Content-Type: RST

When I said I would "poke a beehive with a stick" in my previous
entry, I had initally intended to write that it's time to "troll a
bit". However, in light of numerous people I know not being aware of
what *to troll* means, I used a more common idiom. This post is for
them, to enlighten them to one of the most important parts of the internet.

**Trolling** is poking a beehive with a stick, with the intent of
seeing just how many bees come out and get enraged by your action. In
real life, this would be called being a politician, or lying to the
police about putting your kid in a helium balloon that floats away. 

On the internet, it is simply called posting a message, image, video,
or something else that leads to hilarious consequences.

.. figure :: http://blog.opensourcenerd.com/upload/trolld-si

   Many thanks to my anonymous friend who is unwittingly featured
   here. The link is censored for the eyes of the young'uns.


Of course, the fun for the troll increases as the amount of people
disturbed by the trolling increases:

.. figure :: http://blog.opensourcenerd.com/upload/time-list

   The Time Magazine list of the most influential people of 2009. Some
   hacker troll'd it.

Trolls are generally hated on the internet, especially in places where
there is more than a one-on-one conversation involved. The result is
that the general policy when dealing with a troll is "don't feed the
troll". More specifically, this means ignore him, plain and simple. Of
course, on a no-serious-business place like 4chan, go ahead, feed
him.

That being said: dogs suck. Cats rule. Discuss.

.. figure :: http://blog.opensourcenerd.com/upload/cat-ugly-dog-butt

**Edit:** And again...

.. figure :: http://blog.opensourcenerd.com/upload/trolld-si-2