# Board Etiquette
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [June 8, 2000, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793 "2000-06-08T20:04:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/1 "2000-06-08T20:04:07Z")
Salutations –
I’m a relatively new member. I originally joined just to take part in the questions and debates, etc., but I’m starting to get a feel of the community that’s arisen here, and I pretty much like it. So as not to, in the future, become an outcast in that community, a few questions:
1. What’s the precise definition of “trolling”, and related, what makes one a “troll”?
2. What’s the criteria for determining what OP’s should go on what forum?
Thanks in advance.
V.
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/2 "2000-06-08T20:56:17Z")
Let’s see if I can help you a bit.
For a pretty good definition of “troll” or “trolling” one only need consult the illustrious SD Staff, David and Ed, in this case. Here’s their recent [Mailbag Article](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtroll.html).
A related term you’ll see quite a bit is “sock puppet.” A sock puppet is a construct or alter ego an established, or even as the recent case seems to be, an unestablished poster uses to help support a position that has become tenuous. It’s merely an additional identity or screen name the individual posts under. That is not allowed on this message board and is grounds for the administrators to issue an immediate ban on all identities held by that poster.
Topic placement is a bit stickier, but if you take a look at the [SDMB Front Page](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php) you’ll see a one or two sentence description under the link to each forum. Those guidelines are pretty good; they haven’t been changed in a long time, except for the recent forum addition, **IMHO** , which were are still working to give a distinct personality to.
Placing a topic in the wrong forum isn’t the end of the world. In most cases, it’ll be quickly moved to the proper place and we moderators have a thread to post the new location of a moved thread. No one is given grief over honest mistakes. And sometimes a topic will take an unforeseen turn and be moved to a forum that better suits it’s current flavor.
That’s about it. It’s not so frightening is it?
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### Author:  [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/3 "2000-06-08T21:05:07Z")
[quote]
It’s not so frightening is it?[?]
It will be when you put on those rubber pants and grab the spatula, UncleBeer.
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/4 "2000-06-08T21:14:29Z")
Shhh, no one’s supposed to know about that. Now the chicken suit and snorkel are another story. That one I’ll share with you sometime.
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### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/5 "2000-06-08T21:38:53Z")
Thanks for the article and the advice.
So, I shouldn’t post anything like “UncleBeer’s mama wears combat boots”, right? 😉
Hmmm, I’ve never quite understood that insult. Time for a new thread.
V.
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### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/6 "2000-06-08T22:33:46Z")
Stay in GQ! We need more good people in GQ. We’ve recently got some really good ones, you among them. Don’t waste your time with those navel-gazers in the other forums. 😉
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2000, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/7 "2000-06-08T22:39:31Z")
Ya know what, Manny? I even restrained myself from making a sarcastic comment about you moving threads to MPSIMS from GQ. That’ll teach me. Next time I’m executing the premptive strike. Maybe I’ll post a right-hand rule/thread question in your forum. That’ll teach ya.
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### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2000, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/8 "2000-06-09T03:10:30Z")
I’ve been considering posting brilliant and erudite General Questions in MPSIMS.
That way, **Unc** would have the pleasure of field-kicking _something_ to GQ, and **manny** could enjoy my inimitable input over his Armagnac and cigars, and I would get on BOTH their good sides.
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### Author:  [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2000, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/9 "2000-06-09T13:40:14Z")
I believe I’m the only poster with the “honor” of having their thread kicked from MPSIMS to GQ (Etymology of “beard”). Obviously it wasn’t as pointless as I thought.
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### Author:  [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2000, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/10 "2000-06-09T23:37:18Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*
> Stay in GQ! We need more good people in GQ. We’ve recently got some really good ones, you among them. Don’t waste your time with those navel-gazers in the other forums. 😉
> \*\*
😃 :o 😃 :o 😃 😃 😃
I feel good!! Thankee, Man! I’ll try not to disappoint.
V.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2000, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/11 "2000-06-10T04:45:46Z")
I’ve seen other threads in MPSIMS that really should have been GQ… There was one a while ago about the speed of sound, ferinstance. I think it’s just a matter of them getting hidden away on page 2 (or 15) before the mods see them.
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### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-etiquette/21793/12 "2000-06-10T20:20:45Z")
Post nothing warm, these guys don’t appreciate it.
::::::::::::::::: sheesh ::::::::::::::
😉 😉 😉