Re: [Air-l] we need a better word than lurking

I don't think anyone would disagree that a "troll" is someone who is violating the established, historical conventions of the listserv in an antagonistic fashion.

Except that "troll" was originally a verb in Internet usage. It was the act of injecting comments, often subtle digs, into a discussion for the purpose of getting people upset. It was the fishing sense of trolling. So in that sense, flaming is not troll-like behaviour. The names of actions and programs in the early years of the Internet showed a delightful creativity that I think we should avoid losing. "Lurk" still strikes me as perfect; and "ping", "finger", etc. had their superb moments. Neil Randall