User:Cailil/cailil sandbox 3
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Another Day Another Troll
Sometimes in the work-a-day environment of Wikipedia it feels like another day, another Troll. disruption has always been a pass time for some lonely people and a lot them tend to flock here to abuse the patience of this community
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[edit] Definition of a Troll
Through out history there have been a number of different types of Troll. The face-beater, sheep-eater, the baby-eater, the troll-under-the-bridge and the talk-page-troll.
During my time on Wikipedia I've met, listen to and (unfortunately) fed a number of Talk-page-trolls. These are some of my observations and advice about Trolls on wikipedia.
To quote WP:TROLL: "Trolling refers to deliberate and intentional attempts to disrupt the usability of Wikipedia for its editors, administrators, developers, and other people who work to create content for and help run Wikipedia. Trolling is deliberate violation of the implicit rules of Internet social spaces."
[edit] Genus Trollus Horribillus
Researchers have recently discovered that some Trolls are so lonely that they will talk nonsense to anyone who'll listen to them. Some believe that Trollish beahaviour is merely a cry for attention. This type of Troll is classified as the Trollus horribillus
This is the troll you don't want to fed! They just throw something out there - something mad - hoping some poor niave, innocent, genuine user will respond. And then it begins...
These Trolls react badly to being called by name. So much so that some of these Trolls preempt a slanging match by calling other users trolls or idiots or ... well, whatever nasty thing they can think of.
[edit] Protection against Trollus Horribillus
There is one solution and one method of prevention with this breed of Troll - starvation! Don't fed the Trolls...
[edit] Genus Trollus Maellus
Others are more skeptical about sections of the Troll community. Some say there are Trolls that are just plain bad. The more enlightened who meditate on the inner workings of the Troll mind argue that bad experience has mutated these lonely creatures into beings of dark malevolent rage. It's commonly believed that Trolls lack intelligence - nothing could be further from the truth. Some Trolls are extraordinarily smart, they can bi-locate, appear in disguise and can play with legions of sock-puppets.
Occasionally you'll find yourself in a dispute with a really angry person, who probably hasn't got a registered account. Sometimes these people persist for months, clogging up talk pages with irrelevant chatter or more likely angry diatribes and then again sometimes you meet a charming, suave, handsome-sounding editor who like to make little changes here and there. Changes that twist the meaning of a sentence, turn it into a paradox ro a contradiction. Some times you meet Editors who like to keep saying the same thing over and over and over and over again.
These are of the Trollus Maellus variety.
[edit] Protection against Trollus Maellus
A philosopher of legend created six talismans to ward off the machinations of the Trollus Maellus, unfortunately none of them worked and he was eatten alive. There is no guaranteed form of prevention for these guys. They are out to disrupt, push, vandalize and generally attack wikipedia. However there is a cure - you and your behaviour is the only cure to Trolling attacks an damage. Its up to you to be sweeter than pie and more patient than the mountains. Always assume good faith and always play strictly by the rules, it will make it obvious when outsiders see a dispute where the Troll is.
[edit] Trolography
Other species such as gnomes, gremlins, and mastodons have been known to take offense when an amateur trollographer misidentifies them as the bridge-dwelling billy goat-eating variety. This can have undesirable effects, particularly because gremlins tend to get midnight snacks and turn nasty after being misidentified. So avoid the t-word."
Trollography is a dangerous business. labeling another editor a troll is an accusation of bad faith and is a breach of WP:BITE, WP:CIVIL, WP:NPA and WP:AGF - unless the Trollographer has some well researched, objective proof. It has traditionally Trollographers have pointed at the stuffed and mounted heads in the museum and cried "Troll," but there are those of us who have gone out into the field and faught the beasts where they congregate...
[edit] Troll hunter
There are 3 things a troll hunter needs
- Patience
- The willingness to always assume good faith
- Jimbo's Troll Beastiary
When you have mastered the art of patience; and become past master of the assumption of good faith; and studied the ancient lore of Jimbo's Troll handbook; you will be on the path to enlihtenement. If you hang a right and veer off the path just before you get there you'll have the chance to become a Troll hunter. The preverbial sign post on that hypothetical path says "Assume bad faith". When a user reaches this point they may, if thay are not careful, become transfomed into a Troll. Bad faith is the damocles sword of the hunt. Bad faith can only be assumed when the target of that assumption lies, sockpuppets, vandalizes or disrupts repeatedly, over time and in a provable way. A Troll hunter does not cry Troll in the middle of a heated discussion, they assess the situation objectively, record the facts objectively and draw no conclusion other than that which can be evidenced over and again.
In general, Troll hunting is a lot less glamourous than it sounds...
[edit] Don't trouble Trouble
Before you ask, "but where can I find these creatures?", let me warn you. Don't trouble Trouble, 'cause Trouble will trouble you. And if ypu trouble Trouble, Trouble will trouble you too. Don't go look for a fight that breaks all the policies of wikipedia and is really a trollish thing to do. Besides it is more than likely that eventually a Troll will find you!
