Finding Deleted FPPs

November 30, 2004 7:55 PM

Pony: We've heard it before (a bookmarklet was even developed for it), and the devout scour mefi.lofi for them... but in this age of all the new MeFi citizenry, I think it would be helpful to get an easily accessible repository for deleted FPPs up and running for the benefit new posters to dig through and discover why some posts must die. How easy, how hard, or how pointless?
posted by moonbird to feature requests at 7:55 PM (21 comments total)

I second that. The guidelines are one thing. But showing deleted posts is helpful. Plus it's amusing.
posted by BradNelson at 8:09 PM on November 30, 2004

But how do we avoid the shitpiles? and the king of shitpiles?
posted by mathowie at 8:11 PM on November 30, 2004

Matt I thought this was your shitpile and and you the king? (In the land of the shitpiles, the man with hipwaders is king?)
posted by nathan_teske at 8:20 PM on November 30, 2004

I'd rather see someone hook up a nice MeTa post with some examples of deletions. Why make it a pony?
posted by scarabic at 8:22 PM on November 30, 2004

Matt, It looks like Target has a chance of becoming the new vibrating broom.

I think moonbird is just saying that pointing users to old deleted posts, posts that cant be commented on might be instructive.
posted by vacapinta at 8:22 PM on November 30, 2004

I'd rather see someone hook up a nice MeTa post with some examples of deletions.

Stop being so creative.

Can we dump this on y6y6y6 to do?
posted by BradNelson at 8:29 PM on November 30, 2004

There's an idea. Anything to keep deleted posts actually as deleted as possible. Inventing a new feature to make them easier to find seems counter-productive (although I do agree with the education angle).
posted by scarabic at 8:34 PM on November 30, 2004

After a week of thinking "wow I'm going to be able to post stuff here!", I am so very frightened of doing so for fear of a ridiculous amount of criticism. I've got a pretty good handle on what constitutes a good post I think, but even so, knowing specifically what not to do might help.

Or maybe just give the newbies some time, and those who have awful first posts will learn, and those who are hesistant will learn from others' mistakes. Everyone wins! ...eventually.
posted by hopeless romantique at 8:50 PM on November 30, 2004

i'm thinking more educational, not necessarily thinking every deleted thread, perhaps an array of posts deleted for a spectrum of reasons, lying there stark and vacant like scarecrows... the geeks and gawkers several keys to that mausoleum.
posted by moonbird at 8:52 PM on November 30, 2004

by 'that mausoleum' i mean every deleted thread.
posted by moonbird at 8:53 PM on November 30, 2004

After a week of thinking "wow I'm going to be able to post stuff here!", I am so very frightened of doing so for fear of a ridiculous amount of criticism. I've got a pretty good handle on what constitutes a good post I think, but even so, knowing specifically what not to do might help.

Why not take up one of the many oldbies who offered to help on their offer? Lot's of us would happily accept emails or IMs and tell you if we think the post you're working on works for the front page. It's not a guaranteed win, mind you, but posting for the first time isn't something you have to work through alone.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:04 PM on November 30, 2004

I'm not a big fan of a deletion repository. I don't think the learning curve is so steep that hands need to be held quite that tightly every step of the way. If you need the help, it's readily available, as jacquilynne just pointed out.

I'm speaking as someone who took well over a year to get around to posting a link, which was actually a pretty crappy one. But hey, I learned.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 9:21 PM on November 30, 2004

knowing specifically what not to do might help.

Well, be sure to mention it's your first post. And pick something that you know everyone will want to talk about, like whatever event-of-the-day from the political sphere. It helps if you stick to major, trusted sources like the CNN homepage, and most people won't give a link any cred unless it requires registration. All things considered, perhaps you'd better just put up something that's already been posted, just as sort of a "test run." Everyone will understand, and no one will be mean about it.
posted by scarabic at 9:37 PM on November 30, 2004

uh... that. don't do that
posted by scarabic at 9:38 PM on November 30, 2004

hopeless romantique: no, go for it, but whatever you do, don't mention it's your first post. they get mad when you do that. ;)
posted by exlotuseater at 9:59 PM on November 30, 2004

I think the bookmarklet works great. I understand the concern about officially supporting a shitpile.
posted by grouse at 2:38 AM on December 1, 2004

I think the bookmarklet works great.

Agreed. That's about all you need.
posted by rooftop secrets at 3:04 AM on December 1, 2004

Why don't keen users just set up an external blog? I have a Typepad blog to spare if required. "LesserFilter".
posted by nthdegx at 3:19 AM on December 1, 2004

But how do we avoid the shitpiles? and the king of shitpiles?

For anyone not familiar with what Matt is saying, he's referring to the inevitability that people would create lousy posts just to see them deleted, and this would become a competitive sport. He's right.

Still, it would be fun as hell if some Mefite created a website of some of the funnier deleted posts and allowed for further comments. Some of the better deleted MetaTalk trainwrecks and even #mefi conversations are mirrored on the web for yucks, but the locations aren't exactly advertised, LOL.
posted by Shane at 7:39 AM on December 1, 2004

This might just be a keeper in a deletion-blog.
posted by Shane at 8:12 AM on December 1, 2004

37377 is exactly the kind of crap post the attention whores would pollute the front page with to try and make a top ten list. The post was written with the express intention to get deleted. We should not reward that kind of behaviour in any way. Even posting it as a bad example with the author stripped sends the wrong message because the author knows he wrote it. Best to ignore.

The kind of person who would be educated by seeing previously deleted posts would not make that post in the first place. Only someone who knows the rules and chooses to flaunt them could craft that post. The only thing it's missing is a pepsi blue self link.
posted by Mitheral at 9:19 AM on December 1, 2004