BS: Can Trolls be Traced?

Subject: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Hippie Chick
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 10:05 PM

I was reading the X & Y thread "What Price Friendship" and noticed that, amongst the good advice, someone identified merely as Guest had some cruel callous, downright malicious comments. Doesn't the King 'Cat have the IP's of all the posters? Such spineless worms should be banned from civilized communications.

HC

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 11:08 PM

HC, that does make sense--the problem is, who's going to draw the line, and where? There have been much uglier things posted on the 'Cat. Most of us just try to accept the fact that there are people who enjoy making other people feel bad, no doubt because they feel bad themselves, and no amount of "policing" is likely to make them stop or go away.

If on the other hand someone posts a message which clearly represents a direct threat to someone's safety, or a direct personal attack, then generally that message is deleted and sometimes further action is taken. But as the owner of the website, Max has chosen to keep pretty much to a no-censorship policy, and most of the time it seems to work. Other sites do it differently.

Hope that provides some perspective. I'm sure this thread will generate lots of comments, including some nasty ones...but that's the way it goes. The best response generally is the one that's been taken by the participants in the "friendship" thread...namely, ignore the nasty comments.

Aloha,

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: khandu
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 11:24 PM

Max posted an "open letter" concerning such. I trust that Max will do whatever he thinks best about it. Whatever he does, or doesn't do, I accept. He is the Big Cheese and I respect his decisions.

Such cruel and uncaring comments are like gnats at a picnic. The best one can do is ignore them and enjoy the grand things available.

I understand and have felt the frustration, but, even with the damnable gnats, the Mudcat Cafe is an excellent place!

khandu

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Apr 02 - 11:42 PM

HC, you are treading on sensitive ground here.

(sound of weird Martian music as antennae go up)

Might want to get some of the background via PMs before proceeding.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 07:06 AM

"Can Trolls be traced?"
Yes, but keep them away from daylight. For further details see The Hobbit, or The Fellowship of The Ring.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: 8_Pints
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 08:52 AM

The other problem is that the IP address not necessarily where the message was originally sent from.

It is possible for some hackers to redirect their messages via an innocent third party.

Bob vG

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 09:30 AM

8 pints is correct but the real problem is that everyone with a dial up connection is likely to be assigned a different IP number each time they diak in. The ISP knows who they are but you don't.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 08:23 PM

It's also cumbersome to find a sheet of paper that size and get them to lie still long enough to complete the outline ...

Thought everybody knew that.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 10:02 PM

they 'might' be traced, if they are not careful, but it is usually not worth the effort. Max knows tricks, if it becomes worth it....

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 10:37 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: GUEST,Goodfellow
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 10:37 PM

x

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 12:47 AM

Hmmm....Java Script ....Good --- Touche' Joe Maximus - cute plan...most effective....we both learn more....extend the curve.....Well done....nice deceptive "front page" .... ingenious ..... what news-group????

Every computer connected to the Internet has a unique identifier called an IP address. On many networks, the IP address of a computer is always the same. On other networks, a random IP address is assigned each time a computer connects to the network. This is what we are referring to when we ask if you have a static or a dynamic IP address. If a system uses dynamic addressing, the IP can change quite often.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 01:16 AM

Yes, trolls can be traced, most of the time - and we do trace them and make efforts to control the worst of them.
There's another aspect to the problem, though. If we work hard to lock things up so we're troll-proof, we lock things up for everyone and damage the free-and-easy spirit we try hard to preserve. Besides, if we work hard to increase security, the trolls may work even harder to breach it.
In some ways, good will works a lot better than increased security. We try to keep a balance. It also helps a lot to have cooperation from our "regulars."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Amos
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 02:03 AM

The price of freedom is eternal tolerance.....

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 11:18 AM

Amos: Thank you. I like that. I like it a lot.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 11:52 AM

You got it, Amos. I think that may be the most profound thing I've heard all week.

But the week is young yet...

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 05:20 PM

"Can Trolls be traced?" Of course!! Just get one to lie down on a piece of paper and outline it with a pencil.

Subject: RE: BS: Can Trolls be Traced?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 15 Apr 02 - 05:27 AM

If the great big billy goat Gruff wounds them severely, there is a trail of blood...

Well, we can hope, anyway.