Thanks a lot for this thread, I'd heard the term but not understood what it was, other than unpopular, lol.
I tend to agree with Banjo, without specific names, but he has a very valid and timely point, IMO.

I think that trolling and flaming are
inter-related. Trolling to me is -
purposely putting up a provocative topic for
discussion as "bait," hoping for a "bite,"
so to speak. The person has no interest in
actually knowing anything about the topic
they simply want to stir things up or "flame-bait."
Flaming is posting something that insulting, eg.
"you bloody idiot," et cetera.

What I have a problem with is - how can you tell
when a person is actually trolling - or when they
believe in what they're posting?

I'm coming to the conclusion that there are very
few genuine "trolls," as such on the internet.
Just people with various points of view. And
arguments that get emotional, heated, and at times
insulting, as a result of strong feelings.

examinator
The words provocatively/negative/nasty etc have so many different meanings between people from defferent backgrounds!
If we start to exclude, one after the other, if we exclude some because wrote "more of Kevin/Malcolm's crap" and the other because grabed an opportunity to promote his ideas in a very similar subject, if we PUT EVERYWHERE BORDERS AND LIMITS at the end we will CREATE A BIG CASE to stay in, as prisoners of our limits.
For me there is no troll, something different from my ideas, something different from me, but this is not negative, this is not a disadvandage, this is not a problem!
Let's leave all flowers to flourish!
Antonis Symeonakis
Adelaide

Foxy
They simply want to stir things up,
Are you afraid from this?
Are you worry from stir things up?
Is not it part from a debate? Is not it the best part of the debate?
I THINK THE STIR THINGS UP IS THE SEOUL OF A DEBATE!
Mediterraneans have different, hot mentality, do not exclude us because we are not like YOU!
Antonis Symeonakis
Adelaide

ok i will try to define the undefinable

trolling is the excuse given..when others cant rebut your debate.. and yet want to reply something to have the last say..[or a forum manager needs to give a reason for censoring a former poster]the vague definitive acusation of some deemable impropriaty

or when someone dosnt want the specific response or comment made ,to become part of a narrow or selective subjective subjective topic[a specific directional change away from an intended point made by the either the respondant or origonal poster of topic

its a clatons response..[the response you get when the point made is unrebutable ,yet thus voiced to silence disent][seeking either to alianate or censure a repondant.

amoung other things trolling is generally either off topic or deemed off topic, made by one who's word/meaning/understanding is exposed as lacking in meaning or substantiatable fact..[vis ;blind bias that precludes specific limitations] [and/or so named by such a one who's word skill is limited, thus exposing an unwanted direction the poster or moderator cant handle

some voice complaint of trolling ,..seeking censure, others voice complaint of trolling because of fear or malicious intent, but i see it as a sign of insecurity..[when words fail to achieve what their ego concieved..[be it true or faulse]..such are my thoughts on the topic at this time

trolling is a way to try to step away from their [a] prior written definitve but weak point [without losing face].. an attemt to lure you back to or away from a definitive topical limitation

As I was labelled a troll by several unwise people when I came back to OLO I find the word laughable.

Many people use it to denounce someone who debates in a determined and forceful manner.

I guess that is why I was captain of the debating team..Maybe my style made me a troll in the defeated minds of my opponents...lol

Please don't think I won every debate...but I rattled plenty of cages...lol

I've noticed, but of course may be incorrect, the people who use such names either object to a person's argumentative style, aren't winning the debate OR just do it to try to undermine a person's status amongst other posters.

In that way I suspect the people who use the term troll against someone, are either being a troll themselves OR are unable to use debate to convince people of their points of view. Either way you have defeated them as soon as they resort to the word.

All name calling is rather silly (although I may have been guilty of it at times) but hey if you can dish it out, you should be able to take it.

I gave up arguing politics many months back because I got tired of the usual Labor/Liberal garbage.

I dislike and don't trust all politicians equally and generally speaking, it seems, I am proven right...lmao

I haven't found anyone here that I would lower my standards to call a troll. Misguided and wrong yes, a troll NO!

Only joking!