Re meaning of word TROLL. Choose THE FIRST option you agree with.

[Boojatta]

Poll question: Re meaning of word TROLL. Choose THE FIRST option you agree with.

Some examples:
If you agree with both #1 and #2, then choose #1. If you disagree with #1, but you agree with both #2 and #3, then choose #2. If you disagree with #1 and #2, but you agree with #3, then vote for #3.

Options:
(they aren't going to fit below, so just the numbers are below):

#1 If there is a poll in a particular topic forum, then ANYONE WHOSE vote is for an option that conflicts with the opinions of the majority of regular participants in that topic forum IS A TROLL.

#2 If there is a poll in a particular topic forum, then ANYONE WHO either knows or strongly suspects that the option he or she chose conflicts with the opinions of the majority of regular participants in that topic forum IS A TROLL.

#3 If there is a poll in a particular topic forum, then ANYONE WHO doesn't contribute an explanation of his or her vote in a post to the poll thread AND WHO either knows or strongly suspects that the option he or she chose conflicts with the opinions of the majority of regular participants in that topic forum IS A TROLL.

#4 Anyone who votes for a poll option that is not his or her actual opinion is a troll.

#5 Anyone who votes for a poll option that is not his or her actual opinion AND who does that with the intention of provoking an emotional response from other people participating in the thread is a troll.

#6 None of the above.

[SteppingRazor]

1. No. 5 seems like the textbook definition of a troll...

all the ones above that seem like people who are entitled to their opinions :shrug:

[Wonk]

2. wikipedia definition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_troll

[endarkenment]

4. A troll can actually believe in the opinions the troll expresses.

However a troll posts only to cause an upset. Quite frankly I've never considered how one votes on a poll as a troll-worthy act.

[Boojatta]

6. Everybody agrees that it's bad to be a troll or at least everybody knows

that trolling is forbidden. That stays the same while the word meaning might change.

Some people might deliberately call some action trolling because they want it to be forbidden rather than because they think it fits the current textbook definition. To understand what they are saying, it might be necessary to understand their new sense of the word. In general, language changes and a word that originally had only one meaning might acquire alternative meanings.

[LoZoccolo]

14. I don't think all trolling is forbidden.

It's forbidden to troll in the service of the right wing, but from what I gather you can be an obnoxious and disingenuous lefty all you want here so long as you don't attack someone personally.

[porphyrian]

17. Or an obnoxious and disingenuous moderate, for that matter. - n/t

[Boojatta]

18. Here one mention of the word "troll" in the rules here at DU:

Do not publicly accuse another member of this message board of being a disruptor, conservative, Republican, FReeper, or troll, or do not otherwise imply they are not welcome on Democratic Underground. If you think someone is a disruptor, click the "Alert" link below their post to let the moderators know.

If it were okay to be a troll, then why would it be explicitly against the rules to publicly accuse another member of being a troll?

[LoZoccolo]

19. Well, I wish I knew what this whole thing was about.

But I will say that my definition of a troll is wider than DU's? There are times where you can pretty much tell that someone is doing something very disingenuous, but cannot prove it with the kind of evidence that would demand a verdict.

[porphyrian]

3. You can't be much of a troll on a poll.

The whole idea behind trolling is taking an unpopular or crazy position in order to get the locals into a hysterical frenzy. That is an active endeavor, one that can hardly be accomplished simply by casting a vote and leaving.

[Boojatta]

7. Now you remind that part of the meaning is someone who wants a big

reaction for a small amount of input. Someone who does more work than any other thread participant making distinctions and offering clarifications and examples would not likely be called a troll.

I disagree with you. A mere vote in a poll is minimal participation. If that can produce a big reaction, then it's an example of trolling par excellence.

[porphyrian]

10. But it doesn't, because the troll doesn't decide the items voted for.

When does anyone make a poll with a controversial choice that gets people upset if someone votes for it? I'm assuming you mean the kind of polls we do here and not real scientific ones. None of the polls here mean anything substantial because people will vote for options just to be funny. However, that isn't really trolling.

I agree that you can get mad troll-props for posting only one thing and having the entire community go nuts over it. I just disagree that you can do that by voting in an online poll.

[Boojatta]

15. "I'm assuming you mean the kind of polls we do here and not real...

...scientific ones."

Yes, that's what I mean.

[Boojatta]

23. Sometimes poll answer options simply cover most or all conceivable ...

possibilities.

None of the polls here mean anything substantial because people will vote for options just to be funny. However, that isn't really trolling.

Someone might suspect that people are voting for a particular option to be annoying rather than to be funny.

I agree that you can get mad troll-props for posting only one thing and having the entire community go nuts over it. I just disagree that you can do that by voting in an online poll.

You don't think that an entire community would ever go nuts over votes in a poll or you don't think that the voters would be to blame if an entire community were to go nuts over votes in a poll?

[LoZoccolo]

5. Troll to me has more to do with intent to mess with someone, so #5.

That having been said, there are left-wing trolls as well as right-wing trolls on this board, because either way they get their jollies off of being annoying.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. None of the above

To me a troll has to be more disruptive than just casting bogus votes on internet polls.

If that were all that a person were doing I'd consider them to be pretty benign.

[Boojatta]

9. If you voted for #6 or intend to vote for #6, then please provide

an option "5(b)" (different from any of the six options in the original poll) that you could vote for if it were squeezed in between #5 and "None of the above."

[LoZoccolo]

12. If someone does not do that, are they a troll? n/t

[Boojatta]

16. Maybe a troll in disguise, but not a troll on that basis alone. At least,

this is my opinion.

[TahitiNut]

11. Trolls drag bait. They don't bite on the bait someone else drags.

Those who bite are mere fish.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Given that I only vote in favour

of something which I actually agree, and screw everyone else, I don't seem to fit any of the above. At least I now know what a troll is and there was me thinking it was a film......

[norml]

20. Too complicated!

We'll read it later.

[Boojatta]

21. It's pretty simple compared to some of the problems that GWB has created.

[saltpoint]

22. Trolls are frightening entities in the shadows beneath

bridges who threaten billygoats who wish only to cross the bridge to partake of greener grass.

But behold, those fearsome trolls can be outsmarted.

Witness the strategy employed by the three brother goats in the famous folk tale.

A ruthless troll he was, but the three goats outflanked him, and he was butted into the woods never to be heard from again, and the devil take the hindmost.

[LWolf]

24. In context,

here at DU I believe it is used to suggest that freepers or other non-democrats are dragging bait through the forum to stir up conflict.

The suggestion is often broad enough to include anyone who puts issues before party, or anyone who expresses dissent with mainstream party politicians or strategies.

[SensibleAmerican]

25. Oh Fuck You, I pick 7

You calling me a troll ... :D

[rucky]

26. Votes are anonymous.

I chose 6, so maybe I took you too literally. And it's not really my actual opinion. And the DLC really isn't so bad.

:evilgrin: