stderr writes: "I used to visit a certain website quite often, but if Dice Holdings decide to switch the interface to what is currently known as "Beta", I'll have to find another site for my "stuff that matters" fix. So, SoylentNews, what sites can you recommend for a "maybe-ex" /. user?"
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Bruce Perens on Monday February 17 2014, @06:48PM
I'm pretty sure you can present any information whatsoever without being a troll, and I'd like to promote more people learning how to do that and how to participate in a civil discussion. Unfortunately, presenting trolls at -1 rewards the trolls, because they will be read by some segment of the audience. Rewarding the trolls means they will repeat their behavior. Wiping out their mess as quickly as possible means they've wasted their time and demotivates them from repeating bad conduct.
There's a famous social study about leaving a car on a city street with a broken window, and it being on blocks with the wheels gone within a short time, when a similar car without a broken window remained untouched. Slashdot is like that, it actually promotes its bad conduct.
So, what if we try to never reward bad conduct, and consistently reward the good?
(Score: 1) by koreanbabykilla on Monday February 17 2014, @06:56PM
Interesting thought. I would always worry the "Powers that be" at any site that deletes trolls instead of modbombing them, would at some point delete a "troll" that would have been something ontopic I would like to discuss. Perhaps some notifier that a post was deleted with a link to the deleted content so people can verify what is being removed is what ought to be?
That being said, I'm no Bruce Perens, so I will for sure be trying anything you think is a good idea.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by kru on Monday February 17 2014, @07:48PM
The loss of ACs is a devastating blow to the discussion of a site. Many people want to express views or admit ignorance in the security that their self wont be injured by the revelations. Anonymity allows growth in ways that its absence wont. Anonymity can also be abused for trolling, and it will be, but to remove it completely may be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I was looking forward to technocrat all week, and I will likely still give it a chance. However, I am deeply disappointed in the loss of AC. I hope that you reconsider this one aspect.
(Score: 1) by Bruce Perens on Monday February 17 2014, @08:19PM
What is the problem with Pseudonomity, as presently exercised on Slashdot? Peolple post from handles and you don't learn their names unless you reveal them.
(Score: 1) by koreanbabykilla on Monday February 17 2014, @09:10PM
Do you think killing anon will just up the number of sockpuppet accounts? I might as well be an AC on ./ and here, for all the good knowing "Koreanbabykilla" does anyone. I made the ./ account, and stay logged in, simply so it will remember I want to browse at -1 nested. Now, if I post enough, people will be able to form some picture of who I am. If I then want to post something that could cause loss of a job or freedom or such, I would need a sockpuppet if there is no AC option. Not anything I ever will need to worry about, but I think something to think about.
(Score: 1) by Bruce Perens on Tuesday February 18 2014, @03:53AM
Yes, pseudonymity is the alternative to being an AC. A sock-puppet, on the other hand, is intended to be deceptive. I have some vague thoughts on using reputation to discourage them. It helps that I have the comportment axis for comment moderation, that might catch them. We would need to show reputation values right next to their user ID (rather than moderating the comment). I'll work on it.
(Score: 1) by Aiwendil on Tuesday February 18 2014, @07:53AM
Just a crazy idea if you implement reputation. Allow registered users to post with their uid/username hidden, and apply all reputation-changing effects to the poster and as soon as it isn't possible to moderate the comment anymore (archiving or maybe time-limit) unlink all references between the "posted as hidden"-comment and the account (excepting the reputation-changes).
This would allow for an anonymity that still incurs a "cost" on the account for trolls.