A troll is someone who make an inflammatory (or juvenile or just ridiculously stupid) OP just to get people to post to it’s thread. (OP - original post[er]) See all of the threads by MM or by JohnJohn in the pit.
A sock puppet is a new identity started by a troll to make it appear like the troll has other people who agree with it. JohnJohn does that a lot. I really feel sorry for someone who is so hard up for validation that they have to make up sock puppets to get what they need.
Troll comes from the fishing term, but fits so well with the mythic term.
And don’t be too hard on people who didn’t look something up - the search engine seems to be down again :mad:
More advice for JD
Read the smilies legend page & “ubb code is on” page - post lots of smilies when responding to ChiefScott
Make sure you read the page o’ flames on the TM homepage. Also the FAQ/questions only idiots ask.
Welcome aboard!
…in a state so nonintuitive it can only be called weird…
MPSIMS is always an excellent place to “test the water” (small reference to your name there…). Get your feet wet. Get to know who the other regular posters are. Develop a slightly thicker skin – it’s almost never the case that anyone wants to deliberately attack you for anything you say here, unless you go out of your way to make foolish remarks. We’re really an understanding group of people who know that humans make mistakes from time to time.
When you travel beyond MPSIMS, let’s say to GQ, there’s no need to pretend that you’re a jack of all trades to everyone. Stick to your favorite areas of knowledge and help this board in snuffing out ignorance in those categories. In my case, I’m drawn to any thread that mentions “hockey”, but that doesn’t always mean that I’ll post there since a question is usually resolved in the first 20-30 answers that others have given before I arrive.
And thank you for flying Air StraightDope. You’ll notice that the safety cards are inside the pockets on the seats in front of you. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with them. There are three emergency exits to this aircraft; one by MPSIMS, and one over each Great Debate wing. In case of cabin pressure loss (or a troll filling the cabin with hot air), oxygen masks will fall from the compartments above you. Cocktail beverages will be served once we’re in the air, and today’s in-flight movie will be “Uncle CeCe Goes To Hollywood.”
zyada- Thanks for the welcome, info and advice. Checked out the page o’ flames…ROFLMAO! Thanks again.
Havoc- Thank you also for the welcome and advice. I think being here is gonna be fun!
BTW, on the flight I will just have a Budweiser and watch the movie. I don’t know who Uncle CeCe is but I am sure glad the movie is “goes to Hollywood” and not “does Hollywood”
hmm guess I should have given you advice instead of just a welcome.
FWIW…
choose a name that isn’t a “public swear”
follow the rules, and color within the lines.
don’t take anything in MPSIMS too seriously.
and for the important ones…
always follow a too controversal post with the sig line “I am only joking!”
always follow a too sexual post with the sig line “I am only joking!”
always follow a too sarcastic post with the sig line “I am only joking!”
btw… I am only joking
I really try to be good but it just isn’t in my nature!
A sock-puppet is an alternate username created by a troll to give the impression that somebody likes them. Usually they’re easy to spot, because most of the sock-puppet’s postings talk about how he/she supports the poor put-upon troll.
JustDucky, you already started out right. You lurked first, found out what we’re like, and then when you posted you asked a question.
Main points have been hit.
Welcome aboard.
And be careful with sarcasm. Tone is very hard to convey with text. What you write as a flippant remark or a casual jest can be taken as a biting attack. Use the UBB [sarcasm] tag [/sarcasm]. Or pile on the smileys ;).
And post in the correct forum. If you go over to Comments on Cecil’s Columns, try not to turn them into Great Debates.
Hi, JustDucky! Welcome to this peculiar little band of eccentrics and wiseacres. As NTG (Neuro-Trash Grrl) so aptly put it, check your sanity at the door. Oh, yeah and be prepard to fall behind in nonessential stuff like paying bills, cleaning the house, staying awake at work, etc.
And don’t worry too much about the “don’t be a jerk” thing. Your courteous greeting put you firmly in the “welcome with open arms” cagtegory. You didn’t introduce yourself as a 23 yr. old supermodel, a self-made millionaire before you were 17, and a Nobel winning physicist who just works “for the fun of it”.
Uh…you aren’t, are you?
Well, anyhoo, welcome and have fun! Warning, though: this place is addictive.
