Please forgive this probably very stupid? question..I am new to this forum and have noticed this term at others..but what are trolls? I know the fairy tale version,trolls living under bridges,in caves etc., but how does the term apply to postings? Obviously these trolls are not liked but what is their agenda?

-- marlin case (cased@email.com), January 15, 2000

Answers

By and large, trolls in TB context are youngsters with too much time on their hands. They post to draw fire then sit back and chuckle when one or more of us takes them seriously.

-- Carlos (riffraff1@cybertime.net), January 15, 2000.

thanks,I thought thats what the term meant..but I wasn't sure..I guess unless a person spends a lot of time with message board readings sometimes different terms may mean other things

-- marlin case (cased@email.com), January 15, 2000.

It also comes from the fishing term "trolling." sometimes, people come into the forum and deliberately make provocative or stupid comments like a fisherman would "troll" for fish, but trolling for conflict or confrontation over the y2k issue. You could also say "baiting."

In other words, trolls are not looking for sincere conversation or real dialogue but are trying to provoke people.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), January 15, 2000.