Thread:Sannse/@comment-32303-20120821172010/@comment-8-20120824185206

Hi WildloughRhulain,

This is going to be a long explanation. tl;dr we can't block all ways to make duplicate accounts. Sometime blocking trolls is just a matter of persistence and patience.

So, the longer explanation:

The problem is the way blocks work (and the way the Internet works). If you block an account and check "Automatically block the last IP address used by this user, and any subsequent IP addresses they try to edit from", then that will block them from editing on that IP with any account. That doesn't mean that person can't edit from another IP, because we can't see who is on the other side of a computer and know which accounts to block.

But the problem is that people don't always edit from one IP. Sometimes they edit from IPs with similar values and so we can block the range, and so stop people coming back with any IP in that group. But we can't block too big a range, because that would block innocent people who just happen to be on a similar IP. And people don't always edit from a specific range, so they might get around a range block too. (Randomtime has already tried some range blocking in this case)

So here's some things to help:


 * If you block an IP, make sure you don't check "Block anonymous users only".
 * If you block an account, make sure you do check "Automatically block the last IP address used by this user, and any subsequent IP addresses they try to edit from"
 * If you think someone has come back with a new account even though you did the above, give me the exact usernames (the blocked one and the new one) and I'll look for a range to block
 * If blocking, and range blocking doesn't work, then you will need to be persistent in blocking each new account, and persistent in other methods of countering trolls.

The biggest one of those is don't feed the trolls. What that means, is not replying to this guy in any way, not showing any sign of reacting (other than reverting bad content, and blocking the new account), and not getting dragged in to arguments or discussions with him - however tempting! Quietly blocking, and going back to what you were doing is the best way to react :)

If you keep doing that, then eventually they will get bored and move on.