trolls

Lots of people wonder what internet trolls are thinking in trying to get their kicks out of being as obnoxious as possible online... and some folks at the BBC apparently were able to track down and confront an individual who had a reputation for highly obnoxious trolling -- writing mean messages on Facebook tribute pages for people who were murdered.

The potential effects of both PROTECT IP and the E-PARASITES legislations have been the subject of intense speculation in recent times.

One side insists they will damage piracy and little else, opponents say they will only succeed in killing the Internet.

But there are other potential casualties in all this – the poor anti-piracy companies and their copyright troll allies.

A few weeks ago TorrentFreak unraveled a tangled web of copyright trolls who had sued hundreds of BitTorrent users under the name MCGIP.

The article revealed the tight connections between the various parties involved in the scheme and the mistakes they made.

Interestingly enough, soon after these findings were published MCGIP dropped their lawsuits for reasons unknown.

Linux and Open Source Blog: "All good patent trolls know that you sue in the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Texas (EDTX).

It's known for its pro-patent judges that speed patent cases along their docket to the patent holders' victory.

That's not just me and my anti-patent buddies speaking."

Watchdog says threat of embarrassment leading some to settle bogus claims

Porn studios that are pursuing copyright lawsuits are close to revealing pirates' identities. Will Anonymous cyber protests also strike against adult film industry copyright trolls?

Despite its haters and trolls, the massive realm of the internet still has enough bright spots to improve any dark mood.

Here are eight websites that feature positive and uplifting stories for people like Burke. Or you.

Groklaw: "Eureka! You could sell the patents to patent trolls, and let *them* be the bad guys. Is that not perfect if you are evil? Not that Microsoft would ever be evil."

Ars Technica: "Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin issued a scathing condemnation of Microsoft's recent attempts to unload Linux-related patents to patent trolls.

He calls for the company to 'stop secretly attacking Linux' and compete on the basis of quality rather than FUD."

PCWorld: "Patent trolls, known more formally as non-practicing entities (NPEs), are companies that exist merely to own patents so they can sue companies for violating them."