Why can't one favorite deleted threads? August 28, 2007 7:08 PM Subscribe
Why can't one favorite deleted threads? There are a few methods of viewing deleted threads, and one can work around the issue by favoriting a comment in a deleted thread; however I think it would be nifty if we could favorite a deleted thread itself.
They should be a way to bookmark stuff that the admins don't want on the site? Forgive me, but your own personal web browser would be a much better way to bookmark stuff like that rather than having pb or whomever spend actual time to come up with some magic workaround for showing favorites for live threads but not deleted threads
posted by edgeways at 7:25 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by edgeways at 7:25 PM on August 28, 2007
Navigate to the thread you wish to favorite, but cannot. Now go
CTRL-D → Click ↓ → Click New Folder... → Name: Deleted MeFi Threads of Note → Description: Stuff I can't favorite that is nonetheless my favorite. → Click OK
posted by carsonb at 7:26 PM on August 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
CTRL-D → Click ↓ → Click New Folder... → Name: Deleted MeFi Threads of Note → Description: Stuff I can't favorite that is nonetheless my favorite. → Click OK
posted by carsonb at 7:26 PM on August 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
Deleted threads are deleted because they suck. I don't think we need to make special arrangements to accommodate your bad taste.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:27 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:27 PM on August 28, 2007
Dang, I forgot <button> doesn't work anymore.
That looked super-cool in preview.
posted by carsonb at 7:27 PM on August 28, 2007
That looked super-cool in preview.
posted by carsonb at 7:27 PM on August 28, 2007
The Trifecta!
I hereby declare a moratorium on allfavorite bookmark related posts until after Labor Day.
posted by absalom at 7:29 PM on August 28, 2007
I hereby declare a moratorium on all
posted by absalom at 7:29 PM on August 28, 2007
There are alternative solutions online that do not succumb to browser irregularities like my previous instructions as well.
posted by carsonb at 7:36 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by carsonb at 7:36 PM on August 28, 2007
It is possible - I have had some of my deleted threads show favorites even days later. Or am I missing something.
posted by vronsky at 8:09 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by vronsky at 8:09 PM on August 28, 2007
So far 28 of us have favorited this awesome and unjustly deleted thread.
Seriously, if a cum eating monkey video doesn't make the grade there's plenty more that needs to go.
Be that as it may, I'm grateful to have the ability to include it in my collection of Metafilter's finest moments.
posted by BigSky at 8:26 PM on August 28, 2007
Seriously, if a cum eating monkey video doesn't make the grade there's plenty more that needs to go.
Be that as it may, I'm grateful to have the ability to include it in my collection of Metafilter's finest moments.
posted by BigSky at 8:26 PM on August 28, 2007
It is possible - I have had some of my deleted threads show favorites even days later.
I think that it's possible to favorite a thread *before* it gets deleted and have those favorites remain; however after deletion, I don't think a thread can be favorited. (Or BigSky, am I wrong? I don't see that I can favorite that horrible monkey thing now).
I should say also that I really don't mean to belittle the work of the admins, who go through the very necessary trouble of deleting so much terrible crap. But there have been a few posts lately that were of interest to me despite being inappropriate for the frontpage for one reason or another, and it would be nice to be able to mark them for later reference like other threads.
posted by washburn at 8:29 PM on August 28, 2007
I think that it's possible to favorite a thread *before* it gets deleted and have those favorites remain; however after deletion, I don't think a thread can be favorited. (Or BigSky, am I wrong? I don't see that I can favorite that horrible monkey thing now).
I should say also that I really don't mean to belittle the work of the admins, who go through the very necessary trouble of deleting so much terrible crap. But there have been a few posts lately that were of interest to me despite being inappropriate for the frontpage for one reason or another, and it would be nice to be able to mark them for later reference like other threads.
posted by washburn at 8:29 PM on August 28, 2007
This is, I think, the sort of niche need that is best being left to external solutions.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:47 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:47 PM on August 28, 2007
But without this feature, it will take hours, if not days, to compile DELETION REASONS: Cortex's Greatest Hits.
posted by kyleg at 10:07 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by kyleg at 10:07 PM on August 28, 2007
I actually don't put which mod deleted the post on there. I thought about adding that when it started but never did anything about it. You can pretty much tell which ones cortex deleted though.
posted by puke & cry at 10:52 PM on August 28, 2007
posted by puke & cry at 10:52 PM on August 28, 2007
cortex, I am disappointed that you are unwilling to fill my every niche.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:01 PM on August 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by madamjujujive at 11:01 PM on August 28, 2007 [1 favorite]
Hey carsonb: ↑ yours!
I keed! You don't know how long I've been waiting to use that.
posted by philomathoholic at 1:01 AM on August 29, 2007
I keed! You don't know how long I've been waiting to use that.
posted by philomathoholic at 1:01 AM on August 29, 2007
washburn,
Most of us who made it a favorite did so after it was deleted. Apparently, at some point after March 31, 2007 changes were made. Since they recently removed the capability it doesn't look too promising that the powers that be will be inclined to bring it back.
posted by BigSky at 3:53 AM on August 29, 2007
Most of us who made it a favorite did so after it was deleted. Apparently, at some point after March 31, 2007 changes were made. Since they recently removed the capability it doesn't look too promising that the powers that be will be inclined to bring it back.
posted by BigSky at 3:53 AM on August 29, 2007
Dang, I forgot <button> doesn't work anymore.
That looked super-cool in preview.
THEN IT'S NOT *REALLY* A PREVIEW, IS IT?
posted by quonsar at 8:31 AM on August 29, 2007
That looked super-cool in preview.
THEN IT'S NOT *REALLY* A PREVIEW, IS IT?
posted by quonsar at 8:31 AM on August 29, 2007
You're right, it's not really a preview. It's a Live Preview, which must be different somehow.
<Linda Richman>
Live Preview is neither alive nor a preview. Discuss.
</Linda Richman>
posted by carsonb at 9:57 AM on August 29, 2007
<Linda Richman>
Live Preview is neither alive nor a preview. Discuss.
</Linda Richman>
posted by carsonb at 9:57 AM on August 29, 2007
Hmm. Well, I see that my suggestion hasn't exactly lit the world on fire, and that the ability to favorite threads that are deleted is seen as a niche need.
This is ok, I guess. Still, what's the niche? Wouldn't the niche be "people who use favorites as they're supposed to be used"? i.e. to mark threads they find engaging? It seems a pretty big niche.
Here are a couple deleted threads, for example. This one is pretty interesting, about how everyday objects can exhibit virus-like behaviors, but was kind of a self-link. Since tons of self-linking on the main page would kill Mefi, it's clearly a good delete. Still, this thread would be one that someone might reasonably want to favorite.
Similary, this TMT-related deleted post has some great links, but is written in a bizarre awkward style and is a also a good delete, so as to encourage normal posting. Again, however, there are good reason that people might want to favorite this thread.
And one final thing: deleted threads are non-searchable (I think), so in at least one respect it is more useful to be able to favorite deleted threads than threads that stick around, since the non-deleted ones are easier to find later. People who have commented in a thread that is later deleted might especially want to favorite a thread of interest after it's deleted, so that they can find it again later.
Anyway, this isn't a huge deal, since one can still favorite comments within deleted threads. However the reasoning behind the recent change to make deleted threads unfavoritable is still not quite obvious to me.
posted by washburn at 12:48 PM on August 29, 2007
This is ok, I guess. Still, what's the niche? Wouldn't the niche be "people who use favorites as they're supposed to be used"? i.e. to mark threads they find engaging? It seems a pretty big niche.
Here are a couple deleted threads, for example. This one is pretty interesting, about how everyday objects can exhibit virus-like behaviors, but was kind of a self-link. Since tons of self-linking on the main page would kill Mefi, it's clearly a good delete. Still, this thread would be one that someone might reasonably want to favorite.
Similary, this TMT-related deleted post has some great links, but is written in a bizarre awkward style and is a also a good delete, so as to encourage normal posting. Again, however, there are good reason that people might want to favorite this thread.
And one final thing: deleted threads are non-searchable (I think), so in at least one respect it is more useful to be able to favorite deleted threads than threads that stick around, since the non-deleted ones are easier to find later. People who have commented in a thread that is later deleted might especially want to favorite a thread of interest after it's deleted, so that they can find it again later.
Anyway, this isn't a huge deal, since one can still favorite comments within deleted threads. However the reasoning behind the recent change to make deleted threads unfavoritable is still not quite obvious to me.
posted by washburn at 12:48 PM on August 29, 2007
hey I agree with you washburn, I was just trying to say "niche need" three times fast.
posted by vronsky at 2:53 PM on August 29, 2007
posted by vronsky at 2:53 PM on August 29, 2007
Don't get me wrong; it's ok. I mean, those needs are perfectly normal, past a certain age.
posted by washburn at 3:55 PM on August 29, 2007
posted by washburn at 3:55 PM on August 29, 2007
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If the potential use of favorites as protests about deletions is to be discouraged, perhaps the total number of times a deleted thread is favorited shouldn’t be publicly displayed, or counted towards the author’s total “favorited by others.” But if favorites are supposed to be used as bookmarks, it seems a shame that they can’t be used to bookmark marginal but nonetheless useful deleted material.
posted by washburn at 7:09 PM on August 28, 2007