I've been reading these postings for a week, researching Y2K for two and a half years. I'm neither a poly (got that one), nor a techie (and that). Will someone please explain 'troll' to me. I think it's something nasty, but I'd like a context.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseyd@silcom.com), September 06, 1999

Answers

Troll: A creature that hides under the bridge (forum) and lurks (looks), waiting for unsuspecting passerbys (postings), then leaps out and says something really stupid (that needs a come-back retaliation) or provoking (to get a sadistic rise).

Don't feed the trolls: If one ignores the troll, it may crawl back under the bridge until it finds a newbie to harrass. By not feeding the Troll, this keeps the threads somewhat on track.

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), September 06, 1999.

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), September 06, 1999.

I don't know but I've been told that this person, Diane J. Squire, is a troll. I don't know what that means, but it is what I've been told.

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 06, 1999.

Casey,

Depends on who you ask. I get the sense that their IS a technical definition - A person who posts somethng strictly for purposes of irritating/angering others, and more specifically when said irritating post doesn't even reveal the true feelings of the poster (generally done incognito). An example would be a polly who assumes a one post nickname and makes some outrageous and credulity-straining prediction about the end of the world, for purposes of making G.I.s look silly. A true troll is not interested in just adding diversity of opinion or even in just livening things up a bit, but in setting people at each other's throats.

On the other hand, if you're in a foul enough mood, any statement that pisses you off is a troll post. And there are some people who never seem to get out of that particular mood....

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), September 06, 1999.

A troll sets out bait to lure people into verbal nets.

Jerry

P.S. The suggestion that Diane is a troll is itself trollish.

-- Jerry B (skeptic76@erols.com), September 06, 1999.

i Am a TRoLL yOu IDIoT!!!!! a TRoLL caLLs pEOpLE NaMES, dOES hE NoT????? nAMES lIkE IDiOT buNGHoLe!!!!!! HyeNA REcTUm!!!!! bUZzaRD SCroTUm!!!!!!! iNFIdeL BUttPlUG!!!!!!! iT IS lUCkY fOR DIeTeR thAt HE haS A wAY WItH THe LadiES, aND An iNNAtE wiSDOM wHICh moRTaL huMAns FInd AwE InspIRInG!!!!!! idIOT AMeoBA drOPPiNGs!!!!!! diLLwEEd VUltURe ArmPiT SNiFferS!!!!!!!

oNE MorE THiNG, mR. inqUISIToR!!!!!

i hATe YoU!!!!!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 06, 1999.

Somehow, seeing a sysop in a troll suit is what MY wife sees every AM!

Can't seem to keep her fingers off the keys.

ANYWAY, I HARDLY think DS qualifies, in ANY of the descriptive catagories.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 06, 1999.

Casey, dw told you true, and Y2K cracked us all up with his cute animation. But Z1X is pulling your leg about Diane (while pulling her leg,too, I imagine). She is a moderator on this forum, who tries to keep the debates grounded in reason and civility, and offers alot of helpful assists to "newbies" and other posters. This thread did have me chuckling, and sharing a laugh with my techie 13 year old son; just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated you all providing the material...:)

-- Kristi (KsaintA@aol.com), September 06, 1999.

Casey,

Welcome to the brood. I look forward to your posts.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), September 06, 1999.

Thank you all for your answers. I loved the visual. Shall I assume Dieter is a troll? Or perhaps just one of the children playing with the keyboard. I'll fade quietly into the lurking area and finish the July BIS report. I found Roger Ferguson's remarks to be somewhat alarming in regard to his optimistic assessment of the Federal Reserve Board's status.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseyd@silcom.com), September 07, 1999.

Of cOUrSE YoU SHouLD AssUmE THaT DIetER Is a TRoLL!!!!!!! idIOT!!!!!! dId nOT dieTEr jUSt adMIt tHAT VeRY thIng???????? wHy Do iNFIdeLS InsISt oN TOyINg wITh dIEteR????? wHY CaNNoT YoU BuzZARdS LeT DIeTER sLeeP?????? enOUgH JacKASselRy yOu HYenA, enOUgH i SAy!!!!!

i HAtE YoU!!!!!! a LoT!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 07, 1999.

CAREFUL, Deiter. THere is still a caged beaver around here somewhere, and I GOTS THE KEY! or maybe CLAMS gots the key. Whatever...

CHuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 07, 1999.

DiETeR has transcended trolldumb and is the official TB2K MassCot. Wanna shelter with him? ;@}

-- committee (DiETeR@for.Prez), September 07, 1999.

"CHuck"???? "CHuck"???? hMmMMMMmm.... oK, "CHuck" DietER sHaLL LeaVe THe inFIdeL aLOne!!!!! bUT yOu, "CHuck", ArE A dIFFerENt MaTTeR, ArE YoU NoT?????? oF COurSE!!!!! cAN yOu NoT SeE ThE ProCEss, "CHuck"????? igNOrE THe PoD UndER yOuR BeD "CHuck"!!!!! tHE PoD Is gOOd!!!!!! gO To tHE PoD!!!!!! beCOmE OnE!!!!!! aahhhhHHHHH!!! bLisS!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 07, 1999.

Dieter, troll that you are, I shall toss you something tasty, simply because 'things are seldom what they seem.' I'd rather face you than another optimistic, obscure Y2K compliance report. All is not well, but you make me laugh -- that alone is worth much. And, by the way, I'm one of the ladies.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseyd@silcom.com), September 07, 1999.

Casey! DO YOU LIKE TO MUDWRESTLE ??

-- committee of behalf of (King@of.Spain), September 07, 1999.

KOS, Yes, my liege, everyday. I was hoping you'd ask.

-- Casey DeFranco (caseyd@silcom.com), September 07, 1999.

vERy wELL tHEn!!!!! yOU aRE noW mS. inqUISiToR!!!!!!! aND dIETeR REvoKEs HaTReD oF FemALe hUMaNS, dOES hE nOt????? naTURLicH!!!!!! NoW Let dIEteR SLeeP, LiEbLIng!!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 07, 1999.