Favorites? Meh. (But maybe not.) March 4, 2009 11:29 AM Subscribe
In Monday's "meh" thread I quoted and linked to Sparx's clever 2007 verse on the subject. My comment, which added nothing original, unaccountably picked up some favorates. It may be a small matter but these favorites are surely Sparx's, not mine. Is it a lot of work to reassign 'em?
Why don't we just cut the BS and make favorites redeemable for valuable cash prizes, as opposed to just being some abstract representation of how often people agree with us?
posted by Afroblanco at 11:32 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Afroblanco at 11:32 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Perhaps you were assigned favorites as a note of "thanks" for 1) remembering such a thing, 2) finding it salient to the discussion, and 3) bothering to make a link to it, with credit given where credit is due. Many would not have bothered, even if they had passed the first two steps.
Thank you for remembering it, thank you for making the connection, and thank you for letting us know about the connection.
posted by adipocere at 11:36 AM on March 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
Thank you for remembering it, thank you for making the connection, and thank you for letting us know about the connection.
posted by adipocere at 11:36 AM on March 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
As a form of restitution, illiad's should also be reassigned to those he plagiarized.
posted by gman at 11:37 AM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by gman at 11:37 AM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
I just favorited this post. Feel free to give it to whomever you like.
posted by bondcliff at 11:38 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by bondcliff at 11:38 AM on March 4, 2009
I got 82 favorites recently just for quoting C.S. Lewis.
But I'm not giving them back.
posted by Joe Beese at 11:41 AM on March 4, 2009
But I'm not giving them back.
posted by Joe Beese at 11:41 AM on March 4, 2009
This is over 3 favorites? We don't need more MeTa threads!
posted by Science! at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by Science! at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009
favorites redeemable for valuable cash prizes
We're going to merge with Chuck E Cheese? AWESOME
I totally want my Mac to spit out a strip of tickets every time I post a popular comment.
posted by GuyZero at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009 [5 favorites]
We're going to merge with Chuck E Cheese? AWESOME
I totally want my Mac to spit out a strip of tickets every time I post a popular comment.
posted by GuyZero at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009 [5 favorites]
Is there a three- or four-letter dismissive for expressing the eye-rolling, incredulous, and dismissive feelings I'm having regarding this post? Meh doesn't quite cut it.
what. (?)
posted by carsonb at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009
what. (?)
posted by carsonb at 11:42 AM on March 4, 2009
wut
posted by Science! at 11:44 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Science! at 11:44 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Is there a three- or four-letter dismissive for expressing the eye-rolling, incredulous, and dismissive feelings I'm having regarding this post?
I was going to go with "IN BEFOAR LOCK" but I'm really trying to cut back on the out-of-the-gate threadshitting, even in threads that deserve them.
posted by GuyZero at 11:45 AM on March 4, 2009
I was going to go with "IN BEFOAR LOCK" but I'm really trying to cut back on the out-of-the-gate threadshitting, even in threads that deserve them.
posted by GuyZero at 11:45 AM on March 4, 2009
We're going to merge with Chuck E Cheese? AWESOME
Hellz yeah! And to think, if this comment gets 5 favorites I can get a spider ring AND a chinese finger trap!
And if it gets 150 -- look out Afroblanco, because here's a brand new Garfield phone coming your way!
posted by Afroblanco at 11:46 AM on March 4, 2009 [4 favorites]
Hellz yeah! And to think, if this comment gets 5 favorites I can get a spider ring AND a chinese finger trap!
And if it gets 150 -- look out Afroblanco, because here's a brand new Garfield phone coming your way!
posted by Afroblanco at 11:46 AM on March 4, 2009 [4 favorites]
Every year, in lieu of money or old clothing, I donate 100 favourites to Goodwill.
posted by gman at 11:47 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by gman at 11:47 AM on March 4, 2009
I don't want to discourage people giving out favorites because we need the economic, not to mention self-esteem, stimulus. However, as a conservation measure I propose that we spell it without the 'u'. This will save 10% of overhead on every favorite given, allowing MetaFilter to be a lean, green (and blue and gray) fighting machine.
posted by DU at 11:50 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by DU at 11:50 AM on March 4, 2009
However, as a conservation measure I propose that we spell it without the 'u'.
Given the strength and high capital rations in Canadian banks, I think that we might do well to follow the Canadian favourites system. Everyone gets a favourite hockey team, even people who hate hockey and a favourite season. Plus everyone gets to choose whether they prefer Grade A or Grade B maple syrup. After that you have to dislike everything.
posted by GuyZero at 11:54 AM on March 4, 2009
Given the strength and high capital rations in Canadian banks, I think that we might do well to follow the Canadian favourites system. Everyone gets a favourite hockey team, even people who hate hockey and a favourite season. Plus everyone gets to choose whether they prefer Grade A or Grade B maple syrup. After that you have to dislike everything.
posted by GuyZero at 11:54 AM on March 4, 2009
FFS
posted by modernnomad at 11:54 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by modernnomad at 11:54 AM on March 4, 2009
I would like to trade my favorties for sexual favors. Can this be done?
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:55 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:55 AM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
This will save 10% of overhead on every favorite given, allowing MetaFilter to be a lean, green (and blue and gray) American fighting machine.
posted by gman at 11:55 AM on March 4, 2009
posted by gman at 11:55 AM on March 4, 2009
If you aren't favoriting us, you are against us.
posted by DU at 12:00 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by DU at 12:00 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
lean, green (and blue and gray) American fighting machine
You can't tariff your way out of a favourites meltdown. I bet you didn't even know that AskMe favourites aren't even made in the US anymore. That's right - stavros oversees their manufacture in a South Koran clean room, down the hall from high-density NVRAM manufacturers.
posted by GuyZero at 12:02 PM on March 4, 2009
You can't tariff your way out of a favourites meltdown. I bet you didn't even know that AskMe favourites aren't even made in the US anymore. That's right - stavros oversees their manufacture in a South Koran clean room, down the hall from high-density NVRAM manufacturers.
posted by GuyZero at 12:02 PM on March 4, 2009
heh, South Koran + e = South Korean. No misspelled holy texts are involved in the manufacture of favourites, regardless of what Rush Limbaugh would have you believe.
posted by GuyZero at 12:04 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 12:04 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I would like to trade in sexual favorites with Astro Zombie. Can this be done?
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:06 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:06 PM on March 4, 2009
I should mention,
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
posted by Mister_A at 12:11 PM on March 4, 2009
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
posted by Mister_A at 12:11 PM on March 4, 2009
First we have complaints about the limit, now we need to transfer "undeserved" favorites to their rightful owner. Keep it up and mom is going to give the favorite toy to Goodwill.
posted by joe vrrr at 12:12 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by joe vrrr at 12:12 PM on March 4, 2009
meh
posted by orthogonality at 12:20 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by orthogonality at 12:20 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Definitely Grade B maple syrup. Grade A seems insipid by comparison.
posted by slogger at 12:20 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by slogger at 12:20 PM on March 4, 2009
For $5 I will favorite 100 comments of your choice.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:21 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 12:21 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
I'll betcha 3 favorites you're wrong.
posted by dersins at 12:22 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'll betcha 3 favorites you're wrong.
posted by dersins at 12:22 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I was just wondering: Are favorites currency? Do they have intrinsic value?
But, most importantly, do they taste like bacon sandwiches with syrup on pancake bread?
posted by not_on_display at 12:26 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
But, most importantly, do they taste like bacon sandwiches with syrup on pancake bread?
posted by not_on_display at 12:26 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I don't know about the rest of you, but since the recent slump in the value of favourites, I've again been forced to keep some space set aside for the favorites which inevitably trickle in, with the intent to eventually profit from the exchange rate. Even though I probably never will. It's damned annoying.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 12:27 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 12:27 PM on March 4, 2009
I'll redeem favourites for 1/100 of a cent. And you have to blow me.
posted by Meatbomb at 12:27 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Meatbomb at 12:27 PM on March 4, 2009
If we pool all our favorites together we should have the strength needed to rise up and overthrow this quartet of favorite-wealthy moderators! Replace them with moderation by the people under which favorites will no longer be passed out like crumbs of bread to the starving people who post and comment as best they can, but instead given to those who need them as they are generated, according each member's needs!
posted by Science! at 12:34 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Science! at 12:34 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I totally agree with what everyone is saying in this thread, but when this comment, which just pointed out the very clever title of desjardin's Octomom post, racked up 40 favorites, I really did feel like those favorites belonged to her. (In fact, if you're reading this, I almost wrote to you to see if you wanted me to just randomly favorite 40 of your previous comments.)
Having said that, these belong to me. MINE!
posted by Ian A.T. at 12:34 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Having said that, these belong to me. MINE!
posted by Ian A.T. at 12:34 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
> FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE
What capslock says is so. As for the favorites-for-sex notion, I know a possum who says he'll think about it and I'll pass on anybody's twitter handle who wants me to. But I think he thinks he's getting a date with Chuck E Cheese so if you're not Chuck you may be in for a disappointment.
posted by jfuller at 12:36 PM on March 4, 2009
What capslock says is so. As for the favorites-for-sex notion, I know a possum who says he'll think about it and I'll pass on anybody's twitter handle who wants me to. But I think he thinks he's getting a date with Chuck E Cheese so if you're not Chuck you may be in for a disappointment.
posted by jfuller at 12:36 PM on March 4, 2009
Back before we had favorites I remember a lot of hand-wringing about the idea, that instead of just being a way to keep track of comments you wanted to remember, they'd turn into a de facto slashdot-style "karma" thing, which it was generally agreed would be The End Of MetaFilter As We Know It.
The handwringers were right.
Pony request: Treat favorites as a failed experiment and either remove them entirely or make them invisible to other users.
posted by ook at 12:38 PM on March 4, 2009 [12 favorites]
The handwringers were right.
Pony request: Treat favorites as a failed experiment and either remove them entirely or make them invisible to other users.
posted by ook at 12:38 PM on March 4, 2009 [12 favorites]
I'm OK with that, or you know, the violent overthrows.
posted by Science! at 12:42 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Science! at 12:42 PM on March 4, 2009
Ironically, I want to favorite ook's comment 100 times.
posted by eyeballkid at 12:44 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by eyeballkid at 12:44 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
posted by yhbc at 1:32 PM on March 4
You could say that about love.
posted by plexi at 12:47 PM on March 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by yhbc at 1:32 PM on March 4
You could say that about love.
posted by plexi at 12:47 PM on March 4, 2009 [3 favorites]
PLEASE DON'T READ THIS. In 1342, a man sacrificed his life in the name of true love. Before he was beheaded, he yelled "Monholith deir mustzfah". Read on if you consider yourself brave: As of now if you stop reading it does you no good even this line bears the same consequence of being part of the chain. You will get kissed on the nearest possible Friday by the love of your life. Tomorrow will be the best day of your life. However, if you don't favorite this comment and comment about how you favorited it you will die within 2 days. Copy and paste this, to be saved
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:51 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:51 PM on March 4, 2009
I will trade 1000 favorites for a bacon sandwich with syrup on pancake bread.
posted by bondcliff at 12:53 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by bondcliff at 12:53 PM on March 4, 2009
I favorited your comment jfuller!
posted by cjorgensen at 1:14 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by cjorgensen at 1:14 PM on March 4, 2009
You could say that about love.
All you need is favorites?
posted by owtytrof at 1:16 PM on March 4, 2009
All you need is favorites?
posted by owtytrof at 1:16 PM on March 4, 2009
Simply MeMail the people who favourited your comment and ask them to favourite Sparx's instead (unless they already have).
posted by Electric Dragon at 1:16 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Electric Dragon at 1:16 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I totally agree with what everyone is saying in this thread, but when this comment, which just pointed out the very clever title of desjardin's Octomom post, racked up 40 favorites, I really did feel like those favorites belonged to her. (In fact, if you're reading this, I almost wrote to you to see if you wanted me to just randomly favorite 40 of your previous comments.)
Nah, give them to Astro Zombie. He needs to get laid.
posted by desjardins at 1:17 PM on March 4, 2009
Nah, give them to Astro Zombie. He needs to get laid.
posted by desjardins at 1:17 PM on March 4, 2009
PLEASE DON'T READ THIS. In 1342, a man sacrificed his life in the name of true love. Before he was beheaded, he yelled "Monholith deir mustzfah". Read on if you consider yourself brave: As of now if you stop reading it does you no good even this line bears the same consequence of being part of the chain. You will get kissed on the nearest possible Friday by the love of your life. Tomorrow will be the best day of your life. However, if you don't favorite this comment and comment about how you favorited it you will die within 2 days. Copy and paste this, to be saved
And I just lost the game.
posted by niles at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
And I just lost the game.
posted by niles at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
No fair, Potomac Avenue! You tricked me into reading that by saying I shouldn't oughtta. Dang it. Plus my bucket of favorites got throwed out to make room for the bucket o' cocks I apparently won, and now I ain't got no favorites so now I'm gonna die and my peoples won't be able to afford the concrete in which to encase my coffin, which is probably OK cuz if I become a zombie I don't want to hafta dig through no concrete no how.
posted by Mister_A at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Mister_A at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
I'm not favoriting Sparx's comment though. I'm fickle.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by cjorgensen at 1:22 PM on March 4, 2009
I've got 5000 favorites on this thread being closed.
Honestly, I appreciate favorites. It's nice, quick feedback and bookmarking. It saves reading and scrolling as the site has expanded.
But sometimes I miss the interactions that happened more frequently before favorites, both praise and damnation. Things just seemed more simple, but then hindsight is often rose-colored.
posted by loquacious at 1:27 PM on March 4, 2009
Honestly, I appreciate favorites. It's nice, quick feedback and bookmarking. It saves reading and scrolling as the site has expanded.
But sometimes I miss the interactions that happened more frequently before favorites, both praise and damnation. Things just seemed more simple, but then hindsight is often rose-colored.
posted by loquacious at 1:27 PM on March 4, 2009
Pony: [$]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 1:29 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 1:29 PM on March 4, 2009
You know what would be awesome... if jfuller's comment based on sparx comment became the punchline to a web comic... and jfuller got credited.
Okay, maybe this means I've spent too much time in MeTa lately, but even on reflection, I still think this would be awesome and make my March.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:30 PM on March 4, 2009
Okay, maybe this means I've spent too much time in MeTa lately, but even on reflection, I still think this would be awesome and make my March.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:30 PM on March 4, 2009
Pony: [$]
First Chuck E Cheese, now circa-1988 AOL! All MeFi needs is a frickin' shark with a frickin' laser on its head and we are THUNDERBIRDS GO! for the hottest IPO of 2009.
posted by GuyZero at 1:33 PM on March 4, 2009
First Chuck E Cheese, now circa-1988 AOL! All MeFi needs is a frickin' shark with a frickin' laser on its head and we are THUNDERBIRDS GO! for the hottest IPO of 2009.
posted by GuyZero at 1:33 PM on March 4, 2009
The reassignment must be done by the favoriters. You should ask them personally if it bothers you so. Asking to do this by other means (programatically? datatically?) seems to be a bit much. It might also set a weird precedent. I know that when I make a favorite that it won't suddenly be moved somewhere else. I would like to feel secure that it will remain this way.
Imagine the shenanigans if a user who got favorites could arbitrarily reassign them to a different comment. The horror.
posted by Mister Cheese at 1:35 PM on March 4, 2009
Imagine the shenanigans if a user who got favorites could arbitrarily reassign them to a different comment. The horror.
posted by Mister Cheese at 1:35 PM on March 4, 2009
I've got 5000 favorites on this thread being closed.
Holy shit. You're a genius. What we really need here is a favorites futures market.
"I've got 500 to one on this not wending ell!"
posted by Afroblanco at 1:46 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Holy shit. You're a genius. What we really need here is a favorites futures market.
"I've got 500 to one on this not wending ell!"
posted by Afroblanco at 1:46 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sure, and then we'll start trading favorite default swaps and quonsar will come back and meteors will strike. great idea.
I'm OK with the quonsar part, the rest not so much.
posted by Mister_A at 1:55 PM on March 4, 2009
I'm OK with the quonsar part, the rest not so much.
posted by Mister_A at 1:55 PM on March 4, 2009
If we pool all our favorites together we should have the strength needed to rise up and overthrow this quartet of favorite-wealthy moderators!
You think I was born into favorites? No, sir, I was not. I came to this website just a man with the clothes on his back. I built that mountain you see before you with my own two hands, the way my father taught me: one pun, one Babylon 5 reference, one metacommentary song parody at a time.
You may take from me those favorites, but you cannot take from me the industry by which they were accumulated. There is no wealth but that, by god, no wealth but work.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:13 PM on March 4, 2009 [13 favorites]
You think I was born into favorites? No, sir, I was not. I came to this website just a man with the clothes on his back. I built that mountain you see before you with my own two hands, the way my father taught me: one pun, one Babylon 5 reference, one metacommentary song parody at a time.
You may take from me those favorites, but you cannot take from me the industry by which they were accumulated. There is no wealth but that, by god, no wealth but work.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:13 PM on March 4, 2009 [13 favorites]
STOP POSTING METATALK THREADS
posted by shakespeherian at 2:27 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:27 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Today I got a congratulatory honk from the guy behind me when I didn't see the light had changed. Surely this should be reassigned to the guy at my left who actually went?
posted by katillathehun at 2:36 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by katillathehun at 2:36 PM on March 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
Sure, and then we'll start trading favorite default swaps and quonsar will come back and meteors will strike. great idea.
Why, it's nothing like that at all!
I just take your hard-earned favourites and invest them in these here international postal reply coupons, see?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 3:02 PM on March 4, 2009
Why, it's nothing like that at all!
I just take your hard-earned favourites and invest them in these here international postal reply coupons, see?
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 3:02 PM on March 4, 2009
Is there a three- or four-letter dismissive for expressing the eye-rolling, incredulous, and dismissive feelings I'm having regarding this post?
sage
posted by turgid dahlia at 3:03 PM on March 4, 2009
sage
posted by turgid dahlia at 3:03 PM on March 4, 2009
Today I got a congratulatory honk from the guy behind me when I didn't see the light had changed. Surely this should be reassigned to the guy at my left who actually went?
I once saw a guy making an unprotected left turn without his turn signal on. I didn't think much of it until, after successfully completing the turn, he then proceeded to turn on his left turn signal... presumably to celebrate. To this day I have wished that my car had a celebrator indicator.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:05 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I once saw a guy making an unprotected left turn without his turn signal on. I didn't think much of it until, after successfully completing the turn, he then proceeded to turn on his left turn signal... presumably to celebrate. To this day I have wished that my car had a celebrator indicator.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:05 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
And the truly sick part is that the fact that I got ten favorites for that comment where I suggested nuking the favorites feature makes me feel all, like, validated and empowered.
posted by ook at 3:09 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by ook at 3:09 PM on March 4, 2009
Situational irony ftw.
posted by Kevin Street at 3:15 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Kevin Street at 3:15 PM on March 4, 2009
Statutory honk.
posted by blue_beetle at 4:29 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by blue_beetle at 4:29 PM on March 4, 2009
Here I fixed it with a greasy monkey
DO NOT CLICK ON OOK'S LINK. IT IS A VIRUS THAT MADE MY FAVORITES DISAPPEAR. NOW I DO NOT KNOW WHICH COMMENTS I'M SUPPOSED TO LIKE.
posted by eyeballkid at 5:11 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
do they taste like bacon sandwiches with syrup on pancake bread?
Cheddar and bacon waffle sandwiches, with extra syrup, yes.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:37 PM on March 4, 2009
Cheddar and bacon waffle sandwiches, with extra syrup, yes.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:37 PM on March 4, 2009
Mrs. Director and I never let the sun set without saying, "I favorite you."
posted by trinity8-director at 6:07 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by trinity8-director at 6:07 PM on March 4, 2009
"Definitely Grade B maple syrup. Grade A seems insipid by comparison."
Man, I was all about to quote the bit about syrup with an incredulous "People prefer Grade B?"
This isn't just one of those Canadians at the Olympics things, where everyone pretends that a bronze is the best medal anyone could hope for, right?
posted by klangklangston at 6:31 PM on March 4, 2009
Man, I was all about to quote the bit about syrup with an incredulous "People prefer Grade B?"
This isn't just one of those Canadians at the Olympics things, where everyone pretends that a bronze is the best medal anyone could hope for, right?
posted by klangklangston at 6:31 PM on March 4, 2009
"People prefer Grade B?"
People don't?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:41 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
People don't?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:41 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
I would like to trade my favorties for sexual favors. Can this be done?
You got favor ties? Damn. All I got was a lousy number on my profile page. Confess. What other goodies have you been given? Toasters? Trial magazine subscriptions? Free Amish whatchamallits?
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:21 PM on March 4, 2009
This keeps coming up. People treat favorites as prizes, and the tenor of the site has noticeably changed as people post more and more quips in search of favorites.
What positive value do favorites add to the site--other than encouraging users to post more and be more active (not necessarily a good thing, imo)?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 8:20 PM on March 4, 2009
What positive value do favorites add to the site--other than encouraging users to post more and be more active (not necessarily a good thing, imo)?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 8:20 PM on March 4, 2009
Does anyone remember what the going wisdom was on making favourites invisible? Aka, the user could see which comments/posts they had favourited, and they can see the amount of favourites on a comment/post they had made, but only for themselves and not for anyone else? That seems like it'd reduce some of the competitiveness.
posted by Phire at 8:24 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Phire at 8:24 PM on March 4, 2009
"People don't?"
Nah. I mean, I like maple syrup and will gladly eat it on nigh anything, but I prefer just a little bit of something really sweet, especially in something like buckwheat pancakes, where I think "B" can clash. "B" is better at making something else taste like maple syrup, "A" is better at being maple syrup.
"Grade A is insipid."
We prefer "delicate."
Mincingly sissy, if you must.
posted by klangklangston at 8:37 PM on March 4, 2009
Nah. I mean, I like maple syrup and will gladly eat it on nigh anything, but I prefer just a little bit of something really sweet, especially in something like buckwheat pancakes, where I think "B" can clash. "B" is better at making something else taste like maple syrup, "A" is better at being maple syrup.
"Grade A is insipid."
We prefer "delicate."
Mincingly sissy, if you must.
posted by klangklangston at 8:37 PM on March 4, 2009
This isn't just one of those Canadians at the Olympics things, where everyone pretends that a bronze is the best medal anyone could hope for, right?
That's the summer Olypics. The winter ones are what we really care about.
posted by Kevin Street at 8:45 PM on March 4, 2009
That's the summer Olypics. The winter ones are what we really care about.
posted by Kevin Street at 8:45 PM on March 4, 2009
Argh again! "Olympics," darn it. If only there was an edit function...
posted by Kevin Street at 8:46 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Kevin Street at 8:46 PM on March 4, 2009
I once saw a guy making an unprotected left turn without his turn signal on. I didn't think much of it until, after successfully completing the turn, he then proceeded to turn on his left turn signal... presumably to celebrate. To this day I have wished that my car had a celebrator indicator.
Sometimes in traffic I screw up and accidentally cut someone off or something. It's time like that i wish my horn had another tone, an "I'm sorry" tone. It could go, "WAAAHHH-waahhh," with the sad descending note at the end.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:13 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sometimes in traffic I screw up and accidentally cut someone off or something. It's time like that i wish my horn had another tone, an "I'm sorry" tone. It could go, "WAAAHHH-waahhh," with the sad descending note at the end.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:13 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Yeah, but in the Olypics, Bronze really is the best medal. They do them alphabetically.
posted by klangklangston at 9:16 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by klangklangston at 9:16 PM on March 4, 2009
Flagged as 'Oh my fucking Christ.'
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:01 PM on March 4, 2009
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:01 PM on March 4, 2009
Grade B maple syrup is the best. It makes me feel manly, yet vulnerable. If I had to choose between Grade B maple syrup and cilantro, I would literally freak out.
posted by Mister_A at 7:17 AM on March 5, 2009
posted by Mister_A at 7:17 AM on March 5, 2009
For me the real test of whether Favorites function as an internal notation system or a "de facto Slashdot-style karma thing" was on the last podcast, when posts and/or comments were noted along with how many Favorites they had accumulated. I think that pretty much cinches it.
Like any admonition that has to be repeated in all-caps, NO INTRINSIC VALUE may be best understood as aspirational rather than realistic. An economist would doubt the exchange rate, but not the internal value, of this tender.
Personally, I think an unacknowledged benefit of Favorites in the latter sense is that they allow you to skim long threads that have a poor s/n ratio and still see the comments that offer something worthwhile.
posted by squid patrol at 7:43 AM on March 5, 2009
Like any admonition that has to be repeated in all-caps, NO INTRINSIC VALUE may be best understood as aspirational rather than realistic. An economist would doubt the exchange rate, but not the internal value, of this tender.
Personally, I think an unacknowledged benefit of Favorites in the latter sense is that they allow you to skim long threads that have a poor s/n ratio and still see the comments that offer something worthwhile.
posted by squid patrol at 7:43 AM on March 5, 2009
loquacious : But sometimes I miss the interactions that happened more frequently before favorites, both praise and damnation. Things just seemed more simple, but then hindsight is often rose-colored.
Looking at the number of comments most threads get nowadays versus the pre-favorites time, I would think that the number of people vocalizing their approval of someone else's comments has gone up, rather than down.
Personally, I try to do both. When I favorite something, it is as much for me as it is for the person who made the comment, and I try, as much as possible, to make a note later in the thread that I appreciated what they had to say, or if that seems out of place, to drop them a memail.
I think the favoriting system is awesome, and while they've reduced the effort to show agreement, I don't think they've altered the way we interact with each other too much. If someone says something touching or brilliant, they will garner a ton of favorites, but there will also be a huge number of people spelling out how much they liked it down-thread. To my mind, this is just as it should be.
posted by quin at 8:51 AM on March 5, 2009
Looking at the number of comments most threads get nowadays versus the pre-favorites time, I would think that the number of people vocalizing their approval of someone else's comments has gone up, rather than down.
Personally, I try to do both. When I favorite something, it is as much for me as it is for the person who made the comment, and I try, as much as possible, to make a note later in the thread that I appreciated what they had to say, or if that seems out of place, to drop them a memail.
I think the favoriting system is awesome, and while they've reduced the effort to show agreement, I don't think they've altered the way we interact with each other too much. If someone says something touching or brilliant, they will garner a ton of favorites, but there will also be a huge number of people spelling out how much they liked it down-thread. To my mind, this is just as it should be.
posted by quin at 8:51 AM on March 5, 2009
quin: "Looking at the number of comments most threads get nowadays versus the pre-favorites time, I would think that the number of people vocalizing their approval of someone else's comments has gone up, rather than down. "
I think it's more likely that the number of people commenting has gone way up, while the number of people vocalizing their approval has, proportionally, gone down.
posted by team lowkey at 9:20 AM on March 5, 2009
I think it's more likely that the number of people commenting has gone way up, while the number of people vocalizing their approval has, proportionally, gone down.
posted by team lowkey at 9:20 AM on March 5, 2009
Hoorah! Mentioned by name in a Metatalk post and NOT for being a prat! And on the very same week that I got my 666th favourite, which I hear is enough for half an hour in a closet with Astrozombie.
I actually favourited jfuller's comment myself, to thank him for reminding me of that little piece of doggerel, which I had personally completely forgotten about. No Takebacksies. So yeah, really not that worried, mate (though it's sweet of you to be concerned).
posted by Sparx at 11:00 AM on March 5, 2009
I actually favourited jfuller's comment myself, to thank him for reminding me of that little piece of doggerel, which I had personally completely forgotten about. No Takebacksies. So yeah, really not that worried, mate (though it's sweet of you to be concerned).
posted by Sparx at 11:00 AM on March 5, 2009
I got my 666th favourite, which I hear is enough for half an hour in a closet with Astrozombie
Actually, I don't know really how to break this to you, but the photocopier cropped the right edge of the contract, it's actuallly a half hour in a closet with Astro Zombie 3. You may want to call your family and tell them you love them first.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:08 AM on March 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Actually, I don't know really how to break this to you, but the photocopier cropped the right edge of the contract, it's actuallly a half hour in a closet with Astro Zombie 3. You may want to call your family and tell them you love them first.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:08 AM on March 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Personally, I think an unacknowledged benefit of Favorites in the latter sense is that they allow you to skim long threads that have a poor s/n ratio and still see the comments that offer something worthwhile.
Not really. They let you skim a long thread and find the comments that other users find worthwhile. Whether that is useful to you or not depends upon how closely your interests match with those of the hive mind.
posted by Kevin Street at 11:29 AM on March 5, 2009
Not really. They let you skim a long thread and find the comments that other users find worthwhile. Whether that is useful to you or not depends upon how closely your interests match with those of the hive mind.
posted by Kevin Street at 11:29 AM on March 5, 2009
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
posted by yhbc at 1:32 PM on March 4
You could say that about love.
posted by plexi at 12:47 PM on March 4
You could say that about love, but you'd be wrong.
posted by deborah at 11:55 AM on March 5, 2009
posted by yhbc at 1:32 PM on March 4
You could say that about love.
posted by plexi at 12:47 PM on March 4
You could say that about love, but you'd be wrong.
posted by deborah at 11:55 AM on March 5, 2009
I think an unacknowledged benefit of Favorites in the latter sense is that they allow you to skim long threads... and still see the comments that offer something worthwhile
If by "worthwhile comments" you mean "comments that are short, humorous, especially snarky, and/or insulting somebody who most people in the thread dislike."
The best comments, in the sense of the most cogent, knowledgeable, or well-reasoned, often don't get lots of favorites (except for the very very best ones, which tend to get sidebarred anyway.) What gets a lot of them are the zingers and one-liners.
Which, don't get me wrong, is great if you're in the mood for zingers and one-liners.
posted by ook at 12:28 PM on March 5, 2009
If by "worthwhile comments" you mean "comments that are short, humorous, especially snarky, and/or insulting somebody who most people in the thread dislike."
The best comments, in the sense of the most cogent, knowledgeable, or well-reasoned, often don't get lots of favorites (except for the very very best ones, which tend to get sidebarred anyway.) What gets a lot of them are the zingers and one-liners.
Which, don't get me wrong, is great if you're in the mood for zingers and one-liners.
posted by ook at 12:28 PM on March 5, 2009
We're going to merge with Chuck E Cheese? AWESOME
I sincerely doubt Mr. Haughey wants MeFi to smell of urine.
posted by lilnemo at 4:57 PM on March 5, 2009
I sincerely doubt Mr. Haughey wants MeFi to smell of urine.
posted by lilnemo at 4:57 PM on March 5, 2009
Here in Canada, we don't have grades, we have colors. The light stuff is the most expensive, because there's so little of it: it's only the first few barrels of a boil. The medium syrup is, to me, the best. There a lot of it, so it's less expensive than the light. I've never had dark syrup. I think they mostly turn it into sugar.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 7:22 PM on March 5, 2009
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 7:22 PM on March 5, 2009
make favorites redeemable for valuable cash prizes
They should be worth one cent each, and redeemable only for gift memberships.
posted by StickyCarpet at 1:44 PM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]
They should be worth one cent each, and redeemable only for gift memberships.
posted by StickyCarpet at 1:44 PM on March 9, 2009 [1 favorite]
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Again,
FAVORITES ARE NOT A FORM OF CURRENCY, AND HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.
posted by yhbc at 11:32 AM on March 4, 2009 [7 favorites]