Well the world is full of "shift" and Y2K has been more of a bump in the road than a problem. The question is "Who is the most obnoxious Toll on the Y2K boards?" We accept Polly or Doomer trolls alike, the question is who was the most ridiculous? Yes Yes, the doomers were a bit off the mark but were they offensive? Then vote for them!! Yes Yes the pollies won the match, but did they stuff it in your face? Then vote for them!!!

This is a winner take all match for the big cheeze!!! (Cash awards will not exceed 1 US cent)

-- Just (want@to.know), June 20, 2000

Answers

For the irony-impaired, take note: this post is a troll.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), June 20, 2000.

IMHO, LL is the worst, and her boyfriend CPR is a close second. FWIW

-- I Am (Being@heard.now), June 20, 2000.

I, for one, like a man who even though all data in the press, on the net and in the papers, state that oil prices are overtly high, can spend all of his time on this board telling me that the NEWS is wrong and that gas is cheap. Talk about Propiganda, even the Russian Pravda did not have the gall that this CPR has...... GO TO IT CPR YOU HAVE MY VOTE!!

-- CPR (Is@The.TOP), June 20, 2000.

Brian -- why do you think this post is any more "trollish" than most of the stuff on the board. The request was:

"We accept Polly or Doomer trolls alike, the question is who was the most ridiculous? Yes Yes, the doomers were a bit off the mark but were they offensive? Then vote for them!! Yes Yes the pollies won the match, but did they stuff it in your face? Then vote for them!!!"

Seems rather even handed to me. What is your definition of a "troll" In the old days around here, that simply seemed to be short hand for someone you didn't like or didn't agree with.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 20, 2000.

The winner ended up being "Just (want@to.know)" with a total of 281 votes. LadyLogic was second with 48. I was third with 12. Just thought I'd let you know.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), July 27, 2025.

---

I'll vote for "Just (want@to . . oh, wait. Never mind.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), June 20, 2000.

Just want, I am starting a new policy, at least just for a few days. Please use a valid email address, or I shall declare you a moral coward. Thanks:)

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), June 20, 2000.

E.H.

In my experience, someone you disliked or disagreed with who was inarticulate or belligerant was a troll. Someone you disagreed with who was neither of these was a shill or a plant.

Gotta keep these definitions precise, you know.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), June 20, 2000.

Ed Yourdon.

Can I get a witness?

-- Shakes the Clown (insane.clown@posse.urg), June 20, 2000.

>> What is your definition of a "troll" ...<<

The classic definition of a troll is a post that acts like a baited hook that is trailed through the newsgroup to provoke the a lot of bites. The selection of bait is deliberately designed to hook the largest number of fish. The post has no other reason for existing than to stir up a lot of fuss and noise that takes a long time to subside.

The classic troller is someone who delights in starting a fight among the newsgroup participants, just so they can watch. On Usenet, there is a subculture of trolls who compete to see who can start a meaningless thread that continues to the greatest length and has the most longevity.

Around the Greenspun Y2K forums, the word troll has been twisted to mean someone you don't like or agree with, and the substitute phrase has become kicking the anthill. I prefer to stick to the classic definition, and that is how I meant my comment.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), June 20, 2000.

"Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people."

-- (just@is.an.idiot), June 20, 2000.

Brian -- yes, I'd agree with your definition of "the classic troller is someone who delights in starting a fight among the newsgroup participants, just so they can watch."

But, of course, this begs the "personal responsibility" question.

After all, if no one responds, the thread goes away. Have you ever responded to the people you consider "trolls"? Why did you respond to this thread? If you had not reponded, would we be communiating now? Should not some responsibility be placed on those that respond to "troll" posts"?

After all, we all post in the hope that we will contribute to the discussion; we want people to respond. In that sense of the word, we are all "trolls"

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 20, 2000.

Chuck 'Da Night Driver has my vote for most obnoxious troll.

-- Big Lame Geekboy (buy@gold.now), June 20, 2000.

Can I get a witness?

-- Shakes the Clown (insane.clown@posse.urg), June 20, 2000.

ROFL -- yer killing me here Shakes!

Who isn't obnoxious at times? Isn't that why we come here?

-- (doomerstomper@usa.net), June 20, 2000.

Andy Ray is the most consistant.His neurotic need for "vindication" has never wavered and his rants always have that self- impressed "neener-neener" quality. None of his "quotably-quoted" threads have ever been anything but classic troll.Never an attempt at discourse,just frightened quotes from anonymous posters that used the yourdon board to vent thier millennialist angst and then a chickenshit attempt to excuse his trolling as collecting research for some undergrad paper on memetics.He's got my vote.

-- Michael Cook (MichaelC@yahoo.com), June 20, 2000.

There is no question that Andy Ray was the "king of the trolls", hoowever, LL was the "queen of the obnoxious, ridiculous, and just plain moronic."

Jonas

-- Jonas (shepherd@sierratel.com), June 21, 2000.

HEY, WAIT A DARN MINUTE. I THOUGHT I WAS NUMERO-UNO. I CERTAINLY WAS MOST FLAMED,ON OLD F-ORUM. I EVEN GOT A NASTY-GRAM FROM MY ISP.=SERVER? AND I GUARANTEE-MY HANDLE WAS THE MOST=COUNTERFIETED. SIGH-SIGH! IT,S HHHARD NOT TOO CRY. I NEVER MEANT TO OFFEND-JUST DON,T BLEND. BUT IN THE END--I FOUND A FRIEND.

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), June 21, 2000.

I agree, EH.

If you disagree with a group of advocates, you are by definition "kicking the anthill."

You say "We are all trolls." I certainly hope so. It would not be very interesting if we all agreed with each other.

-- (retired@nd.happy), June 21, 2000.

I vote for whoever keeps posting this tripe:

""Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people."

-- (just@is.an.idiot), June 20, 2000. "

-- (just@nother.troll), June 21, 2000.

LadyLogic is the #1 troll. Her thread (link below) I believe won the dubious award of longest-troll-thread-ever!

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001xqb

-- Troll Patrol (LL@wins.inmybook), June 21, 2000.