Is it time for a word limit for posts to the home page?

May 29, 2001 3:47 PM

How long is too long? Is it time for a word limit for posts to the home page?
posted by jjg to Etiquette/Policy at 3:47 PM (18 comments total)

Well, it probably would have been more appropriate as an immediate follow-up comment in the thread, but I think that limiting someone's ability to post on the front page is a big mistake. If you don't want to read it, just scroll past it.

Personally I would keep the posts to the index page shorter given the fact that it's running off Matt's DSL or whatever.

BTW, who's providing free hosting for metafilter? They ought to be given a pat on the back!
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 3:49 PM on May 29, 2001

I thought it was fine. A little toward the high end but probably not the longest we've ever had. Unless this becomes the norm, I don't see why this one thread would be singled out as a problem. JADP.
posted by rodii at 3:52 PM on May 29, 2001

Definitely too long. Too much commentary on the front page (it could have been 1/2 as long, probably), but at least it contained some interesting links to go with the article.
posted by chaz at 4:24 PM on May 29, 2001

I give it 3 and a half stars. The pacing was a little off, and it was a bit uneven at times, but overall, it left me satisfied. I feel that Aaron is really maturing as a poster.
posted by Doug at 4:27 PM on May 29, 2001

I generally like shorter links, but that's a great MetaFilter post. My compliments to Aaron.
posted by rcade at 5:04 PM on May 29, 2001

I was just commenting on the post's length because I use the Metafilter IE bar (which blockquotes the last 2 grafs, making it seem even longer), and I usually scan the links. It may have taken me 5 seconds longer than usual to scroll though.

The subject was good and raised some interesting points. I think Rodii's right--wait to see if it becomes a trend (hopefully not).
posted by timothompson at 6:02 PM on May 29, 2001

I think it was a great post. A little long, sure, and the next time Aaron posts something that needs such detail, (s)he'll probably keep the front page content to a minimum, and will say something like "[more detail inside]" or the like.

No need to bring him up on charges. There's been worse done... bravo to Aaron for really getting into the swing of things!

As for the question part of your post, jjg, how long is too long? Oh, who knows... Aaron's was too long. I know it when I see it; I think most of us do...
posted by silusGROK at 6:21 PM on May 29, 2001

Pardon my irritability -- I've recently quit smoking.
posted by jjg at 7:27 PM on May 29, 2001

Recently quit smoking? Congratulations! How did you do it?
posted by sudama at 9:07 PM on May 29, 2001

Yes, Jesse, please do tell as the quit date for both Kate (who you've met) and I is June 1st...

Already dreading the day...
posted by fooljay at 10:51 PM on May 29, 2001

Well, I may not be a good case study, as this is the third time I've quit.

The first time I quit, there were no over-the-counter remedies available; I used black licorice jellybeans, which I hate, as a substitute. (Later I discovered that most cigarettes actually have ground licorice root in them. I guess my body knew something I didn't.)

The second time I quit, I used nicotine gum. Nasty tasting stuff, but it works.

This time, I'm on the gum again, but the minty kind, which is far more palatable than the original flavor (if you could call it a flavor). It's only been a week and half, though, so I'm not out of the woods yet. I have noticed that my chocolate cravings have become much more insistent.

Each time I've fallen back into smoking, it's because I've spent lots of time in the company of smokers. The best thing you can do to avoid smoking is avoid being around smoking.
posted by jjg at 11:26 PM on May 29, 2001

The best thing you can do to avoid smoking is avoid being around smoking.

And smokey environments with alcohol (which impairs judgement and resolve).
posted by lagado at 4:45 AM on May 30, 2001

Go for it, jjg, and courage! I'm a smoker who really, really needs to quit (like some people don't).

I've been talking to many doctors and people in the field (file under black comedy: I work in cancer research), and if I may suggest? Go to the drugstore and try the patch. It's recently become over-the-counter, and has a better overall success rate than gum. Just a friendly suggestion in case you weren't aware.

What were we talking about? Oh, yeah . . . as for the post, sure, it was long, but I forgive these things quite easily if it's interesting, new, and discussion-worthy, which this was in spades. I'd be a lot crankier about it if it was 300+ words about something stupid.
posted by Skot at 8:35 AM on May 30, 2001

My personal preference would have been for a first paragraph for inside followup, but that's probably the best MeFi post I've seen since the outage, so I feel rather churlish complaining.
posted by snarkout at 9:09 AM on May 30, 2001

Skot: The Patch sucks. It will keep you up at night. Of course, decreasing tolerance for much nicotine was one of the biggest reasons I quit smoking in September, and had tried several times before. But the Patch it too much. Nic gum was a vast improvement, especially when it became available in generic brands, which cost about half as much as Nicorette. Meantime, Extra sugar-free gum and Goldfish work particularly well for those craving moments, which can come at the most surprising times and locales (near the grocery store where you'd sometimes buy cigs on a weekend, say). And for gosh's sakes don't set a freakin' date. Just starting to drink alcohol on a fairly regular basis again. But I won't do the bar thing unless accompanied by non-smokers.


posted by raysmj at 10:37 AM on May 30, 2001

But the Patch was too much, rather.
posted by raysmj at 10:37 AM on May 30, 2001

It's the total antithesis of my earlier bugaboo. I dislike it just as much.

Aaron's points aside, I don't come to MeFi to see three or four rather lengthy paragraphs for each link on the front page. Internal, sure. Make your point there, or begin to present your thoughts on the front page.

Long posts and no-description posts turn on my automatic bypass feature.
posted by hijinx at 10:13 AM on May 31, 2001

Um... I might as well chime in on the smoking tangent: I've taught quitting classes before... and here are two things that can be done in conjunction with the patch/gum:

The first is just good hygiene (so I'd recommend it to anyone): brush and floss your teeth _thoroughly_ after every meal, and after snacks. The reason behind this is pretty straight-forward: food is a key instigator in the smoking cycle, and as you're walking around during the day microscopic food particles fall from your teeth to your tongue, which in turn signals your psyche that it's time to smoke... which is one of the reasons that people who are quitting sometimes have cravings come from out of nowhere (this and some other environmental clues, including locale... aromas, situation). By eliminating as much of the food matter in your mouth as possible, you address so much of the non-nicotine craving issue.

The second suggestion also addresses a psychological fix: whenever you do have cravings drink grapefruit juice... not the sweet, safe-for-kids stuff so popular now, but the battery acid stuff you remember your grandmother drinking. This has two effects: it begins to associate cravings with something unpleasant... also, the vitamin C (and there's a lot of it) is a powerful agent in detoxifying your system. The only concern I would have is whether the vitamin C would "detox" your system of the (synthesized?) nicotine that the patch/gum is giving you.

Anyway, that's my two cents...
posted by silusGROK at 3:17 PM on May 31, 2001