# Troll alert!! Troll alert!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 27, 1999, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751 "1999-10-27T23:07:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/41 "1999-10-30T16:02:00Z")
\*ahem. . . sorry. My fingers just got that past me while I was answering a question my daughter asked. I’ll try to keep them under control in the future. Bad fingers!\* * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/42 "1999-10-30T16:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A troll is one who posts merely to get a reaction from the other posters, essentially “fishing” for a response. I have a problem with this definition. Because the whole idea of posting to this board, as I understand it, is to get a response from someone with an opposing viewpoint. So we are all looking for reactions and responses. Perhaps the definition should be slightly modified: “A troll is one whose posts are devoid of any substance or meaning, and whose basic function on the board is to piss people off.” * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 1999, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/43 "1999-10-31T05:03:00Z")
**Rousseau** , note the word “merely.” While most people want the response that is included in the give and take of discussion, a troll does not care about that. A troll’s game is to see how many strikes he can get on his line. There is no “give” for the troll, simply a baited hook. Responses are simply attempts to refresh the bait. That said, the frequent use of the word as a pejorative, and the instant image that the word calls up of a horrible creature below a bridge, has resulted in a many people calling everyone whose posts they don’t like “trolls.” Since there is no “Acadamie InterNet” to maintain the purity of our cyber communication, we just have to live with it (or wrangle over it) as our personalities dictate. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 1999, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/44 "1999-10-31T05:31:00Z")
Ah. Good point. Thank you for the clarification. * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/45 "1999-10-30T19:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A troll’s game is to see how many strikes he can get on his line. There is no “give” for the troll, simply a baited hook. Responses are simply attempts to refresh the bait. - Tomndebb I’d like to revise that metaphor: - Posting small, specialized, different subjects, with little luck = **flycasting** ; - Posting primary color issues (sex, 2nd Amendment…) with some success = **baitcasting** ; - Repeatedly sticking to the same subject over & over, back & forth = **trolling** ; - Lonely posts on smple subjects that just sit there = **cane pole fishin’** - what trolls do = **dynamite fishing**. Public reaction is about the same, minus the criminal penalties [unfortunately]. * * * _O le mea a tamaali’i fa’asala, a o le mea a tufanua fa’alumaina._ ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/46 "1999-10-30T22:44:00Z")
If the fishing metaphor is true, when does he fall (or get pushed) overboard? * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 1999, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/47 "1999-10-31T06:44:00Z")
When does he fall overboard? Well, I reckon dynamite fishing on a frozen Icelandic lake is a self-correcting problem. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 1999, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/48 "1999-10-31T08:46:00Z")
Oh no… [http://www.icenews.is//daily/1995/11jul95.html#afr](http://www.icenews.is//daily/1995/11jul95.html#afr) ---
**Author:** ![bj0rn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@bj0rn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bj0rn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 1999, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/49 "1999-11-02T23:06:00Z")
yes jorge…thats what we call old news. tomnebb: 🙂 thank you. and in this scenario you should be named socrates. bj0rn ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/50 "1999-11-06T10:00:00Z")
Hi Bjorn. Hopefully you got a chuckle out of it… no sooner did I make a disparaging remark about Icelandic fishing practices (although this **is** the “Pit”, I noticed that clip where Iceland’s technical assistance in fishing practices was being exported :)… Ciao. ---
**Author:** ![Byzantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@Byzantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Byzantine)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/51 "1999-11-06T10:41:00Z")
## Okay, this is so hopelessly lost… I’m a TROLL. Yeah, really, it’s true. Go check out my posts… I’m the biggest fucking TROLL in the entire world. Yeah. Sure. Anything to draw attention and feeding away from these major assholes. STOP FEEDING THESE SHITHEADS! Go feed someone with something to say. I’m not saying I’m the best or worst but shit fire and save matches! My CATS have more to say than these poo-heads… Best! Byz ---
**Author:** ![Byzantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@Byzantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Byzantine)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/52 "1999-11-09T10:42:00Z")
Okay, three fucking days and that stupid shithead is still getting attention on another thread. No one has posted here… obviously I’m NOT a troll. And I killed this thread somehow… sorta… I guess… why is it I respond, talk to you, post at large all over the board and you STILL throw your attention to that massive assmuncher? WHY? He doesn’t deserve it yet you still lavish him with your words… sad, so fucking sad. I guess I should go out and post a bunch of weird, spelling impaired threads and posts and maybe, just maybe, I could get even ½ the attention HE does! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/53 "1999-11-09T11:40:00Z")
No Byz, you didn’t kill the thread. We took your advice, determined you are indeed a troll, and from then on, we just started ignoring you. ## And I’m not even supposed to be saying this… Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![bj0rn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@bj0rn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bj0rn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 1999, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751/54 "1999-11-09T15:10:00Z")
hehehe… 🙂 its strange, you posted again just to get attention?? havent you got anything to say? if not, oh…sorry, im not allowed to talk about it! bj0rn [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troll-alert-troll-alert/2751.md?page=2)