I was preparing a post like this! December 19, 2009 12:18 PM Subscribe
Is there any interest in creating a space on the wiki to collaborate on future posts and prevent sniping?
Right now, I'm collecting links for a future post. But it's on a current event, so I'm also worried the topic will be sniped by someone else as I'm writing it. If I were to make a wiki page and plop it down there, would people bother looking for it before making their own post? For maximum visibility, we'd have to arrange collaborations by subject, and advertise the wiki page somewhere on the "new post" page, which I realize would further crowd the page.
Right now, I'm collecting links for a future post. But it's on a current event, so I'm also worried the topic will be sniped by someone else as I'm writing it. If I were to make a wiki page and plop it down there, would people bother looking for it before making their own post? For maximum visibility, we'd have to arrange collaborations by subject, and advertise the wiki page somewhere on the "new post" page, which I realize would further crowd the page.
would people bother looking for it before making their own post?
They would not.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:22 PM on December 19, 2009 [20 favorites]
They would not.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:22 PM on December 19, 2009 [20 favorites]
When two posters have great posts prepared on the same topic at roughly the same time, the second post makes an excellent comment and expansion of the first post. Collaboration without planning is even sweeter.
posted by Roger Dodger at 12:23 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by Roger Dodger at 12:23 PM on December 19, 2009
I can see this idea turning into a lot of "that jerk stole our post" callouts whenever someone posts something that's coincidentally being worked on in wikiworld.
Thumbs down.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:29 PM on December 19, 2009
Thumbs down.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:29 PM on December 19, 2009
Metafilter is not a contest.
posted by empath at 12:49 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by empath at 12:49 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm not trying to make it a contest, I just thought it would be more interesting to read one comprehensive post than a SLYT with more information down in the comments. Oh well.
posted by shii at 12:54 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by shii at 12:54 PM on December 19, 2009
One of the nice things about a Wiki is that generally speaking you don't need anyone's permission to try something like this. Just ignore the naysayers and do it. Maybe it will be a good addition, maybe not. Don't get upset if people don't want to participate.
posted by grouse at 12:55 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by grouse at 12:55 PM on December 19, 2009
Goddamn I was just going to post this. FFFFUUUUU and all that
posted by allen.spaulding at 1:13 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by allen.spaulding at 1:13 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I just thought it would be more interesting to read one comprehensive post than a SLYT with more information down in the comments.
You're right, in my opinion. However, getting all of MetaFilter to do anything ["hey check the wiki before you post on a current event"] is impossible. Lovably impossible, but still impossible. If you have a lot of research on a topic and someone scoops your post, you can always toss those links into the thread where they will be appreciated.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:16 PM on December 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
You're right, in my opinion. However, getting all of MetaFilter to do anything ["hey check the wiki before you post on a current event"] is impossible. Lovably impossible, but still impossible. If you have a lot of research on a topic and someone scoops your post, you can always toss those links into the thread where they will be appreciated.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:16 PM on December 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
FFFFUUUUUDGE! said Ralphie (not really), as he helped his father fix the flat tire.
posted by ericb at 1:18 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by ericb at 1:18 PM on December 19, 2009
I'm also worried the topic will be sniped by someone else as I'm writing it
Don't sweat it. If you post a double it will be quickly noticed and taken care of. It's not the end of the world, and it's certainly nothing to feel ashamed about. Better to have a double than to avoid posting.
I think people have gotten it in their heads that having a thread deleted is some kind of mortal sin. It really isn't. As long as you're posting in good faith there's nothing wrong with the occasional oopsie.
posted by Rhomboid at 1:21 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Don't sweat it. If you post a double it will be quickly noticed and taken care of. It's not the end of the world, and it's certainly nothing to feel ashamed about. Better to have a double than to avoid posting.
I think people have gotten it in their heads that having a thread deleted is some kind of mortal sin. It really isn't. As long as you're posting in good faith there's nothing wrong with the occasional oopsie.
posted by Rhomboid at 1:21 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I don't see the problem here, especially since you can always plop your links down in the comments of the other post. It's not like readers would be deprived of the substance of what you've got.
posted by chinston at 1:28 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by chinston at 1:28 PM on December 19, 2009
Having just done (and probably overdone) my first front page post, I certainly sympathize. A slightly related post appeared while I was working on mine, and I was afraid someone would make a comment linking to the same thing I was about to.
I think it's unrealistic to expect that most people will review a long list of front page posts-to-be prior to making their posts. But maybe collaborating with several people to assemble a post together would be a nice middle ground?
I don't know how best to let potentially interested collaborators know what posts are being considered, though.
posted by FishBike at 1:28 PM on December 19, 2009
I think it's unrealistic to expect that most people will review a long list of front page posts-to-be prior to making their posts. But maybe collaborating with several people to assemble a post together would be a nice middle ground?
I don't know how best to let potentially interested collaborators know what posts are being considered, though.
posted by FishBike at 1:28 PM on December 19, 2009
Metafilter is not a contest *
except for the old xmas contests, site redesign and user 100,000 but that's different and you know it.
Anyway, calling DIBS! on links is a goofy idea.
posted by boo_radley at 1:48 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
except for the old xmas contests, site redesign and user 100,000 but that's different and you know it.
Anyway, calling DIBS! on links is a goofy idea.
posted by boo_radley at 1:48 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm against this on general principle. "Found something cool on the web and want to share it with everyone else?" doesn't, IMHO, mean "Hey, take a subject and research the shit out of it, and dump a giant 50-link post on the front page."
This is not to say that multi-link posts can't be good, or don't have their place, but they aren't the end-all be-all of Metafilter posts.
Plus they're a waste of monitor ink.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 1:53 PM on December 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
This is not to say that multi-link posts can't be good, or don't have their place, but they aren't the end-all be-all of Metafilter posts.
Plus they're a waste of monitor ink.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 1:53 PM on December 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
Rhomboid: "I think people have gotten it in their heads that having a thread deleted is some kind of mortal sin."
Yes, and that's why I have here this nice FPP Purity Ring that qvantamon gave me for never having made a post to the blue. Still don't know what I'm saving myself for.
No really, I'll make a post someday if I ever come across something worthwhile that hasn't already been posted.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:02 PM on December 19, 2009
Yes, and that's why I have here this nice FPP Purity Ring that qvantamon gave me for never having made a post to the blue. Still don't know what I'm saving myself for.
No really, I'll make a post someday if I ever come across something worthwhile that hasn't already been posted.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:02 PM on December 19, 2009
Although I appreciate the exhaustively researched posts, if I wrote like that, I'd probably edit the life out of it. Also, leaving something to cover in the comments will lead to more participation than, well, something that sounds like it would fit in better on your own blog.
posted by Pronoiac at 2:13 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by Pronoiac at 2:13 PM on December 19, 2009
Sniping? This isn't eBay.
posted by keli at 2:36 PM on December 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by keli at 2:36 PM on December 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
It depends. If you are going to have some kind of voting, or "favouriting", system built in then you should do it. Plus bookmarks so people can get back to where they were easily.
posted by Babblesort at 2:39 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by Babblesort at 2:39 PM on December 19, 2009
Is there any interest in creating a space on the wiki to collaborate on future posts and prevent facilitate sniping?
posted by jacalata at 3:10 PM on December 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by jacalata at 3:10 PM on December 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
I like single link youtube posts, and I like big mega researched posts. If every post on the front page was a college essay, it'd be exhausting.
posted by empath at 3:18 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by empath at 3:18 PM on December 19, 2009
Nothing, but nothing can "prevent sniping".
Metafilter: it's about sniping
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:28 PM on December 19, 2009
Metafilter: it's about sniping
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:28 PM on December 19, 2009
I'mI'mI'mI'mI'm postingpostingpostingpostingposting fromfromfromfromfrom thethethethethe future!future!future!future!future!
posted by Eideteker at 3:31 PM on December 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by Eideteker at 3:31 PM on December 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
"It's a great site, so I blew $5 and got you an account. Here, check it out! No, it's not cliquey at all. Except, uh...yeah, if you actually want to post to it, you have to do this thing where you go to another site, and..." No.
posted by kmennie at 4:02 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by kmennie at 4:02 PM on December 19, 2009
I suggest we create a site called "MetaHammer" (or HammerFilter). We'd submit the post there and when it detected someone else was about to post on that topic it would quickly submit the post here right before then. Imagine how many A++++++ FAVORITES you would garner!
posted by DU at 4:10 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by DU at 4:10 PM on December 19, 2009
I can't wait to add my super-awesome Dick Cheney obit thread to the wiki.
Back off, mofos. It's mine.
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:20 PM on December 19, 2009
Back off, mofos. It's mine.
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:20 PM on December 19, 2009
Not to sound like a selfish asshole (which I am, probably), but what if a poster is writing a post and just doesn't want to collaborate? Are you going to post a MeTa thread because people purposely ignored the wiki collaboration and posted before you guys because he or she simply didn't want his or her post to be governed by committee?
posted by secret about box at 5:25 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by secret about box at 5:25 PM on December 19, 2009
Related discussion: I proposed something similar for obit filter.
posted by Mitheral at 6:47 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 6:47 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I like it. We could call it the Dark Matter page. One look and your post cancels other possible posts. Can we do that? Super Meta Tater Collider. Gosh, it all starts to sound so exciting. Flash/Flame Out Super Collider Fridays. Pandora Posts. Hmm.
posted by effluvia at 6:56 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by effluvia at 6:56 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Metafilter is not a contest.
*sniifs, stuffs the "METAFILTER CONTRIBUTOR* Blue ribbon at the bottom of the sock drawer*
posted by The Whelk at 8:41 PM on December 19, 2009
DU: I suggest we create a site called "MetaHammer" (or HammerFilter).
I suggest we create a site called "MetaSledgeHammer".
posted by MikeHarris at 9:33 PM on December 19, 2009
I suggest we create a site called "MetaSledgeHammer".
posted by MikeHarris at 9:33 PM on December 19, 2009
I propse this be called "dibs". As in "I've got dibs on Thatcher".
posted by Artw at 9:40 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by Artw at 9:40 PM on December 19, 2009
I like this idea, but as other people have already said more eloquently, I don't see how it could possibly work.
posted by hattifattener at 9:46 PM on December 19, 2009
posted by hattifattener at 9:46 PM on December 19, 2009
I propse this be called "dibs". As in "I've got dibs on Thatcher".
"Local Milk-Snatcher Dies After Long Illness."
posted by The Whelk at 9:47 PM on December 19, 2009
"Local Milk-Snatcher Dies After Long Illness."
posted by The Whelk at 9:47 PM on December 19, 2009
"Who will bail out her coup-fomenting idiot son now?"
posted by Abiezer at 10:12 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Abiezer at 10:12 PM on December 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm betting there's a lot of pre-tramped dirt for Thatcher. I'd go "The lady's not for interring".
posted by hawthorne at 5:50 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by hawthorne at 5:50 AM on December 20, 2009
Metafilter is about interesting links, not interesting ideas.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:36 AM on December 20, 2009
posted by blue_beetle at 7:36 AM on December 20, 2009
When a user clicks the 'new post' link, mefi could first display a page containing:
a) an input field in which to roughly describe what you're going to do a post about.
b) a list of abovementioned descriptions recently left by other users.
This would be simple and would greatly reduce the nagging feeling of potential redundancy.
posted by Anything at 12:12 PM on December 20, 2009
a) an input field in which to roughly describe what you're going to do a post about.
b) a list of abovementioned descriptions recently left by other users.
This would be simple and would greatly reduce the nagging feeling of potential redundancy.
posted by Anything at 12:12 PM on December 20, 2009
But... would people like to make Metafilter a contest?
posted by chairface at 12:11 AM on December 22, 2009
posted by chairface at 12:11 AM on December 22, 2009
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posted by fixedgear at 12:20 PM on December 19, 2009 [7 favorites]