the law of decreasing comment length November 12, 2001 2:41 PM Subscribe
the law of decreasing comment length: as a thread ceases to be a potentially useful resource for information and argument, its average comment length approaches 0 asymptotically. (such as here, here, and here.) other patterns are out there, i'm sure. (how about "giant comment punctuates end or near end of further commentary"?)
Although on that same page, Sjöberg's Law of Public Cliquishness seems more applicable here than ever before.
And it's a darn shame y2karl's little scheme there didn't work out. And to mattpfeff -- we see you reading old threads. Never think we don't.
posted by j.edwards at 4:58 PM on November 12, 2001
And it's a darn shame y2karl's little scheme there didn't work out. And to mattpfeff -- we see you reading old threads. Never think we don't.
posted by j.edwards at 4:58 PM on November 12, 2001
The Law of the Last Dog To Pee On The Porch--you burn through 20 cans of paint throwin' up your mural and some jealous little tagger with a felt tip shows up to write his name in the middle. Dissin' my artwork, grr.....
posted by y2karl at 11:55 PM on November 12, 2001
posted by y2karl at 11:55 PM on November 12, 2001
Well, I came here and saw it, and didn't post, but then when I saw that someone had... Oh, never mind.
posted by j.edwards at 3:00 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by j.edwards at 3:00 AM on November 13, 2001
Be succinct! The longer the comment, the less likely I am to read it.
posted by Carol Anne at 4:46 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 4:46 AM on November 13, 2001
*is succinct*
posted by iceberg273 at 5:40 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by iceberg273 at 5:40 AM on November 13, 2001
Excellent!
posted by Carol Anne at 5:51 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 5:51 AM on November 13, 2001
So that's it? This thread is going to cease just like that?
posted by msacheson at 2:10 PM on November 13, 2001
posted by msacheson at 2:10 PM on November 13, 2001
Hey! My blank comment had an explanatory title tag!
Besides, I think "moz's law" has unforseen implications.
The comment length oscillates in a heretofore
unidentified pattern, and then goes away.
And then comes back.
Repeat as needed.
posted by j.edwards at 2:19 PM on November 13, 2001
Besides, I think "moz's law" has unforseen implications.
The comment length oscillates in a heretofore
unidentified pattern, and then goes away.
And then comes back.
Repeat as needed.
posted by j.edwards at 2:19 PM on November 13, 2001
[chord/sound at end of A Day in the Life]
posted by ParisParamus at 8:44 PM on November 13, 2001
posted by ParisParamus at 8:44 PM on November 13, 2001
... and the inner-groove spliced "fuck me like superman".
But "thread entropy" is a good term.
posted by holgate at 9:04 PM on November 13, 2001
But "thread entropy" is a good term.
posted by holgate at 9:04 PM on November 13, 2001
damn it, you people made me read the source code twice. (and have you ever heard of comments? as in....
< !--this is the real format for a comment. a tags are really part of the whole linking thing, and you're just destroying their true meaning. (boy, am a i nerd or what?) -->
posted by epersonae at 10:08 PM on November 13, 2001
< !--this is the real format for a comment. a tags are really part of the whole linking thing, and you're just destroying their true meaning. (boy, am a i nerd or what?) -->
posted by epersonae at 10:08 PM on November 13, 2001
shoot, I'm an idiot. (those should've been real comments.)< !--does preview screw up the format?-->
posted by epersonae at 10:10 PM on November 13, 2001
posted by epersonae at 10:10 PM on November 13, 2001
no, I guess not. hmmm. new MeTa topic: comments work in preview, but not when posted....
posted by epersonae at 10:10 PM on November 13, 2001
posted by epersonae at 10:10 PM on November 13, 2001
I was going to let y2karl finally have the last word, but then that whole thing about the comments happened. In the mean time, I might as well pretend we’re on topic and bring up Godwin's Law. Although it might just be that references to incontinent dogs are slowly replacing references to World War 2.
posted by Gary at 10:55 PM on November 13, 2001
posted by Gary at 10:55 PM on November 13, 2001
What's wrong with abusing the a tag? As long as comments are wacky. (based on comment length oscillation -- predicted length of next comment is 17 characters.
posted by j.edwards at 12:24 AM on November 14, 2001
posted by j.edwards at 12:24 AM on November 14, 2001
Moz, I think you forgot a couple other rules:
Rule Z: If a MeFite knows of the existence of any Rule, he or she will do his utmost to refute it.
Rule Z1: However, if a MeFite observes another MeFite following what he knows to be a Rule, he will do his utmost to follow it better, even if (especially if), in so doing, he breaks said Rule.
posted by mattpfeff at 7:09 AM on November 14, 2001
Rule Z: If a MeFite knows of the existence of any Rule, he or she will do his utmost to refute it.
Rule Z1: However, if a MeFite observes another MeFite following what he knows to be a Rule, he will do his utmost to follow it better, even if (especially if), in so doing, he breaks said Rule.
posted by mattpfeff at 7:09 AM on November 14, 2001
Rule Z0: The weak interactive force is governed by two rules other than this. Couldn't help myself.
Right on, mattpfeff.
posted by j.edwards at 5:30 PM on November 14, 2001
Right on, mattpfeff.
posted by j.edwards at 5:30 PM on November 14, 2001
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posted by y2karl at 4:18 PM on November 12, 2001