"Harry Krause" wrote in message
Because I do not carry on conversations with a sock puppet Kevin,
basskisser, alt-man and whatever other names you go by.


Oh, but you do. You carry on "conversations" with "Smithers," and he most
certainly is a sock puppet.


Harry,
I don't think you know what a sock puppet is (see below), since "Smithers"
has never carried on a conversation with himself, he would never be
considered a sock puppet. The only person I am aware who has done this in
rec.boats, is Harry Krause when he conducted a conversation with himself
about his Beautiful Lobster Boat.
A sock puppet describes an additional account created by an existing member
of an Internet community, sometimes to manufacture the illusion of support
in a vote or argument. Other reasons include a desire to support or vote on
an issue coupled with a desire to have one's "main" account stay away from
the issue. This behavior is sometimes seen as being dishonest by online
communities and as a result these individuals are often labeled as trolls.

Another type of sock puppet is sometimes referred to as a "straw man sock
puppet." They are created by users with one point of view, but act as though
they have an opposing point of view, in order to make that point of view
look bad. They will often make poor arguments which their "opponents" can
then easily refute. This can allow them to essentially make straw man
arguments. Such sock puppets thus become a personification of the straw man
argument which their creators argue against. They often act unintelligent or
uninformed, and may behave in an overtly bigoted manner. The effect is often
to obfuscate the debate and prevent a serious discussion of the arguments
from each side. Suspicion of such sock puppets is often harder to verify
though, as there are often people who naturally behave in such a manner with
the same effects.

The term was used on July 9, 1993 in a posting to bit.listserv.fnord-l, but
was not in common useage in USENET groups until 1996.