Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Don't feed the Trolls (or shills)

This has been bugging me ever since I first met Pistaboy. After today I feel moved to say something about it.

I hate trolling and shilling as much as anyone, but I think it is really obnoxious and counter productive to accuse people of trolling or shilling in the forum. Even if you're right, you're just giving them what they want by sparking controversy, and fanning the flames. If you're wrong you're alienating an innocent person. It's a lose lose proposition.

If you suspect someone is a troll or a shill, why not just PM a mod? Both activities are against forum rules, and grounds for bannination.

I have PMd a mod asked this thread to be moved to foo, then locked and deleted - just because they can.

you're all cylons!

mattface I couldn't agree more

']I have PMd a mod asked this thread to be moved to foo, then locked and deleted - just because they can.
+1
I stand unanimous in my whole-hearted concurrence.

Enjoy

I'm pretty ****ing sick of the "What's the best off the peg fixed gear for $500 or less?" threads in general.USE THE ****ING SEARCH FEATURE, PEOPLE. If you don't and post something asinine, don't be surprised if you get flamed or accused of shilling.

Now that I've vented, I agree with you 100%, mattface. I will try not to be one of those people.

I'm pretty ****ing sick of the "What's the best off the peg fixed gear for $500 or less?" threads in general.USE THE ****ING SEARCH FEATURE, PEOPLE. If you don't and post something asinine, don't be surprised if you get flamed or accused of shilling.

Now that I've vented, I agree with you 100%, mattface. I will try not to be one of those people.

I've said this elsewhere, but I'm sick of people whining and moaning about using the search feature. I think nearly every everytopic has been discussed in a thousand threads over and over..that should be totally obvious to you. I think you just get off by *****ing. You don't have to open every thread...its your choice...but obviously there will be overlap in the subject matter of threads. If you could only start unique threads, there wouldn't be very many. If everyone just did searches, you'd basically kill the forum. Don't like it?...Don't click on it.

Edit: sorry to sound like a jackass, but I just think it should be obvious that the fun of the forums is discussing stuff with others, not doing searches.

I agree about the use the search thing. It CAN get annoying to see the same threads recreated over and over, and to watch them play out the same way over and over. Obviously I'm getting annoyed by some of them. Probably a sign I'm spending too much time here. but 7 people posting "use the search!" is all a part of the boring played out pattern, and it bumps boring threads, keeps them going, and often gives them a new life of their own that the OP never expected or intended.

If we never talked about the same thing twice we'd quickly run out of things to talk about, but some threads are doomed to play out the same way over and over into infinity. If it gets on your nerves the best thing you can do is to simply not participate. In the cases where a "use the search" comment is appropriate only one such comment is neccesary. As long as it's phrased politely no furter comment is needed.

What ever happened to the trools with the cute furry hair?

this troll is offended by your mocking of her :(

I just think it should be obvious that the fun of the forums is discussing stuff with others, not doing searches.

I agree, to a point. It's a better discussion when the people participating have some background on the topic, and it's especially important when someone is posting something like "Which under $500 off-the-peg fixed gear bike should I buy?". If the poster doesn't know anything about the bikes they're considering and doesn't say what they're looking for in a bike (materials, geometry, intended use, etc..) it's hard to have a discussion without dredging up something that has been posted before, and at a certain point (in my opinion anyway) it becomes rude to ask a bunch of strangers who are not earning commission on a sale to rehash information they have already written.

To bring this back to the original topic of this thread, it would be to a shill's advantage to be as vague as possible in making a post like the example above, since it will generate more posts, including the inevitable "use the ****ing search feature". It doesn't matter to a shill as long as it generates new posts that bump the thread and keep the product in view.

The op is trolling. GG

The op is trolling. GG

Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge?!!!

Its hard for a newbie to be in tune with the culture of a message board. I'm not surprised newbie's have the same questions.

worst thread ever

I'm of the mindset, if you're not interested, don't click the thread.
The majority of the time the thread title is very informative so if anyone is getting annoyed by reading redundant threads, it's only their own fault.
I agree it can be annoying, but clicking the thread, reading it, getting annoyed and posting a *****y comment is a waste of time.

Should this be stickied, or just revisited with a new thread on a quarterly basis?

holy crap. if someone just took the initiative to write out a FAQ that answered basic questions I think there wouldn't be so many noobs asking "use the search fun'ct" questions.

I'm not to knowledgble about bikes but i could def help out with the FAQ.

I'm not a big fan of stickying everything under the sun, but I think s220det just volunteered to write a faq.

I'd be glad to contribute, but at the moment I only feel qualified to tell people "what not to do". So maybe I should write my own What not to do sticky.

What not to do by Mattface:
1. Don't be a dick
2.do as I say not as I do

OK that's done NEXT!

holy crap. if someone just took the initiative to write out a FAQ that answered basic questions I think there wouldn't be so many noobs asking "use the search fun'ct" questions.

I'm not to knowledgble about bikes but i could def help out with the FAQ.

You do realize all the "use the search function" *****ing would JUST be replaced with "use the FAQ Sticky," right?

worst thread ever


+1

The thing about the search engine is this. Suppose that someone uses it instead of posting "Any tips for my first fixed gear conversion?"

OK, fine. They get some information and are probably happy. But what they miss by not posting are MY inputs because I JUST DID my first fixed gear conversion, and probably have some insights that a VETERAN might be lacking. The only way that a person will be able to access MY tips, suggestions and advice is to POST A NEW THREAD because I haven't been around that long.

I click on any thread that looks interesting. And I respond to any interesting thread that I feel I have some creative input. I've done this on the road bike forum, and I do it here now.

Should this be stickied, or just revisited with a new thread on a quarterly basis?

No need, everyone will be trained by then to use the Search function.

holy crap. if someone just took the initiative to write out a FAQ that answered basic questions I think there wouldn't be so many noobs asking "use the search fun'ct" questions.

I'm not to knowledgble about bikes but i could def help out with the FAQ.

They did that in the Roadie Forum; doesn't work. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=120604

Big FAQ here: http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/

I'll throw in two answers for at least a thousand questions:

1. Give Tony a call

2. Sheldon Brown has a webpage on that.

The thing about the search engine is this. Suppose that someone uses it instead of posting "Any tips for my first fixed gear conversion?"

OK, fine. They get some information and are probably happy. But what they miss by not posting are MY inputs because I JUST DID my first fixed gear conversion, and probably have some insights that a VETERAN might be lacking. The only way that a person will be able to access MY tips, suggestions and advice is to POST A NEW THREAD because I haven't been around that long.

I agree. the search function is extremely useful, but people don't use forums as static databases. They are for real time discussion. The same topics will inevitably be rehashed wether people learn to search or not. There are certain topics that are bound to come up again and again. It's not the fact that they come up again and again, but the pissing and moaning about the fact that gets so annoying, especially since it serves to keep those repetitive threads going long after their usefulness has worn off. Using the search is useful. 17 people telling someone to use the search, and then having the whole thing devolve into some paranoid finger pointing frenzy is stupid. Some questions are quick and easy to answer, and once answered the thread could die in peace. It's lived a full life. Today is a good day to die.

The reason I decided to start this thread instead of *****ing in other threads is because I don't want to participate in those threads any more, and if you hate this thread you have every right to. It's a *****y thread. So don't participate. Let it die.

I wonder how many out there are like me, and never ever read FAQs? :eek:

Problem with using the search is that, in order to find the sought after information, one has to wade through about 17 or 20 pages of nonsense posts authored by some twit who feels it is his or her calling in life to tell all of the lesser beings to use the asterisking search function.

Seek and ye shall probably not find,
Dogbait

b.o.r.i.n.g

ah, I just woke up after a night of drinking to THIS?... Oh, and Which under $500 bike should I buy? The MOTOBECANE MESSENGER TRACK BIKE looks really good. Any thoughts?

b.o.r.i.n.g

HAHAHAAA!!!:roflmao:

I had resolved not to post about this **** anymore today. The thread had sunk, and was headed off page 1 from whence it never would have been heard from again. A new day I thought. Today I will only post useful commentary about fixed gear bikes. You're right this thread is boring, and pissy and whiny.

so WHY for the love of dog would you want to bump it with an asinine comment like b.o.r.i.n.g why comment at all? Are you TRYing to be ironic, or did you miss my point entirely?

1 more time for the slow people if you don't like a thread, don't post in it. That way it might actually go away, and stop offending your delicate sensibilities.

That is perfectly legit question and its the one I'm still trying to get an answer to. Newbies depend upon the experience of those in the know. I was the one that asked about the Messenger. Put up a sticky with the elders thoughts so the rest of us can figure this out. Sorry for asking an honest question.

its all gravy, I was just mentioning the most recent example of the whole shill,/troll arguement. Oh, and thanks for changing the avatar, I think your other picture was reading my mind.

That is perfectly legit question and its the one I'm still trying to get an answer to. Newbies depend upon the experience of those in the know. I was the one that asked about the Messenger. Put up a sticky with the elders thoughts so the rest of us can figure this out. Sorry for asking an honest question.

It's not the questions that are the problem. it's the answers. I'm still a bit swooney with the implications of a *****y quit yer *****in' thread.

Also as a side note I don't think the word ***** should be asterisked out. It's a perfectly good word

at least they leave us with ******, what would we do without that word?

Trolling is inescapable in an online forum, for some it's annoying, which makes it fun for the ones doing it. Others think it's funny as hell (depending on the troll skills demonstrated) while some poor accused trolls may just come by it naturally and be entirely unaware they're trolling.

Shilling evil but there's a simple solution. Lie. Shills are lies, throw lye in the eye. If you see a blatant plug that offends you so much you're gonna explode in fury and outrage, calmly describe you're own experience with the company. How they took the money you'd saved emptying bedpans of the infirm, then sent you handful of magic beans that gave you the worst gas pains you'd ever known.

Of course you'd want to be completely sure you were right, unless it were a company that had a strong rep of poor customer service/product/attitude. Those are fair game anytime anywhere.

can someone please explain what shilling and trolling are? keep your cockspars in your pants fellas, i'm just an ignant forumgoer trying to avoid shilling and trolling

Shilling is throwing small amounts of lower denominated coins at waif like children begging in the streets, preferably from your carraige.

Trolling is a good way to catch fish without sitting in one spot, the best way is with a longboat and galley slaves, the drumming and whipping draws fish to the area.

this troll is offended by your mocking of her :(
Where did you find a blow-up Troll doll?
That is sooo HOT!

Enjoy

can someone please explain what shilling and trolling are? keep your cockspars in your pants fellas, i'm just an ignant forumgoer trying to avoid shilling and trolling

Trolling is basically starting controversial threads to try to get people riled up. it can range from mildly amusing to the mildly annoying to really rude. The mildest stuff happens all the time, but for the more over the top stuff people usually create fake forum accounts to hide behind.

Shilling is basically to create a fake account to try to pose as a happy customer or in some other way generate bogus positive word of mouth for a business. The classic example is the guy in the wheelchair who is miraculously "healed" by a faith healer or snake oil salesman, but in modern times could extend to someone coming on a forum like this one and saying something like: I just bought this awesome thing from this awesome place, and boy it sure is awesome. If any of you are thinking about getting this awesome thing you should really get it from this awesome place. Hurry they are almost out, and this awesome price won't last!"

There is a [SPAM!] link at the bottom of every post. Hit it and quit it

I'm not a big fan of stickying everything under the sun, but I think s220det just volunteered to write a faq.

And EVEN MORE AWESOME, he promised that the FAQ wouldn't be too knowledge-based. Whooo!

1 more time for the slow people if you don't like a thread, don't post in it. That way it might actually go away, and stop offending your delicate sensibilities.
+1. If we don't all stop, these threads will never die. Who's with me? All power to the people!

Problem with using the search is that, in order to find the sought after information, one has to wade through about 17 or 20 pages of nonsense posts authored by some twit who feels it is his or her calling in life to tell all of the lesser beings to use the asterisking search function.

then you find most of the info you need, but end up having to bump the thread anyways because you have another question. then the "why the hell did you bump a 3 year old thread?" crowd comes out.

what bag is the best?

what is shilling? and no, i won't do a search

is it more or less than a pence? i always forget.

Shilling is 1/20 of pound, 12 pence is shilling.

AKA Bob.

what is shilling? and no, i won't do a search

shilling is that a$$hole who pitches for the red sox.

I LOVE THE NEW YORK YANKEES! heart and soul.:) :beer:

Trolling is basically starting controversial threads to try to get people riled up. it can range from mildly amusing to the mildly annoying to really rude. The mildest stuff happens all the time, but for the more over the top stuff people usually create fake forum accounts to hide behind.

Shilling is basically to create a fake account to try to pose as a happy customer or in some other way generate bogus positive word of mouth for a business. The classic example is the guy in the wheelchair who is miraculously "healed" by a faith healer or snake oil salesman, but in modern times could extend to someone coming on a forum like this one and saying something like: I just bought this awesome thing from this awesome place, and boy it sure is awesome. If any of you are thinking about getting this awesome thing you should really get it from this awesome place. Hurry they are almost out, and this awesome price won't last!"

brrrrrrrruuup brrrrrrrruup, brrrrackup, brrrrrackup...thats my reggaeton gun clap...works better than a whistle or bell...f*ck, reggaeton is so f*n awesome i hope it never goes away

what is shilling? and no, i won't do a search

Just in case it's too much trouble to scroll up and read post #39



Shilling is basically to create a fake account to try to pose as a happy customer or in some other way generate bogus positive word of mouth for a business. The classic example is the guy in the wheelchair who is miraculously "healed" by a faith healer or snake oil salesman, but in modern times could extend to someone coming on a forum like this one and saying something like: I just bought this awesome thing from this awesome place, and boy it sure is awesome. If any of you are thinking about getting this awesome thing you should really get it from this awesome place. Hurry they are almost out, and this awesome price won't last!"

I'm not saying it IS, but shilling could also be something like this thread from today. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=193590
Where the thread starter comes up with an apparently innocent question as a pretense to get people to go look at an ebay auction. Wether that person is shilling for the auction or not, whoever is selling those pedals lucked out, because a bunch of us went over to look at them, and they look like a pretty good deal right now ;)