Single Link, No More October 20, 2011 8:34 PM Subscribe
Is it just me or has the number of single-link entries increased drastically of late? And if that's the case, how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries?
how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries?
Write them?
posted by mazola at 8:41 PM on October 20, 2011 [39 favorites]
Write them?
posted by mazola at 8:41 PM on October 20, 2011 [39 favorites]
A sow and a lioness were talking. The sow was dissing the lioness for having only one cub at a time when she, the sow, had a dozen.
"Only one", said the lioness. "But a lion".
posted by unSane at 8:42 PM on October 20, 2011 [86 favorites]
"Only one", said the lioness. "But a lion".
posted by unSane at 8:42 PM on October 20, 2011 [86 favorites]
Not even wrong.
posted by ryanrs at 8:45 PM on October 20, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by ryanrs at 8:45 PM on October 20, 2011 [5 favorites]
One morning an elderly man was walking on a nearly deserted beach. He came upon a boy surrounded by thousands and thousands of starfish. As eagerly as he could, the youngster was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean.
Puzzled, the older man looked at the young boy and asked, "Little boy, what are you doing?"
The youth responded without looking up, "I'm trying to save these starfish, sir."
The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"
Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, "SLYT".
posted by eddydamascene at 8:48 PM on October 20, 2011 [31 favorites]
Puzzled, the older man looked at the young boy and asked, "Little boy, what are you doing?"
The youth responded without looking up, "I'm trying to save these starfish, sir."
The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"
Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, "SLYT".
posted by eddydamascene at 8:48 PM on October 20, 2011 [31 favorites]
You say it like it's a bad thing.
There is the argument that a links-heavy FPP is akin to an Yngwe Malmsteen guitar solo. Impressive but not exactly advancing the cause of music
posted by philip-random at 8:49 PM on October 20, 2011 [28 favorites]
Like the days of cat-scan.com?
posted by chinston at 8:54 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by chinston at 8:54 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
If you start another wave of link-heavy, unreadable posts on the front page I will come to your house and read the entire fucking encyclopedia at you until you're exhausted. Exhausted, I tell you!
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:55 PM on October 20, 2011 [12 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 8:55 PM on October 20, 2011 [12 favorites]
TNLNYC: “Is it just me or has the number of single-link entries increased drastically of late? And if that's the case, how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries?”
If you squint a little bit, you can pretend that a wondrous sort of new 2003 is happening: there's only one post per day, and it has dozens of links.
posted by koeselitz at 9:04 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
If you squint a little bit, you can pretend that a wondrous sort of new 2003 is happening: there's only one post per day, and it has dozens of links.
posted by koeselitz at 9:04 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries?
You could make each letter a link.
posted by Sailormom at 9:05 PM on October 20, 2011 [6 favorites]
You could make each letter a link.
posted by Sailormom at 9:05 PM on October 20, 2011 [6 favorites]
Just Google whatever the link is about and pretend the FPP had the first few results as link padding.
posted by Artw at 9:07 PM on October 20, 2011 [29 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:07 PM on October 20, 2011 [29 favorites]
Or just scroll to the bottom of the appropriate Wikipedia article.
posted by Iridic at 9:19 PM on October 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Iridic at 9:19 PM on October 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries
Take up a collection for another Best Post contest?
posted by ceribus peribus at 9:20 PM on October 20, 2011
Take up a collection for another Best Post contest?
posted by ceribus peribus at 9:20 PM on October 20, 2011
Just go check out that recent Jim Steinman post. And then delete all your weak sauce link-padding in shame and post that single link proudly.
Not all of us are Einstein.
posted by unSane at 9:24 PM on October 20, 2011
Not all of us are Einstein.
posted by unSane at 9:24 PM on October 20, 2011
I feel like we have this discussion every few months...
posted by schmod at 9:28 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by schmod at 9:28 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
TNLNYC: "And if that's the case, how can we get it back to the old way of links-rich entries? "
Nthing that you should create them yourself. As Jessamyn says, be the change you want to see.
The obvious problem is, they're more time-consuming to create. Plus there are only a few people here who consistently do them really well, without an excess of padding. Rhaomi. flapjax at midnight. etc.
posted by zarq at 9:31 PM on October 20, 2011
Nthing that you should create them yourself. As Jessamyn says, be the change you want to see.
The obvious problem is, they're more time-consuming to create. Plus there are only a few people here who consistently do them really well, without an excess of padding. Rhaomi. flapjax at midnight. etc.
posted by zarq at 9:31 PM on October 20, 2011
Whenever people complain about the diminishing quality of posts on the blue, I remind them that the first post, celebrated every year, was a single-link post to a website with scans of the undersides of cats.
posted by shakespeherian at 9:33 PM on October 20, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 9:33 PM on October 20, 2011 [7 favorites]
There's this "community" website I go to that has thousands of members. Can we change this thing that lots of the other members do because I personally don't like it?
posted by Decani at 9:37 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Decani at 9:37 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
And it's all been downhill from there, shakespeherian.
The absolute minimum of links should be used for each post. Sometimes that minimum is 1, sometimes it's 19, it just depends what your subject is.
posted by Kattullus at 9:38 PM on October 20, 2011 [6 favorites]
The absolute minimum of links should be used for each post. Sometimes that minimum is 1, sometimes it's 19, it just depends what your subject is.
posted by Kattullus at 9:38 PM on October 20, 2011 [6 favorites]
philip-random: " There is the argument that a links-heavy FPP is akin to an Yngwe Malmsteen guitar solo. Impressive but not exactly advancing the cause of music"
Depends on the post.
posted by zarq at 9:43 PM on October 20, 2011
Depends on the post.
posted by zarq at 9:43 PM on October 20, 2011
shakespeherian: "18Whenever people complain about the diminishing quality of posts on the blue, I remind them that the first post, celebrated every year, was a single-link post to a website with scans of the undersides of cats."
Historically significant ≠ quality
posted by zarq at 9:44 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Historically significant ≠ quality
posted by zarq at 9:44 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Whenever people complain about the diminishing quality of posts on the blue, I remind them that the first post, celebrated every year, was a single-link post to a website with scans of the undersides of cats.
That was the 19th post. The first post was just the phrase "what, did you not like the movie or something?", with no links.
posted by eddydamascene at 9:45 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
That was the 19th post. The first post was just the phrase "what, did you not like the movie or something?", with no links.
posted by eddydamascene at 9:45 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Wow, we must be looking at two different versions of the front page today. I see lots of link-heavy posts.
posted by hermitosis at 9:50 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by hermitosis at 9:50 PM on October 20, 2011
The topic of single-link posts has been discussed many times before...
So many times... so so many.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 9:57 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
So many times... so so many.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 9:57 PM on October 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oh goodie, the worst habits of wikipedia come to the blue.
Cat-Scan.com is one of the strangest sites I've seen in some time. I have no idea how these people got their cats wedged into their scanners, or why.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:59 PM on October 20, 2011 [11 favorites]
Cat-Scan.com is one of the strangest sites I've seen in some time. I have no idea how these people got their cats wedged into their scanners, or why.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:59 PM on October 20, 2011 [11 favorites]
" There is the argument that a links-heavy FPP is akin to an Yngwe Malmsteen guitar solo. Impressive but not exactly advancing the cause of music"
Depends on the post.
Let me refine it then (and add a link):
a links-heavy FPP can be akin to an Yngwe Malmsteen guitar solo. Impressive but not exactly advancing the cause of music
posted by philip-random at 10:00 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Depends on the post.
Let me refine it then (and add a link):
a links-heavy FPP can be akin to an Yngwe Malmsteen guitar solo. Impressive but not exactly advancing the cause of music
posted by philip-random at 10:00 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sailormom: "You could make each letter a link"
Yes, plz let's not anyone start those things again -- fifteen thousand links going who knows where and damned if I was going to find out. Mystery meat, that's what it's called, right? Real wrist-slitters, those were, esp if there was a lot of interest by solid citizens in the thread, which meant if I was going to keep on top of it I'd have to read all those links, which were possibly linking to kittens or bunnies, for all I knew.
posted by dancestoblue at 10:02 PM on October 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
Yes, plz let's not anyone start those things again -- fifteen thousand links going who knows where and damned if I was going to find out. Mystery meat, that's what it's called, right? Real wrist-slitters, those were, esp if there was a lot of interest by solid citizens in the thread, which meant if I was going to keep on top of it I'd have to read all those links, which were possibly linking to kittens or bunnies, for all I knew.
posted by dancestoblue at 10:02 PM on October 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
I'm going to construct a links heavy post about Yngwe Malmsteen.
See you in six months.
posted by mazola at 10:12 PM on October 20, 2011 [9 favorites]
See you in six months.
posted by mazola at 10:12 PM on October 20, 2011 [9 favorites]
The old days had plenty of posts with single links, and I can't think of a single reason why there should be anything wrong with it. If you're linking to something good, it doesn't need cluttered up with a bunch of other stuff.
posted by kenko at 10:15 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by kenko at 10:15 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't be Linkist, man. A multi-link FPP is just a collection of single-link FPPs in one place.
posted by vidur at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by vidur at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
We have always had lots of single-link posts. This has never changed. Expect a knock at the door.
posted by dg at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by dg at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011
this post has 0 links.
posted by empath at 11:17 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by empath at 11:17 PM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
So does this post.
I would add an interesting picture for your entertainment, but, you know...
posted by Cranberry at 11:33 PM on October 20, 2011
I would add an interesting picture for your entertainment, but, you know...
posted by Cranberry at 11:33 PM on October 20, 2011
Those aren't posts, they're comments.
posted by dg at 11:34 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by dg at 11:34 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
I am so going to do a big link heavy curatorial post from my decking iPad cause of this.
posted by The Whelk at 11:36 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 11:36 PM on October 20, 2011
I post multi-link posts, and single-link posts. Using multiple links in a post is useful to provide context, but sometimes a single link is self-explanatory. You just need to use your head. And, besides, it's always possible to post more links in the comments. Often the links posted in the comments are more interesting than the links in the original post!
posted by KokuRyu at 11:37 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by KokuRyu at 11:37 PM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
It really shouldn't matter how many links a post has as long as all the links it has are good.
posted by flatluigi at 1:28 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by flatluigi at 1:28 AM on October 21, 2011
I've been saving this for a long time (since before favorites existed, in fact).
posted by Gator at 2:53 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by Gator at 2:53 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
A post with multiple links is no more objectively "better" than a single link post, than a painting that uses lots of colours is "better" than a painting that uses fewer colours. You may prefer one or the other, but you can have rubbish multi-link posts and brilliant single-link posts, and visa versa.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:58 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:58 AM on October 21, 2011
As Jessamyn says, be the change you want to see.
I like that Jessamyn has taken over the role of Gandhi.
posted by sonika at 3:36 AM on October 21, 2011 [7 favorites]
I like that Jessamyn has taken over the role of Gandhi.
posted by sonika at 3:36 AM on October 21, 2011 [7 favorites]
I wish I was a member of metafilter back when it was perfect!! No repetitions, no SLYTs, no 'riff raff'. Oh wait, I probably wouldn't have fit in very well.
posted by bquarters at 3:38 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by bquarters at 3:38 AM on October 21, 2011
Gator: "I've been saving this for a long time (since before favorites existed, in fact)."
Well, if you hadn't gone and scrubbed donfactor's very important news filter post, it wouldn't have been an issue. :)
posted by zarq at 3:51 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well, if you hadn't gone and scrubbed donfactor's very important news filter post, it wouldn't have been an issue. :)
posted by zarq at 3:51 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks so much for your kind shout out on my multi-link posts, zarq. I should add, though, that I make a hella lotta single link posts too, and I'm definitely of the opinion that either way can be good.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:39 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:39 AM on October 21, 2011
This, again.
posted by crunchland at 4:43 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by crunchland at 4:43 AM on October 21, 2011
Smarter people than me have said it better: generally, one good solution to the problem "I wish there were more x posts" is for you to make more x posts.
posted by box at 4:57 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by box at 4:57 AM on October 21, 2011
Aww, come on, box. You're smart.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:12 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:12 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Is it just me or has the number of single-link entries increased drastically of late?
Sounds like a question science could answer.
posted by DU at 5:20 AM on October 21, 2011
Sounds like a question science could answer.
posted by DU at 5:20 AM on October 21, 2011
Every time I hit the "post" button, Yngwe Malmsteen jumps from my wardrobe and does a blistering 15 minute guitar solo. It does not do much to advance the cause of music because I am usually the only witness.
posted by Meatbomb at 5:34 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Meatbomb at 5:34 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
I don't mind single-link posts so much but I think it's a little sad when it is purely a link with no surrounding text saying anything about it. I feel like Metafilter users are curators of the web for other users, and part of that responsibility is putting the links they present in a little context.
posted by dfan at 5:34 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by dfan at 5:34 AM on October 21, 2011
I didn't sign up for that amount of responsibility.
posted by crunchland at 5:40 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchland at 5:40 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I feel like Metafilter users are curators of the web for other users, and part of that responsibility is putting the links they present in a little context.
Yeah, but sometimes the link itself is the only 'context' that's really called for. Sometimes.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Yeah, but sometimes the link itself is the only 'context' that's really called for. Sometimes.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
You're ahead of the game if you can get people to click even one link.
posted by Trurl at 6:14 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Trurl at 6:14 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think Rhaomi has the best examples of multi-link post. All related to the same topic, but coming from different corners of the web. I won't point to any bad multi-link posts, but there are several that read like an encyclopedia entry, with every other word linking to the same story told on a different blog.
posted by Think_Long at 6:15 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Think_Long at 6:15 AM on October 21, 2011
Is it just me, or are there more MetaTalk posts wondering if it's just me lately?
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:16 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:16 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Earlier it was me.
posted by Sailormom at 6:26 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Sailormom at 6:26 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
A sow and a lioness were talking. The sow was dissing the lioness for having only one cub at a time when she, the sow, had a dozen.
The lioness smiled, then looked sick, then belched, then burped, and then immediately a bulge appeared in her throat. Before the sow could react, the lioness spat up a piglet: a live, squealing piglet.
Seconds later, another piglet passed, and then another, and then five more, and then twenty more, no longer only from the mouth now, dozens streaming from every orifice on the lioness' body, and then hundreds, and then thousands, the squealing piglets forming a great piggy pile in the middle of the savannah some eighty feet tall. The pile turned into a hill, and the hill into several hills, and the several hills into a great craggy mountain of squirming, writhing piglets, uncountable numbers of them, a wailing mass seen and heard for miles around.
Within a day, the entire middle third of Africa had been entirely covered with piglets, a ruddy fleshy plague of porcine flesh, growing ever so quickly. Entire countries were consumed in the piglet flood, the flood growing far faster than any human could run. The combined air forces of the world tried to stem the growth with strafing and bombs, but to no avail - where hundreds of pigs died, thousands more appeared, and appeared suddenly, with eardrum-shattering peals and squeals to accompany their growth.
The end had only begun.
Within a month, humanity itself was moribund, the only remaining survivors holed up in various caverns and bomb shelters. The whole of the planet had been consumed. Astronauts in the space station could only look on in horror as the earth no longer featured green or tan or blue or even white, but only the bleak earth colors of the humble pig.
Impossibly, even through the vacuum of space, the nasal keening of trillions of pigs could be faintly heard. One astronaut to turned to the other, about to ask what to do, what this means.
The other astronaut opened her visor, revealing herself to be not an astronaut, nor even a human at all, but in fact a sickly lioness.
The sickly lioness.
She then immediately spat up a piglet, and so the entire space station began to fill as well.
In the years before the entire universe filled with the mass of piglets, had there been philosophers and scientists to ponder the problem, had there remained intelligent life of any form at al, there is probably one question that they would have been asking themselves, even before their minds could turn to thinking of a cure to the problem.
And that question would have been: what's so wrong with a single link post?
posted by Sticherbeast at 6:28 AM on October 21, 2011 [18 favorites]
The lioness smiled, then looked sick, then belched, then burped, and then immediately a bulge appeared in her throat. Before the sow could react, the lioness spat up a piglet: a live, squealing piglet.
Seconds later, another piglet passed, and then another, and then five more, and then twenty more, no longer only from the mouth now, dozens streaming from every orifice on the lioness' body, and then hundreds, and then thousands, the squealing piglets forming a great piggy pile in the middle of the savannah some eighty feet tall. The pile turned into a hill, and the hill into several hills, and the several hills into a great craggy mountain of squirming, writhing piglets, uncountable numbers of them, a wailing mass seen and heard for miles around.
Within a day, the entire middle third of Africa had been entirely covered with piglets, a ruddy fleshy plague of porcine flesh, growing ever so quickly. Entire countries were consumed in the piglet flood, the flood growing far faster than any human could run. The combined air forces of the world tried to stem the growth with strafing and bombs, but to no avail - where hundreds of pigs died, thousands more appeared, and appeared suddenly, with eardrum-shattering peals and squeals to accompany their growth.
The end had only begun.
Within a month, humanity itself was moribund, the only remaining survivors holed up in various caverns and bomb shelters. The whole of the planet had been consumed. Astronauts in the space station could only look on in horror as the earth no longer featured green or tan or blue or even white, but only the bleak earth colors of the humble pig.
Impossibly, even through the vacuum of space, the nasal keening of trillions of pigs could be faintly heard. One astronaut to turned to the other, about to ask what to do, what this means.
The other astronaut opened her visor, revealing herself to be not an astronaut, nor even a human at all, but in fact a sickly lioness.
The sickly lioness.
She then immediately spat up a piglet, and so the entire space station began to fill as well.
In the years before the entire universe filled with the mass of piglets, had there been philosophers and scientists to ponder the problem, had there remained intelligent life of any form at al, there is probably one question that they would have been asking themselves, even before their minds could turn to thinking of a cure to the problem.
And that question would have been: what's so wrong with a single link post?
posted by Sticherbeast at 6:28 AM on October 21, 2011 [18 favorites]
why am I suddenly hungry for bacon
posted by subbes at 6:42 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by subbes at 6:42 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
I think we're done here.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:43 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:43 AM on October 21, 2011
Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her.
posted by Kokopuff at 6:47 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Kokopuff at 6:47 AM on October 21, 2011
The Jessamyn Moderator is a limiting device installed by the Vermont government to prevent Jessamyn's awesomeness from overwhelming the web. It sits there humming and whirring, converting excess fabulosity into kittens.
They have a second device to turn surplus kittens into narwhals.
posted by zamboni at 6:53 AM on October 21, 2011 [10 favorites]
They have a second device to turn surplus kittens into narwhals.
posted by zamboni at 6:53 AM on October 21, 2011 [10 favorites]
Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her.
posted by Kokopuff
You're koo-koo.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:55 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Kokopuff
You're koo-koo.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:55 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Conversely, is there anything we can do to promote more single link posts? I don't come to MetaFilter to watch someone craft intricate 'link jazz'. I come for interesting links and most of the time a multi-link post will only have one truly remarkable link and it will be absolutely hidden amongst weak sauce, tangential links. This recent post comes to mind. I mean, it's not the end of the world, but it's irksome. I'd encourage anyone who likes to pepper their posts with a ton of fluff links to make the main link more obvious somehow.
posted by picea at 7:07 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by picea at 7:07 AM on October 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Kokopuff: "Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her."
This one?. It was deleted because it violated site guidelines, not because it was a single link.
posted by zarq at 7:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
This one?. It was deleted because it violated site guidelines, not because it was a single link.
posted by zarq at 7:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Jessamyn deleted one post of yours, Kokopuff – the one zarq linked; the others were one site-was-down, and two doubles, none of which were deleted by Jessamyn.
posted by taz (staff) at 7:17 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by taz (staff) at 7:17 AM on October 21, 2011
Conversely, is there anything we can do to promote more single link posts? I don't come to MetaFilter to watch someone craft intricate 'link jazz'. I come for interesting links and most of the time a multi-link post will only have one truly remarkable link and it will be absolutely hidden amongst weak sauce, tangential links.
It's basically all style stuff; like folks have said already, there has always been a mix of single-link and multi-link posts (or almost always, back in the very very early days it was mostly Matt posting one link at a time and then nobody commenting), there's always been good single-links and bad single-links and good multi-links and bad multi-links. Taste, judgement, and a certain je ne sais quoi have more to do with whether a given post is good than how many links it has.
One way you can maybe subtly encourage strong links is to go into posts and only discuss the content of the good links, and hope the poster notices the distribution of attention and adjusts their style accordingly. Which is maybe a reach, maybe not, but it has the advantage of looking like good metafilter commenting behavior regardless of what the poster takes away from it.
Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her.
Hey now, credit where due: I deleted two of the three single-link posts you've made, and both of those were doubles, and I made a country music joke in the deletion of this one that caused all kinds of bother afterward and I don't really know how to end this sentence.
The five posts you've made that haven't been deleted have all been single-linkers as well, but I don't have any country music jokes prepared for those.
I like that Jessamyn has taken over the role of Gandhi.
It's like Gandhi said: Be the Jessamyn that you wish to see in the world.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:20 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
It's basically all style stuff; like folks have said already, there has always been a mix of single-link and multi-link posts (or almost always, back in the very very early days it was mostly Matt posting one link at a time and then nobody commenting), there's always been good single-links and bad single-links and good multi-links and bad multi-links. Taste, judgement, and a certain je ne sais quoi have more to do with whether a given post is good than how many links it has.
One way you can maybe subtly encourage strong links is to go into posts and only discuss the content of the good links, and hope the poster notices the distribution of attention and adjusts their style accordingly. Which is maybe a reach, maybe not, but it has the advantage of looking like good metafilter commenting behavior regardless of what the poster takes away from it.
Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her.
Hey now, credit where due: I deleted two of the three single-link posts you've made, and both of those were doubles, and I made a country music joke in the deletion of this one that caused all kinds of bother afterward and I don't really know how to end this sentence.
The five posts you've made that haven't been deleted have all been single-linkers as well, but I don't have any country music jokes prepared for those.
I like that Jessamyn has taken over the role of Gandhi.
It's like Gandhi said: Be the Jessamyn that you wish to see in the world.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:20 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
flapjax at midnite: "Thanks so much for your kind shout out on my multi-link posts, zarq.
You're welcome! They're truly works of art.
I should add, though, that I make a hella lotta single link posts too, and I'm definitely of the opinion that either way can be good."
Heh. Me too. :)
posted by zarq at 7:21 AM on October 21, 2011
You're welcome! They're truly works of art.
I should add, though, that I make a hella lotta single link posts too, and I'm definitely of the opinion that either way can be good."
Heh. Me too. :)
posted by zarq at 7:21 AM on October 21, 2011
I guy I was working with once asked me if I liked music. [Already weird. Who'd answer "No"?]. When I said 'yes' he told me I should go see this band Rush, because the amount of music they played was so much — much more than other bands played. I still can't understand what his attitude towards music must be like to have said that.
posted by benito.strauss at 7:24 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by benito.strauss at 7:24 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
Be the Jessamyn that you wish to see in the world.
That's impossible- Jessamyn is already the Jessamyn I wish to see in the world.
posted by jammy at 7:30 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
That's impossible- Jessamyn is already the Jessamyn I wish to see in the world.
posted by jammy at 7:30 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
Didn't stop Tom Ripley.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:36 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:36 AM on October 21, 2011
No, it's not just you, my friend Bob feels the same way.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011
taz: "the one zarq linked;"
I had it bookmarked because I had considered trying to turn it into a more balanced post myself before deciding it wasn't worth it. In theory, there's a possible interesting discussion to be had regarding the way the Hasidic community is violating separation of church and state by segregating a publicly-funded bus. The city's human rights commission is investigating, too.
I bring this up because it's probably worth noting that some things are simply not well suited to a single link post. Sometimes it's important to frame an event or link with more context, so the thread doesn't become an angry free-for-all. Being conscious of this makes it more likely that a post will survive the Axe of Moderation.
posted by zarq at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011
I had it bookmarked because I had considered trying to turn it into a more balanced post myself before deciding it wasn't worth it. In theory, there's a possible interesting discussion to be had regarding the way the Hasidic community is violating separation of church and state by segregating a publicly-funded bus. The city's human rights commission is investigating, too.
I bring this up because it's probably worth noting that some things are simply not well suited to a single link post. Sometimes it's important to frame an event or link with more context, so the thread doesn't become an angry free-for-all. Being conscious of this makes it more likely that a post will survive the Axe of Moderation.
posted by zarq at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011
The five posts you've made that haven't been deleted have all been single-linkers as well, but I don't have any country music jokes prepared for those.
ain't got no country music jokes, my friend, prepared for those
so just imagine ol' Hoss Cartwright, in a pair of pantyhose
ridin' on a unicorn of deepest azure blue
and a rattlesnake that bites your ass, if you don't get a clue
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
ain't got no country music jokes, my friend, prepared for those
so just imagine ol' Hoss Cartwright, in a pair of pantyhose
ridin' on a unicorn of deepest azure blue
and a rattlesnake that bites your ass, if you don't get a clue
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:39 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
Metafilter: Taste, judgement, and a certain je ne sais quoi.
posted by zarq at 7:41 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by zarq at 7:41 AM on October 21, 2011
There's a little bit of Jessamyn in each and every one of us.
Except one person, the evil opposite of Jessamyn
The anti-Jessamyn
Kokopoff got no Jessamyn in him
Jessamyn is in Henry Kissinger, but she's trying to get out!
She's trying to get out, man!
Listen up, Henry baby...
posted by Meatbomb at 7:48 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Except one person, the evil opposite of Jessamyn
The anti-Jessamyn
Kokopoff got no Jessamyn in him
Jessamyn is in Henry Kissinger, but she's trying to get out!
She's trying to get out, man!
Listen up, Henry baby...
posted by Meatbomb at 7:48 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Meatbomb: "There's a little bit of Jessamyn in each and every one of us."
I have eaten
the Baby Jessamyn
that was in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
she was delicious
so sweet
and so cold.
posted by zarq at 7:50 AM on October 21, 2011
I have eaten
the Baby Jessamyn
that was in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
she was delicious
so sweet
and so cold.
posted by zarq at 7:50 AM on October 21, 2011
Okay, now that I look at it... that sounds WAY creepier than I intended. *shudder*
posted by zarq at 7:50 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by zarq at 7:50 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
New rule everyone: jokes/song/poems/stories about the eating the mods may be creepier than you intend.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:56 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:56 AM on October 21, 2011
He mumbled through a mouthful of cortex
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:58 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:58 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
You're right!
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:58 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by villanelles at dawn at 7:58 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
MetaTalk: caused all kinds of bother afterward and I don't really know how to end this sentence.
posted by sonika at 8:02 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by sonika at 8:02 AM on October 21, 2011
Every time I hit the "post" button, Yngwe Malmsteen jumps from my wardrobe and does a blistering 15 minute guitar solo.
Yeah, you have to be really careful about sweeping up food crumbs, and making sure that your trash has a secure lid, or Malmsteens are sure to follow. Being scavengers, they are mostly harmless, but when provoked, they will defend themselves with shredding guitar riffs that, which, devoid of any useful context often bore predators to apathy, thus allowing the Malmsteen to escape.
Clearly you have an infestation, and they are viewing your posts as some sort of hostile act. Best thing you can do is get a trap of some kind and see if you can release him back into the wild well away from your house. Ideally, somewhere near a stage, because they tend to gravitate towards those.
posted by quin at 8:02 AM on October 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
Yeah, you have to be really careful about sweeping up food crumbs, and making sure that your trash has a secure lid, or Malmsteens are sure to follow. Being scavengers, they are mostly harmless, but when provoked, they will defend themselves with shredding guitar riffs that, which, devoid of any useful context often bore predators to apathy, thus allowing the Malmsteen to escape.
Clearly you have an infestation, and they are viewing your posts as some sort of hostile act. Best thing you can do is get a trap of some kind and see if you can release him back into the wild well away from your house. Ideally, somewhere near a stage, because they tend to gravitate towards those.
posted by quin at 8:02 AM on October 21, 2011 [6 favorites]
villanelles at dawn: "He mumbled through a mouthful of cortex"
Single Link Defense!
posted by zarq at 8:03 AM on October 21, 2011
Single Link Defense!
posted by zarq at 8:03 AM on October 21, 2011
In the years before the entire universe filled with the mass of piglets, had there been philosophers and scientists to ponder the problem, had there remained intelligent life of any form at al, there is probably one question that they would have been asking themselves, even before their minds could turn to thinking of a cure to the problem.
A cure? Angry Birds, surely.
posted by Rumple at 8:06 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
A cure? Angry Birds, surely.
posted by Rumple at 8:06 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I guy I was working with once asked me if I liked music. [Already weird. Who'd answer "No"?]. When I said 'yes' he told me I should go see this band Rush, because the amount of music they played was so much — much more than other bands played. I still can't understand what his attitude towards music must be like to have said that.Yes, but the portions are so large!
posted by zamboni at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
It should be mandatory that all posts contain a link to a scan of a cat's belly.
posted by arcticseal at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by arcticseal at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2011
Single Link Defense!
Mod-eating rule corollary: can we make jokes about eating mods if we pretend to be zombies? Or they're zombies and we're cannibal zombies? Or if it's pb? Cause come on.
posted by villanelles at dawn at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Mod-eating rule corollary: can we make jokes about eating mods if we pretend to be zombies? Or they're zombies and we're cannibal zombies? Or if it's pb? Cause come on.
posted by villanelles at dawn at 8:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Clearly you have an infestation, and they are viewing your posts as some sort of hostile act. Best thing you can do is get a trap of some kind and see if you can release him back into the wild well away from your house.
If you're less concerned about humane trap-and-release, you can alternatively just buy yourself a Malmsteen Zappa.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:10 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
If you're less concerned about humane trap-and-release, you can alternatively just buy yourself a Malmsteen Zappa.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:10 AM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
New rule everyone: jokes/song/poems/stories about the eating the mods may be creepier than you intend.
i ate the mods, i ate the mods, i ate the mods, it's true
but i'd run out of cornflakes, so what else could i do?
jessamyn was tasty, and cortex? mmm, not bad
mathowie, with some fava beans? the best i ever had!
and now it's on to new mods, i'm thinking, taz, of you!
i'll have to get to Europe though, but that's not hard to do
and, oh, that restless_nomad, will surely taste quite fine,
like chicken, i imagine, washed down with good red wine.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:12 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
i ate the mods, i ate the mods, i ate the mods, it's true
but i'd run out of cornflakes, so what else could i do?
jessamyn was tasty, and cortex? mmm, not bad
mathowie, with some fava beans? the best i ever had!
and now it's on to new mods, i'm thinking, taz, of you!
i'll have to get to Europe though, but that's not hard to do
and, oh, that restless_nomad, will surely taste quite fine,
like chicken, i imagine, washed down with good red wine.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:12 AM on October 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
It never fails to amuse me when a user complains about some dire trend in the style of MetaFilter posts which is directly contradicted by their own posting history.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:13 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:13 AM on October 21, 2011 [4 favorites]
I like that Jessamyn has taken over the role of Gandhi.
I wish reality had those voice-overs that you get on soap operas announcing that a character has been recast.
posted by stebulus at 8:37 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I wish reality had those voice-overs that you get on soap operas announcing that a character has been recast.
posted by stebulus at 8:37 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
... and then there's the issue of Carl Palmer. Does he really need all those drums?
*** WARNING -- 2nd last one flashes a bit.
posted by philip-random at 9:01 AM on October 21, 2011
*** WARNING -- 2nd last one flashes a bit.
posted by philip-random at 9:01 AM on October 21, 2011
flapjax at midnite: "and, oh, that restless_nomad, will surely taste quite fine,
like chicken, i imagine, washed down with good red wine."
May I suggest a nice Chianti?
Suddenly my poem seems a lot less creepy.
posted by zarq at 9:10 AM on October 21, 2011
like chicken, i imagine, washed down with good red wine."
May I suggest a nice Chianti?
Suddenly my poem seems a lot less creepy.
posted by zarq at 9:10 AM on October 21, 2011
He forgot stewed vacapinta
The perfect dish for winta
posted by villanelles at dawn at 9:11 AM on October 21, 2011
The perfect dish for winta
posted by villanelles at dawn at 9:11 AM on October 21, 2011
The only thing that matters to me is whether or not a post links to something interesting that fits within the guidelines.
Mega-posts that cover something in depth (ie the MST3K shorts thread, or the one about the Billy Goat Tavern) are great, and if everyone had the time and motivation to make them, that'd be great, but small posts that grow organically as people in the comments add their opinions and knowledge about the topic are fun, too.
posted by mccarty.tim at 10:00 AM on October 21, 2011
Mega-posts that cover something in depth (ie the MST3K shorts thread, or the one about the Billy Goat Tavern) are great, and if everyone had the time and motivation to make them, that'd be great, but small posts that grow organically as people in the comments add their opinions and knowledge about the topic are fun, too.
posted by mccarty.tim at 10:00 AM on October 21, 2011
Quantity does not guarantee quality. Never has.
Also, does anyone know how to re-calibrate a Malmsteen Zappa? Mine keeps playing Herb Alpert. This is less than optimal. The Malmsteen circuit knows nothing about brass instruments, though the Zappa circuit is making an admirable attempt to emulate a brass section with some tape loops, but together it just ends up sounding like a drunken, morose Satchmo playing a turnip.
posted by loquacious at 10:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, does anyone know how to re-calibrate a Malmsteen Zappa? Mine keeps playing Herb Alpert. This is less than optimal. The Malmsteen circuit knows nothing about brass instruments, though the Zappa circuit is making an admirable attempt to emulate a brass section with some tape loops, but together it just ends up sounding like a drunken, morose Satchmo playing a turnip.
posted by loquacious at 10:09 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
guy I was working with once asked me if I liked music. [Already weird. Who'd answer "No"?]. When I said 'yes' he told me I should go see this band Rush, because the amount of music they played was so much — much more than other bands played.
That reminds me of something a buddy of mine said about The Academy Awards. The Oscar doesn't go to the people who do the best acting-- it goes to the people who do the most acting.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 10:26 AM on October 21, 2011
That reminds me of something a buddy of mine said about The Academy Awards. The Oscar doesn't go to the people who do the best acting-- it goes to the people who do the most acting.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 10:26 AM on October 21, 2011
It is possible that your buddy is Roger Ebert.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:29 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:29 AM on October 21, 2011
mccarty.tim: "Mega-posts that cover something in depth (ie the MST3K shorts thread, or the one about the Billy Goat Tavern) are great, "
Is it too soon for me to be working on a Lady Gaga megapost? :)
posted by zarq at 10:36 AM on October 21, 2011
Is it too soon for me to be working on a Lady Gaga megapost? :)
posted by zarq at 10:36 AM on October 21, 2011
Please don't make me think I've made any more typos then usual I am paranoid enough already.
posted by The Whelk at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 10:57 AM on October 21, 2011
It is possible that your buddy is Roger Ebert.
Don't you mean Jim Emerson?
Just the other day Jim & I were splitting a case of 4 Loko out on the pier watching the sunset sparkle pink & purple over the water when Jim said, "Damn, Fuzzy, I'm so tired of people thinking Roger Ebert wrote that 'Unwritten Rules of Oscar' article just because it appeared on Roger Ebert Dot Com... what's a movie writer gotta do to catch a break in this town?" And I replied, "Damn, Jim, you just gotta get out from under Ebert's thumb. Get it? His THUMB!" At which point Jim Emerson clocked me over the head with the remaining 4 Lokos and kicked me down to the hermit crabs.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:04 AM on October 21, 2011
Don't you mean Jim Emerson?
Just the other day Jim & I were splitting a case of 4 Loko out on the pier watching the sunset sparkle pink & purple over the water when Jim said, "Damn, Fuzzy, I'm so tired of people thinking Roger Ebert wrote that 'Unwritten Rules of Oscar' article just because it appeared on Roger Ebert Dot Com... what's a movie writer gotta do to catch a break in this town?" And I replied, "Damn, Jim, you just gotta get out from under Ebert's thumb. Get it? His THUMB!" At which point Jim Emerson clocked me over the head with the remaining 4 Lokos and kicked me down to the hermit crabs.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 11:04 AM on October 21, 2011
Fuck links-rich entries. If you need more than one link you are doing it wrong.
posted by chunking express at 11:05 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by chunking express at 11:05 AM on October 21, 2011
I remember *cough* when I got yelled at for *wheeze* making a link heavy FPP *shuffle* because single links were the *hack* way to go *creaks**
posted by infini at 11:06 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by infini at 11:06 AM on October 21, 2011
Don't you mean Jim Emerson?
No, I mean that Roger Ebert steals Jim Emerson's aphorisms and tells them to you during casual conversations to look smart.
Or maybe I dimly remembered reading it in an Ebertian context and it didn't occur to me upon recall that it was someone else's column, but that seems pretty implausible so hey look a puppy
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:23 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
No, I mean that Roger Ebert steals Jim Emerson's aphorisms and tells them to you during casual conversations to look smart.
Or maybe I dimly remembered reading it in an Ebertian context and it didn't occur to me upon recall that it was someone else's column, but that seems pretty implausible so hey look a puppy
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:23 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yeah, tell this to the Jessamyn moderator, who consistently deletes my single link posts for that very reason. I guess I need to google things for her.
You are more than welcome to contact us to see if the ideas you have about what we are doing are, in fact, things we are actually doing. No one ever needs to google anything for me.
I am sort of a fan of the mulit-link myself only because it's rare that I'm linking to one thing that has just a succint totally encapsulated all-you-could-want at one URL and I'm a big fan of see also references. I think what I'd like is less lazy single link posts where people are just tossing up any old thing because maybe they hadn't made a post today.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:25 AM on October 21, 2011
You are more than welcome to contact us to see if the ideas you have about what we are doing are, in fact, things we are actually doing. No one ever needs to google anything for me.
I am sort of a fan of the mulit-link myself only because it's rare that I'm linking to one thing that has just a succint totally encapsulated all-you-could-want at one URL and I'm a big fan of see also references. I think what I'd like is less lazy single link posts where people are just tossing up any old thing because maybe they hadn't made a post today.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:25 AM on October 21, 2011
I think what I'd like is less lazy single link posts where people are just tossing up any old thing because maybe they hadn't made a post today.
Gulp. This was literally the first thing I read after making my very bare single link post. Somehow it's turned into wanking jokes though, so phew!
posted by villanelles at dawn at 12:26 PM on October 21, 2011
Gulp. This was literally the first thing I read after making my very bare single link post. Somehow it's turned into wanking jokes though, so phew!
posted by villanelles at dawn at 12:26 PM on October 21, 2011
Things were much better before you got here, TNLNYC .
User number humor
posted by Mister_A at 1:32 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
User number humor
posted by Mister_A at 1:32 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
I hate these with the exception of this one.
posted by Mister_A at 1:34 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister_A at 1:34 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
When people make good posts, encourage them with thoughtful comments, maybe some MeMail, a favorite or a comments saying 'Good post.' When people make thin or inadequate posts, ignore it, or comment asking for more background. People learn.
posted by theora55 at 2:25 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by theora55 at 2:25 PM on October 21, 2011
What a better place Metafilter would be if that were the norm instead of all the bitchy moany crap.
posted by Artw at 2:26 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by Artw at 2:26 PM on October 21, 2011
Uh, actually I don't learn.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:32 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 2:32 PM on October 21, 2011
Fucking wikipedia. I was just there and clicked on a link "self-published paper" and it linked me to the page on self-publishing, not the paper.
Damn you wikipedia.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:38 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Damn you wikipedia.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:38 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Percentage of single link posts by month since 2005.
posted by Meta Filter at 2:45 PM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Meta Filter at 2:45 PM on October 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
As a rule, you'll find that conversation about single links focusses upon that link's characteristics alone, which might induce a derail, confusion, trolling, etc. Yes, there are links warranting that level of focus, but most news filter posts benefit from a larger view, which more links provide.
posted by jeffburdges at 2:46 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by jeffburdges at 2:46 PM on October 21, 2011
Percentage of single link posts by month since 2005.
I don't want to alarm anybody, but the data suggests that multiple link posts will be extinct by the year 2031.
posted by eddydamascene at 7:26 PM on October 21, 2011
I don't want to alarm anybody, but the data suggests that multiple link posts will be extinct by the year 2031.
posted by eddydamascene at 7:26 PM on October 21, 2011
but the data suggests that multiple link posts will be extinct by the year 2031.
... so roughly 19 years after most of humanity.
posted by philip-random at 8:29 PM on October 21, 2011
... so roughly 19 years after most of humanity.
posted by philip-random at 8:29 PM on October 21, 2011
MORE MYSTERY MEAT!
posted by ennui.bz at 8:38 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ennui.bz at 8:38 PM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Huh, so single link posts have been increasing. That's interesting. My feeling has been the opposite, that huge multiple-link posts have been on the increase since [more inside] was added to the Blue. I don't suppose anyone can run the number on 10+ link posts by month since 2005?
posted by Kattullus at 8:42 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by Kattullus at 8:42 PM on October 21, 2011
MORE MYSTERY MEAT!
I am no longer infected. We go back to my apartment? Bouncy-bouncy!
posted by loquacious at 10:42 PM on October 21, 2011
I am no longer infected. We go back to my apartment? Bouncy-bouncy!
posted by loquacious at 10:42 PM on October 21, 2011
Just go check out that recent Jim Steinman post. And then delete all your weak sauce link-padding in shame and post that single link proudly.
Yeah, that took days to put together. Over a hundred links.
I think I've earned several SLYTs with that post. Next time I post a cat video, y'all better not give me any shit.
posted by louche mustachio at 11:43 PM on October 21, 2011
Yeah, that took days to put together. Over a hundred links.
I think I've earned several SLYTs with that post. Next time I post a cat video, y'all better not give me any shit.
posted by louche mustachio at 11:43 PM on October 21, 2011
Most of the best posts are single link posts. If the link is really good it speaks for itself. A rich, well researched post filled with links is hard to get right, and frankly many posts stuffed full of links are stuffed full of fluff. It's not like one type of post is better, but the single link post is easier to not screw up, once you have a good link.
posted by caddis at 10:55 AM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by caddis at 10:55 AM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
They're just two different things. A good single link post needs no support because it has some intrinsic universality. A good multiple link post provides the context you need to understand the significance of the foregrounded link. Occasionally you get one of those amazing curated posts liked the Steinman one, which are a different beast entirely, but we're not all Michaelangelo.
posted by unSane at 7:11 PM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by unSane at 7:11 PM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd just like to mention that, in recent months, use of the "q" word* has slowed to a trickle. Someday, I expect, the uttering of The Mystic Name may well cease altogether: a thing of the distant, dusty past, lost in the mists of time.
*wherein the blinking, huddled masses of the Mefi People, gazing into their computer screens and seeking answers to the ineffable Mysteries of the Internets, invoke the mighty quonsar, ancient God of Metafilter Prehistory
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:40 PM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
*wherein the blinking, huddled masses of the Mefi People, gazing into their computer screens and seeking answers to the ineffable Mysteries of the Internets, invoke the mighty quonsar, ancient God of Metafilter Prehistory
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:40 PM on October 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
TNLNYC, here's what my next multi-link post is going to look like, what do you think?
posted by two lights above the sea at 9:23 PM on October 22, 2011
posted by two lights above the sea at 9:23 PM on October 22, 2011
I'm glad you're still here, Kattullus.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:45 AM on October 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:45 AM on October 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Likewise, old bean.
posted by Kattullus at 11:34 AM on October 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 11:34 AM on October 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by cjorgensen at 8:39 PM on October 20, 2011 [24 favorites]