lorenzinho2 - 6:42 pm on Sep 30, 2004 (gmt 0)

I hate stories like this. Freaking vandals.

Just to add my two cents:

- get your site your rules in place. Modify them to make sure whatever this guy is doing is clearly off limits. Add a catch-all guideline based on "admin discretion" (yours). Mine says something like "any behavior that is generally obnoxious or threatens the spirit of community of mysite.com could result in removal of membership priviliges."

- Have a heart to heart with him (one only). Explain to him that you're not a big corporation. Explain why the rules are in place. Ask him nicely to play by the rules - explain that it's not personal.

- In the event that he still doesn't clean up his act (which it sounds like he won't) take him down. Remove ALL his aliases. Note IPs. Err on the side of being overly aggressive - you think a new alias might be his? Purge it. Your business is under attack.

- At this point, there should be zero correspondence with him. No responses to his pleas, threats, etc. Make it a zero reward activity for him - he's posting and emailing into a black hole. And just wait him out. As Rogerd says, he will move on. Some take days to get bored, some months (i had a battle go on for 6 months once).

But you have to take him out... don't let this troll hold your site hostage.

Good luck.