questions get pushed down off the page at AskMe too damn fast

December 14, 2004 4:10 AM

As has been noted before, questions get pushed down off the page at AskMe too damn fast. Most of the questions are good ones. Which means, I guess, we need some better information architecture (categories or something) to happen. When, oh lord†, when?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken to feature requests at 4:10 AM (96 comments total)

When, oh lord†, when?
I'm thinking that new features will start to come on line in oh... 20 years time.
I don't think now (especially) is a good time to be asking for new features, and I think we'll have to resign ourselves that pretty soon Matt is going to be a busy man.
Matt. If you're reading this, I also think that the amount of MeFi time you'll have is going to diminish pretty quickly. If you are going to work on the site, then concentrate on the features that'll save you time, look at enrolling some sub-editors and farm out the outstanding development work.
posted by seanyboy at 4:37 AM on December 14, 2004

Categories or something? How about just fewer questions? I leave the rest as an exercise.
posted by Prince Nez at 5:08 AM on December 14, 2004

You think that's bad? MeTa posts are being pushed off the front page in about 8 hours lately. Okay, that's good for most of 'em, but it blows for the meetup threads.
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:44 AM on December 14, 2004

This is a problem on the Blue as well, in my opinion. What makes it particularly frustrating is that the majority of the new posters are posting interesting things, it's just that there are so many of them it has become difficult to digest or even notice. This makes it hard to generate prolonged discussions because things are simply moving to fast to hold a large audience's attention.

Well, it seems that we have the raw materials for a better Metafilter, but now we have to squish and kick it into a better configuration to finish the job.
posted by sic at 5:45 AM on December 14, 2004

MeFi is jealous of her new sister!
posted by Pretty_Generic at 5:47 AM on December 14, 2004

This is a problem on the Blue as well, in my opinion.

Nope. Whole different thing.

How about just fewer questions?

Nope. Most of the questions are good ones. Like I fucking said already, chuckles.

MeTa posts are being pushed off the front page in about 8 hours lately.

Newbs need spanking. This is a tenet of human civilization that were we to abandon, we'd lose all that right thinking people deem true and holy and right.

So how 'bout some new functionality there, Daddy Newbbucks?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:59 AM on December 14, 2004

Newbs need spanking. This is a tenet of human civilization that were we to abandon, we'd lose all that right thinking people deem true and holy and right.

No doubt. Just pointing out that ten at a time right now is insufficient for MeTa to be all that it can be. Pretty much what you're saying, but greyer.
posted by Ufez Jones at 6:13 AM on December 14, 2004

Maybe AskMe questions could have an "answered" flag that the querist could set. Questions that don't get answered could then show up ahead of those that do.
posted by sfenders at 6:26 AM on December 14, 2004

I like the idea of using subject categories--the most prolific and tiresome one of late seems to be, "IdentifyThisBook/Song/Movie".

Do the posts scroll off so quickly based on space issues (i.e. amount of total text) or is it based strictly on the number of questions (i.e. the AskMe front page always holds X-number of posts).
posted by availablelight at 6:27 AM on December 14, 2004

For those who complain about missing meetup announcements on MeTa.... there already IS a category list, you know.
posted by Doohickie at 6:55 AM on December 14, 2004

While drunk at a bar a few weeks back, I scribbled on a napkin some vague ideas for an AskMe catalog system. Besides the fact that the bartender was giving me every third pint free, I remember that it involved cataloging base not only on subject (cars, books, pets, etc) but on the desired user result (opinion, product recommendation, advice, experience, etc). So you could search the "digital photography" subject for questions regarding "What should I buy?" and not have to read though ones about "How do I fix it?" or "Is digital photography killing photography as an artform?"

It was a really, really messy napkin.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:13 AM on December 14, 2004

there already IS a category list, you know.

Well aware of that, but thanks. You think many people check it all that often though? Especially if they live in a locale that has a meetup maybe twice a year? 8-9 hours of front page MeTa exposure isn't going to hit a lot of peoples' radars.

I'm generally against RSS feeds for MeTa, but maybe one for that category alone wouldn't be a horrible idea.

Anyhow, this is stavvy's thread. I'll go back to waiting to see if Matt will go back to posting meetup thread on the MeFi sidebar again.
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:15 AM on December 14, 2004

Most of the questions are good ones. Like I fucking said already, chuckles.

Most, you say? So there are some that aren't so good? If they weren't there, would there not be fewer questions? Anyway, are the questions absolutely either good or bad? It would be nice if there were only a few really good asks. That's as legitimate a goal as trying to manage a torrent of dull questions with categories or whatever.
posted by Prince Nez at 7:24 AM on December 14, 2004

what about linking the metafilter gatherings category or the latest meet-up threads on the sidebar...?
posted by t r a c y at 7:29 AM on December 14, 2004

Maybe AskMe questions could have an "answered" flag that the querist could set. Questions that don't get answered could then show up ahead of those that do.
posted by sfenders at 6:26 AM PST on December 14

Now that is a brilliant idea.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:50 AM on December 14, 2004

Every six weeks somebody - and I've played, too -- posts to MeTa about how Matt could improve AskMe if he only ___________. You all know the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result each time?

However, this baby on the way could be a significant motivating deadline (as well as really cute). It's the last few months of Matt's life before his free time is cut by 75%.

My point? I have none.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:01 AM on December 14, 2004

I don't think now (especially) is a good time to be asking for new features, and I think we'll have to resign ourselves that pretty soon Matt is going to be a busy man.

Not as relevant anymore, since supposedly much of the recent influx of money is going to hire a professional to do coding for the site. I wonder what the status of this work is? The most frustrating thing about the site, IMO, is the lack of progress updates on known issues. It makes people repost requests for resolution (*looks at stavros*) and generally contributes to an overall tone of dissatisfaction because of the *perception* (justified or otherwise) of inaction and apathy.

Like I fucking said already, chuckles.

Stop being an ass.
posted by rushmc at 8:26 AM on December 14, 2004

It would be nice if there were only a few really good asks.

No, it would not. AskMeFi is not for the amusement of onlookers (read: you). It is to get people's questions answered. The only "bad" questions are the ones that, in Matt's opinion, are so pointless they have no business taking up space on the page. This is a tiny minority whose deletion has no significant effect on the problem.

And yeah, categories would be nice, and I think the fact Matt's gotten a significant infusion of cash from the site balances out the "aww, he's gonna have a baby!" factor.
posted by languagehat at 8:27 AM on December 14, 2004

What languagehat said.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 8:47 AM on December 14, 2004

Things like this will hopefully be thought out in the impending redesign, no?
posted by GeekAnimator at 9:31 AM on December 14, 2004

The most frustrating thing about the site, IMO, is the lack of progress updates on known issues.

I actually like how this works. Nethack functions the same way. No news or timelines and then Bam! a new version is released. Takes the pressure off releasing code that is only half baked.
posted by Mitheral at 9:54 AM on December 14, 2004

AskMeFi is not for the amusement of onlookers (read: you). It is to get people's questions answered.

Huh? If this were the case then answers would be provided through e-mail rather than inside the thread.

Amusement is a collateral (but important) benefit.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 9:58 AM on December 14, 2004

Every six weeks somebody

More
like
every
fourteen
days.


Your pony will come, I believe. Either that or MaHo has stopped reading MeFi.
posted by metaculpa at 10:11 AM on December 14, 2004

I posted this in a thread the other day:

The new Ask MetaFilter ask-a-question page

I'll wire this up soon, and you can imagine how the categories and keyword tags will work. Essentially the goal is to mine the archives so anytime someone puts up a question with the tag "cat" everyone can click that and find every other question that involved cats.

This should cut dowm on the "oh yeah, I had a question like that guy did 20 minutes ago" questions since they'll be able to find the archives easily.

I'm going to allow anyone to tag and categorize their own older questions, and I'll have a few people (including myself) tagging old stuff as well.

And I love that it only took a week for someone to get upset that an impending baby was going to take precedence over the site. I give it two weeks until we hear someone say "I hate that baby and what it's done to Matt and this site."
posted by mathowie at 10:13 AM on December 14, 2004

Nope. Most of the questions are good ones. Like I fucking said already, chuckles.

Yeah fucking chuckles fucking he fucking already fucking said fucking it.
posted by marxchivist at 10:13 AM on December 14, 2004

Right now you can customize the number of days that are shown in the main page through adjusting your profile. Maybe Matt could apply that same functionality setting to the grey and the green as well?
posted by lilboo at 10:16 AM on December 14, 2004

Metafilter: I hate that baby and what it's done to Matt and this site.
posted by Ryvar at 10:25 AM on December 14, 2004

I hate the baby.

Wow, as a three-time father, typing that was surprisingly liberating.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:27 AM on December 14, 2004

What would be really clever is if the preview page showed the past 10 questions with that tag and/or category.

Kind of like how SA does link-checking (shudder).
posted by smackfu at 10:36 AM on December 14, 2004

I've just added a couple checks to the existing Ask MetaFilter post a new question page:

- you have to be a member for at least a week, so no snafus like last week where someone posted a "question" of "can we just post anything here?"

- you can post one question per 7 days. Save them up for just the good ones.
posted by mathowie at 10:37 AM on December 14, 2004

Hating The Baby is going to quickly become the new euphamism for griping about MetaFilter or not getting one's pony:

Tom: "I wish Matt would invent a way to stop all the new users from making stupid FPPs."

Dick: "I wish he'd invent some sort of indexable rating system for users and posts."

Harry: "You guys are both Hating The Baby."

(curtain).
posted by fandango_matt at 10:41 AM on December 14, 2004

- you can post one question per 7 days. Save them up for just the good ones.

Rad.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:42 AM on December 14, 2004

Finally!
posted by Quartermass at 10:49 AM on December 14, 2004

I am thinking "Don't hate the baby!" in Ike from South Park's voice.

Matt, we love the baby. We really do. It's just that we're afraid you won't have time to spend with us once the baby comes. We miss that special togetherness we used to have. Maybe you can take us out for ice cream, just you and us, once a week or something.

And don't listen to what Mommy was saying about how the lawn clippers got into the baby's crib. That was a simple mistake.
posted by Sidhedevil at 10:49 AM on December 14, 2004

Hate to be nitpicky, #1, but are those subject categories final?

Judging by some of the commonly seen kinds of questions on AskMe, it may be worth splitting some of those vague questions up. Breaking up "media & arts" into "music" "books" and "movies" (and others) may make things easier on the search end. Otherwise the category could become so full of questions so as to make searching it less useful. "Favorite breakup songs?" and "What was the name of that TV show where there were singing cops?" are not all that linked.

I'm not saying everything has to be re-done or anything, just that some frequently-asked question categories should probably exist.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:51 AM on December 14, 2004

you can post one question per 7 days. Save them up for just the good ones.

Is this "inside a calendar week" or "must wait 7 days from last posting"?
posted by weston at 10:53 AM on December 14, 2004

Matt, we love the baby. We really do. It's just that we're afraid you won't have time to spend with us once the baby comes.

This thread has a dysfunctional family vibe that makes me feel queasy.
posted by timeistight at 10:57 AM on December 14, 2004

7 days, like I said. 168 hours after your last question. To the second, like always.
posted by mathowie at 10:58 AM on December 14, 2004

I'm not saying everything has to be re-done or anything, just that some frequently-asked question categories should probably exist.

I could flesh out some of the categories like you said. I think the keywords will the do the work, because for the Cop Rock! question, you would probably tag it with "tv, showtunes, police" and get deeper than "media" via the tv, movie, or music tags.
posted by mathowie at 11:00 AM on December 14, 2004

I fully endorse the continuation of the Haughey lineage.
Don't forget, people, it takes time for ponies to be born, too.
posted by me3dia at 11:01 AM on December 14, 2004

And I love that it only took a week for someone to get upset that an impending baby was going to take precedence over the site. I give it two weeks until we hear someone say "I hate that baby and what it's done to Matt and this site."

Well, any fool can breed up yet another human being, but there's only ONE Metafilter. ;)
posted by rushmc at 11:10 AM on December 14, 2004

Oh, I just added the same checks to MetaTalk, so no more newbies parading their first post, asking how'd they do.
posted by mathowie at 11:22 AM on December 14, 2004

The thing that bothers me about AskMe is the repetitive nature of questions that, I think, would probably be best answered by a quick Google search. There are so many computer-related questions that are addressed in easy-to-find webpages (my ___ isn't working, how do I hook up __?) This isn't to say that all the computer questions aren't useful but I think the majority of them are kind of a waste of space. Can we get a promise from people posting those type of questions that they've atleast tried searching for help somewhere else - like the manufacturer's website?!

Shouldn't AskMe be a place people can ask questions that can't be answered with a simple Google search?
posted by moxyberry at 11:25 AM on December 14, 2004

I don't have a baby, but I've seen new fathers put in unnecessarily long work hours during their baby's first year. It seems the only excuseable way they can get any relief from the demands of home and brood is to work a little bit late, linger over the desk a little bit longer, I'll be home as soon as I finish up a few things, honey...

Anyone else ever observe this?
posted by scarabic at 11:25 AM on December 14, 2004

The thing that bothers me about AskMe is the repetitive nature of questions

Yep. How about when you preview a MeTa post, your post is stripped of words like "and" or "of" and submitted to the search engine. Along with the preview of your post, you see search results below for the words in it. Might do the trick for things like "categories" or "period."
posted by scarabic at 11:27 AM on December 14, 2004

Scarabic: I used to take the train in to work, check into a hotel, call in sick, and sleep until five. Came home fresh and happy!
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:30 AM on December 14, 2004

no more newbies parading their first post, asking how'd they do.

Anti-n00bite!
posted by Saucy Intruder at 11:33 AM on December 14, 2004

"No, it would not. AskMeFi is not for the amusement of onlookers (read: you). It is to get people's questions answered."—languagehat

Ah, but there's a flaw in your reasoning, grasshopper. Without an audience, there's no answerers.

"And I love that it only took a week for someone to get upset that an impending baby was going to take precedence over the site."—mathowie

But it will, won't it? I didn't get the impression that anyone was complaining about it—more like stating a simple truth.

"And don't listen to what Mommy was saying about how the lawn clippers got into the baby's crib. That was a simple mistake."—Sidhedevil

Gems like this are a big part of why I love you naughty mefites do damn much.

"Anyone else ever observe this?"—scarabic

It happens, but what's annoying is that someone is home taking care of the crying infant. And, usually, that someone is a mom who also works. It's interesting that stupiSexyflanders found his comment liberating as, I think many parents will tell you if they're being honest, there's lots and lots of times when they hate that baby. It's too bad that we pretend that this isn't so, as ignoring it doesn't make it not true.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:45 AM on December 14, 2004

I love the categorization. (Bummed I have to wait another week to use AskMe though)

But let's hope the tag thing works.
Because we're going to be faced with stuff like, does "favorite breakup songs" go under media and arts, human relations or society and culture?
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:55 AM on December 14, 2004

EB, I'm already a work-at-home guy and I'll likely be a stay-at-home dad after May, if that helps any (no oppression of females here).

And just think, if I do that, then I can care for two babies full time.
posted by mathowie at 12:05 PM on December 14, 2004

- you can post one question per 7 days. Save them up for just the good ones.

Damn. I really liked it that I could just post questions as needed.
posted by orange swan at 12:16 PM on December 14, 2004

And just think, if I do that, then I can care for two babies full time.

More like 20,045 when you include the front page count....

/ducks
posted by lilboo at 12:25 PM on December 14, 2004

Will that one-question-every-168-hours apply in conjunction with anonymous questions? In other words, if you ask a question anonymously, is that your one question for the week?
posted by fandango_matt at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2004

Aw man, but what if you knock'er up again? Then what will we do?!?
posted by graventy at 12:36 PM on December 14, 2004

I could flesh out some of the categories like you said. I think the keywords will the do the work, because for the Cop Rock! question, you would probably tag it with "tv, showtunes, police" and get deeper than "media" via the tv, movie, or music tags.

The keywords will go pretty far towards linking common threads together, but they could be helped by some sort of authority control, either official or unofficial. For example, do I search keywords for "movies" "movie" "film" "films" or "cinema"? Is it "tv" or "television"?

This control could be provided unofficially ("Everyone, when talking about the movies, use "movies" - Don't use film!") or there could be a linked page to the Wiki or some other recommended keyword list. Or you could set up the keyword search so that it knows that film ='s movies ='s cinema, etc. Or you could coerce the Mefibrarians into standardizing archived questions' keywords. There may have to be some sort of keyword check anyways lest people enter non-helpful keywords ("What does the keyword "pigfucker" have to do with a question about fixing a dishwasher?") as a matter of quality control, anyways.

This is a whole kettle of fish that you may not have time for, and I can grok that if that's the case. I really like AskMe and would like to see all its ponies be as pretty as possible.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:39 PM on December 14, 2004

And just think, if I do that, then I can care for two babies full time.

I look forward to hearing how you do with that.
posted by timeistight at 12:43 PM on December 14, 2004

no snafus like last week where someone posted a "question" of "can we just post anything here?"

Damn, and I missed it!

Without an audience, there's no answerers.

It is you whose reasoning is flawed, lightning bug. The "audience" required is one of helpful answerers, not whiny entertainment-seekers. I suspect the two groups do not entirely overlap.
posted by languagehat at 3:03 PM on December 14, 2004

the repetitive nature of questions that, I think, would probably be best answered by a quick Google search

I said this somewhere on the site before (ironic: a cursory Googling won't reveal where): you'll sleep better at night if you remember not everyone grew up with Google/ understands all the powerful options Google provides for narrowing searches/ is comfortable with computers. When you accept that some peoples' brilliance lies elsewhere, life gets a little easier.
posted by yerfatma at 3:17 PM on December 14, 2004

Shouldn't AskMe be a place people can ask questions that can't be answered with a simple Google search?

I think that people usually do a pretty good job of directly criticizing posters who ask google-able questions, oftentimes in the form of a link to a google search or Just Fucking Google It

[onpreview: yerfatma makes an interesting point, and this is where constructive criticism - i.e. a link to a well made google search - could be really helpful.]
posted by rorycberger at 3:25 PM on December 14, 2004

(*Falls down, kisses the ground yerfatma walks upon.*) That, sir or madam, was one of the finest comments I have ever read in Metatalk. May your life be continually blessed!
posted by Lynsey at 3:30 PM on December 14, 2004

And just think, if I do that, then I can care for two babies full time.

Quit being mean to Pretty_Generic.
posted by angry modem at 4:11 PM on December 14, 2004

This isn't to say that all the computer questions aren't useful but I think the majority of them are kind of a waste of space.

What yerfatma said. For you, those questions are unnecessary and obvious, but for someone who doesn't work with computers for a living or obsess over them in their off time, sometimes it can take DAYS of Googling and trying to piece together the various clues from different places to get a useful answer. This is true of other subjects as well, but I'd say that technology is kind of a special case.

Which is not to excuse lazy questions. Just try to keep in mind that we all start at very different places and have very different knowledge bases to draw upon.
posted by rushmc at 4:50 PM on December 14, 2004

me: Matt, we love the baby. We really do. It's just that we're afraid you won't have time to spend with us once the baby comes.

timeistight: This thread has a dysfunctional family vibe that makes me feel queasy.

SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:26 PM on December 14, 2004

I was going to hate the baby, but then I thought, naah.
posted by bonaldi at 5:52 PM on December 14, 2004

Yeah fucking chuckles fucking he fucking already fucking said fucking it.

Amusing riposte, both clever and pointed. Kudos to you!

Fuckhead.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:23 PM on December 14, 2004

It really adds to the congeniality around here when you add the word "fuck" to a reply when someone says something wrong.

Do you act like this in public too?
posted by marxchivist at 7:48 PM on December 14, 2004

Do you act like this in public too?

No way, fuckhead Marxchivist! I'm all sweetness and light and humourless rectitude like you when confronted by dolts in public.

And if 'congeniality' means being expected to handhold the stupid so they don't make poopy in their pants, it's not all it's cracked up to be.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:01 PM on December 14, 2004

The keywords will go pretty far towards linking common threads together, but they could be helped by some sort of authority control, either official or unofficial. For example, do I search keywords for "movies" "movie" "film" "films" or "cinema"? Is it "tv" or "television"?

I would humbly suggest the following:

1) In all cases where the acronym is one word, use the full word, not the acronym.

2) Use singular, not plural.

3) ????? For God's sake, check the spelling every time. Please. I beg you. There is nothing more annoying than trying to do a keyword search, and not getting the results, because people can't spell. (For sad examples, I suggest you check out interests lists on LiveJournal. Something like a hundred communities devoted to literature have 'writting' listed as an interest.) In addition, I'd suggest a simple back-end bit of code that will automagically parse 'color' (for example) to 'colour,' and vice-versa. That will really help those of us (i.e., most of the rest of the world) who don't use American spelling, and would never think to.

4) A thesaurus parser of some sort would be helpful too. Example: music/song might be a useful combination, as would film/cinema/movie

5) A user-generated list (though this is likely to happen organically anyway, it's best to get some in place) of non-ambiguous terms for some common types of questions. Like, say, IDENT for 'help me identify this book/movie/song/discharge.'
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:59 PM on December 14, 2004

6) PROFIT!


Damn.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:59 PM on December 14, 2004

In addition, I'd suggest a simple back-end bit of code that will automagically parse 'color' (for example) to 'colour,' and vice-versa. That will really help those of us (i.e., most of the rest of the world) who don't use American spelling, and would never think to.

This would be helpful, but honestly "would never think to"? Um, if I were using a website where the majority of posters were British, I'd certainly fucking "think to" use "colour." That's what the squirmy mass between yours ears is for.

Yes, I do feel better now.
posted by dame at 10:17 PM on December 14, 2004

No, I would never think to do it, just the same as I would never think to use 'their' for 'they're.' It's incorrect spelling, as far as I'm concerned.

Also, please go relax, dame. I made a polite post, with suggestions I think would help AskMe, and you decided to take a great big steaming turd on the thread. Nicely done.

Also, the irony of you suggesting that I use the 'squirmy mass between [my] ears,' while 1) saying 'yours' instead of 'your,' and 2) entirely misusing the word 'squirmy,' is delightful. Hoist by your own petard, I think.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:25 PM on December 14, 2004

It was a mostly polite post with a rude and jingoistic insinuation. American spelling isn't incorrect; it's American. If you read things written by Americans, I assume you are familiar with it and are capable of taking context into account when making queries. And yes, I made a typo. And yes, I was being cranky. But I meant squirmy.
posted by dame at 10:46 PM on December 14, 2004

Actually, yes, American spelling is incorrect from my point of view. Just as the Queen's English is improper spelling from the American point of view.

The point being: you shat on this thread for no reason.


posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:02 PM on December 14, 2004

Actually, yes, American spelling is incorrect from my point of view.

Ignorance and arrogance taste SO good together, don't they?
posted by rushmc at 12:11 AM on December 15, 2004

Just as the Queen's English is improper spelling from the American point of view.

Stop quoting out of context, and fuck off.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:15 AM on December 15, 2004

You're a charmer, aren't you?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 12:33 AM on December 15, 2004

It's all my fault. I'm such a bastard.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:41 AM on December 15, 2004

I hate that chicken and what he's done to Matt and this site.
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:12 AM on December 15, 2004

What yerfatma said. For you, those questions are unnecessary and obvious, but for someone who doesn't work with computers for a living or obsess over them in their off time, sometimes it can take DAYS of Googling and trying to piece together the various clues from different places to get a useful answer. This is true of other subjects as well, but I'd say that technology is kind of a special case.

Which is not to excuse lazy questions. Just try to keep in mind that we all start at very different places and have very different knowledge bases to draw upon.

No, I agree. I just get a little bit puzzled when people have questions about their Mac or iPod or printer and come here first before trying Apple.com or hp.com or epson.com. If it is a more complicated problem that doesn't seem to be readily answered by a manufacturer's support page, then by all means toss it out to the Mefi crowd for some help!

I guess that all I'm asking for is for people to atleast give it a go before asking on the green. I do computer support so I don't mind giving people advice or help when I can; in fact, I enjoy reading answers to a specific tech question/problem that I hadn't seen before. There are some days, though, when questions are scrolled off AskMe pretty quickly due to technology-related questions.
posted by moxyberry at 7:56 AM on December 15, 2004

I love that bastard chicken.
posted by kamylyon at 7:56 AM on December 15, 2004

Just as the Queen's English is improper spelling from the American point of view.

Well that's the crux, isn't it? It isn't incorrect; it's different. I don't look at "colour" or "kerb" and think, "Holy fuck that's wrong." I think, "Wow, whoever wrote that isn't American." (Okay, I don't say "wow" because having read things in a number of Englishes before, I probably don't notice.)

You were being a dick about how people spell. I don't appreciate it. That's my reason. It may be a bad one, but it isn't not one.
posted by dame at 8:51 AM on December 15, 2004

Sidhedevil: a dysfunctional family vibe that makes me feel queasy.
posted by timeistight at 9:07 AM on December 15, 2004

No, dame, you're being a fucking dick. I suggested something that will help everyone. I'd almost never think to use 'color,' and I'm sure there are quite a lot of people who would never think to use 'colour.' I also said that from my point of view one is correct and one is not, and from the point of view of most Americans, the opposite is true. This is not a difficult concept to understand. I didn't at any point say that I'm right and you're wrong; I said it depends on where you stand.

So go choke on a bucket of cocks, you shitlicking nunfucker.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 9:36 AM on December 15, 2004

I said it was a good idea. But there is no reason to be a jingo about it. Calling something different "wrong from my position" is being a jingo. I don't like it when Americans do it, and I don't like it when non-Americans (or foreigners, as a jingo like you would say) do it.

Besides, I'm not a nunfucker. I like boys.
posted by dame at 9:54 AM on December 15, 2004

dnab!

yeah, i'm slow
posted by kamylyon at 9:55 AM on December 15, 2004

*sigh* Dame, are you being deliberately stupid? From my point of view, with my upbringing and education, there is one right way to spell words in the English language-- the way that English people spell it.

From the point of view of most Americans, there is one right way to spell words in the English language.

It's that simple.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:12 AM on December 15, 2004

I would think the person who doesn't understand the space between "different" and "wrong" is the one being deliberately stupid. It's like a Presbyterian walking into a Catholic church and saying they are conducting their service incorrectly.

And look, in your supposed rebuttal, you trot out another of those lame English canards: "there is one right way to spell words in the English language-- the way that English people spell it." The English stopped having sole ownership of the mutations of English they day they began colonizing the planet. That you would even bring that notion up demonstrates that I was correct in guessing that the shriveled little heart of a cultural chauvinist beats in you.

And I would say the same thing to an American who claimed "color" was the only right way.
posted by dame at 10:24 AM on December 15, 2004

Except that you're missing the point-- to a Presbyterian, the Catholics are conducting the service incorrectly. That's rather the point of religious schisms.

And, I typed too quickly. The sentence should have read: From the point of view of most Americans, there is one right way to spell words in the English language-- the way Americans spell it.

So, kindly, get off your fucking high horse.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:44 AM on December 15, 2004

As soon as you stop being a willfully ignorant chauvinist. Learning to use commas wouldn't hurt. Also, accusing people of missing the point when they take issue with it would also be a fine thing to knock off.
posted by dame at 10:54 AM on December 15, 2004

Also, not being a fucking idiot would be a good idea, dame. So FUCK RIGHT OFF, OK?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:58 AM on December 15, 2004

I know you are but what am I?
posted by dame at 11:10 AM on December 15, 2004

From the point of view of most Americans, there is one right way to spell words in the English language.

Speaking as an American and possibly a representative of my nation: for the most part, Americans think there is a "best" way to write color (color) and a "funny" way to write color (colour). Few Americans would find the spelling of "colour" to be wrong, though. Same with "armour", "valour", etc., as well as "gray" and "grey". A "wrong" way to spell it would be "kulur" or "colr" or something along those lines.

"Connexion" is an entirely different matter.
posted by Bugbread at 11:45 AM on December 15, 2004

timeistight, I love the phrase "a dysfunctional family vibe that makes me feel queasy".

bugbread, you have it exactly right.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:51 AM on December 15, 2004

And, speaking of the "dysfunctional family vibe",

dame! dirtynumbangelboy! I don't care who started it, but if you don't both cut it out, I'm pulling this Website over to the side of the road until you apologize.

Not a word more out of either of you. Sit on your own side of the back seat and think about what you've done.

Matt works his fingers to the bone for you, and this is the way you repay him--with pointless squabbling? If you keep this up, there aren't going to BE any MetaFilters for you to ruin. How would you like that?
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:54 AM on December 15, 2004

I hate these babies and what they've done to Matt and this site.
posted by fandango_matt at 12:21 PM on December 15, 2004

Take it to email, lovebirds. We're not into your performance.
posted by rushmc at 3:17 PM on December 15, 2004