How do I search for video links?

August 18, 2006 10:25 PM

Is there a good way to search for video links? It seems that so many have been posted and it's hard to tell from the context of a post what the video is about if they aren't discribed completely. Something that would make it easy to ensure that you are posting a unique video link would be very helpful.
posted by bigmusic to etiquette/policy at 10:25 PM (12 comments total)

From our IRC conversation:

"There's no way to verify a video link isn't a double without d/ling the video to the mefi server and running a hash, and even that's not proof."

That's my 2¢ on the matter. I would love to see this happen, though. There's been a lot of double activity this month, due I think to the contest. There have been some really quality posts made, but also a lot of crap and duplication/resurrection of old stuff (that water droplets thread that was a runner-up, I could swear was a double). I don't think the average quality of the posts has risen; but the sheer number of posts has risen (and therefore, the number of quality posts has risen despite the percentage being stable to slightly elevated). Sorry if that's a derail, but that's the basis of the conversation bm and I were having on IRC. Carry on, MeTa; I'll stop blabbing it up.
posted by Eideteker at 10:31 PM on August 18, 2006

Are doubles really a huge problem? People helpfully find them for you after you make your post, then your post gets deleted and you feel embarassed, but really it's not that difficult or horrible.
posted by thirteenkiller at 5:52 AM on August 19, 2006

I always try to put some type of modifier or clarification after video links. So a text search of video, mpeg, flash, et cetera, might turn up my posts.

From now on, maybe there should be an obligatory “video” tag for posts that contain video. Then you could just click on the video tag link and search through that.

Or, the poster could provide a description of the video on the title attribute on the anchor tag linking to the video, and then one could search through the all descriptions in the title attributes.

Just some suggestions.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 6:23 AM on August 19, 2006

Even slightly more descriptive posts would help.
posted by mediareport at 6:38 AM on August 19, 2006

jonson's post this morning (whatever it is about) is a classic example of a post that you aren't going to be able to find on a double search. Less cleverness by posters would help or a more inside describing the content so you could find it on a search.
posted by Mitheral at 7:09 AM on August 19, 2006

"Are doubles really a huge problem? People helpfully find them for you after you make your post, then your post gets deleted and you feel embarassed, but really it's not that difficult or horrible."

I've noticed a lot of doubles not getting deleted. Probably due to schmoes like me who can't be bothered to look up the originals.

See also my comments in this thread, re: more context (as mediareport said). But even more descriptive text on the blue won't compensate for poorly titled youtube videos with no description. Even the description can cause problems. If someone titles their video "parachute jump", you might not think to search for "skydiver", a previous FPP of the same video (but with a different title). The YouTube page itself will prime different keywords in your mind.
posted by Eideteker at 7:36 AM on August 19, 2006

I will strive for greater clarity & less cleverness henceforth!
posted by jonson at 7:47 AM on August 19, 2006

Yeah, this "runner-up" was indeed a double. I usually don't bother to check because I figure someone else will get it. I flagged it, but didn't comment a link because I figured someone else would. I feel like (but can't point to; I wasted enough time searching for that double to find examples) a lot of doubles are going uncaught lately. Especially with people so ridiculously desperate to win that $30 that they feel the need to post something—anything—every. single. day.
posted by Eideteker at 8:00 AM on August 19, 2006

I guess doubles just really don't bother me, unless it's something that's still on the front page or otherwise pathetically obvious.
posted by thirteenkiller at 9:38 AM on August 19, 2006

Probably the best system to avoid posting double-link youtube, google video, etc., is to refrain from posting them at all.
posted by signal at 6:30 PM on August 19, 2006

I'm all with you Eideteker, the volume of posts has gone up ridiculously because of the contest, but the quality hasn't gone up, and the desperate doubles have gone up substantially.

I would call off the contest.
posted by blasdelf at 12:36 AM on August 20, 2006

I disagree; I think the average quality has gone up noticeably, and I think the contest must be responsible. (The spooge-eating monkeys ye have always with you.)
posted by languagehat at 6:46 AM on August 20, 2006