Help.

What is the difference?

Hmm...using troll detector to check author's origin... not getting a clear indication. Proceed:
* A troll is a poster who posts only to cause chaos on the board. Often posts inflammatory material in a very innocuous manner. Look at posts with many replies, and often the thread was started, or fueled, by a troll.
* A shill, on the other hand, is a poster who is performing product placement on the board. Overly-enthusiastic recommendations, especially when they name specific sites, etc., might well be the work of a shill.
Ignore both trolls & shills.

I almost forgot..to help ignore troll's and shill's, go to my website shillsnomore.com

Jim Carrey would be a troll personified.
Al Gore would be the shill-iest salesperson I can think of.

I'd like to point out that the second post was NOT posted by me. It's evident the kiddies are out of school now.

I have one problem with the shill def. I often name specific places w/phone numbers only because I KNOW the places/owners well. It is not product placement. I am often over-enthusiastic. Does that make me a shill? Personally, if I was travelling somewhere and I asked for recommendations from the board, I'd hope the replies would be enthusiastic and detailed (phone #'s, directions, whatever.) O'wise, what's the purpose?