No, seriously, I am not being a smart arce.....
I have seen a 'cartoon' of a troll.....it's a horrible monster of a person who goes to forums just to be a cruel jerk.

Can someone please tell me what a 'troll' is?
Thank you!

__________________
I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy

Basically just what you said.
A person who goes to forums to try and create chaos.
They generally post similar things in all threads. Antagonize at least one specific group or person.

They like to stir the pot and see who will engage them in arguments.

Some times playing with trolls is fun. Some trolls however are out to destroy. The trick is knowing which is which before they succeed in destroying.

Some trolls are good at hiding too and only pop out now and then.

Then you have the under cover ones who act like normal members and suddenly grow horns and fangs and get nasty.

I have seen them all and it is not always easy to know them.

__________________
2Ti 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Just keep looking, and you will find one or two.

__________________
Eternity will arrive sooner than you think. Are you prepping?

I am glad you asked because I was curious as well. I once felt like someone was accusing me of being a troll and I wasn't even sure what that meant. I do go to several different forums mostly to get info on one thing or another. There are some folks on here that are very helpful and then there are others that are just not real welcoming. I have thought about getting out several times but then someone really does come in with a great answer without being mean about it.

A troll=anyone who does not agree with you.
That is the way it is seen by many.

People in the UP of Michigan refer to all of us who live south the Mackinaw Bridge as trolls...with love and respect, of course.

I think it's easy to pick them out. The biggest tip off is they rarely (if ever) participate in giving helpful information or neighborly advice. Rather spend all their time stiring the pot and trying to get every one all upset -- for no other reason than to put the attention on themself.

__________________
"Challenges are what make life interesting -- overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

I was a troll on a cooking forum for claiming Man, not God, developed orange carrots. I was a troll on a canning forum for claiming that improperly preserved food may cause serious illnesses or death. So, whatever the definition is must also include whatever I am.

Martin

A troll is often someone who ruins everyone else's back slapping party. They're trying to have fun and self reenforce. When you take that away from them they tend to gnash their teeth. Snarky is when you run their faces in it.

__________________
Vicker
If you're born to hang, you'll never drown.

I have to disagree Karen. This is true of MOST trolls.
Some are more patient and can act normal then all of a sudden, BOOM, the explode.
Those are the dangerous ones.

I have dealt will many trolls over the 10 years I have had my site up. The best thing to do is discover, delete and block.

__________________
2Ti 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

* * * * * *
If spending time on the political forum, you will find that liberals
sincerely believe that ANYONE who disagrees with their POV, is a troll.

Conversely, those on the other side, believe otherwise!


Laura. . . you've got more posts than me; can't believe
that you haven't run into your own share of trolls by now.
Are you sure that this post of yours wasn't just an attempt
of grabbing some poor soul minding their own business,
while strolling across your bridge?

__________________
NDAA signing.

Summary:

On this anniversary of the Bill of Rights,
we are here to commemorate it’s demise....

Nope.
I was accused of trolling......and I 'thought' I knew what it meant, but wanted a clairification.
I didn't think I was 'trolling'......maybe 'over reacting'.......but I was not 'trolling' per the above definitions. Just lookin' for clairity!!

PS: I am terrified of bridges!

__________________
I am sure of two things: There is a God, and I am not Him.
The movie Rudy

[QUOTE=Laura
PS: I am terrified of bridges![/QUOTE]
* * * * *
On them, looking down,I can understand (fear of heights), but beneath them,
looking up and since it's troll nature to reach up and grab the ankles of the
unwary passerby and then snack on them at their leisure. . . well. . .

Suffice to say, you're NOT a troll.

__________________
NDAA signing.

Summary:

On this anniversary of the Bill of Rights,
we are here to commemorate it’s demise....

In my experiences , on many websites , a Troll is someone that wants to attack you and hide behind the TOS , trolls don't want reasonable discussion , they seek only to disrupt and demean whatever a person says , these attacks take many forms , most are personal in nature , filled with insults and slanderous innuendo . It don't matter that you try to make reasonable & courteous discuission , you'll still be attacked , and most trolls are vicious and vehement , but they always wind up blaming you for their anger . That's a Troll trademark , it's always your fault .

the best way I know of to spot a troll is in their 3rd reply to your post , if their posts is / are filled with profanity & insults , that's a troll , if they attack you for what you have said , without any effort to make reasonable discussion , and their post to you makes you angry enough to respond in kind , that is what trolls want you to do , that was their intention all along . Trolls are stalkers , and once they target you , you're in for a rough time .

Most trolls confine themselves to the political & religious threads , that way , they can get around the site TOS . most Mods won't intervene on these threads , since politics & religion are two topics that are a donnybrook anyway , so most Mods just prefer to let folks fight it out on their own .

I've not seen that here on Homesteading Today , which is the main reason I am here , although I have not posted as of yet on these two forums .

I hope that helps .

I think alot of the people that help out in forums, are great people.
But, I think religion, politics, and singles topics seem to bring out alot of passion in people.
Please make sure your suspected "troll" is a troll.
Before blocking them.
Passion is great, and you can learn alot from opinion.

I think that's only other Michiganders though,Its how the Uppers differentiate between them and us.

it not south of the bridge its "under the bridge"...

An yes I'm a troll but can do a good Upper accent.

__________________
Visit Us at
Bit busy (Slow),sites down visit our face book page until things are fixed,Thank You!
http://www.facebook.com/RebelRiseFarm

I've been face to face with a real live troll. Locked in a jury room.
We spent days bringing diverse (to put it mildly) opinions into agreement. People were anxious and short tempered as they were losing money by being kept out of work. We finally reached an accord. When the troll piped up- " I'm changing my vote. I want to shake things up."
He immediately discovered the difference between being a troll from the safety of the internet. I'm surprised he did not spontaneously burst into flames with the power of the anger directed at him.
Trolls are trolls because they can be.

__________________
And it puzzle me to learn
That tho' a man may be in doubt of what he know
Very quickly he will fight
He'll fight to prove that what he does not know is so
- Oscar Hammerstein

A forum troll doesn't live under a bridge.
Fishermen go trolling, dragging a lure through a school of poor fish, enticing them to go into a frenzy and bite at the lure.
So do forum trolls.
Don't bite at their lures. Don't feed the trolls.