Sry but what is a troll?

[gregl26]

I see ppl always refering to "trolls", pardon my ignorance but what is that?

[hillertexas]

Welcome to the forum, Greg! :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response.

The term troll is highly subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. The term is often erroneously used to discredit an opposing position, or its proponent, by argument fallacy ad hominem.
Often, calling someone a troll makes assumptions about a writer's motives. Regardless of the circumstances, controversial posts may attract a particularly strong response from those unfamiliar with the robust dialogue found in some online, rather than physical, communities.
Experienced participants in online forums know that the most effective way to discourage a troll is usually to ignore him or her, because responding encourages a true troll to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning "Please do not feed the troll".

A concern troll is a pseudonym created by a user whose point of view is opposed to the one that the user's sockpuppet claims to hold. The concern troll posts in web forums devoted to its declared point of view and attempts to sway the group's actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with professed "concerns". The goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt within the group.
For example, in 2006 a top staffer for then-Congressman Charlie Bass (R-NH) was caught posing as a "concerned" supporter of Bass's opponent, Democrat, Paul Hodes on several liberal New Hampshire blogs, using the pseudonyms "IndieNH" or "IndyNH." "IndyNH" expressed concern that Democrats might just be wasting their time or money on Hodes, because Bass was unbeatable. Bass ended up losing the election.

Trolling is a game about identity deception, albeit one that is played without the consent of most of the players. The troll attempts to pass as a legitimate participant, sharing the group's common interests and concerns; the newsgroups members, if they are cognizant of trolls and other identity deceptions, attempt to both distinguish real from trolling postings, and upon judging a poster a troll, make the offending poster leave the group. Their success at the former depends on how well they — and the troll — understand identity cues; their success at the latter depends on whether the troll's enjoyment is sufficiently diminished or outweighed by the costs imposed by the group.
Trolls can be costly in several ways. A troll can disrupt the discussion on a newsgroup, disseminate bad advice, and damage the feeling of trust in the newsgroup community. Furthermore, in a group that has become sensitized to trolling — where the rate of deception is high — many honestly naïve questions may be quickly rejected as trollings. This can be quite off-putting to the new user who upon venturing a first posting is immediately bombarded with angry accusations. Even if the accusation is unfounded, being branded a troll is quite damaging to one's online reputation."

[InLoveWithRon]

heh.. you must either be very young.. Or very new to the web

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[gregl26]

K, thx for the timely response

[InLoveWithRon]

look here.. Someone thinks the good doctor is a troll

http://citizenrock.org/blog/index.php?/archives/166-Ron-Paul-is-a-Troll....html

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[fmontez]

I see ppl always refering to "trolls", pardon my ignorance but what is that?

Usually it is someone that wants to silence other opinions so they accuse someone else of coming to the forums to destroy the content, but really it is just their desire to control all thought. There are far more of these trolls then actual traditional trolls.

Traditional trolls "troll, as in fishing" by making up silly arguments and try to stire up a forum, blog, etc...

[fmontez]

look here.. Someone thinks the good doctor is a troll

http://citizenrock.org/blog/index.php?/archives/166-Ron-Paul-is-a-Troll....html

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OMGosh, have you looked at that thread.. that is NOT funny!

[evandi]

Troll:

-noun
1. fmontez
2. Anyone who tries to subvert a forum.
3. Anyone who ridicules the belief that some people from Dailykos, Wonkette or Freerepublic might be intelligent enough to and/or bored enough to sign up here and pretend to be a Ron Paul supporter while not actually being one.
4. Anyone who constantly tries to dismiss any criticism of people in power.
5. Anyone who calls me a troll.

[purplechoe]

http://eatourbrains.com/EoB/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/troll.jpg

[nodope0695]

look here.. Someone thinks the good doctor is a troll

http://citizenrock.org/blog/index.php?/archives/166-Ron-Paul-is-a-Troll....html

.

I feel sorry for the saddly misinformed person who wrote that blog.:( Hopefully he or she read, and took to heart, the comments people posted in response.

[devil21]

Troll:

-noun
1. fmontez

Nuff said.

[pcosmar]

Though "hillertexas" gave a good responce, there is much information available. Here are a few more links.
http://www.flayme.com/troll/#What
http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killfile/antitrollfaqhtm.htm

Where I live in the UP of Michigan we are referred to as Yoopers.and Trolls are anyone that lives
"under da Bridge"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yooper_dialect


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Yooper


Yooper is a common term for residents of the Upper Penisula of Michigan. It is derived from the initials U.P. which is pronounced you-pee. U.P. stands for Upper Peninsula, as opposed to the lower peninsula of Michigan.

It is not a derogortory term. It is used mainly by residents of lower Michigan and Wisconsin.

That person is a yooper from Escanaba, Michigan.

Yoopers make fun of Trolls. Trolls are from 'down below', referring to lower Michigan.
Yoopers come from above the bridge, referring to the Mackinac Bridge, which separates upper Michigan from lower Michigan.
Yoopers have a habit of saying 'youse guy's' or often putting 'eh' after a statement. ie; Hey,youse guys, we're proud to be yoopers, eh?.

[Fields]

http://eatourbrains.com/EoB/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/troll.jpg

hahahaha, I think my sister still has those ugly things. :D