Strange things are afoot in the sidebar, dude. May 4, 2011 1:37 PM Subscribe
Lately I've been noticing strange behavior in my contact activity on the sidebar. Older posts are showing up as "So and So had an answer with 12 favorites!" but the comments linked are old and have hundreds of favorites.
Here's an example, featuring Metafilter's Own Greg Nog. The word "answer" links to this post from 2009, which has over 200 favorites. Obviously they weren't all added today.
I've noticed this happen at least three times in the past month. Strangely, all the comments in question were from Greg Nog, though I suspect it has more to do with the fact that he has several posts with 200+ favorites. Unless, you know, he hacked Metafilter or something.
So, um, yeah. I suspect there is a very non-critical bug somewhere.
Sorry to use you as an example, Mr. Nog. This is not a call out. OR IS IT?
Here's an example, featuring Metafilter's Own Greg Nog. The word "answer" links to this post from 2009, which has over 200 favorites. Obviously they weren't all added today.
I've noticed this happen at least three times in the past month. Strangely, all the comments in question were from Greg Nog, though I suspect it has more to do with the fact that he has several posts with 200+ favorites. Unless, you know, he hacked Metafilter or something.
So, um, yeah. I suspect there is a very non-critical bug somewhere.
Sorry to use you as an example, Mr. Nog. This is not a call out. OR IS IT?
It's driven by them suddenly getting a bunch of favorites on a short stretch, even if the comment is old and already had some favorites on it already; functionally I believe the activity code is actually saying "with 12+ favorites (in recent memory)", which practically speaking almost always means "since it got posted" but might not in these odd cases.
So when someone linked Greg Nog's comment recently, bam, pile of new favorites cracks 12 and there you go.
Whenever I'm curious about why something is getting favorites again, I plug either the comment id or the thread id into the site search, set it to all sites, and see what comes up.
So, for example, here's a search for the comments that contain the thread id for that comment of Greg Nog's, and which are hence very likely to be comments linking to the thread or to a comment therein.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
So when someone linked Greg Nog's comment recently, bam, pile of new favorites cracks 12 and there you go.
Whenever I'm curious about why something is getting favorites again, I plug either the comment id or the thread id into the site search, set it to all sites, and see what comes up.
So, for example, here's a search for the comments that contain the thread id for that comment of Greg Nog's, and which are hence very likely to be comments linking to the thread or to a comment therein.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Greg Nog is a feature. Not a bug.
posted by special-k at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2011 [12 favorites]
posted by special-k at 1:44 PM on May 4, 2011 [12 favorites]
Ahhhh. Makes sense. Now I notice the word "recent." Very clever.
I guess I have no opinion on whether or not it's good. It is what it is and now it makes perfect sense. I just thought the notice went up once after the first twelve favorites and thought it was weird that it was doing it again after a couple years.
It would be interesting to know the source of those favorites. Like, did some blog somewhere link to the comment, or did it get linked to from another thread. Every now and then I'll notice a burst of activity on an old post and I always wonder why that happens.
posted by bondcliff at 1:45 PM on May 4, 2011
I guess I have no opinion on whether or not it's good. It is what it is and now it makes perfect sense. I just thought the notice went up once after the first twelve favorites and thought it was weird that it was doing it again after a couple years.
It would be interesting to know the source of those favorites. Like, did some blog somewhere link to the comment, or did it get linked to from another thread. Every now and then I'll notice a burst of activity on an old post and I always wonder why that happens.
posted by bondcliff at 1:45 PM on May 4, 2011
You mean you don't just tune out the contacts sidebar? Weird.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:56 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by Sys Rq at 1:56 PM on May 4, 2011
It might be an interesting infodump project for someone to go looking for thirty day windows that don't start with the date the comment was made, in which comments get 12 or more favorites. I'd bet it's pretty damned uncommon.
It would be interesting to know the source of those favorites. Like, did some blog somewhere link to the comment, or did it get linked to from another thread. Every now and then I'll notice a burst of activity on an old post and I always wonder why that happens.
Well, see the search results I linked; the most recent hit (after my comment above, natch) is this comment from this morning; the same comment was linked as well from an Ask comment back in February; and so on back, with a couple more links from Greg Nog himself and one from another user.
Searching for the comment id or the thread id is a wonderful mystery buster for these odd moments. Most of the time, it's an internal link, not an external one, since non-member readers don't favorite.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:58 PM on May 4, 2011
It would be interesting to know the source of those favorites. Like, did some blog somewhere link to the comment, or did it get linked to from another thread. Every now and then I'll notice a burst of activity on an old post and I always wonder why that happens.
Well, see the search results I linked; the most recent hit (after my comment above, natch) is this comment from this morning; the same comment was linked as well from an Ask comment back in February; and so on back, with a couple more links from Greg Nog himself and one from another user.
Searching for the comment id or the thread id is a wonderful mystery buster for these odd moments. Most of the time, it's an internal link, not an external one, since non-member readers don't favorite.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:58 PM on May 4, 2011
Yeah, I was typing up my comment while you posted yours. That's a pretty good solution.
You mean you don't just tune out the contacts sidebar? Weird.
Why would I do that? I love the contact sidebar. Then again I'm one of those rare MeFites who don't read every post and every comment on the entire site every day, so it's good to see an occasional highlight.
posted by bondcliff at 2:01 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
You mean you don't just tune out the contacts sidebar? Weird.
Why would I do that? I love the contact sidebar. Then again I'm one of those rare MeFites who don't read every post and every comment on the entire site every day, so it's good to see an occasional highlight.
posted by bondcliff at 2:01 PM on May 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
I live for those moments when the contact activity sidebar inappropriately abbreviates the title of something someone posted, and so instead of telling me that e.g.
cromulancehenricksen posted My dad needs advice on grease for sextant maintenance to Ask Metafilter.it informs me that
cromulancehenricksen posted My dad needs advice on grease for sex... to Ask Metafilter.posted by cortex (staff) at 2:14 PM on May 4, 2011 [7 favorites]
There's a greasemonkey whatchamacallit that shows (or attempts to show) why something's popular again. Don't have a link right now, though.
posted by inigo2 at 2:30 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by inigo2 at 2:30 PM on May 4, 2011
It's really just that 12 more favorites is nothing for a comment with 200, but a lot for a comment with 0. One is notable, the other is noise, albeit easily ignored noise.
posted by smackfu at 2:59 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by smackfu at 2:59 PM on May 4, 2011
Greg Nog can not be destroyed, only contained.
Bring me ....the Device.
posted by The Whelk at 3:17 PM on May 4, 2011
Bring me ....the Device.
posted by The Whelk at 3:17 PM on May 4, 2011
GREGS FOR THE GREG NOG
AND FAVORITES FOR HIS THRONE
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:27 PM on May 4, 2011 [10 favorites]
AND FAVORITES FOR HIS THRONE
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:27 PM on May 4, 2011 [10 favorites]
Oh, man, I just realized you're the Fifth Greg. Quite possibly Confit Greg!
posted by ignignokt at 3:41 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by ignignokt at 3:41 PM on May 4, 2011
Do you want this monster depleting our world of its Gregs?
posted by The Whelk at 3:46 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 3:46 PM on May 4, 2011
I prefer my Greg Nog with a splash of bourbon.
He does the most adorable little dance when you give him bourbon.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 3:53 PM on May 4, 2011
He does the most adorable little dance when you give him bourbon.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 3:53 PM on May 4, 2011
You should try giving him fancy scotch in an ungraded warehouse part where D list Japanese stars are being menaced bt huge rubber monsters.
posted by The Whelk at 4:00 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 4:00 PM on May 4, 2011
I felt kind of stupid once for starting this thread once the reason for the "bug" became so clear, but I'm happy that it turned into a big ol' Gregfest.
posted by bondcliff at 4:22 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by bondcliff at 4:22 PM on May 4, 2011
Greg? Greg Greg greg. Greg gerg, Greg greg, Greg. Greg Greg! Greeeeeg. Gregitty.
Greg greg.
posted by The Whelk at 4:24 PM on May 4, 2011
Greg greg.
posted by The Whelk at 4:24 PM on May 4, 2011
Lately I've been noticing strange behavior in my contact activity on the sidebar.
Report them to the FBI.
posted by vidur at 4:29 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Report them to the FBI.
posted by vidur at 4:29 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
It might be an interesting infodump project for someone to go looking for thirty day windows that don't start with the date the comment was made, in which comments get 12 or more favorites. I'd bet it's pretty damned uncommon.
I wonder if "next day" or even "24 hours" is enough of an interval between a comment being made and the start of the delayed favorites window for this type of analysis? The prompt favorites (those that people create while reading a thread that is still very much an active one) seem to go on for a few days, so a highly-favorited comment might easily get 12 of these more than a day after it was posted.
Hmm, what about something like, for each comment, find the first 24-hour period where it hasn't been favorited 12 or more times, and then look for a 30-day period after that when it has. I might try that just to see how that looks.
posted by FishBike at 4:31 PM on May 4, 2011
I wonder if "next day" or even "24 hours" is enough of an interval between a comment being made and the start of the delayed favorites window for this type of analysis? The prompt favorites (those that people create while reading a thread that is still very much an active one) seem to go on for a few days, so a highly-favorited comment might easily get 12 of these more than a day after it was posted.
Hmm, what about something like, for each comment, find the first 24-hour period where it hasn't been favorited 12 or more times, and then look for a 30-day period after that when it has. I might try that just to see how that looks.
posted by FishBike at 4:31 PM on May 4, 2011
Lately I've been noticing strange behavior in my contact activity on the sidebar.
Report them to theFBI Cabal.
posted by arcticseal at 6:14 PM on May 4, 2011
Report them to the
posted by arcticseal at 6:14 PM on May 4, 2011
There was a tall, thin, shadowy character prowling around my sidebar the other night, but when I looked directly at him he was gone.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:36 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:36 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Metafilter's Own Greg Nog
Omigod Greg Nog is on Metafilter?!
/fainting couch*
*for the purposes of this comment, 'fainting couch' is a verb
posted by shakespeherian at 8:49 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Omigod Greg Nog is on Metafilter?!
/fainting couch*
*for the purposes of this comment, 'fainting couch' is a verb
posted by shakespeherian at 8:49 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
faint that couch
posted by The Whelk at 8:51 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 8:51 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
As I get older, I cannot faint the couch as often as I used to be able to.
posted by maxwelton at 9:17 PM on May 4, 2011
posted by maxwelton at 9:17 PM on May 4, 2011
Old Gregg was pleased to meet you; did you ever drink Bailieys, from a shoe?
posted by infinite intimation at 9:48 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by infinite intimation at 9:48 PM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I searched youtube for Greg and it showed Greg vomiting... D: Drink your Greg responsibly.
posted by nile_red at 12:45 AM on May 5, 2011
posted by nile_red at 12:45 AM on May 5, 2011
GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEG
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:26 AM on May 5, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:26 AM on May 5, 2011
Whenever I'm curious about why something is getting favorites again, I plug either the comment id or the thread id into the site search, set it to all sites, and see what comes up.
OMG. I didn't know you could do that. Thanks cortex!
I've been needing a handy mystery solver like that for the longest time. And thanks to bondcliff for posing this question so that this super useful tip could be passed along.
I love MeTa!
posted by marsha56 at 6:06 AM on May 5, 2011
OMG. I didn't know you could do that. Thanks cortex!
I've been needing a handy mystery solver like that for the longest time. And thanks to bondcliff for posing this question so that this super useful tip could be passed along.
I love MeTa!
posted by marsha56 at 6:06 AM on May 5, 2011
I am vast; I contain multigregs.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:36 AM on May 5, 2011
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:36 AM on May 5, 2011
Does it vibrate?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:06 PM on May 5, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:06 PM on May 5, 2011
This device outputs an average of 30 miligregs
This brings up something I have thought about previously1, which is that MetaFilter needs to invent an official SI Metric unit for something. The greg (Gr) seems like a good choice. Definition: amount of awesome equivalent to 1 Greg Nog.
The most favorited comment in site history would be about 20 mGr, so your 30 mGr device would be pretty good. Although shouldn't an output rate be something like milligregs per second?
1: yes, really.
posted by FishBike at 12:55 PM on May 5, 2011
This brings up something I have thought about previously1, which is that MetaFilter needs to invent an official SI Metric unit for something. The greg (Gr) seems like a good choice. Definition: amount of awesome equivalent to 1 Greg Nog.
The most favorited comment in site history would be about 20 mGr, so your 30 mGr device would be pretty good. Although shouldn't an output rate be something like milligregs per second?
1: yes, really.
posted by FishBike at 12:55 PM on May 5, 2011
Actually, shouldn't it be the Nog (Ng)?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:05 PM on May 5, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:05 PM on May 5, 2011
Clearly more research is needed.
I'll get the restraints.
posted by The Whelk at 1:08 PM on May 5, 2011
I'll get the restraints.
posted by The Whelk at 1:08 PM on May 5, 2011
Well, the abbreviation Ng is problematic because it can be confused with newton-grams. However if we decide to go with your suggestion, we should write it "nog" not "Nog" because SI Metric units are always written in lower case, even when named for a person. Only the abbreviations are capitalized, oddly enough.
posted by FishBike at 1:10 PM on May 5, 2011
posted by FishBike at 1:10 PM on May 5, 2011
What about Gogs? (Gg)?
I'll get the restraints.
Stop by the hardware store too.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:12 PM on May 5, 2011
I'll get the restraints.
Stop by the hardware store too.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:12 PM on May 5, 2011
Gog is slang for a native of North Wales (shortened from Gogledd, Welsh for North). It's typically not used in a flattering manner. Whereas a Nog sounds like a really good drink.
posted by arcticseal at 5:29 PM on May 5, 2011
posted by arcticseal at 5:29 PM on May 5, 2011
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
We can discuss whether or not that's good. I think it's interesting to see comments that are getting new activity, but I can also see that it might be annoying since those comments have been seen.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:41 PM on May 4, 2011