On Tue, Dec 21, 2004 at 10:24:09PM -0500, Pete Theisen wrote:
> Paul M Foster wrote:
> <snip>
> >
> >Or perhaps just quit trolling on a Linux list.
> >
>
> Hi Paul!
>
> Not quite sure what you mean by "trolling". If I were to use the term I
> would be accusing the person of insincerity. If you mean to say that, I
> apologize for all my shortcomings.
>
> Regards,
>
> Pete
In case anyone else wonders....
1. v.,n. [From the Usenet group alt.folklore.urban] To utter a posting
on {Usenet} designed to attract predictable responses or {flame}s; or,
the post itself. Derives from the phrase "trolling for {newbie}s" which
in turn comes from mainstream "trolling", a style of fishing in which
one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The
well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of newbies and
flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than they already do,
while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in
fact a deliberate troll. If you don't fall for the joke, you get to be
in on it. See also {YHBT}.
2. n. An individual who chronically trolls in sense 1; regularly posts
specious arguments, flames or personal attacks to a newsgroup,
discussion list, or in email for no other purpose than to annoy someone
or disrupt a discussion. Trolls are recognizable by the fact that they
have no real interest in learning about the topic at hand - they simply
want to utter flame bait. Like the ugly creatures they are named after,
they exhibit no redeeming characteristics, and as such, they are
recognized as a lower form of life on the net, as in, "Oh, ignore him,
he's just a troll." Compare {kook}.
Paul
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