I looked in the forum rules but didn't find...

[sabo]

the definition of trolling... what does that mean? I know what trolling means when you fish but I've never heard it in terms of a message board.

could someone please enlighten me??

 

[MadScot]

I understand it to mean 'deliberately trying to provoke'. Usually in an off topic sense.

So, if a thread is discussing bananas, and you are passionate about how bananas ought to be, you can expound at length on bananas. Even if you know people will take issue with you about it (as long as you are somewhat polite).

But if the thread is about 'favourite colours' and you use yellow=bananas and start ranting about bananas, basically looking for someone to argue with you, cos you know another poster feels strongly about them too - that's trolling.

More common examples are turning every Civ3 thread into a "why Firaxis s***s" thread, or every modern politics thread into a 'the mideast is the "(insert race/tribe here)'s fault" thread

 

[sabo]

hmmm, well if that's the definition of trolling then all I have to say is... there seems to be alot of that going on around here....

it seems alot of people have issues with alot of things. Seems that some people just like to hear themselves B1tch

There is a saying in the USA describing people like that.

"If we were going to hang him, he'd complain if it wasn't a new rope"

 

[Chieftess]

The first time I heard of trolling, I envisioned these trolls (these big hairy things) that are near bridges and stuff..). Probably where the name came from.

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Even on topic truthful posts may be trolling if their intent appears to be provocation.

 

[sabo]

Originally posted by Chieftess
The first time I heard of trolling, I envisioned these trolls (these big hairy things) that are near bridges and stuff..). Probably where the name came from.

hahahaha good guess Chieftess but I think it comes from "fishing" terms

trolling is a term used in fishing where you are in a slow moving boat and you have your line in the water. It somewhat simulates live bait swimming through the water. Normally you would fish from a stationary boat.

So I think trolling comes from the fishing term, to try and "provoke" the fish to bite....

 

[ainwood]

Originally posted by sabo10
trolling is a term used in fishing where you are in a slow moving boat and you have your line in the water. It somewhat simulates live bait swimming through the water. Normally you would fish from a stationary boat.

So I think trolling comes from the fishing term, to try and "provoke" the fish to bite....

I always thought that was called "trawling".

 

[MadScot]

Originally posted by ainwood
I always thought that was called "trawling".

trawl:
[v] to fish with a trawl qv
[n] a large conical net drawn along the sea bottom to catch fish

troll:
[v] to fish, esp. by drawing a hook through the water
[n] a lure used in trolling qv

Trawling seeks to trap the fish in a net;
trolling tries to tempt the fish with bait.

 

[ainwood]

Thanks!

 

[sabo]

I'm sorry, this has really been pissing me off. You do not need to use two question marks. One is fine. It makes you sound like some crazed maniac. It isn't polite. And what's with the double parenthesis? You only need one


This was in a post in GD, I bet this would be a good example of trolling huh???

 

[Perfection]

I would say that is more of an flame than a troll just a personal attack due to the loss of an arguement

 

[sabo]

the guy didnt' lose an arguement though, he was just saying nice things about someones post.