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Can someone explain to me what a troll is & it's intended purpose?

post #1 of 53
10/26/09 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 
I guess I've always been curious about this from the time I started visiting forums. It appears some of us get pretty upset if they suspect one. My other question is why should someone even pay that much attention to something they consider nonsensical or ficticious ? To my knowledge the "Truth Police" can't protect everyone no matter how hard they try! Some people insist they don't need the help.
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post #2 of 53
10/26/09 at 3:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Podtweaker View Post
I guess I've always been curious about this from the time I started visiting forums. It appears some of us get pretty upset if they suspect one. My other question is why should someone even pay that much attention to something they consider nonsensical or ficticious ? To my knowledge the "Truth Police" can't protect everyone no matter how hard they try! Some people insist they don't need the help.
I don't understand the question... There is no intended purpose... at least not by those being trolled. The reason people troll is because they seek attention...

Its not desired by the online community and its often hard to ignore. That's why God created moderators.
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post #3 of 53
10/26/09 at 3:18pm
Clear enough?
Quote:
A troll is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.
Troll (Internet) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
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post #4 of 53
10/26/09 at 3:36pm
i dont really know what one is, just think its someone annoying and new generally
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post #5 of 53
10/26/09 at 3:36pm
DO NOT FEED. wait for the thread lock/delete. For those who do not know what a troll is, if you reply you will be in waters under the bridge.
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post #6 of 53
10/26/09 at 4:10pm
I thought they only lived under bridges and menaced goats?
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post #7 of 53
10/26/09 at 4:21pm
Classically a troll is a person (or post) that takes a position solely for the purpose of irritating the rest of the community - a "successful" troll gets lots of bites - i.e. people replying to either debunk the troll's argument or generally disagree.

The trollish poster wants this, they can then engage in a random debate they have no real investment in for a little while. If members of the community actually get upset over this debate, the trollish poster is doubly successful.

However, the term often gets misused - people who don't know any better (and a few that do) use the term troll for posts or posters that they don't agree with or just plain don't like. One can also be a jerk without being a troll.

See also: Sock puppet.
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post #8 of 53
10/26/09 at 4:56pm
You sure this troll thread isn't a troll itself? I LOL @ this thread.
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post #9 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fenixdown110 View Post
You sure this troll thread isn't a troll itself? I LOL @ this thread.
I figured it might be but thought I'd bite anyways. Figured that's what manaox2 was warning everyone about too.
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post #10 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by adrift View Post
I figured it might be but thought I'd bite anyways. Figured that's what manaox2 was warning everyone about too.
The entire point of trolling is to subtly try to piss people off for your own amusement. I don't think the OP's post is inflammatory in any way, thus not trolling. And if he is trying to troll then I suggest he refine his technique.
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post #11 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Podtweaker View Post
I guess I've always been curious about this from the time I started visiting forums. It appears some of us get pretty upset if they suspect one. My other question is why should someone even pay that much attention to something they consider nonsensical or ficticious ? To my knowledge the "Truth Police" can't protect everyone no matter how hard they try! Some people insist they don't need the help.
You could be a troll..
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post #12 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:08pm
Cables do make a huge difference and if you don't agree it is obvious that you have a bad system and/or tin ears.
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post #13 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:14pm
Everyone here is a troll!
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post #14 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by greenhorn View Post
Cables do make a huge difference and if you don't agree it is obvious that you have a bad system and/or tin ears.
Yeah, good example. Every time someone posts something like this, or even says they like a certain cable, the trolls come out to argue about it.
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post #15 of 53
10/26/09 at 5:35pm
PhilS, please don't troll in this thread!

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