I do not care for the recent upsurge in images being posted to threads.

June 6, 2002 5:50 AM

Am I the only one who does not care for the recent upsurge in images being posted to threads? I hate to sound like my grandfather yelling at the kids in his yard, but it really irks me. I come here to read, not look at stupid images of Barney, fox medals and purses. Although, looking for the specific examples of the last two, maybe Matt has been deleting them?
posted by Irontom to MetaFilter-Related at 5:50 AM (22 comments total)

I'm guilty of doing this once, in a light hearted thread. I did hesitate, I feel it's probably better to put the image on your webspace and link to it, that way you are not forcing it on people and cluttering the thread up. Sometimes though as they say, a picture is worth more than a thousand...[not barney or a momo]...but I'll refrain myself from doing this if most folks here do not appreciate it.
posted by bittennails at 6:27 AM on June 6, 2002

I was drinky-drink the drunk boy last night, which explains (but does not excuse) the John Belushi in the mint julep thread and my own South Park yhbc (but boy, that thread just cried out for images). Likewise, I'll refrain if that's the consensus. I know images can be distracting, are band-width suckers, and will dumb the place down if used too much. Sorry if I have offended.
posted by yhbc at 6:39 AM on June 6, 2002

Previously discussed here and here, and elsewhere, but I'm lazy... moderation is the better part of valor, or something like that, is the consensus, I think.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:02 AM on June 6, 2002

Am I the only one who does not care for the recent upsurge in images being posted to threads?

Uh, no. But then again...

Actually, my suggestion is post that Barney and Baby Bop pic to all I/P threads early and often.
For thread killer purposes, only, of course...
posted by y2karl at 7:11 AM on June 6, 2002

Damn you, stavros.
posted by y2karl at 7:12 AM on June 6, 2002

Actually, yhbc's Belushi pic in the julep thread is the ideal image post: it's small, unexpected, amusing, makes a point relevant to the discussion(the "drink the whiskey and throw away the mint" attitude) and, above all, is unrenderable in words.

Images are annoying when, like Barney, they're annoying in themselves or predictable or irrelevant. Otherwise I thing users generally strike the right balance as the odd image(odd in every sense)does liven up a thread. Though I'd say the smaller and the more original(preferably just personally photoshopped)the better.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:31 AM on June 6, 2002

posted by revbrian at 10:18 AM on June 6, 2002

Personally, I am waiting with bated breath for the first time someone posts a "Photoshop This!" thread on the front page.


posted by briank at 10:45 AM on June 6, 2002

Here's an example of a totally unacceptable and irrelevant image. Oh, be patient, revbrian and briank: it's my first!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 1:40 PM on June 6, 2002

hahaha, "drinky-drink the drunk boy"
posted by rhyax at 1:46 PM on June 6, 2002

I love the images. They break the monotony of words and are usually quite hilarious. A little comic relief isn't bad, in my opinion.
posted by sadie01221975 at 4:18 PM on June 6, 2002

Hey, if you're fixin' to cook that, Miguel, save me a wing!
posted by rushmc at 6:46 PM on June 6, 2002

I stand behind my use of an image in the Napster post.



Besides, it's refreshing to see the occasional image in MetaFilter. Reminds me of LiveJournal... ;->
posted by insomnia_lj at 7:41 AM on June 7, 2002

posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:54 AM on June 7, 2002

posted by bittennails at 8:22 AM on June 7, 2002

Next week on MetaFilter: How to add the alt attribute to make those images work even harder for you!

Two weeks from now: Want to know how to hyperlink that image so that it's clickable? We'll show you how!
posted by iconomy at 9:29 AM on June 7, 2002

Hope me.
posted by dong_resin at 9:39 AM on June 7, 2002

Maybe that was a wee bit dark.
posted by dong_resin at 9:54 AM on June 7, 2002

I hope you're not playing everquest, dong_resin. Then it would be dark.
posted by bittennails at 11:22 AM on June 7, 2002

On the bright side, dong_resin, you could probably think about an exciting career as a graphic artist. Can you draw a pirate?
posted by crunchland at 12:21 PM on June 7, 2002

That... that was a pirate.
*sniffle*
posted by dong_resin at 2:50 PM on June 7, 2002

great thread. honestly, amazing.

But images, imo, suck. metafilter is a place for sanity if not reason. I read here because y'all can write. and the content is not too shabby either. Yes, please, be funny. Yes, please take the piss. But try to do it with words. Unless it really warrants the pic.

This is an exception that proves the rule.
posted by zpousman at 8:49 PM on June 9, 2002