and software. :shock: The most favourite one, of course, being when I meet up with a group of fellow collectors I've met. :wink:

Terry Yager said:
Yes, I've found there to be a lot of "snobs" on usenet, (I have the knowledge and you don't -- RTFM) especially on alt.folklore.computers, but not too bad on comp.os.cpm.
Click to expand...

AFC is nice and fun, but not very helpful - escpecially since it seems to be the general of that particular group that anything newer than the PDP/11 is not worth considering as "vintage"...(I'm sure you, Erik, will remember a certain reply to your initial post about this place on AFC - at least the first post I read).
 
Thomas Hillebrandt said:
Indeed, the VCF is my second-most favourite forum for discussing vintage computing hard- and software. :shock: The most favourite one, of course, being when I meet up with a group of fellow collectors I've met. :wink:
Click to expand...

You've got to make it to a Vintage Computer Festival (East, West or Europe) if you haven't already!

Thomas Hillebrandt said:
I'm sure you, Erik, will remember a certain reply to your initial post about this place on AFC - at least the first post I read.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there are a few snobs on USENet in general that have been less then friendly. Then again, more then half of the folks registered here were referred by my posts on various USENet groups, so it can't be all that bad to advertise there! :)

Erik
 
i snagged this from the jargon dictionary

troll v.,n. 1. [From the Usenet group alt.folklore.urban] To utter a posting on Usenet designed to attract predictable responses or flames; or, the post itself. Derives from the phrase "trolling for newbies" which in turn comes from mainstream "trolling", a style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of newbies and flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than they already do, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don't fall for the joke, you get to be in on it. See also YHBT. 2. An individual who chronically trolls in sense 1; regularly posts specious arguments, flames or personal attacks to a newsgroup, discussion list, or in email for no other purpose than to annoy someone or disrupt a discussion. Trolls are recognizable by the fact that the have no real interest in learning about the topic at hand - they simply want to utter flame bait. Like the ugly creatures they are named after, they exhibit no redeeming characteristics, and as such, they are recognized as a lower form of life on the net, as in, "Oh, ignore him, he's just a troll." 3. [Berkeley] Computer lab monitor. A popular campus job for CS students. Duties include helping newbies and ensuring that lab policies are followed. Probably so-called because it involves lurking in dark cavelike corners.

Chris
 
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Note: The YHBT is traditionally followed by HAND. Some newsgroups are hard to resist trolling in because they are so easy. Others present a particular challenge because they are virtually un-trollable. Trolling a group normally populated by intelligent, net-savvy folk is something of a badge of honor. (Hint: Education-oriented groups are generally in the first category. Nobody trolls easier than know-it-all ivory tower dwellers). The highlight of my carreer (so far) was when I finally (after many attempts) managed to successfully troll my favorite group (which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty). My "innocent" question spawned a full-blown flame-war among several partipicipants, complete with accusations of Nazi-ism, Communism, and several other -isms. All I had to do (after the initial post) was just to sit back and watch the fireworks. Now I can die in peace.

--T
 
Trolling along.

Trolling along.

Trolling on usenet is so easy because it is made up of so many people
who OBVIOUSLY have NO brain at all. IN FACT there are a LOT OF NAZIS
who HATE normal people and only want to SPY on them. They are probably the CIA anyway. I don't know why I WASTE MY TIME reading them!!!!!!!!!!!


(Or something like that)!!! Hehehe!


.T.I.M
 
Re: Trolling along.

Re: Trolling along.

TIML said:
Trolling on usenet is so easy because it is made up of so many people
who OBVIOUSLY have NO brain at all. IN FACT there are a LOT OF NAZIS
who HATE normal people and only want to SPY on them. They are probably the CIA anyway. I don't know why I WASTE MY TIME reading them!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

So it's flaming you want, eh???

[ahem]...YOU SUCK!!!

(heh...oh well...)
 
Flaming and trolling are two completely separate issues, tho somewhat related. A well-constructed troll shouldn't have to resort to such tactics as insulting, personal attacks, name-calling, etc. It should, however, incite others to make total fools of themselves by making such attacks in a public forum. I never flame (well, mebbe once or twice) but trolling can be an amusing pastime. It is the epitomy of passive-aggressive behavior, when done correctly.

--T
 
Re: This forum is way more friendly than alt.comp.xxx groups

"vic user" wrote:

> Maybe it is just me, but I feel far more
> comfortable asking questions on this
> forum, than I do on the alt.comp.XXX
> groups I belong to.

> It seems there is a percentage of
> patronizing or snobbish people on
> some of those groups, and I have
> encountered none of this on Erik's
> forum.

Yeah, generally the snobs are ironed
out before they can join. They tend to
stick in their place & write to Erik saying
that it's a waste of time.

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
"dongfeng" wrote:

> I agree! I've posted on newsgroups previously,
> but I had nothing but flaming (some guy
> thought I had fake email address ,which I did
> not!

I've got that too, though I did have a fake e-mail!
Sometimes they just don't get it, some people
want replies sent to e-mail (which is inapprorate)
& other times it's just as you've said it.

Also, I've got some funny e-mails (one from some
guy who reads comp.os.cpm), I sent an e-mail
back to them explaining this, but got no reply. So,
I'm really wonderning what these people are doing
reading Usenet & if there really just out to Spam
people (as I get huge amounts of spam - I just
don't care anymore & have used my real e-mail).

CP/M User.
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Yes, I've found there to be a lot of "snobs" on
> usenet, (I have the knowledge and you don't
> -- RTFM) especially on alt.folklore.computers,
> but not too bad on comp.os.cpm.

Personally, I haven't had any problems with a.f.c
but I haven't posted there a lot because there's
enough people posting there without including me.
Generally, I found they were good with
terminology & kindley pointing that out. Sure, it's
not related to computer folklore, but it's not a
bad place to stop, if you need a brush up on your
English! ;-)

Simular with comp.os.cpm, I don't have much
trouble, well except for one or two who don't like
people expressing an opinion or thoughts in
general. I occasionally get annoyed when you
post some comments & then someone posts the
same results an hour or two later (which gets all
the attention) - kinda makes me feel like why
should I bother, when it's going to happen. This
happens more in comp.sys.amstrad.8bit, cause
I'm a bit of a noname, who's promised much,
but haven't delivered. c.s.a.8 occasionally gets
flammed from other 8bit communitys which is
also annoying, I've learn't not to post to them,
although it's annoying to see someone who
can't resist (it just gives the troll what they
want).

CP/M User.
 
"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Flaming and trolling are two completely
> separate issues, tho somewhat related...

Generally, I've found that Flaming leads to
trolling. Some say that Flaming is okay,
thou I disagree, cause on more occassions
a flame leads to a troll. I should note that
c.s.a.8 is the subject to an occasional
flame, but they are merely there to be a
nuisance & they might as well be put in
the same vein as trolls as anyone who fuels
the flame gets an imidiate "Don't feed the
Troll" statement.

> A well-constructed troll shouldn't have to
> resort to such tactics as insulting, personal
> attacks, name-calling, etc. It should,
> however, incite others to make total fools
> of themselves by making such attacks in a
> public forum. I never flame (well, mebbe
> once or twice) but trolling can be an
> amusing pastime. It is the epitomy of
> passive-aggressive behavior, when done
> correctly.

Another classic I saw was in
comp.sys.ibm.pc.classic where someone
decided to flame all the ol' systems & critise
everyone. Since they had a Google Groups
account, we were able to send complants to
google & get them to cancel their account
(which occured), a couple of months later
they wrote back there saying to stop sending
abusive e-mails to him (who did this god
knows), but it was pretty poor of someone to
go out of their way to doing this.

Cheers,
CP/M User.
 
I think there's a distinction between a good troll and outright flame-bait. Flame-bait is usually quite obvious to all who view it, where a troll is more subtle. The person being trolled shouldn't be aware that it is a troll until after they have made an ass of themself. Creating a true troll (as opposed to plain-vanilla flame-bait) is something of an art form. It requires a good deal of care and imagination to be able to troll without being "caught" by being too obvious.

--T
 
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