whatever, techsters July 5, 2007 10:52 AM   Subscribe

Was there really a good reason why every post in this AskMe thread was deleted? Looking at the question, it looked as though the poster was looking for A) good tech news sites and B) whether it would be worth it to start one. Not my fault it turned into a fight.
posted by parmanparman to Etiquette/Policy at 10:52 AM (70 comments total)

The poster was looking for A, your answer was firmly in B territory with no A whatsoever. I didn't see another comment in that thread besides yours.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:05 AM on July 5, 2007


what is WITH these whiny askme deletion complaint threads, recently?
posted by shmegegge at 11:14 AM on July 5, 2007


what shmegegge said. You people need to go knit cozies for your wounded senses of self-entitlement and stop crapping up the gray.

~or~

EMAIL, Motherfuckers! Do you USE it?
posted by boo_radley at 11:17 AM on July 5, 2007 [2 favorites]



EMAIL, Motherfuckers! Do you USE it?


Maybe Mefi needs a twitter account so people can get it off their chest.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:22 AM on July 5, 2007


At first glance I thought this question was "Was there ever a good 'why was this AskMe thread deleted?' post?" So now I'm interested in that question. Has any deleted AskMe ever been undeleted or otherwise redemed as the result of a MeTa post?
posted by scottreynen at 11:22 AM on July 5, 2007


@brandon good idea
@boo_radley people like to whine out loud
@parmanparman wtf
posted by chunking express at 11:25 AM on July 5, 2007



At first glance I thought this question was "Was there ever a good 'why was this AskMe thread deleted?' post?" So now I'm interested in that question. Has any deleted AskMe ever been undeleted or otherwise redemed as the result of a MeTa post?

Mine was, I asked "What was your least favorite episode of This American Life?" Jessamyn deleted it as chat, and it was reinstated and loved by all.
posted by parmanparman at 11:26 AM on July 5, 2007


@ scottreynen yes.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:27 AM on July 5, 2007


Has any deleted AskMe ever been undeleted or otherwise redemed as the result of a MeTa post?

I can't remember one, except for odd cases where someone posted something unintelligible and we took it down temporarily while we contacted them about it and fixed it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:27 AM on July 5, 2007


duh, duh.
sorry. askme.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:27 AM on July 5, 2007


Yeah, seriously. I think I'm going to have to change my Metatalk color scheme from yellow to poopoo brown so that the names of the thread crappers will be that much more eponysterical.
posted by iamkimiam at 11:28 AM on July 5, 2007


parmanparman's older post is an example of this.

Jessamyn deleted it as chat, and... it was reinstated and loved by all

... then helped me rewrite it and then it was reinstated and nine people favorited it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:30 AM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


To Plastic.com with him!
posted by languagehat at 11:30 AM on July 5, 2007




TAL thread and the protest that got it undel'd
posted by parmanparman at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2007



... then helped me rewrite it and then it was reinstated and nine people favorited it.


Ah, memories faded on this end.
posted by parmanparman at 11:34 AM on July 5, 2007


Has any deleted AskMe ever been undeleted or otherwise redemed as the result of a MeTa post?

I am in delicate negotiations right now to bring the "best racist joke" thread back from the dead.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:41 AM on July 5, 2007


you know, I don't think we needed it before, but recently I'm starting to think that we should change the MeTa guidelines a bit. Maybe we should seriously consider making a "No asking about your askme deletion" guideline, because I suspect we're only going to get more and more of these, and I suspect they're going to come from people who principally only post on askme so we're not going to be able to depend that metatalk's reputation for viciousness will precede it.
posted by shmegegge at 11:46 AM on July 5, 2007


The OUTRAGE! continues. Will it never end? Won't someone think of the children? What about their dramatic rodents? THINK OF THEM!
posted by blue_beetle at 11:49 AM on July 5, 2007


Ok, anyone that bitches about their deleted question or answer in metatalk needs a temp ban of about 2 weeks.
posted by puke & cry at 11:59 AM on July 5, 2007


Seconding puke & cry. For the eighty-seventh time, this shit's getting out of hand.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:08 PM on July 5, 2007


Yeah, well so are the calls for temp banning. People bitching about people bitching when this bitch here is explicitly here for bitching are freakin' bitches and you bitches freakin' live here in bitchland so quit bitching about the bitching and read some email or something.
posted by and hosted from Uranus at 12:18 PM on July 5, 2007 [6 favorites]


I find them fascinating. Specifically, I find it fascinating that someone could look at the linked question and come up with interpretation B as a feasible reading of the question.
posted by Partial Law at 12:19 PM on July 5, 2007


People who complain about calls for temp bans should also be temp banned.
posted by grouse at 12:20 PM on July 5, 2007


I formed a Temp Band with my coworkers at Apple One.
posted by InfidelZombie at 12:32 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


I accidentally moved all my users into /tmp/ban. Is there any way to get them back?
posted by Wolfdog at 12:43 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


I left my deoderant at home one time and had to pick up some temp Ban.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:45 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


I think this Temp Band might be cutting off the blood to my brain.
posted by box at 12:47 PM on July 5, 2007


Hey, you're a songwriter, after all, a regular Temp Ban Alley kinda guy.
posted by Wolfdog at 12:48 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


WILL YOU PLEASE BE QUIET PLEASE?
posted by dersins at 12:52 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


Haha, now this is stuck on your "My Comments" page, dersins.
posted by grouse at 12:54 PM on July 5, 2007


Just ban everyone and start over from scratch.
posted by puke & cry at 12:56 PM on July 5, 2007


Advice please: I'd like to post an AskMe, but I'd like it to be deleted, so I can then come here and whine about it. Any suggestions? (Or does this very question belong on AskMe?)

Failing that, I'd like to post a quality MeFi FPP, then get very few comments, so I can come here and get reassurance that my FPP was ok, and that, by extension *I* am ok. What subject should I use for my blue post?

Or wait. I guess what I'm saying is....

I need a huuuuuuug people!!!!!!

I just read a Psychology Today article about dealing with rejection. I'm just a little sensitive is all.
posted by The Deej at 1:02 PM on July 5, 2007


I'm suffering from a mehuerysm.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 1:03 PM on July 5, 2007


The site is slow, and many people are commenting in this thread that needs no comments. Did all 55,000 MeFites take the whole week off? The sun is shining - even in Portland - is no one outside walking, gardening, chatting with the neighbors, squinting in the non-electronic light?
posted by Cranberry at 1:07 PM on July 5, 2007


Any better idea how to kill time in a cube? I've got no work, no supervision and got to get paid.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:21 PM on July 5, 2007


Any better idea how to kill time in a cube? I've got no work, no supervision and got to get paid.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur


I think you're already doing it.

But there's always crossword puzzles. Go buy a crossword magazine on your next break.
posted by The Deej at 1:24 PM on July 5, 2007


AV: I once crafted two full sets of rubber alphabet stamps from pencil erasers and Pink Pearl segments, respectively. All you need is an xacto knife, a steady hand, and a stamp pad.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:24 PM on July 5, 2007


Ceiling cat is watching you procrastinate.
posted by y2karl at 1:25 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


Wait, does this count as AV's AskMe for the week?
posted by The Deej at 1:27 PM on July 5, 2007


@Everyone please stop with the @@@@@@@@@@@@!!!!!

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


There. Now I feel better.

Also, think outside the box motherfuckers!
posted by Mister_A at 1:29 PM on July 5, 2007


BAN TIME CUBE

posted by and hosted from Uranus at 1:29 PM on July 5, 2007


That's the spirit and hosted from Uranus!
posted by Mister_A at 1:32 PM on July 5, 2007


I'm gonna give up and clock out soon enough. It's July in Santa Cruz outside.

Deej: my next break, LOL. I mean un-flipping-supervised. I'm the only person in the building and the phones don't ring. I was singing Tina Turner a little while ago. I photoshopped. I went through the web alphabetically.

Killing time with Xactos while on the clock has only ever gotten me three things: stickers, electrical tape sculptures and a worker's comp tetanus shot.

Anyway, sorry to overchat, boredom.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:41 PM on July 5, 2007


Yeah well doing nothing is hard work. Take a break!
posted by The Deej at 1:43 PM on July 5, 2007


@Mister_A I think people are doing it because it's an obnoxious twitter thing. Maybe?
posted by chunking express at 1:43 PM on July 5, 2007


*ponders the bottles of champagne that have been in the fridge since November*
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:45 PM on July 5, 2007


Ahh. I see. Can't we develop our own obnoxious things here? [NOT TWITTERIST]
posted by Mister_A at 1:45 PM on July 5, 2007


holy fuck please email me some 8-month old champagne ambrosia.
posted by Mister_A at 1:45 PM on July 5, 2007


We all read MetaTalk
posted by bonaldi at 1:50 PM on July 5, 2007


I'm going to flame out, just to keep things interesting around here.

1



...




2




...







3




...






FLAME OUT!
posted by Mister_A at 1:54 PM on July 5, 2007


"I am in delicate negotiations right now to bring the "best racist joke" thread back from the dead."

Really? I'm in delicate negotiations to turn it into a sitcom.
posted by klangklangston at 2:02 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough
for anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.
posted by Nabubrush at 2:11 PM on July 5, 2007


50k dudes are wack.
posted by Mister_A at 2:17 PM on July 5, 2007


klangklangston: Is that why Carlos Mencia's been leaving messages for you on my machine?
posted by boo_radley at 2:33 PM on July 5, 2007


Boo: No, we dated briefly in the '80s. When I'm out clubbing, I pretend to be you.
posted by klangklangston at 2:46 PM on July 5, 2007




DEAR SWEET GOD SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP
posted by gleuschk at 3:25 PM on July 5, 2007


Mister_A is such a puppy.
posted by klue at 3:29 PM on July 5, 2007


Mister_A : ...@@@@@@@@@@@@@...

I read this as AtAtAtAtAtAtAtAtAtAtAtAt... and now have visions of Mr_A holding up his fingers like a gun and make-believe machine-gunning everyone in the thread.
posted by quin at 3:42 PM on July 5, 2007


quin, I read it the same way, but then all I could think was "you oughta know by now."
posted by Partial Law at 4:00 PM on July 5, 2007 [1 favorite]


Mister_A, when i read your flame-out I had the chorus to "Le Freak" in the back of my noggin.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 6:39 PM on July 5, 2007


@Mister_A I think people are doing it because it's an obnoxious twitter thing. Maybe?

@chuckdarwin - I think it was an obnoxious Digg thing first.

shmegegge writes 'you know, I don't think we needed it before, but recently I'm starting to think that we should change the MeTa guidelines a bit.'

Either that, or take the MetaTalk link off Ask, and set up AskTalk to ghettoise all this green bibble.
posted by jack_mo at 1:39 AM on July 6, 2007


what is WITH these whiny askme deletion complaint threads, recently?
An analysis of whiny AskMe deletion thread vs user number data might be illuminating ...

Bet you don't find many 14kers in there ;-)
posted by dg at 2:09 AM on July 6, 2007 [1 favorite]


What were the deleted comments about?
posted by delmoi at 12:03 PM on July 6, 2007


First was a weird rebuke of the premise that tech journals were worth reading, second was a counterrebuke on the subject from the asker—just a weird little snit to kick the question off—and I canned those before there were any other comments, if I remember right, so no clue on what parmanparman's (I presume?) comment was.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:36 PM on July 6, 2007


Is there any chance for unfiltered.metafilter.com to materialize? There are too many hilariously great comments that I come across that just aren't there two hours later. It stings to think of all the funny that gets flushed away when the metafilter nannies put their hands over our eyes.

(i.e. the deleted comment in the hulk hogan thread re: a chorus of greased up muscle men slapping asses. Who would that offend? Hulkamaniacs?)
posted by bunnytricks at 7:05 AM on July 7, 2007


No, there's pretty much no chance—the question has come up a bunch of times before, and Matt has been pretty resolute and consistent in his reasoning against it: it defeats the whole purpose of cleaning up in the first place.

Especially on the green, the problem is not "funny" but "noise"—it doesn't matter how hilarious or hulktastic a comment is, if it's only function in a thread is to encourage people to riff unhelpfully, it's doing the opposite of answering the question. If the comment were left alive in a faux-secret limbo state, it'd still be there as encouragement. People reacting with varying degrees of elegance and transparency to half-visible jokes and derails would only increase the noise and confusion attached to a thread.

The green is the only part of the site where things get deleted for being off-topic jokes. The grey and the blue are fair game—the only things deleted from these latter two are cruft (accidental double posts and such) and more or less abusive shit (mano-a-mano yelling matching, posting personal information, really really vile comments, etc).

And much of the time, the folks posting unhelpful one-liners to the green know better, which makes it doubly frustrating. Of all the subsites in all of Metafilter, they had to riff into this one, and all that: AskMe is not (with the rare exception of "I'm looking for a joke about foo") a comedy showcase. It's not nannyism, it's cleanup—whether noise (on the green) or just plain awful stuff (anywhere on the site)—and creating a showcase for shit that's problematic for the health and utility of the site is a counterproductive, king-of-the-shitpile-crowning move.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:25 AM on July 7, 2007 [1 favorite]


Dave Faris is watching you masturbate.
posted by y2karl at 11:04 AM on July 7, 2007


counterproductive, king-of-the-shitpile-crowning move.

WTF?!?!? I have been wasting my time here, then. I thought MetaFilter was already a king-of-the-shitpile exercise.

I gotta GMOB I guess.
posted by The Deej at 11:15 AM on July 7, 2007


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