What is a "Troll"?

[K3STX]

OK, I may be dense, but I ASSUMED a post that was later deemed a "troll" was one that was a sort of joke that was intended to rile us up and get us all agitated, sort of like trolling for fish with some kind of bait. (Like saying "I thought all Ham radio operators used Morse code exclusively, what gives?".

Other times, it seems to simply refer to a "stupid" post. Like "Oh, that troll doesn't know what he is talking about.

I always thought of trolls as the little guys who live under the bridges in fairy tales who would try to trick little kidss and eat them. I also know that to troll is to string along with a bait in an attempt to capture something. So it a Forum troll a NOUN, a VERB, or an ADJECTIVE?

paul

[N0KLT]

The answer is YES!!!!

[KC8QMU]

I thought trolls were those funny looking little figurines with the big hair, sometime with a pencil sticking out of their rear ends. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[AB9HR]

Troll has the same meeting as in the fishing context :-)

[K9TOD]

Have you learned the meaning of "Flame baiter" yet?

[KA3RFE]

We went trolling for hams in the Chespeake Bay today. Didn't catch a thing 'cept a lot of bologna.

[N0PU]

http://www.les-ours.com/novel/bud/troll.jpg

[WA5KRP]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K3STX @ June 20 2004,19:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">OK, I may be dense, but I ASSUMED a post that was later deemed a &quot;troll&quot; was one that was a sort of joke that was intended to rile us up and get us all agitated, sort of like trolling for fish with some kind of bait.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Check it out:


A troll is not a post.

A troll is a poster.

A troll trolls.

A troll is good at getting posters to let their emotions run away, resulting in stupid posts from otherwise smart posters.

Draw your own conclusions.



WA5KRP
Texas

[ai4ep]

Is not a troll a :

Police officer ( cop, smokey bear, etc ) that parks his vehicle at the bottom of a long hill that folks can NOT keep from accidently / on purpose speed up over the speed limit so that they are going by too fast when they pass his vehicle and he can pull them over for a ticket.

Or am I totally wrong ?

[ai4ep]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ( lol ) kc8qmu ... your description is not of a TROLL but of a &quot; concernedparent &quot; and that is another thread entirely.

Please do not confuse the two.

Thank you

[K8ERV]

Most English words have many meanings, but here is one from my expensive on-line dictionary:

Posting derogatory messages about sensitive subjects on newsgroups or chat rooms to bait users into responding.

TOM K8ERV

[KL7FZ]

I think that originally, it was trolling (verb). Especially in the newsgroups. Looking for others with similiar interests or for maybe someone of the opposite gender. Then somehow it morphed into the troll noun. Descriptive of someone hiding in waiting like the small gnome like creatures.
And now it seems to be both. But I still think it is baiting. Trying to get someone engaged or hooked in conversion. (read discussion or argument)

A really good troll would be &quot;Now about that CW thing&quot;

#NO! NO! Forget I said that! Glen, don't beat me! Please don't beat me again!
#Now see. That is a troll for Glen. To see if I can get a rise from him.
#He will probably slap me with a mackeral for that! Or at least a small squid!

#Black and blue
#but still grinning
KL7FZ

[K8GHB]

&quot;Troll&quot; is commonly attributed to someone online who follows a outrageous, or, unconventional course of action, or, conversation, Usually in a chatroom, but also on boards like this. Mostly, it seems to be used by lamers (one who is unable to think clearly) for a convenient putdown name for someone whom one does not agree with for one reason or another, but cannot challenge rationally for whatever reason.

A &quot;Flamer&quot; Is one who makes outrageous statements, possibly from ambush, or, takes a outrageous position during a conversation, or, thread so as to aggrivate others or stir up trouble, usually resulting in the thread or conversation loosing it's original direction due to arguments, or assaultive come back statements of one kind or another.

For most people in todays society, if one is accused of something, no matter how outrageous, you will keep on &quot;Punching&quot; (Even though, rationally, you know it's pointless and stupid), because, your ego HAS TO WIN no matter what. Loosing makes you angry and is somply unacceptable, even though cutting your losses is usually the best course of action, since continuing to argue is playing the &quot;Troll&quot;, or, &quot;Flamers&quot; game and only serves to make you look stupid.

You see this same &quot;syndrome&quot; on HF, only the &quot;trolls&quot; and &quot;flamers&quot; are called &quot;lids&quot;.

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[n4ems]

This should clear it up! # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

PER WEBSTERS WEB SITE:

Main Entry: 1troll
Pronunciation: 'trOl
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English
transitive senses
1 : to cause to move round and round : ROLL
2 a : to sing the parts of (as a round or catch) in succession b : to sing loudly c : to celebrate in song
3 a : to fish for by trolling b : to fish by trolling in &lt;troll lakes&gt; c : to pull through the water in trolling &lt;troll a lure&gt;
intransitive senses
1 : to move around : RAMBLE
2 : to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat
3 : to sing or play in a jovial manner
4 : to speak rapidly
- troll·er noun #

-OR-

Main Entry: 2troll
Function: noun
: a lure or a line with its lure and hook used in trolling

-OR-

Main Entry: 3troll
Function: noun
Etymology: Norwegian troll &amp; Danish trold, from Old Norse troll giant, demon; probably akin to Middle High German trolle lout
: a dwarf or giant in Scandinavian folklore inhabiting caves or hills

Well, there you go. #About as fun to read as the tax code and clear as mud. #Enjoy! # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[AG3Y]

Troll &quot;A creature of Scandinavian folklore variously protrayed as a dwarf or giant living in caves or under bridges. &quot; HMMM, lets see, . . . no that couldn't possibly be what &quot;troll&quot; means in a chat room.

troll &quot; To fish for by running a baited line behind a slowly moving boat &quot;

( Both definitions from Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary )

Yes, I believe that definition 2 draws a pretty close parallel to people that drag a lure ( a controversial subject or inflamatory remark ) behind them, hoping to catch yet another fish ( the poor victim that falls for the lure and gets caught up in yet another upwardly spirialing level of ill will and name calling ! )

Come to think of it, since Scandinavian Trolls were never considered anything but repulsive, I can see where definition 1 fits, too !

[W5HTW]

Tuned Radio Oscillator, Low Level

Terribly Real Oddball, Loves Lynx

Odd creature about which Tony Joe White sand on his album about Swamp Critters. &quot;Even Trolls Do Rock And Roll&quot;

Anyone posting weird things on internet forums

[w6ez]

Here's link to real meaning of TROLL

If it's on the internet, you can belive it's true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (w6ez @ June 21 2004,15:32)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">If it's on the internet, you can belive it's true.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
absolutly

its the information age people, get it while you can!

of course you need to be aware of false information, but there is sooo much out there on the web that the percentage of it being false and true make for a lot of both!

(did that make sence? lol prolly not)