Best of MeFi / 'Comment Dividers' Error August 8, 2007 8:44 PM   Subscribe

Two things (and yes, I'm cheating). First, I'm wondering if there's any mechanism out there that allows us to look at a "best of" for Mefi and Ask Mefi. Popular favorites in the last 24 hours immediately leaps to mind, and would indeed be ideal, but I'm looking for an RSS feed, and Mathowie says that's a no-go in past MeTas. (Any chance we could change your mind, Matt?) I hear there used to be a third-party blog that did it, but I don't think that's around any longer. Perhaps the sidebar feed ... at least for Mefi? Still, the sidebar is like a "best of best of Mefi." Second, and on an entirely different subject, when the MeFi comment dividers Greasemonkey script is used, it throws off permalinks to comments ... if you click on a comment permalink somewhere else (i.e. a Recent Activity page or a Favorites page), you're at first dropped at the anchor for the comment on the page, but when the comment dividers are applied, it bounces away. Anyone have an idea how that effect might be avoided? I'm more of a idiot-splicer than a programmer, so I really have no idea how to change that script to avoid the effect. Thanks in advance for any advice or answers on both questions ...
posted by WCityMike to MetaFilter-Related at 8:44 PM (21 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- loup





Look down.
posted by dg at 8:53 PM on August 8, 2007




As to your second topic, WCityMike, I think the issue might be the margins assigned to the "posted by" div in the comment dividers script. I've had the same problem and alleviated it somewhat by jiggering with negative margins.
posted by carsonb at 8:58 PM on August 8, 2007


I just fiddled with it until I got tired of the task. My settings still arent' perfect, but IIRC they're better than the stock options.
margin: 1px -3px; padding: 1px 2px;

Here's a quick and dirty on margins and padding in the box model.
posted by carsonb at 9:09 PM on August 8, 2007


It would probably be keen to get four figures in there for both margin and padding.

top right bottom left
margin: -1px 1px -1px 1px; padding: 1px;


I'm gonna try those now and see if it helps.
posted by carsonb at 9:15 PM on August 8, 2007


i've found a workaround for the issue with the divider script for greasemonkey. after the page is loaded, and the view jumps, I hit the 'go' button again (not reload). this jumps back to the anchor. it works because the dividers are applied after your browser has navigated to the anchor.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:15 PM on August 8, 2007


Does this work for you?
posted by tellurian at 9:15 PM on August 8, 2007


WCityMike, as I said before, a RSS feed of popular favorites would tend to gather a ton of repeats and update fairly often.

If RSS readers are smart these days, maybe a ton of duplicates isn't a problem, but if every refresh of the feed shows the same 8 links you've already seen but they're claiming to be new, then it'll be broken from day one.

So, can RSS readers these days handle something like that? Answer that for me WCityMike and we can figure out if we can build it or not.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:16 PM on August 8, 2007


But I assume there's no way to completely zap the effect altogether, then?

I just tried it with these figures:

margin: -1px 1px -1px 1px; padding: 1px;

and it worked perfectly. Try it.
posted by carsonb at 9:21 PM on August 8, 2007


You're welcome. I'm very happy myself to have alleviated the problem. I really dig that script; can't imagine MeFi without it now.
posted by carsonb at 9:25 PM on August 8, 2007


WCityMike, I was probably being a bit clever - I was pointing you here albeit somewhat indirectly. Not an RSS feed, of course, but a start. Perhaps. Maybe.
posted by dg at 9:32 PM on August 8, 2007


if every refresh of the feed shows the same 8 links you've already seen but they're claiming to be new, then it'll be broken from day one.

Couldn't you set a threshold limit for favorites (say, 50) and add each such post to a feed on a permanent basis?

For that matter, there's probably unofficially a threshold like that motivating the sidebar. (200 favorites in 24 hours, or some such.)
posted by anotherpanacea at 10:09 PM on August 8, 2007


anotherpanacea's got it! Set a threshold that takes into account the total # of favorites, and another that watches for quick pileons of favorites. Add something when it meets the criteria, just like it was blog feed.

You're the dude with the ODBC access, you figure out what math actually works to strike the right balance of say, 10 faves per day on averageā€¦
posted by blasdelf at 1:32 AM on August 9, 2007


there's probably unofficially a threshold like that motivating the sidebar.

The sidebar is a little more random than that, actually.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:47 AM on August 9, 2007


Thanks for fixing the comment divider script; it's been bothering me slightly for ages but I've kept forgetting to post about it or to go in and change the CSS on my local copy.

The script is here, for anyone interested.
posted by Tuwa at 11:38 AM on August 9, 2007


Oh, and it was linked right above in the post itself. right-o.
posted by Tuwa at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2007


Two things (and yes, I'm cheating).

Then you won't mind if I piggyback rather than open a new thread with all the attendant drama.


Maybe a mod could redact the personal information from this AskMe.

This revision...
I only have a PO Box address for the company. The original booking was made by [REDACTED], and the cheque was drawn on the account of [REDACTED]. Should I sue the individual(s) or the company? It seems that [REDACTED] is only a trading name...
...would be preferable to what's there. When that page gets crawled, it's going to become the one and only Google hit for that guy's name. The story might be accurate and I'm not questioning the OP's sincerity, but defamation isn't a great use of AskMe.
posted by cribcage at 6:26 PM on August 9, 2007


yeah good idea, cribcage. I did that and dropped cbrody an email.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:27 PM on August 9, 2007


why can i find the most favourited of all time only on the blue?

the popular favourites on the green & grey only show me the most favourited posts in the past 24 hours.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:03 PM on August 9, 2007


Ah, fuck it. I think I'll just go and re-read the Pretty Flowers thread.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:34 PM on August 9, 2007


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