FAQ 5: Rules of Acquisition

This remailer is only meant to protect your anonymity, which is why I hope you do not abuse it by using it for questionable activity.

PS. By sensitive or unique I mean make sure your IP address isn't overly revealing. For example, one person's IP I saw showed the business they were conneced through, and another showed the person's university. If you use a regular ISP, then normally your IP would not be this specific. This is why I suggets you don't use an ISP provided by business, school, or government office. This is elaborated in Rule 5.

This may sound pessimistic, but it is important. There are few activities that require you to trust anyone, and I advise against most that do. The majority of the time, there is an alternative to what you are trying to do that does not require trust.

For example, if I or someone else sends you a program by e-mail, don't assume it is virus-free. Do not trust me or anyone else you do not know as a matter of principle. It may not be necessary always, but trust is usually not necessary either.

For an elaboration on this, try FAQ 7E: Viruses

The reason for this is because many people really do set up websites that ask you to download viruses or other harmful software, which has actually happened on a few occasions. While most people are usually warned of such incidents, a few people will usually not see the warnings and be trusting enough to believe the person's claims. There should be no problem with downloading most files, just make sure you do not run any executable files (such as ones ending in .exe), as those can very well be viruses.

Important: As mentioned, *never* run a mystery program that you've downloaded from a a stranger, whether it be from a website or newsgroup. Several people I know have gotten viruses this way and have lost the contents of their hard drives. Some people have even lost their entire hard drives twice because they still didn't learn. Please do not learn this the hard way. ;)

Here, why don't you run this program? It's an example of what a virus might look like, though this zip doesn't contain an actual virus (but how would you know that?). Yes, people do go to this much trouble (and often far more) just to know that your hard drive will be erased. This is not theory or a hypothetical situation. This is real and has happened before to people.

Lastly, don't give out information like your credit card number and anything that you don't want getting into the wrong hands. Even seemingly harmless information like your real e-mail address or your name could attract unwanted spam for example.

Be considerate. If you want help from others, do the same when another is in need. It is in your best interest if you intend on being around for the long run.

Also, if you are not low on cash, consider registering your shareware if you feel it is appropriate. It will help you keep a clear conscience (if none present, ignore this ;). I do not provide pirating information here because I do not want to discourage people from registering shareware (who would otherwise). However, if you cannot afford to register, I assure you that such information is usually very easy to find.

If you want to remain anonymous, choose an alias/nick/persona. For example, if you were using a Warcraft message board, you might see "Shlongar" or "Orclord" as names. Or, if you sign up for ISPs like Microsoft Network, Demon, Bekkoame, AOL, or most other ISPs around the world, the ISP will strongly recommend that you choose a nickname (instead of using your real name). These ISPs make such recommendations for good reasons.

As a real example, if you've heard about the Scientology incident in Finland some time ago, you'd know that many people who posted to the alt.religeon.scientology newsgroup would post anonymously. This was because it was well known that lawers for the Scientologists would use legal harrassment against anyone who was known to criticize Scientology, even if the person did nothing illegal. Incidentally, nowadays it's actually the Scientologists who are posting anonymously, as the incident sparked enough outcry and publicity to turn the tables. Nonetheless, privacy is still very important.

Also, if you don't want your friends to know about this nick, it's probably best not to say anything that could traced back to you, particularly things unique to you or your location (or you might have a Scientologist lawyer knocking on your door ;). After all, you don't have to tell anyone who you are in order to enjoy a chat.

Additionally, it's probably best not to get an offensive nickname. For example, an offensive nickname for a religious newsgroup would be "god" (some people actually do this). So, I recommend choosing one that's off-topic or even at random. I chose Ramses completely at random. I told Arioch in chat that if I had to choose again I might have chosen

Casahobo adds that people should take care not to impersonate others. It's inconsiderate and does the impersonator no good, unless of course they can't find another way to feel important. Both Casahobo and I have been impersonated before (I actually don't mind, I find it humorous ;). In any case, since all I do is give out information, no one can accurately impersonate me anyways without doing some good in the process. Those who know me would easily recognize an impersonator, and I can care less about any other impact such a person might hope to have.

See Rule 29 for some easy ways to know when someone's impersonating me.

Oh yeah, if anyone asks, I'm a three thousand year old mummy king that lives in Egypt with his mummy princesses. The other nick you might often see me use is Pharoah in newsgroups, although I now post as Nozomi Kurahashi. Very often people will mistake other people like Lord Drifter or King Tut (and several others) for me. However, I really don't think I'd make several pages all on the same things. ;)

It's best not to spell out key words that might offend any other visitors.

One person by the name of "Z" dissagreed with someone else's suggestion that they follow the advice of the previous paragraph. I defended that person, and "Z" responded that he would rather take advice from others, including Jonny. However, I should point out that this policy was advocated by Jonny himself long before either I or the other person mentioned it.

Also, when giving out a link, it's usually a good idea to write it as text, instead of using a link. This is because normally clicking on a link to another page will inform the next page of the page that linked to it. So, writing it as text will encourage the person to cut and paste it for the time being (they can bookmark it later when they visit), instead of clicking on the link each time they want to go.

Also, be careful about reposting the same message over and over. Most of you do this by accident, but keep in mind that people are far less likely to help you out or respond positively if you seem impolite.

To prevent such a repost, make sure that you don't click "ok" when your brower asks if you want to "repost form data" (if you do click "ok", your message will be reposted). Your browser will only ask this question if your last action was a post (it won't ask you if all you did was load the page). If you want to reload the page without reposting your previous message, take your cursor and place it at the very end of the url in the address box. Then hit ENTER. You might have to reload the page from there if you don't get the most recent version this way (though if your last action was a post, it should reload).

The greatest enemy is the one you do not see. For this reason, knowledge is an important asset in dealing with others.

The most common and petty adversary you will meet is the 4th grade spammer. Try to avoid being rude to such spammers; being in 4th grade, they probably don't know better. Here's one anti-spam site to visit: http://www.sputum.com/sputools.html. This is specifically against spam. One other site you may want to study would be http://pedowatch.org/. It targets only a specific group, but it also provides information useful to all. Several of the questions you ask me can be answered by them as well (including free news servers). They exaggerate/downplay/confuse a few things (mostly technical), but in several areas they are otherwise reasonably accurate. If they make any of you paranoid, keep in mind that's what they're supposed to do. ;)

Another adversary is the troll. Trolls are detailed in Rule of Acquisition 27.

Lastly, Fresh Petals is another informative site in more ways than the obvious. It is run by Ianthe. He also offers a moderated newsgroup for discussion. Note that his newsgroup is moderated, and anything inappropriate will be cut out before it gets posted.

If you're worried about viruses, blackmailers, or whatever else, learn about them. If the benefits outweigh the risk for you, then learn to be cautious rather than strike up a panic. Often I will get messages/mail concerning this. As Rule of Acquistion 26 states, "If you don't know whether or not something is safe, assume it is not." There's usually not much harm in that.

Also paranoia often robs a person of reason, usually making the situation worse. For example, often someone who is paranoid will find what they believe to be a viable solution, only to gain a false sense of security. This would put them in greater danger than before, and I see it happen on many occasions. If you are worried about a serious concern, then reason is your most important asset.

If you're not paranoid, see the 9th Rule of Acquisition.

Don't automatically believe what you read or hear. In particular, Rule of Acquisition 20 is very important, which elaborates some more on this.

Also, please be careful about viruses and similar threats.

Lastly, with little exception, people who get in trouble become so as a result of being naïeve/goofy/ignorant. In all cases they will have violated at least one (often several) Rules of Acquisition. In fact, the vast majority of such cases can be prevented by following the First Rule of Acquisition alone.

If you're not naïeve, see the 8th Rule of Acquisition.

Before posting a question, take a moment to see if it has been answered. Watch a board for a while before making your first post as well. In a two day period I once saw the same question answered at least 10 times between two different boards. Now there wouldn't be anything wrong with that except for the fact that often when one quesiton is asked so many times, other questions and answers are pushed down and off the board. So, once again it really is in your own best interest to ask questions that you can't find the answers to.

As a matter of principle, try not to beg or solicit for anything. Usually, they are simply ignored. At other times such demands will be returned with negative responses.

In many, patience will actually save you time. Many times a person will ask a question that has already been answered. In such a case, they need only skim the message board, which is often easier and saves them time.

In addition, don't give up after the first try! Don't you believe me? Oh I give up. ;)

Please don't shout (using CAPS) or make it a habit to submit unconstructive comments in the open. Keep in mind that being rude or annoying will dramatically decrease your chances of getting anything useful in return.

I've gotten to the point where I can hardly notice someone that types in caps or uses more than one ! in a row because I'm so used to ignoring it. As an example, after skimming past twenty or thirty posts, the first one I stopped at was one from "H" who wrote in a tiny font. You know who you are. ;)

If you're not sure what is appropriate and what isn't, then watch a board for a few days. You'll notice that those who are rude are either ignored or despised.

Also, I know that I myself have a very big mouth, so if you ask a question and I don't answer it, it's probably because someone else answered the question instead. I just don't want to say more than I need to, or else I'd be taking up be unnecessarily space.

Usually, If I make a post to a board, then you can assume that I've read all or most of the messages below mine (I normally review a board before I post). Also, I don't repost anything unless someone asks or there is a special occasion, so be careful or you might miss an important detail.

If you download a collection of similar files from a newsgroup (typically files in serial order), it's usually a good idea not to alter them in any way by resizing, renaming, etc... Alter them only if you plan on keeping them to yourself or if they've obviously been altered already. This is because a legitimate collection is a good asset in the long run, and also because if you do make an alteration, you might regret it later and be unable to undo your changes.

For example, in the anime newsgroups, if you get a series of comics and someone else has another set of comics that you want, you can ask for an exchange. The other person would probably only want the exchange if your set wasn't altered, because otherwise he could just be patient and sit around in alt.binaries.pictures.anime to get it.

If you need more space on your computer, a zip drive sounds like a reasonably cheap alternative. A second hard drive is even cheaper, but it's harder to install and more likely to have problems (unless you're experienced with hard drives). A CD burner is a nice way to create backups and the like, but I doubt you'd want to get a CD burner only that reason.

If you can't get more space, then your alternatives would be to delete what you least like or to compress what you have (which would lower quality, but if done right, it can be worth it).

Clearly state your question so that it can be answered right away. If you don't, someone might have to first ask you questions like, "Did you try this" or "What program did you use". As a result, if you don't give enough information about your problem, it's less likely that someone will answer your question or ask you for more information.

Sometimes it is necessary to vaguely state your answers. Give clear technical instructions, but if someone asks you, "What do you do for a living?", you should probably not reply or give a nonesense reply (I say that I decorate my pyramid for a living). The reason for this is privacy. Keep this in mind especially on a board where lots of people can see. There are always people who never make a single post but read everything being said. In fact, such people usually make up the vast majority of message boards. So, know when to be vague.

This is similar to Rule of Acquisition 10, but this rule stresses effort aside from patience. Everyone gets frustrated and impatient at times. However, for the long run, effort shall bring you blessings abound. I have often said that I do not have a magic wand; given enough effort, you will be able to do just about everything you see other people doing. Most of the time it doesn't take much effort at all. You just need the desire to succeed.

How we treat newcomers will often determine how newcomers will treat others. If we welcome all newcomers as we wish to be welcomed ourselves, we will more likely create a productive and non-hostile environment.

Also, be wary how you deal with people who are rude or unreasonable. For example, if you return profanity with profanity, you will certainly feel better for the moment. However, in the long run this will often provoke unwanted or unnecessary responses from the recipient. In addition, it might set an undesirable precedent for others to follow.

Lastly, creating a friendly environment greatly increases the chances that a friendly lurker will decide to start posting on a given board and provide help to others.

Most people want to be tolerant, and when they are intolerant, it's probably because they don't realize it. Remember, if you can't be tolerant of other cultures and races, just keep this in mind next time someone isn't tolerant of you...not that anyone would ever persecute you, of course. ;)

This is an elaboration of a part of Rule 9.

Part of this is addressed in FAQ 12. There are many people who like to wave their wands around and pretend they can do anything they want magically. It's ultimately up to you whether or not you take these people seriously.

Remember, if I ever state something controversial and do not provide proof, do not believe me. Keep in mind how easy it is for some people to be fooled by impersonators and liars. In addition, I always say that a liar will mix in truths to make their lies more believable. Besides, why should you ever take a stranger's word for it? So, don't believe a word I say unless what I say was already obvious to you or I provide a reasonable amount of proof.

Why do you suppose that for this FAQ I didn't just list a bunch of rules and expect you to follow them? The reason is that you should not follow a single rule unless you were convinced it was a good rule to follow. That's why I write a short explanation of the rule and leave it up for you to decide. Even though Rule #1 is not to trade, you will never see me condemn someone for trading. Even assuming they have read Rule #1 and simply chose to continue trading, it would be partially my fault for not giving a good enough reason to follow the rule.

Lastly, if you ever have a legitimate or reasonable doubt about a piece of proof, then it is by definition not a proof. No amount of big words, cursing, or exclamations marks should make what someone says any more believable.

It usually takes me a fraction of a second to ignore spam. On the other hand, I actually read complaints about spam. All totalled, I spend about a hundred times as much time reading and responding to complaints about spam than seeing the spam itself (partly because I get e-mail and messaged about it even outside of the boards). Just ignore the spam and push it down with a useful post.

I have seen many waver from naïevete to paranoia and then back to naïevete. Each extreme is unhealthy and often dangerous. I strongly advise that you find caution and reason in the middle.

To explain why this is important, suppose that there are only three doors that allow entry to your house. If you wanted to secure your house, you would probably lock all three. Suppose instead you only lock two and leave one open. That open door is now your weakest link. Now if someone tried to enter your house, it wouldn't matter how good the locks were on the two other doors as long as that person finds the third door. This is why consistency is important; a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Following the previous analogy, someone who is unreasonably paranoid will often lock only two out of three doors, but in their paranoia, they will think they are secure because they have taken extreme precautions with the first two doors. It is unfortunate that I meet many paranoid visitors who do this. It is also worth noting that those who are the safest are normally never paranoid.

This is similar to Rule 17. Excessive speculation and panic are not constructive activities. If I or someone else tell you something, don't take our word for it. A liar will always mix in truths to make their lies more believable, and unless you know me well enough, do not rule out the possibility that I am a good liar. If I am telling the whole truth, you should be able to confirm what I say through other unrelated sources or by common sense.

Also, if you found some information on a message board, you probably wouldn't want to look for confirmation on the same board. For all you know I might use another nickname and simply agree with myself (I never will, but how are you supposed to know that?). Usually common sense is your most reliable source. If you can't confirm something that I say, then don't assume what I say is true. If I ever say something controversial, it is my responsibility to give you sufficient evidence.

So, it is always best not to jump to conclusions, because information is very often unreliable. I try not to jump to conclusions, mainly because I don't want to sound like this. (Link to another page)

I had a friend that played MUDs (online role playing games) all the time. This seriously affected his productivity in real life. Another friend of mine played a game called Quake a lot (while online), with similar results (that's where I my Quake jokes come from ;). So, be warned to treat the internet as a hobby at most. If it becomes an obsession, you just might find your real life start to degrade.

For those that have to pay a significant rate for a connection, this is especially true. Of course, many libraries are starting to provide internet connections. ;) It's said that hobbies are expensive, but if at all possible, you should make all efforts to reduce that cost to a reasonable level.

Suggestion: Suppose that instead I had to pay by the minute and I wanted to read all the FAQs, for example. What I could do is go to each FAQ page and use my browser's "File" option to save the page to my hard drive. After I've saved all the pages, I'd then go offline and use my browser to view them off of my computer (modern browsers will let you do this, you just have to go to File --> Open).

This rule applies in many areas. For example, one person I talked to could not boot his computer (apparently some files were damaged). The remedy/preparation for such an event would be to make a boot disk before the problem occured.

Boot disks basically allow your computer to boot using the floppy disk instead of your hard drive, which is particularly useful if your computer's critical files (system files) are damaged on the hard drive. It's also useful if your computer has a virus (as long as the floppy is not infected, booting from the floppy will ensure that any virus on your computer remains dormant unless you actually activate it).

This is related to Rule 20.

If you make a leap of logic, others might not take you seriously. This will hold true no matter how much you shout, swear, or use exclamation marks. For example, it is true that the FBI can break into your house without a warrant, search your house, and then kill you. However, this does not mean it will ever happen. As the example shows, any statement can be worded to be misleading.

By the way, you can also bet that if that statement was made by shouting, swearing, and using exclamation marks, many people won't even bother to care. For example, would you take me any more seriously if I said, "&*%#@ THE FBI CAN &*%#@ BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITHOUT A &*%#@ WARRANT, SEARCH YOUR &*%#@ HOUSE, AND THEN &*%#@ KILL YOU!!!!!" ? I certainly hope not. The moral is that people are more likely to believe you if you tell the whole truth without being rude. Also, it's best not to expect others to automatically believe every word you say.

As the first example showed, just because something is possible doesn't mean it will ever happen before our sun dies out. That's why I say that it's important to provide the whole truth accurately.

Otherwise, speculation may lead you to unreasonable claims, like warning others to prepare for the collision of our solar system with another system (I've seen people believe even more ludicrious statements like aka "I am God").

There is nothing constructive in attempting to mislead others by manipulating or distorting the truth in your favor. I've seen many people make outrageous accusations, often to later find out that they had no real evidence whatsoever, only a "hunch" and their paranoia. Such forms of speculation are what begin witch hunts and inquisitions. These things distract people from what they should really be concerned with - reality.

Argument is often counterproductive. Disagree only if you feel appropriate and productive. On occasion I involve myself in an argument for fun, but usually it is better to say nothing.

According to a survey, 90% of all drivers think that they are above-average drivers. So, next time some jerk cuts you off or nearly hits you with his car, just remember that the person probably thinks he's an above-average driver. It might not be true, but that's how people think. Now I know what you're probably thinking. "But Ramses, I AM an above-average driver." My point exactly. ;)

As the example demonstrates, most people think very highly of themselves. Nothing you say to them will likely change that view. So, any argument in that area will likely be a waste of time. Cursing, shouting, or expressing excessive anger won't help either. It's just as the old saying goes, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Just give up the futility of constant argument and enjoy life and it's blessings instead.

There are several reasons why you should read a message board and think carefully before posting.

1) If you have a question, check to see if it has already been answered.

2) If you are tempted to spill your wrath on the board with angry comments, then while you may certainly feel better afterwards (I know I would), the board will probably not benefit from unconstructive comments. The reason is that negative comments often breed further negative responses. Besides, those who enrage you are often just looking for attention, and they would delight in knowing that they have angered you. If you say nothing, you will probably forget about the jerk in a week anyways.

3) If someone makes a dumb post that makes you cringe, it's better to ignore them or give them the benefit of the doubt. So, if someone asks a question that has been answered or makes an unreasonable demand, the most constructive reaction would be to either ignore them or point them in the right direction. After all, unless you plan on dying in a few years or changing the way you are, you should probably plan for the long run and help out those like you, even if they test your patience.

4) You are always free to express your opinion. However, your opinion will not be recieved well if it is unreasonably negative or off-topic.

5) I would hope you do not condemn others for their hypocrisy. It's only the pot calling the kettle black. If someone is being a hypocrite, all you need to do is point it out (if it is even necessary). There is no need to add any negative comments. If you do add such comments, then keep them in mind next time you are found to be a hypocrite. It's bound to happen to us all, except maybe you. ;)

"Everyone else is a hypocrite. ;)"
-Ramses

As Rule 3 says, there are few activities that require trust.

If you get a program from an unreliable source, don't assume it is virus-free.

Wherever you can find a spammer, trolls are sure to be nearby.

A troll is someone who visits a message board or newsgroup and intentionally makes inflammatory posts for the sole purpose of getting attention (in the form of angry responses). A troll has a big mouth but small ears and mind.

For example, a troll might say, "Jews killed Jesus because they worship Satan. Heil Hitler." Or, a troll might simply spam the board with clutter (which makes him both a troll and a spammer). Such trolls are only looking for attention, and it makes the troll feel special and important if people respond to his message, even if those responses are highly negative.

This is just like how many criminals would love to appear on the evening news, and others would boast of their crimes to everyone they knew. Trolls are no different than these people. As with many other people, they are desperate for recognition and a feeling of importance. For that reason, it is best to ignore trolls. Don't even make indirect references to them by name; every serious mention of their name only makes them feel more important. After all, if you have to go through the time and trouble to say "You are worth talking to." then you've just communicated to him that he is worth talking to. If a person ever says or asks something seriously, there shouldn't be much problem answering it, but if they are there just to make a fool of themselves, let them do it alone. ;)

Depending on the newsgroup or message board, the trolls might even outnumber the spammers. Fortunately, if everyone just ignores the troll, the troll will usually go elsewhere to look for importance. So, please "don't feed the trolls," as the common saying in Usenet goes.

Note that trolls will typically lie and make false accusations in order to get the attention they want ("Jews Worship Satan, everyone else is evil, I am smarter than everyone," etc... ). As mentioned in Rule of Acquisition 20, a liar will always mix in truths to make their lies more believable. Liars will often also repeat the lies they hear from others, so that they can blame someone else for the lie when the lie is exposed.

Making threats against the troll usually makes them more determined, because it shows that his tactics are really working. Not many threats work anyways... ;)

If something ever seems difficult or inconvenient, there is usually an easier way. One person thought I was crazy when I told them that when using SBNews, they should reject posts that they don't want. That was because he didn't know you could use the SHIFT button to highlight multiple items. In addition, you can use CTRL to skip around as well (with CTRL you can highlight 1 and 3 but not 2).

Even though most of you take things like copying and pasting for granted, keep in mind that someone new to computers naturally might not know of such features. Likewise, even people who are experienced might not know of a shortcut or two. The solution to this is to ask around.

Always be aware of impersonators. Even someone who has never used a computer in their life could impersonate someone else.

Here are things you will never see me do in a post:
1) use caps
-a possible exception is if I'm directly quoting someone else, though statements in caps aren't usually worth quoting. ;)

2) use more than one exclamation in a row
-it's uncommon to seem me use exclamations at all (though I do use them on occasion)

3) use obscenity
-I even censor obscenity when I quote someone else, so I don't see myself using obscenity in the first place

4) ask you to take my word for it
-if I ever state something controversial and don't provide real proof, don't believe me (even if it is really me, why should you?)
-if you have any legitimate doubts about the proof I give, then it is by definition not a proof and you should not take my word for it (remember a good liar will always mix in many irrelevant truths)

5) advertise a worthless site
-The only sites I mention are either in a response to someone's question or are sites that are listed specifically at RamFAQs
-If you're not sure, assume it is a worthless site

6) clearly contradict the FAQs
-typical impersonators will always contradict the FAQs; it's surprising to see one that doesn't.

Generally speaking, there are only a few reasons I'd ever post as Ramses in the first place:
-to ask a question
-to answer a question
-to announce an update
-to engage in a chat for fun

As far as it is possible, keep all secrets between you and your computer. Don't give out credit card information, personal data, or anything else private unless you have a good reason to do otherwise. Several major ISPs (IBM, AOL) have had big problems with people being too trusting (and getting ripped off as a result). While such problems seem to originate from the US, I have seen them spread to many other countries as well (particularly English-speaking nations like the UK, Canada, Australia, etc... for the reason that they are easily infected by US scams).

Many people that I have known from the message boards over the years have come and gone (whether to become independant or to use newsgroups). I believe this is actually a good thing; in fact, it has always been my goal. You see, the alternative would be for people to stay and rely on the message board forever. However, this is not a good long term goal, nor is it healthy for reasons that you might already understand. That is why I hope for people to use FAQ 2 and other resources here to learn how to be independant and private, while still gaining the benefits of outside help.

If you are offended by something I have said, then either I didn't mean it that way or I was just being a jerk. If I didn't mean it, then ignore it. If I was being a jerk, then ignore it. I don't intentionally offend people, but it happens, sometimes because what I say is misinterpreted and sometimes because the person is easily offended.

If you download a mysterious program off of newsgroups, don't run it out of curiosity. I've known a lot of people get viruses because they ran a program they got from newsgroups. The same applies to websites. Don't download a program from a website unless you are sure that it is legitimate. It is for this reason why I don't put programs at this site for the public. I do not want to set such a bad example by encouraging people to assume that what they download from a stranger is safe.

Besides, why run a mystery program when you can get whatever programs you want safely through other means? There simply is no rational reason for running mystery programs, because unlike a cat, your computer doesn't get 9 lives.

In fact, I've even seen people run a virus on purpose just to see if an anti-virus program they were using would protect them from the effects of that virus. It didn't. The person messaged me about this after he lost everything on his hard drive.

Yes, this is a Rule of Acquisition whose sole purpose is to ask you to read another Rule of Acquisition. ;)

If a troll ever visits a BBS with the intent to sabotage or flame the visitors, don't ever even refer to the troll by name. I posted this warning about one such troll, and it was ignored by several people who kept taunting the troll. The only thing this accomplished was to make the troll feel better and more important. The troll's response was to spam the board again chanting about how everyone is talking about him, exactly as I had warned.

I would hope it is obvious by now that trolls want nothing more than attention. Despite my warnings, that is exactly what some people give the trolls. In fact, some people even spam hate messages towards the troll, which defies all logic because it only serves only to increase the amount of spam. Please, don't talk about a troll as if he were some sort of God; the only thing anyone needs to know to be a troll is how to use a keyboard.

I guarantee you that every single time you use the troll's name in any serious fashion will only cause the troll to feel more powerful and encourage the troll to continue. This happens every single minute in usenet; most of the time people on usenet are smart enough to ignore the trolls. When they don't, the newsgroup gets cluttered with tons of completely worthless and irrelevant posts.

So, here is a list of things you should not do:

A) Do not speak directly to the troll if he doesn't have any legitimate points.
-he will only feel important if you treat him as an equal
-wasting your breath on him will tell him that you actually care

B) Never refer to the troll by name.
-doing so will only give him recognition
-doing so will only encourage him to continue

C) Never flame the troll directly.
-wasting your breath on him will tell him that you actually care
-doing so will only give him recognition
-doing so will only encourage him to continue If you do any of the above three, then the troll prevails, because he gets *exactly* what he wanted, no more, no less. The troll rarely actually ever cares about whatever issue he brings up; his only real goal is usually just attention.

Feel free to suggest rules to add to the Rules of Acquisition. If you don't like one of the rules or want one revised, tell me why and I'll of course consider it before saying say no (just kidding!). ;)

-Ramses

I write these FAQs in hopes it will benefit and educate you, so as always, feel free to correct me and add your own suggestions. You may remain anonymous or allow me to credit you with the suggestion (I will assume the former but definitely feel free to volunteer the use of your nick in the credits of the FAQ)