So how many accounts here would you suppose are plants / paid trolls?

[ticopelp]

I apologize if this thread is obvious or has been done before. I've been hanging out here for a little while now, and I've noticed a lot of recurring behavior on the boards. Some user will sign up, ask for (or demand) help, often not listen to what people say, and then declare that they're returning to Windows. A handful of phrases seem to pop up over and over again:

"Linux is so unintuitive, I can see why Microsoft has nothing to fear."
"I don't see why this is so hard, in Windows this takes no time at all..."
"You guys really need to change (X) otherwise Ubuntu will always be a toy." (As if every person here is an Ubuntu developer)

Now, that's innocuous enough by itself -- I can certainly understand how someone would get frustrated with Linux and lash out; I've done it myself over the years as I went through a learning process. But when I got frustrated with Linux, I didn't hang around Linux boards continuing to trash it, which is what some of these folks seem to like to do. I look at certain user accounts and notice that their entire post history is made up of single threads where they say "I can't do X and Linux sucks!" -- followed by several attempts by good-natured people to help, to which the first poster never responds. A few days or weeks later, they show up with a new gripe. Some of this stuff almost seems like it's been pre-written.

In an age of viral marketing and astroturf, it doesn't seem so hard to believe that another company might hire people to essentially troll Linux boards and try to spread FUD. Of course, I'm sure there are people who get a charge out of doing it on their own, as well, but sometimes, looking around these boards, I wonder if there's not a bit of a concentrated effort going on.

Thoughts?

[DeadSuperHero]

I dunno. Microsoft sure seems to love doing the F.U.D nowadays...
It strikes me as really low that a company, who makes billions of dollars a year, would insult something that is free, just because it's free and focuses on a different ideaolgy.
That's like one religion insulting a smaller religion, merely because they don't agree on one or two things.

[Dragonbite]

You gotta beat them down while they're small, otherwise they may get big enough to resist being beaten down (or they get you while you're at a moment of weakness; i.e. taking a dump)!

[justin whitaker]

I'm a Troll....in World of Warcraft anyway. ;)

[starcraft.man]

LOL! I certainly wouldn't be surprised if MS had paid trolls on these forums... I see some people just read titles and post bashing comments about how Linux is horrible, and every time (these people seem to stick around for months) I ask why do they bother staying on the forums/posting? They never answer...

[Cheese Sandwich]

(or they get you while you're at a moment of weakness; i.e. taking a dump)!

BG had better be looking over his shoulder when he bends & squats in the executive washroom in Redmond - the breadth and penetration of Ubuntu may be greater than he has anticipated!

[NeoLithium]

I'm a level 17 troll in D&D......seriously though. Who knows, there could be quite a few or very little. Sometimes people do just spout the windows banter beacuse they're just mad, responses might take more than instant help (It is a forum, patience can be required here).

[bchaffin72]

I have wondered that myself, and all I can say is that it is truly not beyond the realm of possibility.

[FuturePilot]

LOL! I certainly wouldn't be surprised if MS had paid trolls on these forums... I see some people just read titles and post bashing comments about how Linux is horrible, and every time (these people seem to stick around for months) I ask why do they bother staying on the forums/posting? They never answer...

Most likely. MS seems to be very paranoid about Linux.

[EdThaSlayer]

I don't think that the trolls idea is really working. It's uniting the Linux users and shows how we actually are a friendly community. :)

[justin whitaker]

You know, Microsoft really needs to pay more attention to those BSD guys. Always watch the quiet ones! ;)

[FuturePilot]

You know, Microsoft really needs to pay more attention to those BSD guys. Always watch the quiet ones! ;)

Lol. Those BSD guys are pretty quiet. Us Linux people tend to be noisy.

[Ireclan]

I myself do not believe the troll accounts are anything more than the result of random ignorant computer users. I do not believe that their is any "conspiracy".

[starcraft.man]

Most likely. MS seems to be very paranoid about Linux.

Perhaps afraid is a better word. MS might actually have to compete for the desktop space of home computers, and we know how well they compete with quality.... *starts thinking about Zune, one care and virtual pc*

Edit: Oh really Ireclan, what about when MS paid those folk to edit their WIkipedia page? Just an accident? :D

[Ireclan]

That was one incident. Wikipedia has much wider prominence than Linux.

[matthew]

I don't think there are many plants or paid trolls, if any at all.

I do think there are 2 or 3 people who have signed up for multiple accounts in the forums just for the purpose of trolling, but not necessarily in this way. Those are usually trying to goad the staff or specific users into certain responses.

[Dragonbite]

That was one incident. Wikipedia has much wider prominence than Linux.Plus, it is a lot harder to convince a number of Linux users on their own forum than it is to reach people neutral about their computer OS of choice that go to Wikipedia.

[bubble_bobble]

MS should just compile a linux distro, rebrand it and sell it.

[starcraft.man]

MS should just compile a linux distro, rebrand it and sell it.

Don't joke about that, it just may be the future... (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070129-8728.html)

In the end, MS may just transform Windows into a Linux computer one day. We will just be there way ahead of them :).

[AusIV4]

I doubt they're paid trolls. I've run into real live people just like them. A couple days after Edgy came out, a classmate of mine decided to try out Ubuntu. I warned him that Edgy was hot off the press and still had some bugs to be worked out, and that he should try out Dapper instead. He didn't listen, and then complained to me endlessly about the problems he was having with his Edgy install. Finally, he went back to Windows convinced that Linux was a complete waste of time. Plus, a lot of people expect Ubuntu to be a free, secure version of Windows, then get annoyed when they realize it has a learning curve.

[zugu]

I think many trolls don't even know they're trolling. The ones with posts as in the OP's examples are mainly frustrated Windows users. They're frustrated by Windows and decide to try this popular Linux / Ubuntu thing - they heard so many good facts: lack of spyware, increased security and stability etc. Then, they freak out when they find out Linux is a completely different OS and that the learning curve might be steeper than they thought, or that their particular piece of hardware has issues under Linux etc.

In the end, they hastily decide it's better with Windows and leave some trolling activity back before they shut the door. It might serve to them as a "moral compensation" or something.

These users are created by misplaced marketing: friends that recommended them Ubuntu when they shouldn't have, biased reviews, Digg-like headlines etc.

[floke]

I admit it. I am paid to come here and give crap advice to deter would-be Linux users.
(my excuse in case anything I say goes wrong)

[jiminycricket]

LOL! I certainly wouldn't be surprised if MS had paid trolls on these forums... I see some people just read titles and post bashing comments about how Linux is horrible, and every time (these people seem to stick around for months) I ask why do they bother staying on the forums/posting? They never answer...

I was seriously considering posting a thread like this in response to some posts I've seen recently.

They are here (Ubuntu Forums is one of Ubuntu's biggest assets!), on news sites like ZDNet, Slashdot, and OSNews, on mailing lists being nasty trolls to inflame developers, etc...you start to get a certain Spidey Sense for noticing them :) usually use a similar tone, RMS is smelly, GPLv3 the death of Linux, etc..must be a nice job. They're subtle sometimes, though.

"I hate M$ and use Linux on my servers....but you have to admit that Microsoft such-and-such is an industry standard, invented computing, innovative...etc." standard.

Microsoft Shilling and Astroturfing (http://www.inlumineconsulting.com:8080/website/msft.shilling.html)

Return of the Munchkins: Yet another Microsoft Shill Exposed (http://slated.org/the_munchkins_are_back)
Definitely look at The Barkto Incident (http://lists.essential.org/1998/am-info/msg01529.html) if you don't think Microsoft cares. And that was only in 1994, they've certainly got their PR firm doing this now.

[ticopelp]

I admit it. I am paid to come here and give crap advice to deter would-be Linux users.
(my excuse in case anything I say goes wrong)

=D>

[Countryboy123]

I never really thought much about the negative posts, past a inmature person or just a trouble maker. Once I believe I have found one I pretty much ignore them and try not to take them very seriously. No forums are immune they will always be with us. Most places I have been have rules of conduct that could get them barred, if they get to disruptive.

[PriceChild]

I'd like to make sure that everyone is on the same book with dealing with problems that may arise...

If you believe a user is "trolling" or breaking the Ubuntu Forums Code of Conduct (http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php?page=policy)then please don't hesitate to use the "REPORT" button at the top right of the post. - The staff will run to take a look as soon as they can :)

[Countryboy123]

I'd like to make sure that everyone is on the same book with dealing with problems that may arise...

If you believe a user is "trolling" or breaking the Ubuntu Forums Code of Conduct (http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php?page=policy)then please don't hesitate to use the "REPORT" button at the top right of the post. - The staff will run to take a look as soon as they can :)


Thanks PriceChild, I did not know it was that easy. I wish all forums were like that .:o:D

[LightB]

I was seriously considering posting a thread like this in response to some posts I've seen recently.

They are here (Ubuntu Forums is one of Ubuntu's biggest assets!), on news sites like ZDNet, Slashdot, and OSNews, on mailing lists being nasty trolls to inflame developers, etc...you start to get a certain Spidey Sense for noticing them :) usually use a similar tone, RMS is smelly, GPLv3 the death of Linux, etc..must be a nice job. They're subtle sometimes, though.

"I hate M$ and use Linux on my servers....but you have to admit that Microsoft such-and-such is an industry standard, invented computing, innovative...etc." standard.

Microsoft Shilling and Astroturfing (http://www.inlumineconsulting.com:8080/website/msft.shilling.html)

Return of the Munchkins: Yet another Microsoft Shill Exposed (http://slated.org/the_munchkins_are_back)
Definitely look at The Barkto Incident (http://lists.essential.org/1998/am-info/msg01529.html) if you don't think Microsoft cares. And that was only in 1994, they've certainly got their PR firm doing this now.

Yep. Nuff said.

[kelvin spratt]

Price child
thank you very much for that info

[Enverex]

It's "shill" not plant :) I doubt they are green and have leaves growing out of them. (not sure if someone's already pointed this out, only scanned the thread before going to bed).

[JAPrufrock]

I'm more worried about the CIA, NSA and Homeland Security. They all work for MS, you know.

[Linux Killer!]

So how many accounts here would you suppose are plants / paid trolls?
*looks around shiftly*

No me! Noooo.... never!

[kamaboko]

How would they prove their effectiveness to warrant the money? What standard is used to measure their success?

[jiminycricket]

The other less paranoid approach is that they hold stock in MSFT, NOVL, LGE, etc...but so do most company employees.