In defense of newbie posts December 9, 2004 3:34 PM   Subscribe

In defense of newbie posts (No Text. I mean... More Inside!)
posted by Sibrax to Etiquette/Policy at 3:34 PM (67 comments total)

I'm a long time (2+ years) MeFi lurker, and many thanks to mathowie for opening up registration again. I can't wait to share my... well, I don't actually have any good links. I get them all from here.

Anyway, there have been a number of recent newbie posts that aren't exactly "best of the web," but come on, they're new! Give 'em a break! They'll get the hang of it eventually. Heck, I'm amazed there haven't been more terrible posts. In case you hadn't noticed, everything on MeFi tends to work itself out. I think that's one of its coolest features.

If you really want a "best of the web and ONLY the best of the web, dammit!" I suggest you buy metametafilter.com. (Which is available! Act now!)

In my opinion (which I know you all value greatly), the only posts worth getting mad at are shills and self-links. Everything else, we can handle.

:: hugs MeFi ::
posted by Sibrax at 3:35 PM on December 9, 2004


what you said, and welcome!
posted by amberglow at 3:38 PM on December 9, 2004


...but come on, they're new! Give 'em a break!

A break? If we start to just allow any Tom, Dick or Nancy to post crappy FPPs, we might as well allow the terroists right into our country and let 'em bomb the server.


You'll do what you're told n00b and LIKE IT.

Now get in that unarmored Hummer and drive into that minefield looking for Ananova posts before I beat your scrawny ass.
posted by eyeballkid at 3:44 PM on December 9, 2004


Well said but sadly there are some members who seem to live for the pouncing upon those less than stellar FPP's.

FWIW, I think the noobs are fitting in very well for the most part. Except for that guy that said Matt was going to persona non grata for coming down against Canadians after being a member for all of 8 days. That was funny.

I do think the tone of MeFi has lightened up considerably from the darkness that was pre-election 2004. Still too much slagging and look-at-me-I'm-making-a-funny-comment stuff but its improving.
posted by fenriq at 3:46 PM on December 9, 2004


Except for that guy that said Matt was going to persona non grata for coming down against Canadians after being a member for all of 8 days. That was funny.

What was that?
posted by timeistight at 3:52 PM on December 9, 2004


Yes, link us up.
posted by Bugbread at 3:58 PM on December 9, 2004


Here. Funny comment, but a rather ugly thread overall.
posted by Galvatron at 4:00 PM on December 9, 2004


"Heck, I'm amazed there haven't been more terrible posts."

So this one was an attempt to rectify that situation?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:01 PM on December 9, 2004


d00d, I'm a n00b, and I'M annoyed by the short, poorly explained links lately. I haven't checked to see if the folks posting the ones that annoy me are new, but don't the FPPs work best when people provide some context?

I'm trying hard not to exacerbate the problem. Probably overcompensating, seeing how my FPPs are averaging about 10 links apiece.

Does that count as a self post?
posted by owenville at 4:02 PM on December 9, 2004


Except for that guy that said Matt was going to persona non grata for coming down against Canadians after being a member for all of 8 days. That was funny.

At first I thought you meant the guy was saying Matt would be persona non grata at Metafilter, but in context, it sounds like Matt might become persona non grata in Canada.

Which is no huge loss.
posted by owenville at 4:05 PM on December 9, 2004


Y'all could still point out how the post could be improved without scolding people. I've made crap postst, and just watching other people get scolded (mine were thankfully ignored which was a big enough hint for me ta) made me scared of making a post. a good post. any post!

Now I'm used to coming her and seeing whatever I wanted to post already posted. Gah! ;) Clearly still need to work on my supah-mefi-posting skillz.
posted by dabitch at 4:14 PM on December 9, 2004


Another mistake I made was to 'copy-the-topic' (sortof) of another popular post, in the hopes of not being chewed out by everyone. When something gets over 100 replies, you might think that is a "good post" [tm] - and most of the time, it isn't.

*hugs mefia and all the n00bs*
posted by dabitch at 4:17 PM on December 9, 2004


mefia? metafilter. I dunno how that happened. But I like it.
posted by dabitch at 4:17 PM on December 9, 2004


Do what the mefia says or you'll be sleeping with the feces.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:23 PM on December 9, 2004


At first I thought you meant the guy was saying Matt would be persona non grata at Metafilter, but in context, it sounds like Matt might become persona non grata in Canada.

I think the poster just doesn't know what the term actually means. Matt had clearly left his grata in his other pants; to suggest he doesn't have any at all is just rude.
posted by taz at 4:26 PM on December 9, 2004


I like that, Mefia. Is it just me or does anyone else sometimes end up with MetaFilet? Just me? Okay then.

And sorry for not linking to the comment, I was pressed for time. I read it that the commenter was going to get Matt booted off MetaFilter, meaning they didn't have the first clue who he was.
posted by fenriq at 5:02 PM on December 9, 2004


Matt had clearly left his grata in his other pants

So is grata a kind of fish?
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:13 PM on December 9, 2004



Anyway, there have been a number of recent newbie posts that aren't exactly "best of the web," but come on, they're new! Give 'em a break! They'll get the hang of it eventually. Heck, I'm amazed there haven't been more terrible posts. In case you hadn't noticed, everything on MeFi tends to work itself out. I think that's one of its coolest features.


Dude, wow, just stop.

Here is a helpful note to all newbies: metatalk is not the place for you to post every inane thought that enters your head, despite the fact that it has become this in the last week.

*G4s all over thread*
posted by The God Complex at 5:22 PM on December 9, 2004


I'd like a flamed metafilet of grata, please, and make sure none of the wait-staff have G4'd all over it.
posted by stray at 5:28 PM on December 9, 2004


Here is a helpful note to all newbies: metatalk is not the place for you to post every inane thought that enters your head.

Any regular reader of MetaTalk can see that it's not just the newbs making that error.

It seems MeFi post quality has gone up since the election, and it's only fair the old skoolers and not-so-old skoolers want to keep that up. There are plenty of crimes beyond self-linking and shilling, and newbs are prone to commit them all. Having said that, cheers for the goodwill, even amid the predictable patronizations. I joined December 01 - I wasn't born December 01.

stray...would you like a bucketful of cocks with that?
posted by cosmonik at 5:46 PM on December 9, 2004


Give 'em a break! They'll get the hang of it eventually.

The way you get the hang of it is through the critiquing process, which is not always pleasant for those being critiqued.
posted by caddis at 5:50 PM on December 9, 2004



The way you get the hang of it is through a drive by cocking, which is not always pleasant for those being cocked.

I'll take the biggie size on that, cosmonik.

posted by stray at 5:54 PM on December 9, 2004


Give 'em a break!

No.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:57 PM on December 9, 2004


Any regular reader of MetaTalk can see that it's not just the newbs making that error.

I never suggested it was. That said, there do seem to be a lot of lame newbie metatalk posts lately, and for whatever reason they're not being summarily deleted. Like this one.

No.

Amen, chicken. I lurked for a few years before I got a membership here, and I'm sure I was an intolerable newb, but I didn't start ridiculous threads asking how my first thread was or waxing inane like some third-rate Miguel (no offense, Sibrax: none of us can achieve Miguel's level of meandering, walk-in-the-park verbosity and cheerleading).
posted by The God Complex at 6:03 PM on December 9, 2004


There do seem to be a lot of lame newbie metatalk posts lately, and for whatever reason they're not being summarily deleted. Like this one.

True - the lame callout posts seem to have been replaced by the lame 'how's my driving' posts. And I echo your sentiment in the 'How's My First Post' Meta Thread that the grey needs as much a culling as the blue.
posted by cosmonik at 6:19 PM on December 9, 2004


I dunno. Wasn't the idea of having new users that some of them might be capable of discerning what a quality post would be like, and then posting such a thing? Not a lot of that going on lately.

But don't mind me. I'm mostly avoiding the blue side these days anyhow.

Mainly, I'm annoyed by the new folks who can't figure out the difference between Ask and the rest of the site, not only creating more work for the kindly lad who runs the joint, but further shitting on the nicest part of our commons. It's not hard, doesn't take much to pick up on, and is explained in clear language in obvious places.
posted by majick at 6:28 PM on December 9, 2004


Matts already said that the money he's raked in is worth all the newbish cockery he has to clean up. Having said that however, the amount of cockery around here is reaching pandemic levels.
posted by puke & cry at 6:38 PM on December 9, 2004


It should also be noted that any statement even remotely like "but come on, they're new! Give 'em a break! They'll get the hang of it eventually." is going to get shredded apart on principle alone.
posted by fenriq at 6:52 PM on December 9, 2004


My first post to Metafilter was an Entertainment-Newsfilter doublepost linking to a story on Yahoo News. Things got better. So stop being conscious, noobers. You'll turn out fine, just like I did. Right? Right?
posted by brownpau at 7:29 PM on December 9, 2004


Sibrax, your post makes me feel like someone has touched me in a bad place, like where my bathing suit covers me.
posted by naxosaxur at 7:36 PM on December 9, 2004


My first post to Metafilter was an Entertainment-Newsfilter doublepost linking to a story on Yahoo News.

My first post to MeFi was about Britney flipping off a crowd of Mexican fans.

I mispelled "Mexican".

There was really nowhere to go but up.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 7:43 PM on December 9, 2004


Anyway, there have been a number of recent newbie posts that aren't exactly "best of the web," but come on, they're new! Give 'em a break! They'll get the hang of it eventually.

1) They are getting a break. They're going to continue to be members. They haven't all been banned or ejected. While several noisy trainwrecks have taken place, many neoFites have tested the waters more or less successfully.

2) Criticism of their posts takes time and effort. While sometimes difficult to hear, criticism is an investment in the future. Don't be offended if quonsar mocks you. Be proud. You have arrived!

3) If we didn't keep standards high around here, you wouldn't have waited 2 fucking years to get your foot in the door.

So, in sum: STFU (and refer to #2, above).
posted by scarabic at 8:29 PM on December 9, 2004


Metafilter: in sum, STFU.

(My first MeFi tagline! How'd I do? Comments? Dial 1800-RateMeTa!)
posted by cosmonik at 8:33 PM on December 9, 2004


dammit I don't think quonsar has mocked me yet.

*cries*
posted by dabitch at 8:55 PM on December 9, 2004


He mocked me once or twice, but with forthright derision instead of zany humor. And these noobs complain!
posted by scarabic at 9:31 PM on December 9, 2004


That said, there do seem to be a lot of lame newbie metatalk posts lately, and for whatever reason they're not being summarily deleted. Like this one.

See, that's just my point. Did reading this thread really kill you? (If so, I'm becoming a hit man.) I was seeing way more "newbies suck!" posts than encouraging ones, so I thought I'd stick up for the other side. I'm not saying don't criticize the bad posts, I'm just saying we could lighten up a little. :-) That's how a good community keeps good people around.

But hey, if standing up for the newbies isn't appropriate MeTa talk, then I apologize. Perhaps trial by fire is the way to go. I obviously wasn't here for the last round of signups. ::shrug:: I'll leave you guys alone now.

:: hugs MeFi again, even as it claws at my eyes ::
posted by Sibrax at 9:34 PM on December 9, 2004


:: projectile vomits everytime Sibrax hugs Mefi ::
posted by naxosaxur at 9:42 PM on December 9, 2004


Quoth majick: "...new folks who can't figure out the difference between Ask and the rest of the site."

Example please?


Then naxosaxur :: projectile vomits everytime Sibrax hugs Mefi ::

Really? I kinda snorfle when I see how seriously some folks take all this.
posted by davy at 10:15 PM on December 9, 2004


:: projectile vomits everytime davy snorfles ::
posted by naxosaxur at 10:34 PM on December 9, 2004


"Example please?"

It started with the vibrating Bratz post (which mysteriously remains undeleted) and has been rolling steadily to the tune of one or two threads a day. I'd link 'em, but fortunately Matt's been able to delete them. I rarely go a day without doing my little "For future reference, the page you typed this question on contains the following in large bold text" thing, and often get to paste it a couple of times.

I wake up earlier than Matt does, so I get off a few shots before he comes in to scrape the turds off.
posted by majick at 10:59 PM on December 9, 2004


> "Example please?"

>> It started with the vibrating Bratz post (which mysteriously remains undeleted)

Oh, that. You get all worked up about little things like that? Heh. Do you play poker? If so, when do you get paid?
posted by davy at 11:25 PM on December 9, 2004


:: hugs MeFi ::

Please, oh please, post a FPP that ends with this. Post a couple in a row. Please.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:54 AM on December 10, 2004


Oh.... the Bratz post..... I think that was a... um.... different Doohickie. I think Matt felt sorry for me cuz he had already blown away my post in AskMeFi.

cosmonik- has anyone spoken to you about becoming Noobie Class President yet?
posted by Doohickie at 6:37 AM on December 10, 2004


please stop hugging this websheet.
posted by glenwood at 6:59 AM on December 10, 2004


dammit I don't think quonsar has mocked me yet.

He mocked me in my very first post.
*preens, checks pants for fish*
posted by languagehat at 9:03 AM on December 10, 2004


Who's quonsar?
posted by Jart at 9:51 AM on December 10, 2004


The hugs are one thing but smileys are RIGHT OUT.

If anything is a bannable offense, a smiley should be.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:10 AM on December 10, 2004


Can we just stop with the posts about how thing x is "the best ever"?
posted by yerfatma at 10:44 AM on December 10, 2004


The hugs are one thing but smileys are RIGHT OUT.

Oh bite me! :-)
posted by davy at 11:22 AM on December 10, 2004


MetaFilter: Pandemic newbish cockery
posted by ZippityBuddha at 12:14 PM on December 10, 2004


If anything is a bannable offense, a smiley should be.

: >
posted by amberglow at 12:25 PM on December 10, 2004


*bearhugs amber, sticks shiv between his ribs*
posted by CunningLinguist at 1:08 PM on December 10, 2004


That's not a shiv.

And those aren't his ribs.
posted by jpoulos at 2:05 PM on December 10, 2004


So smileys are out but *stage directions* are in?

WTF!?!?
posted by scarabic at 2:15 PM on December 10, 2004


Ironicaceous, aint it?
posted by CunningLinguist at 3:01 PM on December 10, 2004


*: >*

(looks like zits, no? or maybe a sparkly barette/brooch?)
posted by amberglow at 3:21 PM on December 10, 2004


bullet to the head and chest
posted by scarabic at 3:23 PM on December 10, 2004


Are you guys done vomiting? Because I was planning on cleaning up in here.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:01 PM on December 10, 2004


Is *THAT* what's so secret about the gravy?

EWWWW!!!
posted by scarabic at 6:06 PM on December 10, 2004


*winks
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:12 PM on December 10, 2004


*blinks*
posted by wendell at 6:44 PM on December 10, 2004


*links*
posted by languagehat at 7:08 PM on December 10, 2004


*Pink's*
posted by amberglow at 7:26 PM on December 10, 2004


*: >*

dimebag!
posted by quonsar at 10:08 PM on December 10, 2004


man...you guys are too meta. TOO META.
posted by puke & cry at 12:00 AM on December 11, 2004


*thinks....drinks....and performs hijinks.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:43 AM on December 11, 2004


It saddens me to see the unnecessary rudeness on this thread in response to the poster. We are (mostly) adults, and should behave as such. If you disagree with someone, you should state so politely; excessive snarkyness does no one any good, and arrogant responses please only the egoist.

There is also the fact that you can get more flies with honey than with vinegar; if you really want to improve the site, the best way to do so is by example.
posted by jb at 11:47 PM on December 11, 2004


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