Selflinking crossposting snafu

February 3, 2005 5:01 AM

The spectre of self-linking once again rears its ugly head. Allow me to present Exhibit A - "The clueless reviews the Mac Mini", submitted on MacSlash by StormBear. If it may please the court, here also is Exhibit B - "The clueless reviews the Mac Mini", submitted in the blue by user #3411, alias StormBear. Ladies and gentlemen, the prosecution rests.
posted by Smart Dalek to Etiquette/Policy at 5:01 AM (33 comments total)

I dunno SD, to me it reads as follows:
StormBear writes "His (aka The Clueless Reviewer's) chief gripes are "The Mini boots up into a... bays" Let the hate mail campaign begin!"
posted by riffola at 5:06 AM on February 3, 2005

Although the two articles aren't directly linked to each other, it's still a cut and paste headline from one fora's FPP to another. As a number of people visit different communities, myself included, not many folks tend to crosspost in such an obvious matter...except maybe on USENET, but even there, an ethics discussion often ensues.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:16 AM on February 3, 2005

The "Exhibit A" you link to was not submitted by StormBear.
The clueless reviews the Mac Mini
posted by acaben on Wednesday February 02, @06:26PM

Perhaps I'm clueless, but I don't get the connection.
posted by FreezBoy at 5:21 AM on February 3, 2005

While StormBear did use the same description for both posts, it's still not self linking.
posted by riffola at 5:22 AM on February 3, 2005

I don't think StormBear posted it. acaben did, if I understand how the MacSlash forums work (very confusing for non-slashers like myself). Looks like StormBear saw it there, commented on it, and then posted it here?
posted by iconomy at 5:23 AM on February 3, 2005

Crossposting is not self-linking. The fact StormBear would post this piece of satire to both MacSlash and MetaFilter does not irk me. MacSlash is for Mac fanboys and MetaFilter overindexes Mac fanboys. Posting the same thing in two or more places happens all the time.

Now if StormBear is Jorge Lopez then that's another story. The evidence provided does not support that.

Motion to dismiss.
posted by birdherder at 5:28 AM on February 3, 2005 [1 favorite]

Stormbear likely submitted it to MacSlash and they posted it and gave him the reference.

Either way it is in no way a self-link. If you go to his site, you'll see that he has no connection to Division 2.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:29 AM on February 3, 2005

This isn't a self-link -- you know, since Stormbear didn't link to hisself. Some guy on MacSlash quoted StormBear.

Even if your contention that he cross-posted to two forums is true, it still isn't a self-link.

This is a bad call out.
posted by cedar at 5:31 AM on February 3, 2005

I say we get the pitchforks and burn him anyway. More mob justice!
posted by sebas at 5:35 AM on February 3, 2005

Slash and Scoop based sites have a "link pool", where potential FPPs are submitted. In this case, acaben is one of the site's moderators, who decided the submitted link was worthy. The FPP's "author" is still StormBear, however. (In electing to posted the thread, acaben quoted StormBear's link verbatim.) If MacSlash hadn't posted the story online, it would've been flagged as "pending for review" or otherwise rejected. In such case StormBear would've been free to post the story here, if so desired.

I know this because I have moderation abilities on Your Pal, Carl's site; if I wanted to sbumit the same link there and on MetaFilter, proper nettiquette would suggest that I talk to someone here (or there) and have them submit in my stead, while I post to the remaining site myself.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:36 AM on February 3, 2005

proper nettiquette would suggest that I talk to someone here (or there) and have them submit in my stead, while I post to the remaining site myself.

Not if you link to an unrelated third party site.
posted by sebas at 5:40 AM on February 3, 2005

That doesn't make a lick of sense.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:40 AM on February 3, 2005

Corssposts like this don't happen often around here, though where I lurk, it's a hanging offense. I was just asking that the thread in the blue be deleted, is all. Nothing personal against StormBear.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:45 AM on February 3, 2005

But it doesn't break any of this site's rules. There's just no good reason to delete it. If it is breaking some other site's rules, that's that other site's problem, no?
posted by riffola at 5:48 AM on February 3, 2005

But did SB actually write the article? Is he Jorge Lopez? Is this a crosspost, or a self-link?
posted by iconomy at 5:48 AM on February 3, 2005

It's a cross-post, which doesn't appear in any of the rules here. In my lurking and membership experience, this has never been a problem on MetaFilter.

The linked-to original article has no apparent connexion with Storm Bear. The linked-to original article does not link to MacSlash.

No reasons to call out. No reasons to delete.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:52 AM on February 3, 2005

We'll just call this a Mock trial and let it rest.
posted by Gyan at 5:57 AM on February 3, 2005

"But did SB actually write the article? Is he Jorge Lopez? Is this a crosspost, or a self-link?"

I would say no.

Though linked to different sites our StormBear appears to be the same as the MacSlash StormBear ( AKA Storm Bear Williams). I don't see any reason to think he has anything to do with Jorge Lopez.

This is simply someone who saw an article he thought was amusing and posted/submitted it to two sites. I'm glad he crossposted. I enjoyed the article and not being a Mac user would never have seen it on MacSlash. To criticize this assumes a greater crossover between MacSlash and MeFi than I believe exists.
posted by cedar at 6:03 AM on February 3, 2005

Fair enough. I withdraw my earlier charges.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:06 AM on February 3, 2005

Folks, I have nothing to do with Division 2. I got a link via IM during the SOTU last night and thought it would make a fun post. I posted one link to a site I help run because of, what I felt, was a very ironic campaign poster. I also admitted it. But me being Jorge? Nope.

And yes, both "StormBears" are me.
posted by StormBear at 6:10 AM on February 3, 2005

Thus endeth the tale of the cross-posting StormBear. Join us tomorrow for a harrowing {close}
posted by squirrel at 6:19 AM on February 3, 2005

[Voice-over]
And that my friends, was the strange case of StormBears alleged cross or self link. Until this day no-one has found the true identity of Jorge Lopez.

Next time on Meta: Callouts that go horribly wrong, hilarity ensues!
[/Voice-over]

On preview: Damn squirrel
posted by sebas at 6:21 AM on February 3, 2005

Boy makes assertion. Boys and girls politely refute assertion. Boy withdraws assertion. Successful MeTa thread, all in all.
posted by nthdegx at 6:39 AM on February 3, 2005

Ladies and gentlemen of the supposed jury, I have one final thing I want you to consider: This is Chewbacca. Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk, but Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now, think about that. That does not make sense!

Why would a Wookiee -- an eight foot tall Wookiee -- want to live on Endor with a bunch of two foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense!

But more importantly, you have to ask yourself: what does that have to do with this case? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this case! It does not make sense!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:42 AM on February 3, 2005

If we're gonna be mad at Stormbear for being consistent with his username on many community sites, which also happens to be his domain name... well then I'm in deep dop-doo too.
posted by dabitch at 6:46 AM on February 3, 2005

oh, and so is birdherder. ;) And countless others I'm sure.
just having fun while there is fun to be had.
posted by dabitch at 6:48 AM on February 3, 2005

I'm baffled
posted by matteo at 6:49 AM on February 3, 2005

I take it this ISN'T the Gardening chat room?
posted by JtJ at 7:02 AM on February 3, 2005

I can't belive that I misspelled "doo-doo" and "dop-doo". The latter sounds like some barbershop tune.
posted by dabitch at 7:52 AM on February 3, 2005

Grrrrrrr... I hate it when someone withdraws a ludicrous charge just before I get a chance to mercilessly ridicule it. Next time, Smart Dalek, could you try to be a little more stubborn?
posted by soyjoy at 7:54 AM on February 3, 2005

A sign of the End Of Days: Civil, short MeTa with niceness all around.

But I will attempt to revitalize the thread by accusing Robo of AskMe plagarism or at least crossposting.
posted by Dagobert at 8:11 AM on February 3, 2005

I can't belive that I misspelled "doo-doo" and "dop-doo".

I just assumed it was the Danish term. :)
posted by me3dia at 8:32 AM on February 3, 2005

Well that was wrapped up all nice like.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 8:47 AM on February 3, 2005