Why me? Why multi-links?

November 22, 2005 10:13 AM

Some snarky character here informed the world that my post had been scrubbed because it was only a single link. It was replaced by a bigger, multi-link version of the same story. I accuse him of scrubbing it but he denied it. How, though, did he know it had been replaced? But what I really want to know is why there is this new insistance on multi-link FPPs? When I first came to Metafilter I found it useful to have items that interested me pointed out and made available. That was great. I then did my own further research. Multi-link posts generally appear to be posted as a means of either making an argument for a particular pov or to publicize some topic or subject, with a lot of authorities sited much like footnotes. This is not, to my mind what this site used to be about.

As it happens if the intro interests me I want to go to the most relevant link, not plow through the poster's own research. But further, I am not a programmer or enough of a geek to even know how to do the html for all the secondary links, let along italics. My e-mail software makes URLs clickable and it seems that it ought to be simple enough to make URLs clickable in the windows for both comments and original posts. You- and I guess I am writing to Matt here - did try to do italics for a while, but they didn't work for my Mac and they have now disappeared. But really, has this become a place for people to show off theirs html cleverness or to pass along what might be interesting or valuable information? It is called a filter isn't it? What has that come to mean?
posted by donfactor to etiquette/policy at 10:13 AM (26 comments total)

The chum has been cast upon the waters.
posted by y2karl at 10:17 AM on November 22, 2005

Some snarky character here informed the world that my post had been scrubbed because it was only a single link.

It's not nice to call mathowie names, dude.
posted by Gator at 10:18 AM on November 22, 2005

I have no idea what you're talking about in general, but I'll try to answer the first paragraph -- single link posts are fine if the link is interesting. Sometimes members post requests for more than one link if it's a big topic, as it shows the person posting it did a bit of legwork to find 3 or 4 supporting links or additional information. It's not just done for political posts, but anything in the world can have more than one link, but having more than one link is most definitely not a requirement. Ignore the users that complain about one link.

I don't recall deleting a link you posted. I have no idea what the second paragraph is trying to say.
posted by mathowie at 10:19 AM on November 22, 2005

mmm. chum.
posted by jonmc at 10:20 AM on November 22, 2005

For the curious, I believe this is the post in question.
posted by frykitty at 10:21 AM on November 22, 2005

POOR IMPULSE CONTROL
posted by selfnoise at 10:22 AM on November 22, 2005

I accuse him of scrubbing it but he denied it.

Denied what? Posts stay around they're just not linked from the front page. Here's yours.
posted by vacapinta at 10:22 AM on November 22, 2005

It looks like an uninteresting single news link that doesn't add anything new to the iraq war picture. Just more daily fluff to add to the pile, so I'd agree with Jessamyn's deletion here.
posted by mathowie at 10:28 AM on November 22, 2005

I removed that post. Your first comment "Sorry about this single link post, but this used to be a news filter and this needs looking at again before it gets lost in US political slanging matches....." was debatable and I thought Deathalicious's post seemed pretty right on.

Ther are rare occasions when newsfilter one-link-to-a-wire-story posts are appropriate, but in general they're not great discussion starters and Iraq is a touchy enough topic that a post on the subject should be substantive [y2karl does these well] and not just "Iraq situation still a total fucking quagmire!"

and, if you need to know how to make a link, the syntax is this <a href="http://example.com">your link text</a> will get you this:

your link text
posted by jessamyn at 10:29 AM on November 22, 2005

[y2karl does these well]

In fact, y2karl does these so well there's no need for anyone else to even try.

Ever.
posted by justgary at 10:33 AM on November 22, 2005

donfactor, it's not clear that you are aware of this, but only two "snarky characters" have the ability to delete posts: mathowie and jessamyn, and neither one of them would deny having done so.

Your comments about html and such are confusing. I think your questions (or what I think you're asking, anyway) would be answered if you read the instructions on how to make a post.
posted by Specklet at 11:01 AM on November 22, 2005

donfactor was laboring under the misapprehension that I was the one who deleted his post.
posted by Gator at 11:10 AM on November 22, 2005

Yes, but now you've gone and validated his claim that this has become a place for people to show off theirs html cleverness.
posted by gramschmidt at 11:16 AM on November 22, 2005

This sets a new land-speed record for "fastest traverse of the valley between fumbling newness and crotchety 'death-to-the-noobs' reactionism."

By the way, effective immediately, posts will no longer be "deleted," but only "scrubbed." And "trolls" will henceforth be dubbed "snarky characters." That is all.
posted by koeselitz at 11:46 AM on November 22, 2005

koeslelitz, you're nothing but a snarky character. I hope Gator scrubs every last one of your snarky characterizations.
posted by cortex at 11:50 AM on November 22, 2005

Just for that, I'm going to use the wire scrub brush.
posted by Gator at 12:00 PM on November 22, 2005

<marquee>Git along lil italics</marquee>
posted by If I Had An Anus at 12:25 PM on November 22, 2005

But really, has this become a place for people to show off theirs html cleverness

No, but wouldn't it be cool if it did?

or to pass along what might be interesting or valuable information?

Valuable, eh? Do I have your permission to sell your link on eBay?
posted by timeistight at 1:01 PM on November 22, 2005

Snark, snark, snark. Anyway my complaint has been noted, my question answered and I've had a few good laughs. Sorry Matt and Gator but since I don't get over here much I never heard of Jassamyn.
posted by donfactor at 2:03 PM on November 22, 2005

Jassamyn? Jassamyn!? Ha ha rotf. You don't get over here much, do you?
posted by Lynsey at 3:11 PM on November 22, 2005

See, the really funny thing is that donfactor *just said* that he doesn't get over here much.

Jesus this place is loopy today.
posted by hototogisu at 3:23 PM on November 22, 2005

*saddles up to Lynsey, offers a light*

Do you come here often?
posted by If I Had An Anus at 8:16 PM on November 22, 2005

And then you just said that he just said that....whew.

*watches the master at flirt*
posted by graventy at 9:19 PM on November 22, 2005

Okay, the dude did research and yet he thought that a single link news item from Reuters UK was worth posting??

Sigh.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:39 PM on November 22, 2005

In fact, y2karl does these so well there's no need for anyone else to even try.

Apart from when he flips out in the ensuing thread.
posted by y2karl at 1:09 AM on November 23, 2005

posted by Otis at 6:17 AM on November 23, 2005