Cinderella Story August 10, 2002 5:32 AM Subscribe
CINDERELLA STORY. Aside from the fact that it would mean more work for Matt ... Every Friday, we always get a couple of frontpage posts that are not the sort of content that is desired on Metafilter. The "What Actor Do You Hate" is a fine example, but you could include any of the Friday flashy-goodness ones. The justification of them is always "it's Friday, and so just shut the fuck up, you uptight Mefi Nazi Cop Bastard." So what if we allow these sorts of things, but when the clock strikes twelve on Midnight Saturday morning, PST, they all turned into pumpkins, and were automatically deleted? (Alternately, you could just make posting replies to these threads disabled and allow them to scroll away.) I mean, relax the posting rules one day a week, let the people have their Friday fun, but clean up the messes they make, and prevent them from lingering on for days after the "let's loosen up because I've had such a hard week at work" crapola. Or would going to these lengths to allow the stuff just encourage people to fill the front page with complete crap 1/7th of the time?
Also, what, if anything, would be the point of closing the threads, other than annoying the participants? Comments don't add to the main page, so it's not like you're being forced to read or even scroll past them. Just don't go into the thread and everything will be fine.
Your suggestions treat symptoms, not the perceived problem.
posted by Su at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2002
Your suggestions treat symptoms, not the perceived problem.
posted by Su at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2002
What messes? I don't see any messes.
I bet some people look forward to Flash Fridays. I would go even further and say that many of those threads have been bookmarked as resource threads.
I think the argument is really should all those flash posts be permitted? Do they follow the guidelines? Although I really enjoy many of those flash threads, I think most of those links do not follow the guidelines.
posted by ashbury at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2002
I bet some people look forward to Flash Fridays. I would go even further and say that many of those threads have been bookmarked as resource threads.
I think the argument is really should all those flash posts be permitted? Do they follow the guidelines? Although I really enjoy many of those flash threads, I think most of those links do not follow the guidelines.
posted by ashbury at 6:24 AM on August 10, 2002
Maybe I'm silly, but I don't see how they don't follow the guidelines if they are new and aren't double posts. Is there something in the guidelines saying flash is bad?
posted by Apoch at 7:41 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by Apoch at 7:41 AM on August 10, 2002
Just don't go into the thread and everything will be fine. I think Su has the right idea. Don't waste your time on things you don't enjoy :-)
posted by Tarrama at 7:44 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by Tarrama at 7:44 AM on August 10, 2002
Maybe someone should open a "goofy" thread on Fridays and everyone can post the sites they've been saving to that thread.
posted by turaho at 7:47 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by turaho at 7:47 AM on August 10, 2002
cocks MP-5
at this point a revision of the posting 'rules' should be offered because this is getting out of control...cinderela story? i find the blue front to be better these days. and find little validity to this complaint
posted by clavdivs at 8:07 AM on August 10, 2002
at this point a revision of the posting 'rules' should be offered because this is getting out of control...cinderela story? i find the blue front to be better these days. and find little validity to this complaint
posted by clavdivs at 8:07 AM on August 10, 2002
Here's a better suggestion: How about at the exact instant you detect such a story, you skip right on over it to the next one?
The best part? Matt needs do absolutely NOTHING to implement it.
The depths of anal retentiveness on this board continue to amaze me.
posted by mischief at 8:16 AM on August 10, 2002
The best part? Matt needs do absolutely NOTHING to implement it.
The depths of anal retentiveness on this board continue to amaze me.
posted by mischief at 8:16 AM on August 10, 2002
Anal retentive because crunchland is trying to actively improve the site instead of just "glazing over" things he doesn't like?
posted by geoff. at 9:00 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by geoff. at 9:00 AM on August 10, 2002
Far as I can tell, Crunchland, you were an active participant in the very thread that you made an example of as "undesirable." That's sorta weird, man. You might wanna try lightening up a tad.
posted by boomchicka at 9:12 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by boomchicka at 9:12 AM on August 10, 2002
It's an interesting proposal, essentially creating a sandbox that people can play in for 24 hours that gets closed up.
I don't think it would merely move unsavory posts into a special section, I think it would actively encourage people to go even crazier. Back when I was testing this server, I set up the test site, and posted one test post and one test comment. I encourage others to post, and within hours, there were dozens of pointless links and comments on what became "sillyfilter." I didn't just create a honeypot for what already took place, it became a new venue for even lower quality stuff. That would be my worry with this, that people would say "heck, we've got a place for it now, maybe I'll finally get to use those fart jokes I've been saving up" or other such nonsense.
What would be the lasting value of the weekly sandbox? Anything? My guess is it would be utter, incomprehensible nonsense. I'm not sure it would keep the other sections on friday free of nonsense.
I know some people say "users want to do this, so give them a space" but sometimes you have to draw the line and say don't post useless drivel, and I'm not interested in creating a home for it either.
So everyone quit dumping on crunchland, it's a good idea, though I don't want to encourage that sort of behavior. I have some other things in mind to get rid of the "what is your favorite movie/song/product?" threads.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:14 AM on August 10, 2002
I don't think it would merely move unsavory posts into a special section, I think it would actively encourage people to go even crazier. Back when I was testing this server, I set up the test site, and posted one test post and one test comment. I encourage others to post, and within hours, there were dozens of pointless links and comments on what became "sillyfilter." I didn't just create a honeypot for what already took place, it became a new venue for even lower quality stuff. That would be my worry with this, that people would say "heck, we've got a place for it now, maybe I'll finally get to use those fart jokes I've been saving up" or other such nonsense.
What would be the lasting value of the weekly sandbox? Anything? My guess is it would be utter, incomprehensible nonsense. I'm not sure it would keep the other sections on friday free of nonsense.
I know some people say "users want to do this, so give them a space" but sometimes you have to draw the line and say don't post useless drivel, and I'm not interested in creating a home for it either.
So everyone quit dumping on crunchland, it's a good idea, though I don't want to encourage that sort of behavior. I have some other things in mind to get rid of the "what is your favorite movie/song/product?" threads.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:14 AM on August 10, 2002
*cue rubbing of hands and maniacally gleeful laughter*
posted by precocious at 9:25 AM on August 10, 2002
posted by precocious at 9:25 AM on August 10, 2002
If no one mentioned "Friday Flash" when posting to MetaFilter, these would merely be regular posts. Then, each post could be judged on its individual merit, rather than whether it was made on a Friday.
I constantly wonder which is the lesser of two MetaFilter evils: Good links that warrant little discussion, or poor links that generate a great deal of discussion?
posted by Danelope at 9:31 AM on August 10, 2002
I constantly wonder which is the lesser of two MetaFilter evils: Good links that warrant little discussion, or poor links that generate a great deal of discussion?
posted by Danelope at 9:31 AM on August 10, 2002
I'll take, "Good links that generate a great deal of discussion" for 500.
Seriously, I think my reluctance to make that first FPP is because it's so difficult to find something that falls in the middle. Something that can appeal to the entire community, isn't Newsfilterish/"What's your X?", and hasn't already been covered.
One day. *sigh*
posted by precocious at 9:56 AM on August 10, 2002
Seriously, I think my reluctance to make that first FPP is because it's so difficult to find something that falls in the middle. Something that can appeal to the entire community, isn't Newsfilterish/"What's your X?", and hasn't already been covered.
One day. *sigh*
posted by precocious at 9:56 AM on August 10, 2002
at the exact instant you detect such a story, you skip right on over it to the next one1
feh. skipping over threads only works when you come across a topic or a particular link that doesn't interest you. threads that violate the site guidelines or are otherwise detrimental to the community shouldn't simply be 'skipped'; they must be removed.
metafilter is in a very vulnerable (but also very exciting) stage right now, as new members join in significant numbers for the first time in many months. this place could go to hell quicker than you can say 'usenet' or we all could, instead, use this opportunity to make it 'the best metafilter it can be'. one of the reasons that the blue front [has] been better recently2 is the extra-vigilant monitoring by matt and policing by active members.
residents of a community that is having problems with litter, rat-infestation, and crime have two choices: they can just ignore the problems and hope they go away (in which case the community tends to become unlivable quite rapidly) or they can use whatever means they have at their disposal to combat the creeping badness.
i submit that double-posts (and 'what kind of x or you' posts), self-linking, and usage of racist or hurtful language are the respective metafilter equivalents to litter, rat-infestation, and crime. metatalk is the equivalent of an active neighborhood association, one which sponsors community clean-ups and an active neighborhood watch.
if the litter, rats, and thugs don't bother you, fine. but i don't understand why that impels you to show up at our neighborhood association meetings and bitch at those of us that are trying to do something positive.
posted by mlang at 10:47 AM on August 10, 2002
feh. skipping over threads only works when you come across a topic or a particular link that doesn't interest you. threads that violate the site guidelines or are otherwise detrimental to the community shouldn't simply be 'skipped'; they must be removed.
metafilter is in a very vulnerable (but also very exciting) stage right now, as new members join in significant numbers for the first time in many months. this place could go to hell quicker than you can say 'usenet' or we all could, instead, use this opportunity to make it 'the best metafilter it can be'. one of the reasons that the blue front [has] been better recently2 is the extra-vigilant monitoring by matt and policing by active members.
residents of a community that is having problems with litter, rat-infestation, and crime have two choices: they can just ignore the problems and hope they go away (in which case the community tends to become unlivable quite rapidly) or they can use whatever means they have at their disposal to combat the creeping badness.
i submit that double-posts (and 'what kind of x or you' posts), self-linking, and usage of racist or hurtful language are the respective metafilter equivalents to litter, rat-infestation, and crime. metatalk is the equivalent of an active neighborhood association, one which sponsors community clean-ups and an active neighborhood watch.
if the litter, rats, and thugs don't bother you, fine. but i don't understand why that impels you to show up at our neighborhood association meetings and bitch at those of us that are trying to do something positive.
posted by mlang at 10:47 AM on August 10, 2002
...cuz I enjoy reading the teeth-gnashing, sabre-rattling, holier-than-thou rhetoric on MeTalk.
MeTalk = neighborhood association? Nah, MeTalk is much more of a septic tank that draws all this crap off the main board. The whining that characterizes MeTalk is much more objectionable in MeFi threads than a FPP shared with honest intentions and that conforms with either the RULES or established conventions (and the FPP in question satisfies all these conditions).
My interest here is much like a civil engineer's interest in sanitary systems and how they can be improved to draw even more objectionable content from those neighborhoods. So, same goals, different perspectives. I'm just not going to sugarcoat MeTalk as something that it generally is not.
posted by mischief at 11:42 AM on August 10, 2002
MeTalk = neighborhood association? Nah, MeTalk is much more of a septic tank that draws all this crap off the main board. The whining that characterizes MeTalk is much more objectionable in MeFi threads than a FPP shared with honest intentions and that conforms with either the RULES or established conventions (and the FPP in question satisfies all these conditions).
My interest here is much like a civil engineer's interest in sanitary systems and how they can be improved to draw even more objectionable content from those neighborhoods. So, same goals, different perspectives. I'm just not going to sugarcoat MeTalk as something that it generally is not.
posted by mischief at 11:42 AM on August 10, 2002
I have said it before.
I will say it again.
This is Matt's sandbox.
Not yours.
If you break the guidelines, expect your post to be removed at Matt's earliest opportunity. I speak lovingly from personal experience.
If you keep screwing around with his guidelines, expect worse treatment in return. Matt's actually much nicer about all this than he probably should be.
People who take advantage of Matt's good graces are pissing in his pool. Yeah yeah yeah I've pissed in his pool before but I'm trying to be nice nowadays. It's actually more of a challenge than to just be a selfish putz. If you have read the guidelines and you're STILL wanting a place for the silly chatty posts, you're being a putz.
Cut it out.
If you think yours is a special case and the guidelines don't apply to you and your situation, you're being a putz.
Cut. It. Out.
I can only think of one REMOTE example where this is okay: If you have several hundred (or maybe thousands of) dollars burning in your pocket, you could privately donate that money to Matt via paypal with his private understanding in email that you're offering a donation in return for this opportunity to piss in his pool. He may not go for it but hey a thousand bucks is a thousand bucks. Whatever he says privately in email is between you two.
You may also wanna bribe every regular member of MeFi or we'll just roast you over the coals here in MeTa anyway.
To wit: "If you're posting a generalized question to the audience, or posting a comment as a main thread, either find an appropriate mailing list, or use MetaTalk."
God! Can it be any plainer?
Matt has made it very clear he does not want the silly chatty posts at any time of the week. A special day where it's a free for all? You've got to be kidding me!
"So everyone quit dumping on crunchland, it's a good idea, though I don't want to encourage that sort of behavior." --Mathowie
No. This is not a good idea. Give a putz an inch he'll take a mile.
Sheesh. I accepted this ages ago. I fought for the silly posts and lost. If I can let this go, so can you. It amazes me there's still people fighting the dumb fight. If you really want this? You don't have to be in MeFi. And I mean this in the most loving and sensitive way imaginable. Don't like his rules? LEAVE. No one's forcing you to stay.
Tell you what. Look into voy.com or any number of other web-based message forum places. There's a place for such things elsewhere on the web.
Just. Not. Here.
Deal.
posted by ZachsMind at 11:58 AM on August 10, 2002
I will say it again.
This is Matt's sandbox.
Not yours.
If you break the guidelines, expect your post to be removed at Matt's earliest opportunity. I speak lovingly from personal experience.
If you keep screwing around with his guidelines, expect worse treatment in return. Matt's actually much nicer about all this than he probably should be.
People who take advantage of Matt's good graces are pissing in his pool. Yeah yeah yeah I've pissed in his pool before but I'm trying to be nice nowadays. It's actually more of a challenge than to just be a selfish putz. If you have read the guidelines and you're STILL wanting a place for the silly chatty posts, you're being a putz.
Cut it out.
If you think yours is a special case and the guidelines don't apply to you and your situation, you're being a putz.
Cut. It. Out.
I can only think of one REMOTE example where this is okay: If you have several hundred (or maybe thousands of) dollars burning in your pocket, you could privately donate that money to Matt via paypal with his private understanding in email that you're offering a donation in return for this opportunity to piss in his pool. He may not go for it but hey a thousand bucks is a thousand bucks. Whatever he says privately in email is between you two.
You may also wanna bribe every regular member of MeFi or we'll just roast you over the coals here in MeTa anyway.
To wit: "If you're posting a generalized question to the audience, or posting a comment as a main thread, either find an appropriate mailing list, or use MetaTalk."
God! Can it be any plainer?
Matt has made it very clear he does not want the silly chatty posts at any time of the week. A special day where it's a free for all? You've got to be kidding me!
"So everyone quit dumping on crunchland, it's a good idea, though I don't want to encourage that sort of behavior." --Mathowie
No. This is not a good idea. Give a putz an inch he'll take a mile.
Sheesh. I accepted this ages ago. I fought for the silly posts and lost. If I can let this go, so can you. It amazes me there's still people fighting the dumb fight. If you really want this? You don't have to be in MeFi. And I mean this in the most loving and sensitive way imaginable. Don't like his rules? LEAVE. No one's forcing you to stay.
Tell you what. Look into voy.com or any number of other web-based message forum places. There's a place for such things elsewhere on the web.
Just. Not. Here.
Deal.
posted by ZachsMind at 11:58 AM on August 10, 2002
Although I've been reading Metafilter for a long time, I'd never really read threads in MeTa unless there was a "that's being discussed here" link.
Since becoming a member, I do stop by MeTa often since I have more invested in the community than the casual reader.
mlang: threads that violate the site guidelines or are otherwise detrimental to the community shouldn't simply be 'skipped'; they must be removed. [emphasis both mlang's and mine]
This could be easy if there wasn't such a diverse community participating. The guidelines are very loose here. This is one of the strengths of the Metafilter community. One person's ultimate FPP is another's sign that Metafilter is going to hell in a handbasket. Not everyone will like every post. And sometimes posts may drift over to being beyond our common goal for the site. Sometimes a little levity is nice to see when all the other posts are gloom an doom. Ultimately, Matt's opinion reigns supreme since he has the delete button.
Whether a post is Metafilter-worthy is not black and white: It is this pretty shade of gray that we have on MeTa. There are some posts that are gray and their merits (or lack thereof) can be discussed here.
The good news is there are tons of other places where there are only silly posts and/or meaningless conversation. That's what is so great about this internet thing Al Gore invented - choice.
posted by birdherder at 12:18 PM on August 10, 2002
Since becoming a member, I do stop by MeTa often since I have more invested in the community than the casual reader.
mlang: threads that violate the site guidelines or are otherwise detrimental to the community shouldn't simply be 'skipped'; they must be removed. [emphasis both mlang's and mine]
This could be easy if there wasn't such a diverse community participating. The guidelines are very loose here. This is one of the strengths of the Metafilter community. One person's ultimate FPP is another's sign that Metafilter is going to hell in a handbasket. Not everyone will like every post. And sometimes posts may drift over to being beyond our common goal for the site. Sometimes a little levity is nice to see when all the other posts are gloom an doom. Ultimately, Matt's opinion reigns supreme since he has the delete button.
Whether a post is Metafilter-worthy is not black and white: It is this pretty shade of gray that we have on MeTa. There are some posts that are gray and their merits (or lack thereof) can be discussed here.
The good news is there are tons of other places where there are only silly posts and/or meaningless conversation. That's what is so great about this internet thing Al Gore invented - choice.
posted by birdherder at 12:18 PM on August 10, 2002
"...maybe I'll finally get to use those fart jokes I've been saving up..."
Damn.
*deletes draft of next post*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:41 PM on August 10, 2002
Damn.
*deletes draft of next post*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:41 PM on August 10, 2002
MeTalk is much more of a septic tank that draws all this crap off the main board.
Then you should be happy about its "depths of anal-retentiveness," instead of coming here so often to be offended.
posted by rcade at 2:13 PM on August 10, 2002
Then you should be happy about its "depths of anal-retentiveness," instead of coming here so often to be offended.
posted by rcade at 2:13 PM on August 10, 2002
mathowie: I have some other things in mind to get rid of the "what is your favorite movie/song/product?" threads.
Sidebar polls?
posted by bingo at 3:39 PM on August 10, 2002
Sidebar polls?
posted by bingo at 3:39 PM on August 10, 2002
Electric shocks to the genitals, was my hope.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:45 PM on August 10, 2002
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:45 PM on August 10, 2002
You might wanna try lightening up a tad.
I'm sure it must be thrilling to finally be able to post on Metafilter, and to even be snarky on your second message while I've had months and months to work my way up, all gradual like, into being an asshole. I imagine the pressure to be one quickly is quite overwhelming, and that you have a lot of catching up to do.
I never said I was angelic. Of course I participated in the very thread I pointed out. In fact, I thought I sort of helped to redeem it from being a total misanthropic cesspool of hate. In fact, I felt DIRTY -- DIRTY, I TELL YOU -- and shamed -- woe is me -- for even participating in it. Hence my suggestion.
I wasn't suggesting a separate section. I was just suggesting a different category of message deletion -- delayed deletion, as it were... flagging those messages that had very little redeeming value other than to let people say what their favorite flavor of condom was, or whatever, to have them be flagged by Matt, not for immediate deletion, which he would do if it was a complete waste of space, but for the borderline messages, that are more of a pressure release valve, and do provide some sort of community camaraderie or whatever, but to not allow them to linger past the end of Friday.
But I realize some of you newbies have to shoot everything down right away without giving even the slightest bit of consideration, since you've got so much catching up to do to get your metatalk street cred and all.
I'm down with that, even if it is sort of churlishly pitiful.
posted by crunchland at 7:45 PM on August 10, 2002
I'm sure it must be thrilling to finally be able to post on Metafilter, and to even be snarky on your second message while I've had months and months to work my way up, all gradual like, into being an asshole. I imagine the pressure to be one quickly is quite overwhelming, and that you have a lot of catching up to do.
I never said I was angelic. Of course I participated in the very thread I pointed out. In fact, I thought I sort of helped to redeem it from being a total misanthropic cesspool of hate. In fact, I felt DIRTY -- DIRTY, I TELL YOU -- and shamed -- woe is me -- for even participating in it. Hence my suggestion.
I wasn't suggesting a separate section. I was just suggesting a different category of message deletion -- delayed deletion, as it were... flagging those messages that had very little redeeming value other than to let people say what their favorite flavor of condom was, or whatever, to have them be flagged by Matt, not for immediate deletion, which he would do if it was a complete waste of space, but for the borderline messages, that are more of a pressure release valve, and do provide some sort of community camaraderie or whatever, but to not allow them to linger past the end of Friday.
But I realize some of you newbies have to shoot everything down right away without giving even the slightest bit of consideration, since you've got so much catching up to do to get your metatalk street cred and all.
I'm down with that, even if it is sort of churlishly pitiful.
posted by crunchland at 7:45 PM on August 10, 2002
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what's known as a 'smackdown'. A well-deserved one, at that.
I still think crunchland's idea is interesting, but maybe isn't such a good one, though, for reasons outlined upthread. Lightning-rod for poor posts, and a concomitant increase in them, would probably be the outcome, I'd think.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:18 PM on August 10, 2002
I still think crunchland's idea is interesting, but maybe isn't such a good one, though, for reasons outlined upthread. Lightning-rod for poor posts, and a concomitant increase in them, would probably be the outcome, I'd think.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:18 PM on August 10, 2002
I wasn't really trying to be an asshole. Guess it came out that way, though. I was just going for full disclosure in the issue. Consider me duly smacked down.
posted by boomchicka at 9:35 PM on August 10, 2002
posted by boomchicka at 9:35 PM on August 10, 2002
Crunchland is just showing you how the game is played. But he's being too modest. He was at the top of his game in a matter of weeks, not months.
posted by rcade at 9:57 PM on August 10, 2002
posted by rcade at 9:57 PM on August 10, 2002
Yeah, I gathered that was sort of an initiation rant. S'okay, I can handle an occasional comeuppance; keeps me ego in check.
posted by boomchicka at 10:19 PM on August 10, 2002
posted by boomchicka at 10:19 PM on August 10, 2002
Disclaimer: I'm not saying we just shut up and skip to the next thread in these cases. I think it's fairly obvious I'm not the person who'd be making that suggestion. But I don't think that Crunch's suggestion particularly solves anything, anymore than a good foundation makeup is going to fix your acne. Sure, you look okay, but everybody noticed how much better you got. Overnight. Uh huh, they know.
Every time someone makes a sweeping "this is bad/this should go" generalization, it gets mentioned that the occasional crap post gets turned around in the comments, so here goes: What if it happens here? It goes poof, and oh well? Should Matt just have to periodically monitor the threads? Is it some/every-one's responsibility to e-mail him and let him know that maybe *just this one* should survive?
A separate sandbox creates a ghetto, and it's not actually addressing the issue, anyway. We generally like the posts. Some of them. Some of the time. Nobody is specifically protesting the individual links that get put up on a Friday. They probably wouldn't be complained about at all, individually, if they went up on any other day, as Danelope mentioned. The complaint is with the fact that somehow we ended up with Wacky Hat Friday as an event, rather than just Friday with the usual sprinkling of dumb fun, like any other. And somehow, it's survived despite the almost constant complaint about it. As a point of reference, I don't remember the last time I saw an Ananova link(no, I don't check every single one, but just bear with me).
Crunch's idea, as it stands, does not solve the problem, partially encourages it by proposing a free-for-all time period(which behavior Matt has previously complained about in terms of comments in threads people just know will get deleted), and in fact introduces further complications. Do I have my own idea? Sorry, but to be quite honest, I'm much better at finding the problems in things. That I can recall, however, the only proposed solution I've seen that would actually have a chance at working is the introduction of a "This Post is Crap" button which would notify Matt to have a look at it after a threshold number of clicks to it(members only, once per person per thread, and logged[publicly?]) is reached. I figure it wouldn't be a feat of programming to implement, afterwards would be minimal Work For Matt, and reflects the general vox populi attitude in much of the MeFi "policy." Yes, it's also got a couple of holes, but it's still better than wholesale deletion, and they could probably be patched with a little extra effort.
posted by Su at 11:54 PM on August 10, 2002
Every time someone makes a sweeping "this is bad/this should go" generalization, it gets mentioned that the occasional crap post gets turned around in the comments, so here goes: What if it happens here? It goes poof, and oh well? Should Matt just have to periodically monitor the threads? Is it some/every-one's responsibility to e-mail him and let him know that maybe *just this one* should survive?
A separate sandbox creates a ghetto, and it's not actually addressing the issue, anyway. We generally like the posts. Some of them. Some of the time. Nobody is specifically protesting the individual links that get put up on a Friday. They probably wouldn't be complained about at all, individually, if they went up on any other day, as Danelope mentioned. The complaint is with the fact that somehow we ended up with Wacky Hat Friday as an event, rather than just Friday with the usual sprinkling of dumb fun, like any other. And somehow, it's survived despite the almost constant complaint about it. As a point of reference, I don't remember the last time I saw an Ananova link(no, I don't check every single one, but just bear with me).
Crunch's idea, as it stands, does not solve the problem, partially encourages it by proposing a free-for-all time period(which behavior Matt has previously complained about in terms of comments in threads people just know will get deleted), and in fact introduces further complications. Do I have my own idea? Sorry, but to be quite honest, I'm much better at finding the problems in things. That I can recall, however, the only proposed solution I've seen that would actually have a chance at working is the introduction of a "This Post is Crap" button which would notify Matt to have a look at it after a threshold number of clicks to it(members only, once per person per thread, and logged[publicly?]) is reached. I figure it wouldn't be a feat of programming to implement, afterwards would be minimal Work For Matt, and reflects the general vox populi attitude in much of the MeFi "policy." Yes, it's also got a couple of holes, but it's still better than wholesale deletion, and they could probably be patched with a little extra effort.
posted by Su at 11:54 PM on August 10, 2002
He was at the top of his game in a matter of weeks, not months.
I learned at the feet of masters like yourself, rcade.
posted by crunchland at 8:40 AM on August 11, 2002
I learned at the feet of masters like yourself, rcade.
posted by crunchland at 8:40 AM on August 11, 2002
crunchland:
Every Friday, we always get a couple of frontpage posts that are not the sort of content that is desired on Metafilter.
Who the hell are you to tell us that?!?
I didn't have a problem with the "what actor did you hate" thread. In fact, I added my own two cents. To me, you look like some whiny fool who thinks posts are fine as long as they meet with your approval. If that is the case, than I say destroy this place right now! Is it so hard to ignore posts that you find offensive rather than than telling people to shut up? That's what I do!
ZachsMind:
People who take advantage of Matt's good graces are pissing in his pool. Yeah yeah yeah I've pissed in his pool before but I'm trying to be nice nowadays. It's actually more of a challenge than to just be a selfish putz. If you have read the guidelines and you're STILL wanting a place for the silly chatty posts, you're being a putz.
Lots of people have thought my opinions bogus. Matt hasn't banned me yet (though he's certainly in his right to do so, since it's his site). I think you protest too much, which is why I don't particularly respect your opinion.
posted by mark13 at 9:34 AM on August 12, 2002
Every Friday, we always get a couple of frontpage posts that are not the sort of content that is desired on Metafilter.
Who the hell are you to tell us that?!?
I didn't have a problem with the "what actor did you hate" thread. In fact, I added my own two cents. To me, you look like some whiny fool who thinks posts are fine as long as they meet with your approval. If that is the case, than I say destroy this place right now! Is it so hard to ignore posts that you find offensive rather than than telling people to shut up? That's what I do!
ZachsMind:
People who take advantage of Matt's good graces are pissing in his pool. Yeah yeah yeah I've pissed in his pool before but I'm trying to be nice nowadays. It's actually more of a challenge than to just be a selfish putz. If you have read the guidelines and you're STILL wanting a place for the silly chatty posts, you're being a putz.
Lots of people have thought my opinions bogus. Matt hasn't banned me yet (though he's certainly in his right to do so, since it's his site). I think you protest too much, which is why I don't particularly respect your opinion.
posted by mark13 at 9:34 AM on August 12, 2002
That's what I do!
So, I'm confused. What is it you do? Tell people to shut up, or look like some whiny fool?
posted by crunchland at 9:46 AM on August 12, 2002
So, I'm confused. What is it you do? Tell people to shut up, or look like some whiny fool?
posted by crunchland at 9:46 AM on August 12, 2002
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posted by Su at 6:18 AM on August 10, 2002