What is a troll?

Sorry, but this is probebly such a noob question, what is trolling? Is it some sort of insult, or clogging up the ATS servers with mindless jibber jabber like U R WIERD M8, or LOLZORDS? Is there such a thing as Orcing as well?

Source
In Internet terminology, a troll is a person who posts inflammatory messages on the internet, such as on online discussion forums, to disrupt discussion or to upset its participants. "Troll" can also mean the inflammatory message itself posted by a troll or be a verb meaning to post such messages. "Trolling" (the gerund) is also commonly used to describe the activity.

Hope that helps.

Trolls are often unable to differentiate between bad attention and good attention. They just like the attention. Now Orcing I believe is someone that disrupts Lord of the Rings discussions.

Originally posted by MacDonagh

What is a troll?

A troll is a forest creature. Lots of trolls in Norway.

WikiPedia - Troll

A troll is a fearsome member of a mythical anthropomorph race from Scandinavian folklore. Their role ranges from fiendish giants – similar to the ogres of English fairy tales – to a devious, more human-like folk of the wilderness, living underground in hills or mounds, inclined to thieving and the abduction of humans which, in the case of infant abductees, was substituted with a changeling. They could also be known as hill-folk or mound-folk. In Shetland and Orkney tales, trolls are called trowe


Click for big version. Theodor Kittelsen - Skogtroll

Edvard Grieg, the most important Norwegian composer of the later 19th century, wrote several pieces about Trolls. In the Hall of the Mountain King, and March Of The Trolls, are two examples of this theme. Regarding his motivations, Grieg wrote: "The peculiar in life was what made me wild and mad...dwarf power and untamed wildness...audacious and bizarre fantasy." Grieg's former home, Troldhaugen ("The Troll's Hill"), is now a museum.

they look something like this:

Here is a pre-existing thread on just this topic. Fallenfromthetree gives a great definition on the troll, and how to deal with them should you find one. Classic. And, on a very related note, How to deal with flaming.

Although, it'd be kind of cool to see an Orc.

[edit on 12/14/2005 by Amorymeltzer]