Readers of Slashdot. I come before you today with a desire. A desire to rid Slashdot of the one thing that is driving me away: Trolls. As I have seen it put here before, the scum of Slashdot. Let me give you a quick explanation.
I know that this is offtopic and should be rated offtopic, but the statements I'm making here are true and must be addressed at once. I am posting this comment under a new account so as not to burn up the precious karma that allows me to post relavant articles and replies to meaningful stories. Did you read that last sentence? Relevant and meaningful. Two words that are all too often lost in the heightened "signal to noise" ratio that trolls are forcing on the intelligent readers and posters of Slashdot.
I'm no genius. I use windows at work because I have to. I use Linux (Mandrake)at home, but I'm a relative newbie and am still learning better ways to make Linux run. There are many stories on Slashdot that I do not understand. Most of these stories are about systems or technology that I will probably never use. Regardless, I have learned much about Linux from the postings and users of Slashdot. I also use Slashdot to keep me up to date on technology and current events/issues in the technology world. Things like napster, the DMCA, the hype of ginger, and many others.
Here's my point. I should be allowed to read Slashdot, regardless of who I am and what I'm reading it for, without having to worry about pictures of a man's anus being spread open, people telling me about some atm becoming a person, people talking about pouring hot grits down their pants, or people thinking about a petrified Natalie Portman! What's wrong with these people? Don't they have anything better to do with their lives/time than to bother others? I'm sick of people saying that Linux users are gay and communists. I'm neither of those things, and if even if I was, should that lessen my right to read Slashdot in peace?
I've said all that to say this: the trolls must go! I'm not saying that I have a solution. The moderation and meta-moderation systems are great tools. They have filtered out much of the garbage that people spread on Slashdot. Banning people's accounts and or ip addresses has also worked to a limited degree, but are not the answer. I'm also definitely not saying that we should impose some form of censorship, as I, like many other worthwhile Slashdot patrons, am against censorship in all its forms. But something must be done. At first I began thinking "trolls are on Slashdot and I don't like trolls, so I should just start reading a different techie news site," but thats not fair. Before you start the "life's not fair" flames, hear me out.
I certainly didn't start Slashdot. I haven't been around Slashdot for that long (only about 2 years). It would not be fair for me to say "our" website or "we" need to take back whats rightfully "ours". But in truth, thats what you old timers should be fighting for. I'm more than willing to "join the cause." I have been subjected to far too much worthless drivel while trying to enjoy Slashdot. Surely we, and I say we meaning the actual readers of Slashdot could come up with some sort of sure fire way to once and for all retake our beloved site from these people, these trolls. Come on there are a lot of smart people reading, posting, maintaining, and contributing to Slashdot. Surely among all these living clock cycles we could develop something to safeguard Slashdot from the trolls.
Sorry for the ranting and rambling, but I've said some things here I've needed to say for a while, and quite frankly are true. Shall we begin discussions of removing the troll element from Slashdot?
Slashdot Mirror
Readers of Slashdot. I come before you today with a desire. A desire to rid Slashdot of the one thing that is driving me away: Trolls. As I have seen it put here before, the scum of Slashdot. Let me give you a quick explanation.
I know that this is offtopic and should be rated offtopic, but the statements I'm making here are true and must be addressed at once. I am posting this comment under a new account so as not to burn up the precious karma that allows me to post relavant articles and replies to meaningful stories. Did you read that last sentence? Relevant and meaningful. Two words that are all too often lost in the heightened "signal to noise" ratio that trolls are forcing on the intelligent readers and posters of Slashdot.
I'm no genius. I use windows at work because I have to. I use Linux (Mandrake)at home, but I'm a relative newbie and am still learning better ways to make Linux run. There are many stories on Slashdot that I do not understand. Most of these stories are about systems or technology that I will probably never use. Regardless, I have learned much about Linux from the postings and users of Slashdot. I also use Slashdot to keep me up to date on technology and current events/issues in the technology world. Things like napster, the DMCA, the hype of ginger, and many others.
Here's my point. I should be allowed to read Slashdot, regardless of who I am and what I'm reading it for, without having to worry about pictures of a man's anus being spread open, people telling me about some atm becoming a person, people talking about pouring hot grits down their pants, or people thinking about a petrified Natalie Portman! What's wrong with these people? Don't they have anything better to do with their lives/time than to bother others? I'm sick of people saying that Linux users are gay and communists. I'm neither of those things, and if even if I was, should that lessen my right to read Slashdot in peace?
I've said all that to say this: the trolls must go! I'm not saying that I have a solution. The moderation and meta-moderation systems are great tools. They have filtered out much of the garbage that people spread on Slashdot. Banning people's accounts and or ip addresses has also worked to a limited degree, but are not the answer. I'm also definitely not saying that we should impose some form of censorship, as I, like many other worthwhile Slashdot patrons, am against censorship in all its forms. But something must be done. At first I began thinking "trolls are on Slashdot and I don't like trolls, so I should just start reading a different techie news site," but thats not fair. Before you start the "life's not fair" flames, hear me out.
I certainly didn't start Slashdot. I haven't been around Slashdot for that long (only about 2 years). It would not be fair for me to say "our" website or "we" need to take back whats rightfully "ours". But in truth, thats what you old timers should be fighting for. I'm more than willing to "join the cause." I have been subjected to far too much worthless drivel while trying to enjoy Slashdot. Surely we, and I say we meaning the actual readers of Slashdot could come up with some sort of sure fire way to once and for all retake our beloved site from these people, these trolls. Come on there are a lot of smart people reading, posting, maintaining, and contributing to Slashdot. Surely among all these living clock cycles we could develop something to safeguard Slashdot from the trolls.
Sorry for the ranting and rambling, but I've said some things here I've needed to say for a while, and quite frankly are true. Shall we begin discussions of removing the troll element from Slashdot?