To be honest I only have a fleeting idea of what a troll is. It does have a number of definitions, even the very loose "he who is surrounded by conflict" which apparently I fit. However, the strict definition (as I see it) of someone who makes trouble for troubles sake, and is inclined to subversion and chaos, fails to fit me at all. Some seem to think I am a test, or that I am testing you. This is not entirely far from the truth. I am currently trying to find out if this is a place worth being. So far there is not a consensus on this subject. It still appears to be a matter of debate. However, with admins like those who seek my removal, I think there is a great deal of cause for concern about the future of the wikipedia. I agree with the spirit of the following:
Just out of curiosity, is there some reason why the entry bar for Wikipedia contributors is so low? Right now the system lets anyone post unless someone blocks their IP number or user name. While this has certain virtues in terms of inclusiveness, it also makes vandalism more likely. Moreover, blocking an IP numbers has the effect of blocking an entire class of people for the infractions of a single individual, and it isn't even effective at blocking people who use an anonymizer to continually change their IP number.
It seems to me that it would better to require people to register before they can contribute. That's a fairly minor requirement, but it would probably be enough even without a verification system to deter some of the casual vandals and trolls, and it would also ensure that bans only affect people who have actually done something wrong to merit the ban.
I imagine this discussion has already happened before, but I haven't seen it, and I'd be curious to know what the reasoning is behind the current system.
There is a sad cultural phenomena here not entirely removed from the days of the salem witch hunts. If one is accused of "trolling" they are guilty until proven innocent. And yet there is no current way to be proven innocent (I have looked into it). I wish we could all be real editors, and focus on the task of making a quality encyclopedia, rather than a mob of ghosts gossiping around the water cooler. :( Jack Lynch
_________________________________________________________________ Check out the new MSN 9 Dial-up fast & reliable Internet access with prime features! http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=dialup/home&ST=1