What are all the posts that are just '.' in this thread?

October 11, 2004 7:50 AM

What are all the posts that are just '.' in this thread?
posted by cmicali to MetaFilter-related at 7:50 AM (32 comments total)

Supposed to be a moment of silence or something like that. People always do that in celeb death threads here. Except me, I usually post "!" to show a moment of excitement.
posted by bargle at 7:53 AM on October 11, 2004

interesting bargle, didn't know that. thanks
posted by cmicali at 7:57 AM on October 11, 2004

It says 'look at me, I'm mourning'.
posted by darukaru at 8:14 AM on October 11, 2004

Someone was eating crabby cakes for breakfast with a nice topping of cynical syrup.

I read the "." as: I feel sad, too, but don't really have anything different to write; I'm just showing my support.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:41 AM on October 11, 2004

Discussed previously
posted by kirkaracha at 9:30 AM on October 11, 2004

If the recently deceased is your dad, use '..'
posted by Armitage Shanks at 9:36 AM on October 11, 2004

if the recently deceased is Jayne Mansfield, use...

Oh, sorry, the phone's ringing.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 9:51 AM on October 11, 2004

if you're undecided

÷
posted by Peter H at 10:05 AM on October 11, 2004

I always think of it as being something like placing a pebble on a gravestone.
posted by Guy Smiley at 10:12 AM on October 11, 2004

It means "I lack the imagination to write anything meaningful." ;-P
posted by mischief at 10:30 AM on October 11, 2004

that's exactly how i see it too, Guy
posted by amberglow at 10:34 AM on October 11, 2004

I think it means something like "I care about famous dead people more than other dead people".
posted by reklaw at 10:47 AM on October 11, 2004

Actually, Guy Smiley I think has it exactly right.

And really, what good is fame to anyone if not for an extra solitary glowing pixel in a thread on one of the internets at the moment of your death? Hmmm?
posted by chicobangs at 10:53 AM on October 11, 2004

Armitage Shanks, going by your logic, then all the people posting '.' are mourning their OWN deaths...just sayin' ;)

God I love geeky command-line humour
posted by cyrusdogstar at 10:58 AM on October 11, 2004

To mourn those murdered by Jack-the-Ripper type killers, /. is preferred.
posted by taz at 11:33 AM on October 11, 2004

Hehehe.
posted by dash_slot- at 11:58 AM on October 11, 2004

posted by quonsar at 12:37 PM on October 11, 2004

It means "speechless", and people leave it to symbolize their inability to express the proper words to match their emotion.

...or it's a piece of doody.

on preview: quonsar: you have left a huge piece of doody!
posted by naxosaxur at 12:42 PM on October 11, 2004

quonsar likes the moon
posted by papercake at 12:56 PM on October 11, 2004

I blame jason kottke. I think he did it once, and you know how he's worshipped, and now everyone does it.

Sheep I tell ya, sheep...bahhhhh.
posted by justgary at 1:31 PM on October 11, 2004

Snarky pricks.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2004

My father, who is a playwright, once wrote a wonderful stage direction:

Edgar: {no words}
posted by Sidhedevil at 1:42 PM on October 11, 2004

It's a moment of silence.
posted by Tarrama at 5:15 PM on October 11, 2004

I blame jason kottke. I think he did it once, and you know how he's worshipped, and now everyone does it.

Who?

+4 indie blogger cred.
posted by The God Complex at 5:37 PM on October 11, 2004

caterpillar droppings
posted by andrew cooke at 5:58 PM on October 11, 2004

What are all the posts that are just '.' in this thread?

Annoying.
posted by page404 at 6:40 PM on October 11, 2004

Next up:

Is there any way to ask a question anonymously in AskMe?

Why do people keep saying XXXXfilter all the time?

Why doesn't MetaFilter have categories, like MetaTalk?

What's with the pancakes, fellows?
posted by scarabic at 10:31 PM on October 11, 2004

Hey, those questions are asked rather frequently.. This must be a common problem on the internet, I wonder if anyone's ever found a solution?
posted by cell at 1:42 AM on October 12, 2004

Whoa, cell, perhaps we should as matt to add a search function. Nah -- noone would use it, they'd just pester us with these redundant questions.
posted by DBAPaul at 9:20 AM on October 12, 2004

I always think of it as being something like placing a pebble on a gravestone.

Only, instead of actually getting off your duff to show your respect for those dead you truly mourn, you can now do it willy-nilly, from the comfort of your computer, for all sorts of people to whom you rarely gave a second thought while they were alive.
posted by mkultra at 2:33 PM on October 12, 2004

posted by Blue Stone at 3:46 PM on October 12, 2004

Blue Stone wins. Damn you, Blue Stone!
posted by Sidhedevil at 10:09 AM on October 13, 2004