Is the AskMe question limit per user, or per account?

October 26, 2006 2:46 PM

"This is a sock pupped account for potentially embarassing posts and also for when my other account has used up its weekly question."

Is the AskMe question limit per user, or per account?
posted by four panels to Etiquette/Policy at 2:46 PM (51 comments total)

This was discussed previously and recently. I think the word from up on high by the Prince of Darkness was that it's per account until it gets abusive.
posted by solid-one-love at 2:49 PM on October 26, 2006

Unless either user causes a problem, what's the difference? (yes I know there are way too many AskMe questions being asked)

Seriously...why enforce something that's annoying to enforce and really doesn't cause any big issues?

For the record, I don't have a sock puppet account, but I've been tempted.
posted by Kickstart70 at 2:50 PM on October 26, 2006

Seems mildly underhand, but if s/he paid a fiver, not wholly unreasonable.

(I did the same for embarrasing questions, but then forgot the password for my sock puppet, and now realise I don't remember the username either.)
posted by jack_mo at 2:51 PM on October 26, 2006

I've been tempted to get a sock puppet for embarassing questions and answers as well. It would be really nice to be able to post comments as anonymous. If they were submitted to an approval queue, it means a bit more work for the admins, but would avoid abuse problems.
posted by team lowkey at 3:01 PM on October 26, 2006

Just recently, here, jessamyn seemed to say that it was not a good idea: "super lame."
posted by OmieWise at 3:12 PM on October 26, 2006

Well, I see mathowie said he'd like to allow anon comments the day he created anon questions, but later decided it was too risky. I think the anon comment queue would resolve any risk problems, and shouldn't be too burdensome, especially if just limited to AskMe.
posted by team lowkey at 3:23 PM on October 26, 2006

I think any one person exceeding the once-a-week limit on AskMe questions is an act of bad faith.
posted by LarryC at 3:24 PM on October 26, 2006

I opine that it's better to get a sock puppet than it is to ask an anonymous question, because then you can clarify questions and mark answers as best.

Using it for the purpose of making extra posts seems obnoxious though.
posted by aubilenon at 3:24 PM on October 26, 2006

Where was that Metatalk thread about anonymous comments where Matt made every comment appear to come from 'Anonymous Commenter' or somesuch, and he then proceeded to compare methods of trimming his hairy nutsack? (No, really, it actually happened, though it may have been closed at some point).
posted by matthewr at 3:46 PM on October 26, 2006

I think any one person exceeding the once-a-week limit on AskMe questions is an act of bad faith.

I think that's much too broad. Questions come up unexpectedly, and are sometimes time-sensitive. It's not outside the realm of possibility that someone has a regular question on Monday, and on Tuesday, there is some unforeseen event that prompts a valid question. If the user wants the question answered and, for whatever reason, can't wait it out, I really don't see anything wrong with shelling out $5 bucks to query the hivemind. I would certainly be reluctant to instantly label that an act of bad faith.

(Of course, this is assuming that the second account would not subsequently be used to ask a question per week until the end of time.)
posted by Pontius Pilate at 3:55 PM on October 26, 2006

I'll regret having said 'hairy nutsack' on the internet when I run for President.
posted by matthewr at 3:57 PM on October 26, 2006

hairy nutsack would be a great name for your next sock puppet
posted by found missing at 4:04 PM on October 26, 2006

Or, indeed, yours. "found missing hairy nutsack?" has a nice ring to it.
posted by matthewr at 4:12 PM on October 26, 2006

Ah, here is the thread and here is the comment to end all comments.
posted by matthewr at 4:15 PM on October 26, 2006

It's bad faith and super lame if you use a sock puppet account to end run the AskMe question limit. If it's an embarassing question that you don't want associated with your main account, we might give you a pass. If we see it happen once we'll probably drop you a note. If we see you doing it frequently, we'll be a little less civil about it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:20 PM on October 26, 2006

I agree, bad faith.
posted by caddis at 5:14 PM on October 26, 2006

Ban the account for having that message, and you won't get accounts with that message anymore.
posted by smackfu at 5:14 PM on October 26, 2006

Ban everyone EXCEPT the sock puppets.

vive la liberation!
posted by blue_beetle at 5:47 PM on October 26, 2006

This is why I am so cautious about making sure nobody can know the names of my sock puppets.
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:47 PM on October 26, 2006 [2 favorites]

Oooh, smart!
posted by Astro Zombie 2 at 5:48 PM on October 26, 2006

Thanks!
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:48 PM on October 26, 2006

LOLLERSKATES.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:01 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

"It's bad faith and super lame if you use a sock puppet account to end run the AskMe question limit. If it's an embarassing question that you don't want associated with your main account, we might give you a pass. If we see it happen once we'll probably drop you a note. If we see you doing it frequently, we'll be a little less civil about it."

I say ban it now.
posted by koeselitz at 6:21 PM on October 26, 2006

i think he's fine. i personally unleashed a sock puppet a few months ago with the express purpose of having a irritating alter ego.
posted by lester at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2006

astro zombie 2 ... feh.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 6:43 PM on October 26, 2006

Is this the thread for lame sockpuppet jokes?
posted by red_beetle at 8:21 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

Unfortunately, yes.
posted by green_beetle at 8:21 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

Whatever.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:22 PM on October 26, 2006 [1 favorite]

I think the use of a sock puppet for an embarrassing question is perfectly fine by the way. There is no abuse or bad faith in that.
posted by caddis at 8:36 PM on October 26, 2006

Speaking of sock puppets, did anyone notice the "I Love Tacos" sign during tonight's World Series game?
posted by caddis at 9:21 PM on October 26, 2006

Is there an example where someone has done this abusively? This person has asked a grand total of 3 questions in the last month.

And I've said my piece about banking questions.
posted by Eideteker at 9:21 PM on October 26, 2006

I once created a sockpuppet to answer an AskMe question where I disclosed something I otherwise am unwilling to disclose. It was central to the question and I felt like I ought to answer the question as I had the experience to answer it.

I assumed this wasn't prohibited or even frowned upon. Sockpuppets have never been said to be bad inherently, only insofar as they are used to do things that oughtn't be done.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:29 PM on October 26, 2006

I have tons of sock puppets. Eventually I will have 200 of them, and my karmic balance will be restored.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:20 PM on October 26, 2006

the "I Love Tacos" sign during tonight's World Series game?

Taco bell is running some "if someone hits a home run in a certain way, everybody in the US gets a free taco" promo. So, y'know, it probably had something to do with that,
posted by dersins at 10:41 PM on October 26, 2006

"Is there an example where someone has done this abusively? This person has asked a grand total of 3 questions in the last month"

Well, since it's 1 question per week, that's 3 out of a maximum 4 questions they could have asked in a month. So it's not like they're saving it for special occasions - they're using the sock puppet almost to its full capacity.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:49 AM on October 27, 2006

I once created a sockpuppet to answer an AskMe question where I disclosed something I otherwise am unwilling to disclose.

And, we never would have caught on, if you had been able to keep that answer to less than 10,000 words.
posted by found missing at 9:10 AM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

that's 3 out of a maximum 4 questions they could have asked in a month.

As near as I can tell, they haven't used their other account at all during that period, so it's okay by me at this point. I don't mind people using a sock puppet for the occasional embarassing question/comment, just end-running the already pretty lenient rules we have here.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:26 AM on October 27, 2006

Pontius Pilate writes "t's not outside the realm of possibility that someone has a regular question on Monday, and on Tuesday, there is some unforeseen event that prompts a valid question. If the user wants the question answered and, for whatever reason, can't wait it out, I really don't see anything wrong with shelling out $5 bucks to query the hivemind. I would certainly be reluctant to instantly label that an act of bad faith."

I wouldn't. If a question is so time sensitive you can't wait six days the answer is to call a lawyer or lawyer.

Alternatively you could email another user, many have volunteered to act as proxy. Or post it on MeCha or MoFi begging for it to be posted here.
posted by Mitheral at 10:42 AM on October 27, 2006

... call a lawyer or a doctor. Cripes.
posted by Mitheral at 10:43 AM on October 27, 2006

With AskMe archives and Google, how do people find the need to ask so many questions? I woundn't be adverse to a one-question-per-month policy.
posted by Durin's Bane at 1:07 PM on October 27, 2006

I woundn't be adverse to a one-question-per-month policy.

I get the feeling that if there were only one question per user per month, every single October question would be "Hey guys give me ideas for a cool halloween costume".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:22 PM on October 27, 2006

Is there an example where someone has done this abusively? This person has asked a grand total of 3 questions in the last month.

I can't think of his name, but that Canadian personal trainer guy that was really religious did it. He'd alternate questions from account to account. When you looked at the question rate it was obvious he did it repeatedly just to get around the limit. He eventually got banned for posting a project with one account and posting it to the front page with the other. Damn, what was his name?
posted by bob sarabia at 2:39 PM on October 27, 2006

Ah, it was rinkjustice and raydexter.
posted by bob sarabia at 2:45 PM on October 27, 2006

"And, we never would have caught on, if you had been able to keep that answer to less than 10,000 words."

D'oh!
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:46 PM on October 27, 2006

With AskMe archives and Google, how do people find the need to ask so many questions?

Maybe they have harder questions than you.
posted by smackfu at 9:55 AM on October 28, 2006

Ah, it was rinkjustice and raydexter.

Now appearing as dropkick.
posted by hangashore at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2006

Whoa, whoa, whoa. You mean that if one gets their account banned then one can just sign up with a new one? That's acceptable?

What the hell am I doing trying to moderate my love of snark, trollitude and assholery, then? A new account every week would be a cheap price to pay for the entertainment that would be afforded me.

Seriously, though: what the fuck?
posted by solid-one-love at 1:54 PM on October 28, 2006

You mean that if one gets their account banned then one can just sign up with a new one? That's acceptable?

Usually, no. Sometimes we'll give someone a chance to see if they can turn over a new leaf. We've got a note in the account to keep an eye on it, and if the dropkick account gets out of hand, then it's permaban-by-IP time.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:02 PM on October 28, 2006

Aha. Makes sense. Thank you, wise one. :)
posted by solid-one-love at 2:11 PM on October 28, 2006

then it's permaban-by-IP time.

...and there's no way to get around that!
posted by timeistight at 5:45 PM on October 28, 2006

Yeah, there needs to be a way to process fingerprints as they hit the keyboard. Matt, Jess, PonyFilter?
posted by Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson at 7:28 PM on October 28, 2006