Teaser posts suck

October 25, 2007 7:09 AM

I really hate this. But since I don't want to do the same thing, I need to explain what "this" is. "This" is writing a whole post on the front page without ever saying what the post is actually about. Teaser posts are teh suck.
posted by Doohickie to Etiquette/Policy at 7:09 AM (84 comments total)

Reminds me of this compaint.
posted by jmd82 at 7:12 AM on October 25, 2007

I don't know, reading the tags I was pretty sure what it was about. Do the tags not show up someplace, like Google Reader maybe, so people can make decisions?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:15 AM on October 25, 2007

Yeah, except mine isn't directed at a person, but rather at a style of posting. I'm not saying to rule it out, but since MeTa is the policing arm of the mob, I thought I'd throw this out there and see what others thought.

My feeling is this: If you want to make a post about doorstops, fine, make a post about doorstops. But tell me it's about doorstops on the front page instead of getting all cute and trying to make me click the links to see what the heck you're saying.
posted by Doohickie at 7:20 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I agree.
posted by grouse at 7:21 AM on October 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

jess: The tags aren't visible until you click the post. I'm saying I'd like to see what it's about on the front page, not inside the post/comments page.
posted by Doohickie at 7:23 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I agree as well. I hate guessing games for posts.
posted by agregoli at 7:24 AM on October 25, 2007

I hovered over the comments link and saw the title of the post, which pretty much gave away the topic, if you ask me.
posted by mds35 at 7:24 AM on October 25, 2007

I endorse this gripe.
posted by nowonmai at 7:25 AM on October 25, 2007

Yeah, except mine isn't directed at a person, but rather at a style of posting.

It just so happens the hama7 thread singles him out, but the content discusses is applicable to similar posts like the one you linked. The posting style of not knowing what the links are about applies to both situations.

Anyways, what I'd like to see is an option to remove [more inside] on the blue. I absolutely hate it there, though it is probably due more to seeing the long posts on the front page for so many years.
posted by jmd82 at 7:30 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I have posted my response to this callout somewhere on this website. I invite you to click around and find it.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:31 AM on October 25, 2007 [9 favorites]

Also, this sort of thing is the textual version of Mystery-Meat Navigation.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:32 AM on October 25, 2007 [8 favorites]

I see your point, jmd.
posted by Doohickie at 7:36 AM on October 25, 2007

Here I thought this was going to be a complaint about a post being crummy because it's a link to a thin, 3-year old NYT piece (not all pop singers have great voices? shocker!) "backed up" by some YouTube videos that don't really add any more weight.
posted by mkultra at 7:38 AM on October 25, 2007

It would be nice if after the '+' sign for favouriting, there was a little 'tags' icon that pulled in 6 or so tags on mouseover.
posted by peacay at 7:39 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

My inner Luddite eschews tags for their convenience. My inner moralist ignores them for their representation of someone else's judgments. My inner aesthete reviles them for their grey-on-grey monotony.

But my inner asshole loves them for the controversy they generate.

Say hello to my inner asshole!
posted by breezeway at 7:42 AM on October 25, 2007 [4 favorites]

I agree and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
posted by Justinian at 7:44 AM on October 25, 2007

The idea is that future posters will read this, and think twice before they do this, since they know that some people don't like the style.
posted by smackfu at 7:55 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I agree, and I agree with peacay, too, I wish we could see tags somehow on the front page. As it is, I tend to ignore posts like that unless a quick link hover tells me more.
posted by OmieWise at 7:58 AM on October 25, 2007

since they know that some people don't like the style.

Yes, but he didn't say that he didn't like it. He said, he hated it. He said, and I quote: "I really hate this.". I mean WTF. Not just "hated". But really hated. He's a hater.

Is this the sort of acting out we really want to encourage on MeTa? Hating? And really hating?
posted by psmealey at 7:59 AM on October 25, 2007

nthing tags on the front page.
posted by empath at 8:03 AM on October 25, 2007

Damn. You're on to me, psmealey!
posted by Doohickie at 8:04 AM on October 25, 2007

Of what practical use is this complaint?

I had no clue when I posted this, but...

It would be nice if ... there was a little 'tags' icon that pulled in 6 or so tags on mouseover.

Is a damned fine idea.
posted by Doohickie at 8:06 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Is this the sort of acting out we really want to encourage on MeTa? Hating? And really hating?

I'm not sure anyone would mistake this for 'hating' in any potent sense. That it's a peeve is pretty clear to me, anyway.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:13 AM on October 25, 2007

I don't have any real complaint with the style, but I will say this: if you want to make sure, without a doubt, that I will take zero interest in your link, then by all means, make it mysterious. I pass over them without second thought. I suspect I am not alone.
posted by absalom at 8:14 AM on October 25, 2007 [9 favorites]

I won't look it up, but I'm pretty sure there's been five brazillion MeTas about how FPPs should do a better job of explaining what they're about. Single-link youtube posts and all that. So I think the argument that silver-unitard-wearing posters from the future will read these old MeTas, while idly chewing their food pellets, and will resolve to henceforth make their FPPs more descriptive -- I don't think that argument is too strong.

The only thing this thread is missing so far, if I recall past efforts, is that immortal line...

IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THE POST DON'T CLICK IT

So with that, perhaps we can wrap things up here?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:14 AM on October 25, 2007

On preview, absalom! Absalom!
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:15 AM on October 25, 2007

Not every post can be this well-described, but there's surely a happy medium somewhere.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:34 AM on October 25, 2007

I really hate the idea of making tags visible from the front page, in any form or fashion, because it'll just make people lazy. Either be able to write or don't make FPP.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:46 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I, too, hate teaser posts. Never click 'em. I have enough mysteries to figure out already without wading through that. The point of the FPP should be to let me know enough--all by itself--for me to determine whether I'm interested. I used to date a girl who never would come out and just say what she was thinking, and man, was that ever miserable. When I see one of these posts I just mentally imagine it signed "Melissa." And I move on to something better, like I did with her.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 8:47 AM on October 25, 2007 [3 favorites]

I take doohickie's point, although it looks like tastes vary.
I thought the headline on the first post gave it away, and I was hoping to elicit other people's favorites. Mine would have been a song called "You can ring my bell" from the 1960s but I couldn't find it.
posted by cogneuro at 8:53 AM on October 25, 2007

Please don't solve a social problem with a technological solution! What happens when someone is non-descriptive and also doesn't tag their post? Is saving one click worth it to sully the front page with a bunch of metadata?
posted by Plutor at 8:54 AM on October 25, 2007

Oh hey, is this the thread where we all list things we hate and then mathowie makes them against the rules? Cool, then I hate single link youtube posts that are only marginally amusing and probably not worth the time to click on anyway.

oh, and metatalk posts where someone acts like their personal annoyances demand sitewide attention.
posted by shmegegge at 8:55 AM on October 25, 2007

I don't love them
I don't hate them
I don't mind them
posted by algreer at 9:01 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

WCityMike: Of what practical use is your comment? Will this kind of callout be ruled out? No. You're saying, "Style X of callouts is not my cup of tea." To which I go, "That's nice. And you're telling Meta because people need to always make callouts in your preferred style?" "No, of course not." "So ... ?"
posted by cillit bang at 9:18 AM on October 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

I really hate this.

Here's to the hope that you find some way to cope with your affliction.
posted by Dave Faris at 9:19 AM on October 25, 2007

peacay : It would be nice if after the '+' sign for favouriting, there was a little 'tags' icon that pulled in 6 or so tags on mouseover.

I suggested something similar exactly one year ago today. Some clever solutions came up in the thread.
posted by quin at 9:20 AM on October 25, 2007

Ooookkk. That's settled then. Same time next year? I was ambivalent last time and more decisive here. I'll be holding hostages and threatening the fearless leaders with ultimatums and bean plates next time around.
posted by peacay at 9:32 AM on October 25, 2007

instead of getting all cute and trying to make me click the links to see what the heck you're saying.

It's one click and your carpal tunnel isn't that bad.
posted by Cyrano at 9:34 AM on October 25, 2007

Then you could tag posts "Think" "this'll" "help" "you?" "Think" "again." And there would be chuckles.
posted by Abiezer at 9:35 AM on October 25, 2007

Gimme a break. I personally would like all posts to be read to me in the soothing dulcet tones of Marvin Gaye, but you don't see me making MetaTalk posts to bitch about it. If you don't like cryptic posts, then don't click on them. Go make your own posts that aren't cryptic.

I enjoy them. It's like a puzzle, with knowledge as my reward. Thankfully, we don't require a standard format for everyone that wants to share something on MeFi.
posted by lazaruslong at 9:35 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

You're complaining about one mouse click. You realize that, right?
posted by Cyrano at 9:35 AM on October 25, 2007

As an aside, how many times have we had this discussion now? 20? 30?
posted by lazaruslong at 9:35 AM on October 25, 2007

I hate the blind-item/guessing game posts too, but at least this one had a title that gave away the subject.
posted by desuetude at 9:43 AM on October 25, 2007

But while we're complaining, can I just say that I'm tired of FPPs centered on NYTimes articles? I think we're all aware of the NYTimes, thanks.
posted by desuetude at 9:45 AM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I agree, concur, am in sympathy with and am united with this sentiment. Only one mouse click, sure, but the mental suffering is unkind.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 9:47 AM on October 25, 2007

I really hate all you haters. Just hate you. Srsly. Im, like, totally serious. N' stuff.
posted by Catfry at 9:58 AM on October 25, 2007

Whenever I read these types of posts, this comment always comes to mind.

Also I had a turkey sandwich for lunch, and it was delicious.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 10:06 AM on October 25, 2007

I just want this thread closed so Cortex makes more Batman fight noises.
posted by misha at 10:09 AM on October 25, 2007

I'm not sure anyone would mistake this for 'hating' in any potent sense.

You're on notice, too, cortex. I know what I know.
posted by psmealey at 10:24 AM on October 25, 2007

When well done and interesting, cryptic posts are great. When poorly done and lame, explicit and clear posts are not great. So, basically, we think good posts are good and bad posts are bad, and would like to see more of the former, less of the latter. Right?
posted by freebird at 10:38 AM on October 25, 2007

BAFF!
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:45 AM on October 25, 2007

Sure, you can figure it out from the tags, but is that the point of tags? I thought it was to link together posts of a common topic, not to clarify an otherwise vague post.
posted by chundo at 11:04 AM on October 25, 2007

Mr. Bartley's for lunch. I had the Viagra, and now I really need a nap. That's all.
posted by AwkwardPause at 11:10 AM on October 25, 2007

Meh. I actually expected a lot move venom than this. I must be losing my touch.

Thank you all for coming. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
posted by Doohickie at 11:18 AM on October 25, 2007

While we're at it, I just want to say that it pisses me off no end when people do that whole strikeout-tag "there, fixed that for you." crap. Good fucking god, is there anything more disrespectful and annoying?

I like kittens.
p0sted by kittenlover

"I like kittens SLAUGHTERING MILLIONS OF JEWS." There, fixed that for you.
p0sted by bigfatidiot
posted by koeselitz at 11:21 AM on October 25, 2007 [5 favorites]

Good fucking god, is there anything more disrespectful and annoying? obnoxious and irritating?

Fixed that Did nothing to alter your original premise for ya.
posted by quin at 11:28 AM on October 25, 2007

Did nothing to alter altar your original premise homonym for ya.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:30 AM on October 25, 2007

I Did nothing to any altarboys your, I am not a homonumsexual priest for ya
posted by psmealey at 11:35 AM on October 25, 2007

Metafilter: Say hello to my inner asshole!
posted by gwint at 11:43 AM on October 25, 2007

I would not like to see your outer asshole.
posted by chundo at 11:45 AM on October 25, 2007

Everyone just keep your assholes where they belong!

Oh wait we're in MeTa. Carry on!
posted by SassHat at 12:07 PM on October 25, 2007

I had a pet peeve once. When he crapped on one of the Louis XIV ottomans, I chained him out in the back yard. The gruntles got him.

That's what poor asshole control will do for you.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:33 PM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

My asshole just migrated to your forehead.
posted by breezeway at 12:44 PM on October 25, 2007

I ignored the post. I still don't know what it's about, and probably never will. I'll make exceptions if the 'cagey' part is exceptionally well-written, or if it's someone I know with a great posting history, but for the most part, I just don't bother with mystery-meat posts. As far as this section of the audience was concerned, the effort to assemble that post was wasted. (not that this bothers the "single-link no explanation" posters, because they SPEND no effort.)

Some people insist that "the links aren't for you, they're for the poster!" I just shrug, and say, "Fine, but you're in essence arguing that Metafilter has become a gigantic site for public masturbation."
posted by Malor at 12:46 PM on October 25, 2007

I'll register that I dont' care what style people use in their posts, and furthermore, thank god for a little variation.
posted by serazin at 12:55 PM on October 25, 2007

MetaFilter: A Gigantic Site for Public Masturbation
posted by breezeway at 1:07 PM on October 25, 2007

I've never heard of such a brutal and shocking injustice that I cared so little about.

More seriously: What algreer said.
posted by sparkletone at 1:42 PM on October 25, 2007

absalom writes "I don't have any real complaint with the style, but I will say this: if you want to make sure, without a doubt, that I will take zero interest in your link, then by all means, make it mysterious. I pass over them without second thought. I suspect I am not alone."

I've been railing against mystery meat for years to no avail apparently. Fricken' youtube actually increased the occurrence it seems.

Cyrano writes ""instead of getting all cute and trying to make me click the links to see what the heck you're saying."

"It's one click and your carpal tunnel isn't that bad."

Well technically it's at least a couple clicks; one to get there and one to either come back or close the tab.
posted by Mitheral at 2:12 PM on October 25, 2007

I have a specific subset of gripe in this vein.

You know how people will coyly go "...she then went on to star in classic feminist cinema and open a B&B--" and when they link to IMDB, the little hover-your-mouse-over-the-link thing doesn't give you any additional information, so your cursed curiosity gets the better of you, and you click, and then it turns out that you really hate someone in that movie, and you never ever would have clicked on the link if you had known which movie it was, and then you get really irritated with the person who linked in that way?

I wish people would stop doing that.
posted by thehmsbeagle at 2:32 PM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

I think all links should be spelled out in long URL form. Not relative, the full URL, please.

OK, talk to you later,

http://www.metafilter.com/user/33650

Oh look, a snowcone!
posted by disclaimer at 3:09 PM on October 25, 2007

Yeah, I hate that shit too. Some people will defend it too the death though.
posted by Artw at 4:05 PM on October 25, 2007

You know what I hate at the moment? Those dried-up autumn boogers that semi-detach but still remain rooted to the inside of your nose and just kind of wave around in there bumping off the walls, tickling like a motherfucker. You pretty much have to drop everything and go in after 'em, no matter where you are.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:07 PM on October 25, 2007

I agree with Snoopy Boat; I hate the contentless imdb mouseovers also.
posted by Kwine at 4:33 PM on October 25, 2007

Mystery meat!
posted by blacklite at 6:00 PM on October 25, 2007

I don't like them either, but I don't don't like them as much as the one word, no description, no comments thing I complained about earlier. I got some agreement and some shouting down, much like you have here.

The only lesson here is that we all have our crosses to bear in this vale of tears.
posted by yhbc at 6:17 PM on October 25, 2007

Sucker posts tease and teaser posts suck
I for one don't give a —
posted by Termite at 9:34 PM on October 25, 2007

— Burma Shave!
posted by kyleg at 9:55 PM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Myanmar Shave, surely.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:56 PM on October 25, 2007

Well I appreciate threads like this. I would never have made a post like that because I hate them too, but Metatalk has helped me learn other things that people don't like and I can adjust accordingly. I mean, if I make a post or a comment it's because I want other people to read and understand it, whether they agree/like it or not.
posted by Danila at 10:03 PM on October 25, 2007

lazaruslong: "As an aside, how many times have we had this discussion now? 20? 30?"
Something like that - and that's just this week. Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration, but it seems like it.

MeFi isn't about formatting, it's about content. You think it has yellow text on a blue background to look all cute and cuddly? No fucking way. We don't care what the links look like, we care what they are. Shit is still shit if you write ten paragraphs explaining that it's shit. Some mystery meat links are shit too, of course, but at elast you don't have to wade through ten paragraphs to find that out. Be thankful for small mercies. Me, I like a little mystery in my life.
posted by dg at 11:39 PM on October 25, 2007

I got some agreement and some shouting down, much like you have here.

Shouting down? You think this thread has shouting down? You really need (ie: you might want, if you're bored) to go check out those other 19 or 29 threads on the topic. We haven't seen anything of the "Why should anyone care if you click, you ungrateful bastard" magnitude here.

Anyway, when's the last time you saw a link-per-letter of a word post? Progress.
posted by dreamsign at 12:38 AM on October 26, 2007

I predict one within 24 hours. (And I'll make it if no one else does.)
posted by Dave Faris at 5:18 AM on October 26, 2007

We don't care what the links look like, we care what they are.

I don't follow every link on this FP, so I do care what they look like.
posted by smackfu at 8:36 AM on October 26, 2007

For the record:

Over the past couple years, I've found that only a small percentage of blind links lead me somewhere I'd like to go. So I've mostly stopped clicking on them, even if the post itself is clever or even intriguing in some way. It wasn't worth the time spent wading through the lukewarm stuff to get to the gems. Now, please, by all means, post any thing you damn well please. But if your goal is to get me to stop and click rather than scrolling past, I should let you know that you stand a much better chance with clear, accurate descriptions than with teasy cuteness. On the other hand, if you don't give a damn what I click on and what I don't (and there's no law says you should), full throttle ahead with the tease, if that's what sparks your campfire.
posted by Clay201 at 6:45 PM on October 27, 2007