Comments on: So what brings you to post 117949?

So what brings you to post 117949?

2bucksplus — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:39:45 -0800

Is it cool to ask people why they are discovering a post or comment months after it was made?

This post of mine suddenly received 6 favorites in a cluster a little over a month after it was made. Which makes me think elsewhere on the site people are talking about the topic (which I'm obviously interested in too). So is it cool to ask one of them what brought them to my post at that time? Or is that overstepping the bounds?

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:46:51 -0800

Totally fine to ask as far as I am concerned, I often find weird old things favorited for no reason and I'm often curious. I saw this from a few months ago, I think that was what did it for you this time. You can google for

link:link:http://www.metafilter.com/117949/A-Culture-of-Clutter

And sometimes find this stuff.

By: phunniemee

phunniemee — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:47:18 -0800

Ta-dah!

By: aspo

aspo — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:36:40 -0800

why do you need two link:'s?

By: shakespeherian

shakespeherian — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:38:06 -0800

What I always do is use the site search and look for the thread # (in this case 117949) which will turn up any posts or comments which link to that thread. A lot of the time no one linked to that particular comment but the thread was linked and then a few people read down to your thing that got favorited.

By: Smart Dalek

Smart Dalek — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:39:33 -0800

Woah...it's like, a filtering process ... but, like, with ... data inside computers, man!

By: cortex

cortex — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:40:47 -0800

You can also just do a site search for the comment id or, barring that, the thread id and usually track down onsite links. I went into a little more detail here last month; maybe we should add it to the FAQ.

By: grouse

grouse — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:05:16 -0800

I usually find I can figure it out with the search tools described above. If not, there's no reason not to send a MeMail to ask.

By: phunniemee

phunniemee — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:11:49 -0800

If not, there's no reason not to send a MeMail to ask.

Welllllll, sorta. There is a small but grumpy continent of folks on here who not only hate favorites but will get extremely grary at anyone who mentions them. Ironically, a few of these folks use favorites on the site.

I'm not ashamed to say that I pay attention to the number of favorites I get, and I like getting them (I would suggest renaming them from "favorites" to "warm&fuzzies"). If I happen to notice when I hit a nice round number or something fun like 8888 I'll send a memail to the favoriter and say "hey lookit this cool thing thanks!"

Twice I've gotten responses along the lines of "favorites are bad and you should feel bad for paying attention to them." So you run the risk (though small) when sending out an exploratory memail that someone will poop in your cornflakes.

And no one likes poopy cornflakes.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:13:53 -0800

why do you need two link:'s?

You do not, I have a copy/paste problem, clearly.

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:23:17 -0800

small but grumpy continent of folks

Those darn Australians!

By: muddgirl

muddgirl — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:42:04 -0800

If I happen to notice when I hit a nice round number or something fun like 8888 I'll send a memail to the favoriter and say "hey lookit this cool thing thanks!"

Some people actually use favorites to mean 'bookmarks' and others, I swear to pb, use favorites to mark comments they hate. I can imagine being one of either of those groups and being irked that someone actually notices who favorites them.

Personally, I track which of my comments are favorited but I don't track which comments I don't make get favorited. It helps both my self-esteem and my sanity.

By: Anything

Anything — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:52:17 -0800

I do occasionally get curious about why someone has favorited one of my old comments or posts, and, correspondingly, I would have no objection to someone asking me why I've done the same.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:22:58 -0800

I added it to the FAQ. That seem okay?

By: 2bucksplus

2bucksplus — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:26:33 -0800

Thanks jessamyn!

By: Mr. Bad Example

Mr. Bad Example — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:43:46 -0800

why do you need two link:'s?

LINKCEPTION.

BWOOOMMMMMMMM

By: carsonb

carsonb — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 18:50:13 -0800

This thread is serendipitous! I was just marveling at this comment from sometime back that got a favorite, wondering how it came up again. Now I know. Thanks muddgirl! Thanks Plutor!

By: Navelgazer

Navelgazer — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 18:57:22 -0800

Yeah, I do what shakespeherian does, and it tends to turn up whatever it is, provided that there is a new cluster of favorites around an old comment.

By: Artw

Artw — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:29:27 -0800

You can search links by ID? Wow. Cool.

By: special-k

special-k — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:07:55 -0800

How to get lots of MeMail

1. Click random
2. favorite post.
3. get your sockpuppet to also favorite same post.
3. repeat.

By: grapesaresour

grapesaresour — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:14:27 -0800

For the record, if anyone wants to memail me about why/when/what I favorited your whatsit you totally can and I will not be a mean memailer in response. AKA I promise not to poop in your cornflakes*.

*A phrase I am totally using in the future.

By: SarcasticSeraph

SarcasticSeraph — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:20:50 -0800

"Is it cool to ask people why they are discovering a post or comment months after it was made?"

Perhaps they are new to Metafilter, have you considered that? Also, what would make asking such a question impolite (or, in laymen terms, "not cool")?

[P. S. I mean no real offense by the ironic condescension: I'm an aspiring comic, I can't help it]

By: SarcasticSeraph

SarcasticSeraph — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:22:04 -0800

*layman

By: pipeski

pipeski — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 03:56:35 -0800

I like to send angry MeMails to people who don't favourite my comments.

You've been warned.

By: ambrosen

ambrosen — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 05:11:32 -0800

I take it it'd be a wrong pony request to ask for the 'flag comment' button to be renamed 'poop in poster's cornflakes', right?

By: mlis

mlis — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 07:29:10 -0800

Twice I've gotten responses along the lines of "favorites are bad and you should feel bad for paying attention to them." So you run the risk (though small) when sending out an exploratory memail that someone will poop in your cornflakes.

Huh, I send memails like that, too, but have never received a grumpy response. No response, sure, but not grumpy.

Reminds me of Michael Lewis describing his first year working for an investment bank in the 1980's in Liar's Poker when, as a newly hired analyst, he described attempting to talk to veteran traders and it went something like this:

"Many, many traders were polite and if I attempted to speak with one they would simply ignore me. Occasionally, though, I would step on a landmine. 'Who the fuck are you? Get out of my way. Nice tie, asshole'."

By: GenjiandProust

GenjiandProust — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:29:47 -0800

So you run the risk (though small) when sending out an exploratory memail that someone will poop in your cornflakes.

And no one likes poopy cornflakes.

Well, as I always say, "when life poops in your cornflakes, make lemonade!"

Addendum 1: I have never actually said this.
Addendum 2: You cannot make lemonade from poop or cornflakes.
Addendum 3: This is probably not good advice.
Addendum 4: Were you guys raised in barns? Stop pooping in the cornflakes! Geeze!

By: maryr

maryr — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:31:43 -0800

You folks should just store your cornflakes in a plastic tupperware, that generally keeps things that poop from getting in to them.

By: Consonants Without Vowels

Consonants Without Vowels — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:48:04 -0800

I can open plastic tupperware.

By: Mezentian

Mezentian — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:01:12 -0800

Since paying my US$5 I have fave'd a bunch of old threads, either things I remember, or things I want to make posts of but which are Previously enough that I cannot.

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:14:45 -0800

How to get lots of MeMail

1. Click random
2. favorite post.
3. get your sockpuppet to also favorite same post.
3. repeat.

This would be a great plan but I fear that my (currently non existent) sock puppet would get lots of replies but my main account would get ignored, and then I'd have to be weirdly insecure around my own sock puppet, and then I've created a new problem.

So that's why I don't talk to people.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:22:22 -0800

Clearly you'd just have your sockpuppet reliably inform folks that actually they got passed the link by MCMikeNamara and isn't he smart and handsome and cool and your sockpuppet didn't really know what loving living meant until he knew you, etc. And be like vaguely inappropriate with the sockpuppet so that that person contacts you directly to say thanks and also be like "hey your friend is kind of weird" and you can be all like "yeah, I know, but he's okay, you just have to cut folks a little slack sometimes because we've all got our struggles" and they'll be like, man, great taste in posts and empathetic, swoonesville

By: arcticseal

arcticseal — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:31:31 -0800

I would have no problem with someone politley asking me why I'd favourited something.

swoonesville

Speaking of struggles, where did that first "e" come from? Or have I been spelling Swoonsville incorrectly all these years?

By: arcticseal

arcticseal — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:41:45 -0800

spell fail: politely.

By: maryr

maryr — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:10:56 -0800

Swoonesville is in North Carolina. Swoonsville is over the border in South Carolina.

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:25:29 -0800

But like Carowinds, they are the same place.

By: cortex

cortex — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:40:31 -0800

I have trouble spelling things sometimes, though MCMikeNamara is always willing to give me a hand when I ask.

By: arcticseal

arcticseal — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:49:14 -0800

But the North Carolina one is pronounced Shelbyville.

By: MCMikeNamara

MCMikeNamara — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:05:36 -0800

cortex is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.

By: double block and bleed

double block and bleed — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:25:53 -0800

Cortex and MCMikeNamara both need a hug.

And maybe a room.

By: Riki tiki

Riki tiki — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:50:34 -0800

cortex: "MCMikeNamara is always willing to give me a hand when I ask."

What a difference a letter makes.

By: crunchland

crunchland — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:40:13 -0800

What's the word that means 'noticing when someone clearly misses a cultural reference?'

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:32:52 -0800

Grunking.

By: These Birds of a Feather

These Birds of a Feather — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 21:01:45 -0800

Personally I use favorites as a way of administering the highest of fives via the Internet to people I find clever or terribly eloquent. My way of saying, "Dudebro, way awesome."

By: Slarty Bartfast

Slarty Bartfast — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 21:27:30 -0800

MCMikeNamara is always willing to give me a handjob when I ask.

By: louche mustachio

louche mustachio — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:49:47 -0800

As long as you don't ask too often.

By: maxwelton

maxwelton — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:50:14 -0800

I don't even need to ask, the dude just knows.

By: louche mustachio

louche mustachio — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:50:36 -0800

I also promise not to poop in anyone's cornflakes.

I have cats to do that for me.

By: maxwelton

maxwelton — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:55:08 -0800

So if favorites are handjobs, if I favorite myself, is it masturbation? Only one way to find out.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 02:21:27 -0800

By: WalkingAround

WalkingAround — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 03:45:01 -0800

Easily pleased seal

By: GenjiandProust

GenjiandProust — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 04:33:00 -0800

Metafilter: administering the highest of fives

By: idiopath

idiopath — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 06:06:25 -0800

maryr: "Swoonesville is in North Carolina. Swoonsville is over the border in South Carolina."

As luck would have it, I have been doing some stuff with a geocoding API for work, so I think I can help out here (for the non clojure users, I have made the queries bold and left system printouts in a system font, it should be somewhat intelligible even to a non-programmer):

user=> (clojure.pprint/pprint (geo/geocode "swoonesville"))

nil({:country {:name "United States", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "us"},

  :city "Chadwick",

  :location {:latitude 36.878693, :longitude -93.0157282},

  :street-name "Swansville Rd",

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code "65629",

  :region "Missouri"})

other results which a 12 year old would probably find interesting:

user=> (clojure.pprint/pprint (geo/geocode "bumfuck"))

({:country {:name "United States", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "us"},

  :city "Raymond",

  :location {:latitude 43.0584728, :longitude -71.1790556},

  :street-name "Bumscuff St",

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code "03077",

  :region "New Hampshire"})



user=> (clojure.pprint/pprint (geo/geocode "vagina"))

nil({:country {:name "Solomon Islands", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "sb"},

  :city nil,

  :location {:latitude -7.445492499999999, :longitude 157.7735206},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region nil}

 {:country {:name "Russian Federation", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "ru"},

  :city "Vagina",

  :location {:latitude 56.7377, :longitude 68.6122},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region "Tyumenskaya oblast"})



user=> (clojure.pprint/pprint (geo/geocode "penis"))

({:country {:name "Spain", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "es"},

  :city "Vigo",

  :location {:latitude 42.2261957, :longitude -8.6691796},

  :street-name "Calle de Penis",

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region "Galicia"}

 {:country {:name "Japan", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "jp"},

  :city "Komaki",

  :location {:latitude 35.3158303, :longitude 136.9414226},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code "485-0004",

  :region "Aichi Prefecture"})

nil





user=> (clojure.pprint/pprint (geo/geocode "dong"))

({:country {:name "Cameroon", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "cm"},

  :city nil,

  :location {:latitude 3.950512799999999, :longitude 13.914399},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region "East"}

 {:country {:name "Rwanda", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "rw"},

  :city nil,

  :location {:latitude -1.9174872, :longitude 30.4357631},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region "East"}

 {:country {:name "Vietnam", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "vn"},

  :city nil,

  :location {:latitude 22.8351068, :longitude 106.5335011},

  :street-name "Đông",

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code nil,

  :region "Cao Bang"}

 {:country {:name "Thailand", :iso-3166-1-alpha-2 "th"},

  :city "Khanu Woralaksaburi",

  :location {:latitude 16.0224402, :longitude 99.74934999999999},

  :street-name nil,

  :street-number nil,

  :postal-code "62140",

  :region "Kamphaeng Phet"})

nil

I need to do what I can to keep things ~~interesting~~ puerile while working on the backend.

By: stebulus

stebulus — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 09:31:34 -0800

working on the backend

How much do you charge for that?

By: idiopath

idiopath — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 10:09:19 -0800

SAIT

By: stebulus

stebulus — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:04:00 -0800

Does your server ever go down?

By: idiopath

idiopath — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:39:52 -0800

It's work for clients, so I push things up to someone else's server*. But my projects don't have any trouble with uptime, if catch my drift, nudge nudge, wink wink.

*I think that makes me a top?

By: stebulus

stebulus — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:54:10 -0800

RAM

By: Artw

Artw — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:57:17 -0800

You have been granted permissions and have no trouble with performance?

By: idiopath

idiopath — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 11:59:03 -0800

Oh yeah, they have me on a JVM platform, so I do tend to use a lot of RAM. So much so that for my development environment I had to farm the meat of the work off to a slave machine to keep my desktop performing with the heavy loads of testing and running interactive commands. I know there are a few kinky innuendos to be found in all that somewhere. Something something mount fsck spawn something big data something.

By: arcticseal

arcticseal — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 17:13:06 -0800

WalkingAround: "Easily pleased seal"

Yes, yes I am.

By: ninjew

ninjew — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:56:58 -0800

*looks around*

huh, guess I fat-fingered that link

*leaves*

By: Doleful Creature

Doleful Creature — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:34:01 -0800

This topic has taken a weirdly sexual turn. I heartily approve.

By: loquacious

loquacious — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 11:21:16 -0800

And maybe a room.

And a video camera!