What is a troll by the way? [offtopic]

[Quinn Dunkan]

On Sat, 21 Aug 1999 12:35:05 GMT, Michael P. Reilly <arcege at shore.net> wrote:
>Chad Netzer <chad at vision.arc.nasa.gov> wrote:
>: Robert Kern wrote:
>
>:> _Troll_ is a USENET term for someone that deliberately posts an
>:> inflammatory message simply to stir up argument.
>
>: I've found it funny to watch this term evolve over the past few years.
>: It started (I believe) as a reference to the fishing term, and used to
>: mean "trolling for flames" (ie. hoping to bring flames to the
>: discussion), perhaps employing "flame bait" for this purpose.

You've just learned another usenet principle: threads veering off-track into
detailed obscurity as people feel obliged to reveal their knowledge.  You can
learn a lot of interestingrandomuseless this way.

>It is the same with me; I was around during the Spam Wars, when the
>term "spam" was first created (yes, it was after the Monty Python
>sketch).

Hmm, even if it's not the original reason the term came into use, spam still
carries the nice image:

"But I don't want ANY spam!"
"... well, you could have spam, bacon, and eggs.  That's not got MUCH spam in
it."

No matter how much you try to get rid of it, it's still there.