How are things sidebarred?

January 10, 2002 9:26 AM

Has any thought been given before to selecting posts which can be considered "timeless" or "very important", and keeping them highlighted and visible (maybe in the sidebar) for a week+ so comments can keep going on ? Perhaps 2 or 3 "Link and Think" type posts always present and alive at the top of the sidebar ? (recognizing that the process of determining what should go in there might make this a non-starter)
posted by Voyageman to Feature Requests at 9:26 AM (16 comments total)

recognizing that the process of determining what should go in there might make this a non-starter

Not necessarily. An easy way to implement something like this (and I don't mean programmatically) would be by comment count since it's a good indicator of interest by the community (of course this would have to include some kind of cult thread filter). Matt already posts what he found interesting during the week in the side bar, so we have a list based on quality. Why not one on quanity? I always thought a MeFi Top Five for the last 7 days would be cool.
posted by eyeballkid at 9:51 AM on January 10, 2002

Let's make sure that "Bush is a hick" thread is saved for all posterity. God bless.
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:00 AM on January 10, 2002

Seems like that's a function of the drop down box:most comments...
posted by Mack Twain at 10:03 AM on January 10, 2002

Just to clarify- the goal would be to keep comments flowing beyond the typical 1-2 days. As more days go by, one might have more participants, and have new or reassesed perspectives, well worth it for the truly "timeless" or "important" topics. Currently, highlighted posts on the sidebar have more of an "archive" feel to them than "active discussion" feel to them. Drop down "most comments" solves a different objective.
posted by Voyageman at 10:07 AM on January 10, 2002

The most comments drop down does do the job, but most people don't have the FP sorted that way, I'm guessing.

The real problem with my suggestion, I'm noticing now, is how to condense FPPs to fit in the sidebar. That would be nigh impossible methinks.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:08 AM on January 10, 2002

we cld us rdcl cmprsn nd dlt mst vwls.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:14 AM on January 10, 2002

fck tht
posted by ColdChef at 10:21 AM on January 10, 2002

I would love to keep a running summary of the best threads (even days after they have been posted) on the side, but I would have to create some voting, or karma type system to get links there.

Maybe metafilter needs a [this is good]?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:23 AM on January 10, 2002

It's all good, dog.
posted by ColdChef at 10:31 AM on January 10, 2002

This is good ? [This is good]
Grades , Pass-Fail ? [This is bad]
posted by Voyageman at 11:30 AM on January 10, 2002

amiagoodpostornot.com is available.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:54 AM on January 10, 2002

Using the comment count as a criteria would be bad, bad, bad. By that logic, this little bit of metafilter masturbation would be considered the cream of the crop.
posted by crunchland at 11:54 AM on January 10, 2002

Maybe metafilter needs a [this is good]?

Only if it bumps a number on the fpp, rather than scatters them through the thread, a la fipeleli. It might also spread a little love on those occasional gems that don't generate many comments.
posted by walrus at 12:06 PM on January 10, 2002

By that logic, this little bit of metafilter masturbation would be considered the cream of the crop.

It may be masturbation, but as it says in the bible "let him with the free hand cast the first stone."
(BTW +10 points for using "masturbation" and "cream of the crop" in the same sentence)
posted by ColdChef at 12:20 PM on January 10, 2002

Using the comment count as a criteria would be bad, bad, bad. By that logic, this little bit of metafilter masturbation would be considered the cream of the crop.

Actually, this slightly larger bit of MeFi-Masturbation would be the king of the hill

posted by rorycberger at 1:18 PM on January 10, 2002

Oh no, shades of /. and kuroshin!
posted by Lynsey at 4:06 PM on January 10, 2002