what's a troll?
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From Wikipedia (which is bad for political content but especially good for this sort of thing):
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. The word, or its derivative, "trolling", is also used to describe such messages or the act of posting them.
Etymology
The contemporary use of the term first appeared on Usenet groups in the late 1980s. It is widely thought to be a contraction of the phrase "trolling for suckers", itself derived from the sport fishing technique of trolling. The latter can be compared with trawling, of which it is a near homophone.
The word likely gained currency because of its apt second meaning, drawn from the "trolls", which are portrayed in Scandinavian folklore, and children's tales, as often ugly, obnoxious creatures that are bent on wickedness and mischief. The image of the troll under the bridge in the "Three Billy Goats Gruff" emphasizes the trolls' dislike of outsiders within its physical environment, particularly those who intend to graze in its domain.
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<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll>