See it frequently: What exactly is a "troll"?

This topic and all the above answers are stupid!

I.E. Something like that :).

I tend to like trolls. It seems to me that whenever one appears on any of the forums I have frequented they seem to stir things up. Perhaps that is viewed as not good, and perhaps it isnt. However, it also seems that the majority of contributors to these forums tend to be in agreement, ultimately, and tend to stand together when all is said and done, and the evidence of this in place for all to see. Whenever a conflicting point of view arrives to shake things up it also tends to affirm that which is agreed upon and may be true. Even in those instances when there is no resolve, I have seen many wonderful examples of debate where those involved managed to be generous, patient and respectful.All this, and time and time again when trouble might have been expected outcome. So, trolling may be born out of selfish motives, or the desire to provoke people or cause confusion, but it rarely has the power to compromise the truth as it is understood, or to compromise those who value respectful discourse. The evidence of this is easy enough to find if anyone doubts it.

All of you are wrong, here is an accurate description of a Toll:

BAY AREA
Bay Bridge to expand FasTrak
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

Three more lanes at the Bay Bridge toll plaza will be reserved for FasTrak users later this month, giving Interstate 880 drivers the chance to pay their tolls electronically but threatening to create gridlock if too many commuters insist on paying with cash.

Officials with Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission said Tuesday that the three northernmost lanes at the 21-lane Bay Bridge toll plaza -- known to commuters as the mini plaza -- will be converted to dedicated FasTrak lanes on June 27.

"We have heard your demand for more FasTrak lanes at the Bay Bridge,'' Bijan Sartipi, Caltrans district director, said at a news conference at FasTrak's new customer service center in San Francisco.

OH, you said TROLL, (never mind).

I dont know what any of this has to do with the fact that cds SUCK and anolog is GOD and tubes RULE and zip cord is as good as ANY CABLE and my 1982 Sansui Receiver BLOWS AWAY Levinson seperates...and oh yeh, Krell SUCKS!?

This might not make it through but I've also wondered what a troll is and it seems to mean different things to different people. One that comes to mind is on DK amps. There were alot of posters who would post saying how this amp beat out such and such an amp, a killer. But those posters by checking their threads had only posted once or twice and all on the same subject. They had no history on Audiogon but they were making to some an inflammatory thread. They were called trolls. From what I saw it didn't benefit the manufacturer by posting the thread and for the most part didn't do any good for the community. For me the real problem is what if the DK amp is very good for it's price range and the trollers are actually causing harm to the sales of the designer. Being a troll doesn't seem to be good but as Elizabeth said, it really is the true intentions of the poster that is important to decide if they are trolling or not. This is actually a very good question to see what people think a troll is on this site, not just a dictionary description of what trolling is. ( After reading the last sentence I wish I had spell check on this site:-) )

Boss302