Why do we refer to internet trolls as such?

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Just how do internet trolls relate to the legendary trolls?

Also how does spam on the internet relate to the Spam meat?

The context of the quote cited in the Oxford English Dictionary sets the origin in Usenet in the early 1990s as in the phrase "trolling for newbies" -- re-posting old subject to try to "hook" newbs into replying.

The term spam is derived from the 1970 "Spam" sketch of the BBC television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.  The sketch, set in a café, has a waitress reading out a menu where every item but one includes Spam canned luncheon meat.  As the waitress recites the Spam-filled menu, a chorus of Viking patrons drown out all conversations with a song, repeating "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!".  In the 1980s the term was adopted to describe certain abusive users who frequented BBSs and MUDs, who would repeat "Spam" a huge number of times to scroll other users' text off the screen.

The use of the work troll in the context of drawing internet users in may well come from 'Polari' a gay slang that developed in England in the 19th century or earlier and persisted into the 1960's. Trolling was the practice of going out looking for a sexual partner - used for example in a phrase such as "I'm just off to troll the dilly" meaning "I am now going to Piccadilly Circus to find someone to have sex with". In less enlightened times such behaviour, or indeed anything but heterosexuality, had unsavory connotations.

It's because it smells like sweaty balls

Internet trolling is named after a method of fishing:


Source

I may be wrong, but i thought Trolling was in some way referring to the trolls of folk law legend.
Where trolls are ugly thug type creatures of low intelligence with a malicious nature, that
did things like hide under bridges to await for innocent travelers to cross so that they could eat them up,
or torture them in some form.

I am no expert on trolling.
Personally, I don't have a problem with people who revitalize an old topic or question.
If people want to debate, let them debate. Maliciousness isn't always included.

But perhaps i am a bit oblivious to internet forum etiquette. I never post with intention of causing suffering,
regardless as to whether the topic or post is brand new or an old one that is revitalized.
Life is too short to worry about such trivia, especially if you know in your heart that you are acting with out
bad intentions.

That's a funny answer. Welcome back to WP!

Welcome back!

That's how I thought the net term Troll got started. The net term Troll refers to someone who is trying to cause trouble on a site by posting mean things or trying to pit members against each other or trying to upset someone.

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with bringing an old thread to life. However I believe there can be issues when there is a much more recently active thread that is very similar to the old one that gets brought back to life. It's complicated to have more than one active thread going about the same thing. Lots of things would get repeated in both or something would only get said in one that is relevant to both. There can also be a problem when somebody bumps up an old thread without having anything to add or contribute to it. A old thread does not need to be brought back to the very top when the community has no interest in it or has nothing to contribute to it. It can make other threads go down which can potentially expedite their death since they are less likely to be noticed.

I've been accused of trolling on other forums cuz I said some stuff that lots others did not like nor agree with & I kept posting about the same things. I was going through a bad depression & was VERY LONELY & I was kinda stuck in a loop. I almost never meant to cause a problem but others took things the wrong way. One of the reasons I'm better off on WP, my fellow autistics are more generally accepting of my communication style & more willing to give me the benefit of the doubt(thou there sure can be LOTS of arguments & hurt feelings on here as well but still not as bad as on NT forums) & they are more capable of giving me support in the way I need.
Very disappointing side-note, the word Trolling is being phased out on some sites in favor of the words Autistic or Autism

I see and understand better now re bringing up old posts.
I guess it can cause some distress if someone has put in a lot of time and work to create a new post,
and then someone revitalises an old post accidentally. without really knowing.

Never mind. I try not to, but occasionally an old thread does catch my eye, and if i have more information to add,
which will help the original author on their quest for knowledge, i will add something in hope to help.

I don't revitalise arguments if people are being nasty or malicious, and certainly don't attack individuals.
I just don't see it as positive or productive. I think most people would agree, especially on here.
Where pretty much all of us are kind of outcasts. Although i can understand it if people with ASD become lonely,
frustrated and angry.

Perhaps it is better such people vent their frustrations online, and talk with us, so we can try and help,
than do something nuts in the real world that they will regret.

There's actually a term for this, too. It's called necroposting. But in truth, the classics never die, so if an old thread has current value, resurrecting it shouldn't be a problem.

It's like that joke: Is it gay, or just British? "Trolling the dilly," is both the gayest and most British thing I've ever read.