What makes a SLOE FPP BOTW?

November 16, 2005 9:31 AM

Now that the SLOE FPP has been deemed acceptable, apparently, by the PTB, what makes a good one? What makes a bad one? What makes one mediocre? {Single-Link Op-Ed Front Page Post; Powers That Be}
posted by mischief to MetaFilter-Related at 9:31 AM (28 comments total)

WTF?
posted by i_cola at 9:32 AM on November 16, 2005

Wait a minute. You're calling yourself out?
posted by keswick at 9:33 AM on November 16, 2005

No, Keswick, far too many SLOEs have passed undeleted, which indicates acceptance. I give up fighting against them, so instead, let's have a rational discussion (yeah, right) on what makes a good SLOE and what makes a bad SLOE.
posted by mischief at 9:36 AM on November 16, 2005

... cuz I for one certainly don't know.
posted by mischief at 9:36 AM on November 16, 2005

I've got a better idea. How about you step outside, get some fresh air, some perspective, and maybe a life, k?
posted by keswick at 9:37 AM on November 16, 2005

I'm just about to do that. A day at the gym. Back at 3:30 pacific. - luv m
posted by mischief at 9:39 AM on November 16, 2005

so can close this before the pile-on starts then?
posted by keswick at 9:40 AM on November 16, 2005

SLOEFPP's suck whether or not matt and jessamyn notice them.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:40 AM on November 16, 2005

I'm thinkin': Extremely bizarre SLOE on some issue that nobody has ever thought about. A SLOE on how narrow guage train rails are far more aesthetically pleasing than wide guage train rails, or an SLOE about why it would be better if gravity pulled sideways than down. Those would be SLOEs that would be good to me.
posted by Bugbread at 9:46 AM on November 16, 2005

Op/Eds that are more than just opinion - that involve research, new facts, or new ways of looking at fact. Along the lines of essays rather than position papers. If that makes sense. If you ask me.
posted by loquax at 9:50 AM on November 16, 2005

Oh, and they should be longer than the 1000 words or so most papers allow.
posted by loquax at 9:51 AM on November 16, 2005

What about single links to Quizila?

or

WASL2QFPP's?
posted by fire&wings at 10:02 AM on November 16, 2005

I think all SLOE's are almost always bad posts and usually don't create a good discussion beyond "I agree with him" or "I disagree with him based on my previous held views of X and Y, of which he ignores and is therefore wrong."

That isn't to say that all papers are bad. The metric that makes a good one is the "interesting and most users haven't seen before" standard. If the user finds a really interesting article that hasn't already been hashed out by hundreds of other writers, than it can be a good post. The user can ensure that it will bea good post by providing a balanced view and taking the effort to find someone who disagrees in an equally compelling manner. Then we all get two sides to the issue and a dialogue can ensue about the merits of the argument.

But "Here is another guy who says X which is clearly true" is not a good post, and at the essence, that is what most SLOEs are.
posted by dios at 10:20 AM on November 16, 2005

IANAPTB (is?) but I've always thought SLOE's are more appropriate when you GYOBFW.
posted by thatweirdguy2 at 10:22 AM on November 16, 2005

TTFN.
posted by thatweirdguy2 at 10:23 AM on November 16, 2005

Izzat anything like sloe gin?
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:23 AM on November 16, 2005

only john tierney posts should be acceptable
posted by yonation at 10:25 AM on November 16, 2005

SLOE FPPs are still better than SLPOPM FPPs.

Single-link pictures of portobello mushrooms.
posted by Gator at 10:31 AM on November 16, 2005

I don't think there should be a ban on op-eds, but ones like the one micheif posted usually are pretty crap and should probably be avoided. I think posters need to use their good judgment. (Oh wait, that might not work.)
posted by chunking express at 10:50 AM on November 16, 2005

Ach, nebulawindphone beat me to the gin bit. The spirit of Christmas.

At least SLOEs are honest in their ungoodness. It's when someone does a SLOE padded with two links to Wikipedia or similar (SLOEPWTLTWOS) that I get really miffed.

Good point bugbread - a truly obscure SLOE can be satisfying, and funny.
posted by jack_mo at 11:33 AM on November 16, 2005

That's no mushroom!
posted by loquacious at 11:58 AM on November 16, 2005

...that's my wife!
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:08 PM on November 16, 2005

this reminds me of a joke.

guy sits in cafe and says to the waitress "I'll have a B L T, C U N T". the waitress says "Excuse me?" and the guy says "Cut Up, Not Toasted". After he gets the sandwich, she asks how it tastes, and he replies "S H I T". the waitress says "Excuse me?" and the guy explains "Shoulda Had It Toasted". so when the waitress brings his bill it says on there $4.50 F U C K Y O U and the guy says "What's that?". the waitress replies "that's fuck you".
posted by quonsar at 12:15 PM on November 16, 2005

My first link here was to an Op/Ed. My second could be considered one.

In my view if something is new and interesting it should be posted, whether it's an Op/Ed or not.

On the other hand if it's just another rehash of stuff we've been talking about already, then, not so much.
posted by delmoi at 1:34 PM on November 16, 2005

Every editorial about how Bush sucks must be posted immediately. And again six hours later.
posted by LarryC at 1:49 PM on November 16, 2005

I found a great blog entry on how single-link posts are awful. Should I post it to the front page?
posted by stet at 2:44 PM on November 16, 2005

Op-eds with 5-6 supporting links are rarely any better than the single-link op-eds.

Save your time. We can all use search engines.
posted by mrgrimm at 5:49 PM on November 16, 2005

Save your time. We can all use search engines.

The hell we can. Search engines killed my mom and raped my cat. I'm terrified of them now, and appreciate the secondary links.
posted by Ryvar at 6:46 PM on November 16, 2005