waste of valuable front page AskMe space April 26, 2005 5:35 AM Subscribe
Can we use this waste of valuable front page AskMe space as the definitive example of what AskMe is not for?
It looks to me like a new user either testing the AskMe response time or showing off the AskMe response time. I say give 'em a timeout.
posted by geekyguy at 5:49 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by geekyguy at 5:49 AM on April 26, 2005
They've asked a question before. No other contributions to Metafilter.
posted by grouse at 5:52 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by grouse at 5:52 AM on April 26, 2005
Man, just use the [!]. Sounds like you have a crush on this member since you made sure the offense would be known for all. Ever think you're wasting space in Meta and you committed a wrong by not flagging this post where the offense occurred. Whoops?
posted by thomcatspike at 5:54 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by thomcatspike at 5:54 AM on April 26, 2005
Some people don't like Google. Might it be possible that, for some folks AskMefi is their first choice in finding the answers to questions? I like Google, believe me, I use it at least 30 times a day. But not everyone does. Some might find appeal in the camraderie of AskMefi, others might respect member/s of this community and seek their advice first.
Meh
posted by tr33hggr at 6:04 AM on April 26, 2005
Meh
posted by tr33hggr at 6:04 AM on April 26, 2005
fyi, I do understand the reason behind your post. These exercises seem wasted when all the tools at hand are not fully used, as I’m not seeing them. Why I didn't use my suggestion above.
Do members still e-mail the new members with help on how to use the site?
posted by thomcatspike at 6:08 AM on April 26, 2005
Do members still e-mail the new members with help on how to use the site?
posted by thomcatspike at 6:08 AM on April 26, 2005
Can we use this waste of valuable front page MeTa space as the definitive example of what MeTa is not for?
Jeez, just flag it and move on...
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:08 AM on April 26, 2005
Jeez, just flag it and move on...
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:08 AM on April 26, 2005
If someone can't use a web search to find out the answer to this question then they shouldn't be on teh intarwebs period, let alone MeFi. I say we round up a posse & impound his peecee. ('Cos you just *know* it's a PC.)
Seriously tho'. It's a terrible question to AskMe.
posted by i_cola at 6:23 AM on April 26, 2005
Seriously tho'. It's a terrible question to AskMe.
posted by i_cola at 6:23 AM on April 26, 2005
Valuable space? Chill out. It's not like you're paying for real questions to show up and personal finances are thrown askew by something like this. So someone asked a question that could have been answered on Google. Big deal! There are a lot more important things to worry about in this world, like earthquakes, and eating barbecue.
posted by nitsuj at 6:29 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by nitsuj at 6:29 AM on April 26, 2005
I nominate this as the worst AskMe of all time.
"What are Hitchcock's best films?" with a thread full of links to imdb was pretty putrid too.
You guys defending it - "some people don't like google"??? - do you really want to see AskMe cluttered with a string of questions like "what's the CNN homepage again?" and "What year was JFK assassinated?" The page already scrolls by too fast and if we don't call out stuff like this, it'll encourage the morons.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:34 AM on April 26, 2005
"What are Hitchcock's best films?" with a thread full of links to imdb was pretty putrid too.
You guys defending it - "some people don't like google"??? - do you really want to see AskMe cluttered with a string of questions like "what's the CNN homepage again?" and "What year was JFK assassinated?" The page already scrolls by too fast and if we don't call out stuff like this, it'll encourage the morons.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:34 AM on April 26, 2005
Man, just use the [!]. Sounds like you have a crush on this member since you made sure the offense would be known for all. Ever think you're wasting space in Meta and you committed a wrong by not flagging this post where the offense occurred. Whoops?
I did flag it.
Wasting space on MetaTalk? Is that possible?
Just to be clear, the reason why I brought it to MetaTalk is not "because I have a crush" on the poster, or because I wish to humilliate him/her (although perhaps I could have used a lighter touch in the language of my post) but rather to let it stand as an example of what I think, and what I think most people, feel is a waste of space on AskMe, an issue that has been brought up more than once because questions fall off the page so quickly. As far as i know, this is what MetaTalk is for, to discuss other aspects of the site. To help come to a consensus about how we ALL feel about certain issues. You know my opinion on the subject, and now we know yours.
posted by sic at 6:35 AM on April 26, 2005
I did flag it.
Wasting space on MetaTalk? Is that possible?
Just to be clear, the reason why I brought it to MetaTalk is not "because I have a crush" on the poster, or because I wish to humilliate him/her (although perhaps I could have used a lighter touch in the language of my post) but rather to let it stand as an example of what I think, and what I think most people, feel is a waste of space on AskMe, an issue that has been brought up more than once because questions fall off the page so quickly. As far as i know, this is what MetaTalk is for, to discuss other aspects of the site. To help come to a consensus about how we ALL feel about certain issues. You know my opinion on the subject, and now we know yours.
posted by sic at 6:35 AM on April 26, 2005
I think this use of AskMe is not appropriate. And I think sic was justified in calling it out here this time. Next time I imagine he would just use [!] since it will surely be discussed amply now.
posted by grouse at 6:40 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by grouse at 6:40 AM on April 26, 2005
It didn't really waste that much space. The ones that really waste are much more annoying.
posted by smackfu at 6:42 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by smackfu at 6:42 AM on April 26, 2005
Some might find appeal in the camraderie of AskMefi, others might respect member/s of this community and seek their advice first.
Is that really the direction you want AskMe to go in? Would it be useful to ask questions like, oh what was President Nixon's first name? because I want to have a fun discussion with clever Mefites about things only tangentally related to the name Richard? (BTW, the answers in that thread were far more interesting than the question, although they weren't answering the question, In fact, if the poster would have asked, "what interesting covers of stairway to heaven exist?" THAT would have been a decent question. In my opinion, naturally).
posted by sic at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2005
Is that really the direction you want AskMe to go in? Would it be useful to ask questions like, oh what was President Nixon's first name? because I want to have a fun discussion with clever Mefites about things only tangentally related to the name Richard? (BTW, the answers in that thread were far more interesting than the question, although they weren't answering the question, In fact, if the poster would have asked, "what interesting covers of stairway to heaven exist?" THAT would have been a decent question. In my opinion, naturally).
posted by sic at 6:43 AM on April 26, 2005
T'would be nice if when previewing the question a short google list could be generated from the keywords. Yeah I know.....a little like not possible---especially considering the way some questions are framed. (speaking of space wasting)
Just ponydreamin'.
Good callout. I hope fucktards take note. I'm also reminded of this. I guess I'm just as guilty for supplying an answer in the circumstances.
posted by peacay at 6:53 AM on April 26, 2005
Just ponydreamin'.
Good callout. I hope fucktards take note. I'm also reminded of this. I guess I'm just as guilty for supplying an answer in the circumstances.
posted by peacay at 6:53 AM on April 26, 2005
FWIW, Fearless Leader seems to have flushed the question down the memory hole.
posted by grouse at 6:54 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by grouse at 6:54 AM on April 26, 2005
Is that really the direction you want AskMe to go in? Fine, no. But I also get tired of seeing Google call-outs. At the end of the day though, it doesn't really matter to me. Just, you know, voicing my opinion.
*calls for another bucket of beers*
posted by tr33hggr at 7:04 AM on April 26, 2005
*calls for another bucket of beers*
posted by tr33hggr at 7:04 AM on April 26, 2005
Fine, no. But I also get tired of seeing Google call-outs. At the end of the day though, it doesn't really matter to me. Just, you know, voicing my opinion.
Me too. Cheers.
posted by sic at 7:29 AM on April 26, 2005
Me too. Cheers.
posted by sic at 7:29 AM on April 26, 2005
Yes, but considering that we've already made the consensus before, I'm not exactly sure why you needed "more opinions".
I suppose the reason why, is because new users may never have had the pleasure of attending a MetaTalkpile-on consensus party... No, seriously, some messages need to be repeated over and over again because not everyone, especially new people, may be aware of how most other people feel about certain issues.
posted by sic at 7:39 AM on April 26, 2005
I suppose the reason why, is because new users may never have had the pleasure of attending a MetaTalk
posted by sic at 7:39 AM on April 26, 2005
Did you try emailing the offending poster? If he or she has done nothing but post two questions to AskMe, then it's highly unlikely that he or she will see this MeTa. So, the only people who will benefit from it is the intersection of the set of people who read MeTa with the set of people who are too dumb to google "Stairway to Heaven." In other words, practically nobody. While I share your opinion that the AskMe post in question is especially stupid, I suggest that complaining about it here accomplishes nothing.
posted by anapestic at 7:40 AM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
posted by anapestic at 7:40 AM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
sic: Don't you walk kinda funny with your panties all wadded up like that? ;-P
posted by mischief at 8:02 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by mischief at 8:02 AM on April 26, 2005
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 8:06 AM on April 26, 2005
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 8:06 AM on April 26, 2005
*Lobs bucket of cocks & bucket of femdefence penis-grinders at tr33hggr*
posted by dfowler at 8:14 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by dfowler at 8:14 AM on April 26, 2005
That's twice in MeTa I've had a bucket of cocks hurled at me. I'm starting to develop a complex . . .
posted by tr33hggr at 8:25 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by tr33hggr at 8:25 AM on April 26, 2005
Who the heck originally recorded "Stairway to Heaven"?
If I'm not mistaken, it was originally done by Dolly Parton, with an assist from Laurie Anderson, Eurythmics, Art of Noise and Pat Benatar... no?
posted by soyjoy at 8:29 AM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
If I'm not mistaken, it was originally done by Dolly Parton, with an assist from Laurie Anderson, Eurythmics, Art of Noise and Pat Benatar... no?
posted by soyjoy at 8:29 AM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
That's a good point anapestic, I'm going to email him now and direct him to this thread.
By the way, everybody has heard about certain pet issues in Metafilter for the first time at some point. We all read MetaTalk for the first time at some point. I try not making the mistake of thinking that just because I have heard something for the umpteenth time that there isn't some new user out there who isn't reading this thread as fresh as a virgin.
But like you said anapestic, I should have at least made an effort to get the poster involved.
posted by sic at 8:36 AM on April 26, 2005
By the way, everybody has heard about certain pet issues in Metafilter for the first time at some point. We all read MetaTalk for the first time at some point. I try not making the mistake of thinking that just because I have heard something for the umpteenth time that there isn't some new user out there who isn't reading this thread as fresh as a virgin.
But like you said anapestic, I should have at least made an effort to get the poster involved.
posted by sic at 8:36 AM on April 26, 2005
I hope fucktards take note.
Yea, e-mail the fucks.
sic, you don't have defend yourself, your post’s reasons were apparent on my end. Other than you using [!] which I realized later; "how do I know if you did." I took any possible wrongs in your post as, "need more coffee." I only commented as I suggested above, these posts seem worthless in the end if the offending poster is not filled in about the offense.
Unfortunately to have effective policing, responsibility arises from it by making the poster fully aware of the bad offense.
posted by thomcatspike at 8:36 AM on April 26, 2005
Yea, e-mail the fucks.
sic, you don't have defend yourself, your post’s reasons were apparent on my end. Other than you using [!] which I realized later; "how do I know if you did." I took any possible wrongs in your post as, "need more coffee." I only commented as I suggested above, these posts seem worthless in the end if the offending poster is not filled in about the offense.
Unfortunately to have effective policing, responsibility arises from it by making the poster fully aware of the bad offense.
posted by thomcatspike at 8:36 AM on April 26, 2005
Shit! He doesn't list his email, or anything else in his profile...
Why am I not surprised?
thomcatspike: I generally fall on the "let it be" side of MeFi self-policing, but I guess I have become a bit defensive about AskMe, because I've grown to love it far more than even the Blue and this question was particularly lame. What I should have done is directly linked the MetaTalk thread from the AskMe thread. Live and learn...
posted by sic at 8:43 AM on April 26, 2005
Why am I not surprised?
thomcatspike: I generally fall on the "let it be" side of MeFi self-policing, but I guess I have become a bit defensive about AskMe, because I've grown to love it far more than even the Blue and this question was particularly lame. What I should have done is directly linked the MetaTalk thread from the AskMe thread. Live and learn...
posted by sic at 8:43 AM on April 26, 2005
If you feel the need to do that, sic, I hope that you'll link back to this MeTa post and not start a new one when you see it happen again. The discussion is pretty much always the same, and while it may be a discussion worth having, it doesn't need to be recreated when it's still there.
posted by anapestic at 8:59 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by anapestic at 8:59 AM on April 26, 2005
Shit! He doesn't list his email, or anything else in his profile...
stay tune as the cycle will never end here because imho, until all MF members GAFE-MA, no way.
sic, you tried.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:01 AM on April 26, 2005
stay tune as the cycle will never end here because imho, until all MF members GAFE-MA, no way.
sic, you tried.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:01 AM on April 26, 2005
Shit! He doesn't list his email, or anything else in his profile...
This seems to be related to a general use of AskMe which is seperate from the rest of MeFi. AskMe has been posted elsewhere on the web as a great place to get questions answered, and I've seen more than a couple of people with very new profiles and no history other than some AskMe questions. Frequently not even any AskMe reponses.
Some of this was covered earlier in the month here in MeTa.
Matt seemed clear in that thread that he thought it was a fine use of MeFi, although that doesn't mean that some of the individual questions aren't stupid.
posted by OmieWise at 9:19 AM on April 26, 2005
This seems to be related to a general use of AskMe which is seperate from the rest of MeFi. AskMe has been posted elsewhere on the web as a great place to get questions answered, and I've seen more than a couple of people with very new profiles and no history other than some AskMe questions. Frequently not even any AskMe reponses.
Some of this was covered earlier in the month here in MeTa.
Matt seemed clear in that thread that he thought it was a fine use of MeFi, although that doesn't mean that some of the individual questions aren't stupid.
posted by OmieWise at 9:19 AM on April 26, 2005
I don't think it would be okay if they keep coming back for more without contributing ever.
posted by grouse at 9:54 AM on April 26, 2005
posted by grouse at 9:54 AM on April 26, 2005
Hey, ummm... guys? There is a very simple solution to all of this:
Don't answer the question. (or questions like it)
Yes, its been deleted now, but s/he also got the answer, which has, I'm sure, reenforced the behavior.
posted by anastasiav at 10:10 AM on April 26, 2005
Don't answer the question. (or questions like it)
Yes, its been deleted now, but s/he also got the answer, which has, I'm sure, reenforced the behavior.
posted by anastasiav at 10:10 AM on April 26, 2005
The discussion is pretty much always the same, and while it may be a discussion worth having, it doesn't need to be recreated when it's still there.
I'm not sure I understand that last bit correctly. Anyway, I suppose we could have certain "sticky" posts on certain subjects, that aren't really stickys, because they aren't always on the front page of MetaTalk, but that refer to these recurrent situations: self-linking, google questions, pepsi-blue, etc. We could have a library section and just post directly to a single, exhaustive, discussion every time the subject rears its weary head. Hey, did I just ask for a pony?
At the same time, if I'm going to call someone out, maybe I need to show the respect of discussing their post, despite the fact that the reason for the call out has been rehashed so many times.
anastasiav: that's hard to do, because people are so willing to help even the most irritating posters. I think from now on I'll just post an answer that is a link to www.google.com.
posted by sic at 10:46 AM on April 26, 2005
I'm not sure I understand that last bit correctly. Anyway, I suppose we could have certain "sticky" posts on certain subjects, that aren't really stickys, because they aren't always on the front page of MetaTalk, but that refer to these recurrent situations: self-linking, google questions, pepsi-blue, etc. We could have a library section and just post directly to a single, exhaustive, discussion every time the subject rears its weary head. Hey, did I just ask for a pony?
At the same time, if I'm going to call someone out, maybe I need to show the respect of discussing their post, despite the fact that the reason for the call out has been rehashed so many times.
anastasiav: that's hard to do, because people are so willing to help even the most irritating posters. I think from now on I'll just post an answer that is a link to www.google.com.
posted by sic at 10:46 AM on April 26, 2005
That's twice in MeTa I've had a bucket of cocks hurled at me. I'm starting to develop a complex . . .
But, but, but .. you asked for it!
posted by deborah at 11:35 AM on April 26, 2005
But, but, but .. you asked for it!
posted by deborah at 11:35 AM on April 26, 2005
Spot on deborah, I did. :)
(I hope you start feeling better soon!)
posted by tr33hggr at 11:37 AM on April 26, 2005
(I hope you start feeling better soon!)
posted by tr33hggr at 11:37 AM on April 26, 2005
Who the heck originally recorded "Stairway to Heaven"?
If I'm not mistaken, it was originally done by Dolly Parton, with an assist from Laurie Anderson, Eurythmics, Art of Noise and Pat Benatar... no?
No, no, it was Louis Armstrong. I have this 1932 RCA test pressing...
posted by languagehat at 12:14 PM on April 26, 2005
If I'm not mistaken, it was originally done by Dolly Parton, with an assist from Laurie Anderson, Eurythmics, Art of Noise and Pat Benatar... no?
No, no, it was Louis Armstrong. I have this 1932 RCA test pressing...
posted by languagehat at 12:14 PM on April 26, 2005
?"nevaeH ot yawriatS" dedrocer yllanigiro kceh eht ohW
- who is this dedrocer ? there also seems to be some subliminal use of the welsh language in this question.
posted by sgt.serenity at 1:41 PM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
Now I'm pissed. I just went to Google to try and find out who recorded Stairway before Led Zeppelin...
posted by Carbolic at 1:52 PM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
posted by Carbolic at 1:52 PM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
You kids. I tried to tell you it was Dolly Parton / Laurie Anderson / Eurythmics / Art of Noise and Pat Benatar. Then Louis Armstrong did the "hit" version that rode to the top of the charts in early 1933. The song was long forgotten until Zep heard it on an old 78 and pulled it out of obscurity with their tribute version (copying Armstrong's almost note for note, but swapping in electric guitar for trumpet).
I hope this is cleared up once and for all.
posted by soyjoy at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
I hope this is cleared up once and for all.
posted by soyjoy at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2005 [1 favorite]
It would have been, if you could've posted your answer to AskMe. Damn that Matt Haughey and his censoring ways.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:03 PM on April 26, 2005
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:03 PM on April 26, 2005
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
I guess I'm having a senior moment. Who the heck originally recorded "Stairway to Heaven"?
posted by carriest to media & arts at 8:56 PM PST ( music rock ) [!]
As I stated in the thread, this question can easily be answered with a 2 second Google search. With all of the interesting questions (and amazing answers) that get pushed off the front page so quickly, should we, um, encourage new users to not waste space with this stuff?
posted by sic at 5:38 AM on April 26, 2005