Hugh MacLeod
Cartoons drawn on the back of business cards
August 2, 2005
Usually, when a gapingvoid reader is being an arse, I either ignore it or delete the comment, depending on how I feel that day.
Nope, not this time. This time I just told him he was being an arse.
It’s not a something I would recommend doing regularly, but still, this passive-agressive “Happy Troll” crap does gets old sometimes.
I'm a cartoonist.
I sell limited-edition prints.
I wrote a book.
I'm CEO of Stormhoek USA, which markets South African wine in the States.
I also draw private commissions.
Prints |
Opening | Current |
|---|---|---|
Bluetrain |
$900 | |
We Need to Talk |
$650 | |
Portfolio #2 |
$300 | |
NY NY |
$275 |
Hugh
Here’s someone who’s trying to turn trolls into cash.
http://cathyseipp.journalspace.com/?entryid=593
Cheers.
I don’t seem to have much of a problem with Happy Trolls, mainly because I can become a fricken Rottweiler when I want to… my problem seems to be with the blog-to-real world cross over… I’m noticing that some people I have contact with in real life– albeit *very* slightly, like, they know my Skype name or have met me somewhere once– seem to think that just cos they read my blog a) they really know me b) they really like me c) I give a shit.
I’m really busy and I’m really shallow… I could never be friends with a *reader*…
Maybe it’s a bit like “…if a tree falls over in a forest does anyone hear?”
If you call someone an arse — in a comment — on a geek blog site — it doesn’t really amount to a row of beans in this great big crazy world…
It is South African wine after all, and therefore should be associated with a bit of Straight Talking…
He was lucky it wasn’t Texan wine, or you would have had to shoot him.
Hugh, don’t you think that the forum needs to be open to positive and negative comments though? I would have no problem whatsoever if you called me an arse after my comments, however, removing my right to comment is a different story altogether, it’s my understanding that you have banned this guy from commenting simply because you don’t like what he has to say, or how he says it.
If the blog is only open to your comments, and those of your allies, it kinda defeats the point don’t you think? It may as well just be an advert.
It’s like a conversation where one party has a mute button. Not a great convo really…!
I haven’t banned him, Rich. He’s still around
Anyone resembling a happy troll just gets their IP address banned from our server, so my employees and I won’t even need to put up with their emails. Assholes beware.
Aah, okay, that’s a different story then, name-calling is as I mentioned all-good, shit, it’s half the fun…!
H -
Hmmmm, (moaning thoughtfully) I like contrasting comments on my blog as long as they are well thought out and intelligent. Are you saying that I ALWAYS have to agree with you in order to comment?
Is it bad that I aspire to the guy living on pizza?
Aah, okay, that’s a different story then, name-calling is as I mentioned all-good, shit, it’s half the fun…!
Just Monday I dealt with a happy troll over at this link: http://www.yirmumah.djcoffman.com/?p=126
He thought he was clever, coming in from the same IP address under different names and having a conversation with himself about he REALLY disliked the comic and the term “gay lube” — Ironically, many of our gay readers with a sense of humor actually asked us to produce a brand of lube called GAY LUBE.
A week ago, we put our fake bricks up for sale, a novelty thing based on a joke in our strip, see: http://www.yirmumah.djcoffman.com/?p=122 , and the SAME trolls came by and thought they’d crap on just about ANYTHING we’re selling or successful at. He’s more than welcome to try to sell his own bricks, but there is only ONE authentic BRICK of SILENCE (every office should have one)
Happy trolls are annoying though. They’re 85% of the time, jealous idiots in disguise, or your competitors trying to make you look bad– and 65% of the time, they’re taking notes.
20% of the times, I make up statistics.
bruce, if its well thought out and intelligent-you’re not trolling
Thanks for posting the strip “I Had Fallen Into A Rut…” — your cartoons are always funny, and this one was particularly good.
Have you considered getting your cartoons published in the papers?
Keep up the good work…
Wow! You have captured how I feel perfectly in today’s cartoon…in a rut…living on pizza…and not very good pizza at that!
I really enjoy your drawings…very clever!!