So we can't even discuss unethical stuff now...?

March 3, 2006 4:35 PM

I just asked a question about 'how to succeed in university' that was open to standard ideas and ideas that were not kosher (cheating. happens every day). Im busy, i wont be participating actively in this discussion, but the question i put forward is: how is discussing cheating methods different from a thread discussing file sharing or something. Nothing illegal is happening by discussing this stuff. Whats the deal. Thats like deleting a thread that asks 'How do jewel thiefs go about cracking safes?' Are we going to delete the thread because we dont want this suspected jewel thief cracking our safes, or is our curiosity going to get peaked and we're going to discuss it like a bunch of nerds who are into this nerdy stuff? The latter? OK.
posted by GleepGlop to Etiquette/Policy at 4:35 PM (39 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: this is not what ask me is for - what is the problem you're trying to solve?

IOW, your question made no sense.
Neither did your post above.
Try to channel your stream of consciousness into paragraphs with topic sentences.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 4:41 PM on March 3, 2006

Airnxtz! You're back!
posted by LarryC at 4:43 PM on March 3, 2006

You're not making any sense dude. You need to have a question to be answered and state clearly a goal people can help work toward.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:47 PM on March 3, 2006

what ever happened to 'this isnt what askme is for'? i dont think my question layout was the problem. ive used that layout many times and nobody was ever.... 'confused'
posted by GleepGlop at 4:51 PM on March 3, 2006

I think that the problem with your question was that it was poorly formed. The way you set it up was more like a repository, and that you began to answer your own question didn't help. Careful wording is your friend.

If you had simply asked, "What are some tips and techniques to succeed at university?" and explained that ethics weren't an issue in the 'more inside,' you might have had better luck.
posted by carsonb at 4:51 PM on March 3, 2006

Personally, my curiousity is peaked.
posted by cortex at 4:58 PM on March 3, 2006

(And as a data point—whether or not cheating is omnipresent had no effect on my ability to do perfectly well without cheating. All sorts of shitty behavior is omnipresent, higher ed and elsewhere; that doesn't mean you ought to participate in it.

As to whether higher ed is a scam? Different discussion altogether.)
posted by cortex at 5:01 PM on March 3, 2006

if that really is what it was about, i hope nobody deletes my further posts because im not phrasing in the form of a question like im on jeopardy, thats ridiculous.

2 massive threads of mine of the same style where nobody was 'confused' 1 2
posted by GleepGlop at 5:05 PM on March 3, 2006

I think askme should have requirements of correct capitalization, mostly correct grammar, and a moderately high minimum of lucidity. If you can't be bothered to write your question as if you were a literate adult, you don't deserve an answer.

Secondarily, cheating in university is a behavior that MeFi, collectively, strongly disapproves^*. Asking how to succeed at it is just going to piss a lot of people off.

* At least the larger number of people who have participated in numerous plagiarism threads feel this way.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:06 PM on March 3, 2006

nobody was ever.... 'confused'
posted by Saucy Intruder at 5:08 PM on March 3, 2006

ok, i can see when a thread has lost its productive value, peace.
posted by GleepGlop at 5:10 PM on March 3, 2006

The thread didn't make a lot of sense. The thread was also flagged about eight times in rapid succession, indicating that it didn't make sense to other people as well as to me. The line "This is a discussion of morality-free thread! heres a few to get the ball rolling" seemed to indicate that what you were looking for was a place to talk about college, and it was unclear whether you were trying to solve a problem or just looking for a place to chat. Usually if there's a question like that, one that is on the fence, I'll leave it, but the speed and agreement in the flag queue tipped the scales into removal category.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:14 PM on March 3, 2006

You can never go wrong ending a question with a question mark. Your post read more like an outline for an essay than a question.
posted by cedar at 5:15 PM on March 3, 2006

It all comes down to how you define “success” at university. If you define it as getting decent grades, or even a degree, while retaining your inability to communicate well with your chosen audience, then definitely you need advice on cheating. The irony is that you haven’t learned the skills to ask for that advice.
posted by langedon at 5:19 PM on March 3, 2006

Rapidly bailing on the MeTa you created for your own rapidly-deleted AskMe may not be the most educational choice you could make.
posted by cortex at 5:21 PM on March 3, 2006

It's not you, it's me. It's the cumulative effect of a number of mistakes. And yet: IT'S FUCKING 'PIQUED'.
posted by yerfatma at 5:41 PM on March 3, 2006

yerfatma, how do you pronounce that word? And what does it mean? You've peaked my interest.
posted by cortex at 5:42 PM on March 3, 2006

thank you, yerfatma. you saved me the typing.
posted by jonson at 5:44 PM on March 3, 2006

Thanks for not peeking.
posted by kindall at 5:50 PM on March 3, 2006

*orders Peking Duck*
posted by cortex at 5:55 PM on March 3, 2006

Anybody remember when "peaked" was used to mean "had an orgasm"? Man, I miss that word usage.

"Dude, she totally peaked like six times last night."
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:59 PM on March 3, 2006

PIQUE OIL
posted by cortex at 6:04 PM on March 3, 2006

This chap sort of reminds me of old thomcatspike, only without the wit, charm, intelligence, archaisms, gnomic versifying and warped eloquence.
posted by jack_mo at 6:09 PM on March 3, 2006

Anybody remember when "peaked" was used to mean "had an orgasm"?

I do! I remember watching this one episode of "Night Court" as a kid, and Dan kept getting delayed from going home with his latest bimbo, and all of a sudden in the middle of court she started flapping her hands and squealing, "Danny! I'm peaking!" And then she calmed down and went home, consoling him with the phrase, "Don't worry, I peak again in the Spring." I had no idea what the hell was going on.
posted by Gator at 6:13 PM on March 3, 2006

PIQUE OIL

Fucker. I am giggling like a schoolgirl. The dog is upset that I woke her. Thanks, dick.
posted by yerfatma at 6:21 PM on March 3, 2006

I'm a giver.
posted by cortex at 6:22 PM on March 3, 2006

you're all looking a little peaked.
posted by quonsar at 7:04 PM on March 3, 2006

GleepGlop: A lot of people seem to agree that your AskMe post, this MeTa thread, and many of your comments are difficult to understand. Take your time while posting text online. Don't rush. Make sure you're writing in complete sentences, and read it back to yourself to see whether your point is clear. Capital letters, grammar, punctuation — these exist for good reason. Use them.

Your purpose is to communicate, right? I mean, that's why you paid $5. If you just wanted to read, you could do that for free. People are having a difficult time understanding your writing. Do it more carefully, and you won't have these problems.
posted by cribcage at 7:49 PM on March 3, 2006

GleepGlop == Gobbledygook
posted by furtive at 8:39 PM on March 3, 2006

GleepGlop posted "Thats like deleting a thread that asks 'How do jewel thiefs go about cracking safes?'"

Well, how do jewel thiefs go about cracking safes?
posted by clevershark at 9:01 PM on March 3, 2006

You go through the back.

Of the safe, that is.

I never went to university... well, once I cut through one to get to the bus stop. But now that I think about, I went in through the back there, too!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:11 PM on March 3, 2006

"Well, how do jewel thiefs go about cracking safes?"

There was a MeFi post on this subject, if I remember correctly. I dimly recall that uni prof who earlier sunlighted some cryptography thing and now wrote about safes and their locks. And then either from that link, or something related, I found an article discussing safes at length. Or maybe it was the link. It was very interesting.

For many, you drill through at a certain place you recognize (because you've studied different safes) on the dial. Looking in that hole, you can see the tumblers you need to see. Or something like that. Oh, that's also why the stethoscope thing sometimes is possible. The door's heavily armoured, but sometimes you can cut through a side or the back in a reasonable amount of time. Generally speaking, if the safe is built to withstanding someone trying to cut through, it will indeed make it too much trouble to attempt. Best to get in via the lock.

I'm 41, I don't have the recall I used to. It sucks.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:18 PM on March 3, 2006

GleepGlop writes "ok, i can see when a thread has lost its productive value, peace."

Ya call that a flame out? Put some effort in man.

Gator writes "I remember watching this one episode of 'Night Court' as a kid,"

Why the heck isn't this show in syndication instead of "all seinfeld, all the time".
posted by Mitheral at 9:03 AM on March 4, 2006

Actually, I would have loved to see a thread on the latest and greatest in cheating techniques, mostly because it's not only students who read Metafilter.
posted by .kobayashi. at 9:04 AM on March 4, 2006

GleepGlop : "i hope nobody deletes my further posts because im not phrasing in the form of a question like im on jeopardy, thats ridiculous. "

Well, in Jeopardy, you're answering a question, but you have to phrase your answer like a question. That's ridiculous.
In AskMe, you're asking a question, and you have to phrase your question like a question. That's common sense.
posted by Bugbread at 9:52 AM on March 4, 2006

"...in Jeopardy, you're answering a question, but you have to phrase your answer like a question"

No, Alex Trebek provides the answer, and you have to supply the question.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:03 AM on March 4, 2006

"No, Alex Trebek provides the answer, and you have to supply the question."

Form or function? Just what is a "question" and an "answer"? You're both correct.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:37 PM on March 4, 2006

I've posted questions before without confusing people! This means I can never be confusing! If you give me a straightforward answer to my question, then I will tell you you're not being helpful! I'm a great person!
posted by shmegegge at 2:25 PM on March 4, 2006

Helpful Pro-tip for Ask Metafilter: make sure your post includes at one question mark. It's not hard. You can do it.
posted by blacklite at 12:33 PM on March 5, 2006