What a troll is

[billvon 2,475]

The latest thing to do here in the more contentious threads is to call other posters trolls. This may be an intentional misuse of the word to get people angry (in which case the post is, ironically, itself a troll) but I have a feeling it's because people aren't 100% sure what a troll is. From the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing:
-----------------
Troll: An electronic mail message, Usenet posting or other
(electronic) communication which is intentionally incorrect,
but not overtly controversial (compare flame bait), or the
act of sending such a message. Trolling aims to elicit an
emotional reaction from those with a hair-trigger on the reply
key. A really subtle troll makes some people lose their
minds.
-----------------

Hence, a jumper with 1000 jumps posting and saying "I have 25 jumps, should I buy a Velocity 92?" is a troll. A jumper with 25 jumps who really wants to buy a Velocity 92 for some stupid reason is not a troll, even if he's stubborn and foolish. Someone who posts "George Bush is a pedophile" is a troll (unless I missed some big news story) but someone who posts "Kerry's a dirty liar because he lied about his experiences in Vietnam" is not. You may disagree with that point of view; it may even anger you. But someone else's reaction to a post does not make it a troll. The only true trolls are people who post intentionally incorrect or misleading information specifically to cause controversy, rather than to present their point of view.

[freeryde13 0]

but still...i'm glad when i hear that troll thing...it means some one heard something that was out of their comfort zone....so they're being forced too expand their mind. and that scares them so the first thing they'll do is criticize. but at least they're hearing a new point of view..... and thats the firt step........... peace yaaaaa'll

_________________________________________

people see me as a challenge to their balance

[Deuce 1]

I was really hoping for a picture.

[billvon 2,475]

>I was really hoping for a picture.

I believe Gary350 has already obliged you. See his new avatar.

[Amazon 7]

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I was really hoping for a picture.

Hey Mr Photographer.. with all the bridges out there in that DELTA you jump in.. you should go in search of some... just think of the income potential

[mjosparky 3]

Are you sure of the definition or are you making that up? (Troll ?)
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[larry 0]

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people aren't 100% sure what a troll is

thanks, I was thinking of posting a similar thread to ask for clarification, I was thinking a troll is someone who posts anything weather or not its true, to keep their thread active

Using the same technique for different purpose… Is this also a troll?

edited for spelling

“Now click your heels together 3 times so you can return to Kansas to live in poverty with your teetotaling, dirt farming aunt and uncle!” paraphrased Prof. Farnsworth

[Luv2Fall 0]

Larry - Here's a definition of a "troll" found elsewhere on the web:

An Internet "troll" is a person who delights in sowing discord on the Internet. He (and it is usually he) tries to start arguments and upset people.

Trolls see Internet communications services as convenient venues for their bizarre game. For some reason, they don't "get" that they are hurting real people. To them, other Internet users are not quite human but are a kind of digital abstraction. As a result, they feel no sorrow whatsoever for the pain they inflict. Indeed, the greater the suffering they cause, the greater their 'achievement' (as they see it). At the moment, the relative anonymity of the net allows trolls to flourish.

Trolls are utterly impervious to criticism (constructive or otherwise). You cannot negotiate with them; you cannot cause them to feel shame or compassion; you cannot reason with them. They cannot be made to feel remorse. For some reason, trolls do not feel they are bound by the rules of courtesy or social responsibility.

Perhaps this sounds inconceivable. You may think, "Surely there is something I can write that will change them." But a true troll can not be changed by mere words.

[Glipazide 0]

My friends site... They are troll hunters www.trollhunters.com

http://sexygirlabs.com/url]

[McDuck 0]

I thought, with the title, that you were going to burst into song: "What a troll IS, what a troll NEEDS, what ever keeps them at bay sets us free..."

Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28
"I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC
Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school.

[turtlespeed 212]

Whoooohooooo! I'm not a TROLLLLLL!!!!!

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Nutz 0]

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edited for spelling

Maybe you should try again.

"Don't! Get! Eliminated!"

[billvon 2,475]

>I was thinking a troll is someone who posts anything weather or not
> its true, to keep their thread active . . .

That's a plain ol post whore.

[PETA 0]

post whore------see Canuckinusa

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I love animals.....they taste delicious

[jose 0]

***An Internet "troll" is a person who delights in sowing discord on the Internet. He (and it is usually he) tries to start arguments and upset people.

Trolls are utterly impervious to criticism (constructive or otherwise). You cannot negotiate with them; you cannot cause them to feel shame or compassion; you cannot reason with them. They cannot be made to feel remorse. For some reason, trolls do not feel they are bound by the rules of courtesy or social responsibility.

Perhaps this sounds inconceivable. You may think, "Surely there is something I can write that will change them." But a true troll can not be changed by mere words.
--------------------------------------------

Geeze Bill, I think Luv2Fall looked under BillVon in the dictionary instead of Troll. WAIT.........they are one in the same!!!! Holy Cow! All of a sudden, it makes so much sense.

[Kramer 0]

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I have a feeling people aren't 100% sure what a troll is.

Hey, that's me!
Thanks Bill, now I know what the hell everyone's talking about.

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[jmpnkramer 0]

Thanks for the True explaination Bill.

The only question is; how many people will read and adhere to it.


Laters,


.

The REAL KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!

"HESITATION CAUSES DEATH!!!"
"Be Slow to Fall into Friendship; but when Thou Art in, Continue Firm & Constant." - SOCRATES

[larry 0]

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edited for spelling

Maybe you should try again.

I don't see it, what is misspelled!?
Hey, are you trolling me?? j/k

“Now click your heels together 3 times so you can return to Kansas to live in poverty with your teetotaling, dirt farming aunt and uncle!” paraphrased Prof. Farnsworth

[Antithesis 0]

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Thanks for the True explaination Bill.

The only question is; how many people will read and adhere to it.


Laters,


.

No, I think that people will continue to call others "Trolls" every time that it suits their purposes or agenda.

I travel the land, Work in the ocean, Play in the sky

[samhussey 0]

You spelled wether as weather.

[Michele 1]

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You spelled wether as weather.

Sam, one of the first things to realize, when correcting others' spelling errors, is that inevitably you will have one of your own....

For instance, wether is defined here. What you meant was "whether", meaning "which of the two"....



Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[kallend 1,679]

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The latest thing to do here in the more contentious threads is to call other posters trolls. .

"You are a xxxxx" is a personal attack, isn't it?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Nutz 0]

Thanks Michele! Did you figure it out Larry?

"Don't! Get! Eliminated!"

[gary350 0]

Thanks Bill. Hope it's not too tacky to do this once, but because of relevance (IMNERHO), I'm going to post in this thread the same response I wrote in another:

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Wow, the things that pass for trolling these days. C'mon...the man posts an article and you call him a troll for it? That's a bit over the top, I think.

He didn't disagree. In fact he jokingly made a reference to the troll sign on his avatar. I don't think that I was over the top.

Perhaps a more astute observer would have seen the mocking, satiric nature of the response, and maybe, just maybe inferred that it was a way to gently express disgust by using self-deprecating humor instead of defensiveness or anger.

In fact, I do think that in general, this technique is disgusting - it's an attempt at censorship of postings that bring up subjects that are embarrassing or disagreeable to certain readers. Scream troll and hijack the thread and maybe the poster will be shamed into keeping quiet? I'm sure it works sometimes - not many folks, especially if relatively new to the online community, enjoy being humiliated and censured.

But it didn't work a few weeks ago when I posted the news, (accompanied by my sickened, satiric thanks to George Bush for providing it with his lies) that the 500th American soldier had been killed in Iraq. That post was a great example - the good little dittoheads quickly came out in force to express their boredom with the subject, distract from it with links to "gay-curious" websites, ridicule the poster, and of course scream "TROLL!" (even a moderator!)

Nice try, but despite the attempts at censorship, it turned out to be a 424 post long, pretty much civilized discussion of (mostly) America's policies regarding Iraq and of the Bush administration's lies - exactly what was intended by the original post, and a good use of the forum, IMO.

Looking back at it, I'm particularly interested to observe FallRate's contribution to the discussion about the milestone of 500 American soldiers being killed in Iraq:

(Defending Jimbo's "*Yawn*") >Actually, Jimbo might give the post a bit more consideration if he had the faintest reason to believe that Gary fives a fuck about the dead soldiers, instead of being quite giddy about the fact that he can use it to make a half-assed argument against the current administration.

(Response to Jimbo posting a link to a gay-curious website) >Hysterical, Jimbo!!! Kudos.

(Another defense of Jimbo's "*Yawn*") >The yawn was directed at the fact that your post is a blatant troll. But you know that...troll!

(Response to another poster calling Jimbo on his "boredom") >There are trolls. Then there are those losers who prop 'em up.

That's it. A serious thread that goes one week/424 posts and THAT is the entire contribution from FallRate. I'm NOT saying he doesn't have the right to say what he said or only contribute drivel to serious discussions or anything else - he does have the right to post whatever he wants within the rules. But I do think it is ironic that HE is the one screaming troll, or in the case of this thread, you.

Seems like there is a direct correlation between the level of discomfort with the subject matter (Bush, lies, dead Americans, dropping poll numbers...) and the likelihood that someone (dittoheads) will call troll, even if it isn't. Sure, you can adjust the definition of troll to suit your own needs and MAKE it fit, but I don't think that makes it right - I think it is a form of attempted censorship and complete bullshit.

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[Lindsey 0]

Damn bill....you made me cream again....

Peace~
Lindsey

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail