On 2004-08-17, Dan Volker penned:

Monique, you have not seen me start out any discussions the way JD does. I
have tried to ignore this, but it is also kind of a pet peeve of
mine---interacting on usenet groups and having some "poser" talk tough, as
if anything could ever come of it--of course it won't. They know this, and
take advantage of it. JD knows he can talk tough to anyone on here, attack
any way he desires, and be free of any consequences ( unlike the way we ALL
exist in real life). Its a perverted aspect of the Internet, and apparently
you and most others on AMB are happy to tolerate it. I don't see killfiling
him as the right response...I don't really know if there is a right response
though.....


It doesn't matter who started it. It takes two to keep it going.

Believe me, taking the bait every time is not making you look good.
Killfiling him is the right response.

Your use of the word "tolerate" implies that you think that there's some
action that will "teach JD a lesson" and "make him behave." This is
not a moderated group. There's no way to shut people up, even if there were a
majority in favor of doing so. The best way to deal with someone who annoys
you is to ignore them.

I don't know how much experience you have with online communities, but I have
a ton, and it all, including my previous experiences with JD, supports my
belief that taking the bait does nothing but irritate the rest of the
community. It makes you look bad. Maybe it's not fair, but that's the way it
is.

All of this can be summarized by a long-standing usenet policy: "Don't
feed the trolls."

Anyway, I'm done. Keep shaking your fists at him if you'd like, but realize
this: it won't make a damn bit of difference. JD won't alter his behavior,
and you won't change anyone's opinion about him. People have already made
their decisions about JD based on his posts, just as they are making their
decisions about you based on your posts.

--
monique

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
-- Mark Twain