On 10/08/2013 8:07 AM, BruceS wrote:

Just note something that I've found over the years.  No matter how
ludicrous the position you take, or how obvious you think you're being
that you aren't serious, there's someone out there who seriously
believes something more ludicrous.  I've posted things that I fully
intended to be taken as tongue-in-cheek, only to have some people argue
furiously against me and others completely back me up.

By the same token, no matter how absurd something might seem, there's always someone who believes it, so there's no way to be sure that the poster isn't sincere. Quite often I respond to posts knowing full well that the poster might be a troll, but also knowing that I cannot form a concluded view on that.

However, the tenor of my replies probably reflect my level of certainty. If I'm sure it's a troll, I'll usually give a considered non-judgemental reply, on the grounds that that's likely to be exactly what the troll didn't want.

Sylvia.