Feature idea: group posting SLYT and Flash Friday. August 28, 2009 3:56 AM Subscribe
Feature idea: group posting SLYT and Flash Friday.
BoingBoing has a group post where guest editors post links to their favorite videos. This made me think of the idea for MeFi, for aggregating things like SLYT and "Flash Friday" into a single FPP (or one for each), once a week, or whenever the queue fills up with enough links. Perhaps a Twitterish sentence-long description and list the links/description in the Extended Description area.
BoingBoing has a group post where guest editors post links to their favorite videos. This made me think of the idea for MeFi, for aggregating things like SLYT and "Flash Friday" into a single FPP (or one for each), once a week, or whenever the queue fills up with enough links. Perhaps a Twitterish sentence-long description and list the links/description in the Extended Description area.
Let's see, you are proposing a new feature based on something you saw on BoingBoing, patterned after Twitter. I predict it will go over swimmingly with the MeFi crowd.
posted by Dr Dracator at 4:08 AM on August 28, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by Dr Dracator at 4:08 AM on August 28, 2009 [5 favorites]
It appears as though there is a heathen among us. Goddamnit people, when will you learn to purge correctly?
Seriously though, stbalbach, this doesn't sound like a bad idea, but it doesn't sound like a great one either. It seems to go against what the site is, a community weblog. People post things they think are interesting and then people read the links and if they like, comment on them.
Also note that the podcast kind of does this, by picking the best, popular and most interesting stuff across the site, while talking them and providing the links in a separate post.
Finally, who's going to do all that there aggregating?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:32 AM on August 28, 2009
Seriously though, stbalbach, this doesn't sound like a bad idea, but it doesn't sound like a great one either. It seems to go against what the site is, a community weblog. People post things they think are interesting and then people read the links and if they like, comment on them.
Also note that the podcast kind of does this, by picking the best, popular and most interesting stuff across the site, while talking them and providing the links in a separate post.
Finally, who's going to do all that there aggregating?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:32 AM on August 28, 2009
In the early days slashdot had quickies which was sort of along the same vein. The editors would accumulate a half dozen or so links that they didn't feel warranted posting on their own into a group post.
But in both cases I think the key is that those sites have a small group of editors that act as gateway to what goes on the site, which means it's possible for them to control what happens and to hold the submitted links in a queue until there's enough for a post. That doesn't really fit into the metafilter way of things as there would be nothing stopping someone from just posting their own SLYT/FF instead of submitting it to whatever volunteer is appointed to accumulate links for the week. It would require voluntary coordination from everyone and I think that's too high a hurdle for the mild benefit. (And the cynical side of me thinks that some would tend not to want to have their submitted links posted by someone else because they'd want the favorites/kudos that come with making a post.)
posted by Rhomboid at 4:35 AM on August 28, 2009
But in both cases I think the key is that those sites have a small group of editors that act as gateway to what goes on the site, which means it's possible for them to control what happens and to hold the submitted links in a queue until there's enough for a post. That doesn't really fit into the metafilter way of things as there would be nothing stopping someone from just posting their own SLYT/FF instead of submitting it to whatever volunteer is appointed to accumulate links for the week. It would require voluntary coordination from everyone and I think that's too high a hurdle for the mild benefit. (And the cynical side of me thinks that some would tend not to want to have their submitted links posted by someone else because they'd want the favorites/kudos that come with making a post.)
posted by Rhomboid at 4:35 AM on August 28, 2009
We should just add links to Kongregate and YouTube at the top of the page, and be done with it.
posted by jbickers at 4:36 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by jbickers at 4:36 AM on August 28, 2009
stbalbach: "Perhaps a Twitterish sentence-long description and list the links/description in the Extended Description area. "
But 140 characters doesn't give me enough room to write a sufficiently gushing description for this really cool flash game based on Candleja
posted by Plutor at 4:45 AM on August 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
But 140 characters doesn't give me enough room to write a sufficiently gushing description for this really cool flash game based on Candleja
posted by Plutor at 4:45 AM on August 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
I don't like the idea. A lot of fine posts will disappear down the rabbit hole.
And what problem would this feature solve? It's not like things are scrolling off the front page in a day.
posted by Kattullus at 5:23 AM on August 28, 2009
And what problem would this feature solve? It's not like things are scrolling off the front page in a day.
posted by Kattullus at 5:23 AM on August 28, 2009
And what problem would this feature solve?
Exactly. And if/when we do get enough game submissions that they are a "problem" why not games.metafilter.com? Over on JIG, they have a Friday Linkdump and it's kind of a hassle having the discussions of the different games be all intertwined, not to mention the second-class status of a link being part of a "dump" rather than a full-fledged link.
posted by DU at 5:29 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
Exactly. And if/when we do get enough game submissions that they are a "problem" why not games.metafilter.com? Over on JIG, they have a Friday Linkdump and it's kind of a hassle having the discussions of the different games be all intertwined, not to mention the second-class status of a link being part of a "dump" rather than a full-fledged link.
posted by DU at 5:29 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
Since Metafilter doesn't have threading, combining together completely separate discussion topics is messy.
posted by smackfu at 5:33 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by smackfu at 5:33 AM on August 28, 2009
And what problem would this feature solve?
We could create the problem.
posted by Pants! at 5:57 AM on August 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
We could create the problem.
posted by Pants! at 5:57 AM on August 28, 2009 [2 favorites]
No. It'd be difficult to keep a discussion on track if there are 10 SLYTs in one post.
Or what smackfu said.
posted by desjardins at 6:01 AM on August 28, 2009
Or what smackfu said.
posted by desjardins at 6:01 AM on August 28, 2009
I disapprove. Also, I request coffee and a fresh danish.
posted by ardgedee at 6:34 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by ardgedee at 6:34 AM on August 28, 2009
ardgedee: there's a new donut shop at the corner of Morgan Ford and Connecticut. Their coffee is average, but their danishes are fantastic.
posted by slogger at 6:53 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by slogger at 6:53 AM on August 28, 2009
But, to be serious for a sec, we sometimes see this in specific threads that start with maybe a meh SLYT or a flash game and people start posting links to thing they really actually do like. Those threads are often a ton of fun. That said, there's no real mechanism in place to say "hey this is one of those threads!" they just seem to happen organically which is mostly great.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:10 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:10 AM on August 28, 2009
How about the [automatic?] creation of a sticky post each Friday at a set time to which SLYT and Flash Friday links can be added as comments. The post then goes into the normal flow at midnight every Sunday.
But must admit I don't see a problem with the handful of posts in this category each week.
posted by ceri richard at 7:15 AM on August 28, 2009
But must admit I don't see a problem with the handful of posts in this category each week.
posted by ceri richard at 7:15 AM on August 28, 2009
Throw some porn into the mix and you just might have something.
posted by Sailormom at 7:23 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by Sailormom at 7:23 AM on August 28, 2009
at midnight every Sunday.
Not to be a pain here but even choosing which midnight is a bit of a thing on a site that has people in timezones around the world. Sticky posts are sort of neat on sites that are used to them, though I have to wonder if implementing them here might be confusing and strange for folks. They sort of work, in a fashion, over on music where the challenge stays on the top of the page.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:34 AM on August 28, 2009
Not to be a pain here but even choosing which midnight is a bit of a thing on a site that has people in timezones around the world. Sticky posts are sort of neat on sites that are used to them, though I have to wonder if implementing them here might be confusing and strange for folks. They sort of work, in a fashion, over on music where the challenge stays on the top of the page.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:34 AM on August 28, 2009
Batch posts, and "Open Threads" are bugs rather than features of BB (and Making Light and others). Since commenters are only allowed to post on-topic at heavily-moderated places like BB, side discussions, jokey stuff and crapfloods can't happen. Nor does meta-BB really exist. Metafilter allows open posts unfiltered, is lightly moderated only for truly offensive and/or bad formatting (being off-topic is NOT A CRIME at MeFi) and anyway has the MeTa safety valve, allowing us all our own special snowflakiness.
So, because we can already post SLYTs and Friday Fun Flashies, and have the booed, praised or deleted on their own merits, off-topicically worship at the church of apple or bacon, as our hearts desire, or accuse someone of being worse than a certain Austrian who failed art class, I submit that this pony isn't need in our pastures.
posted by bonehead at 8:01 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
So, because we can already post SLYTs and Friday Fun Flashies, and have the booed, praised or deleted on their own merits, off-topicically worship at the church of apple or bacon, as our hearts desire, or accuse someone of being worse than a certain Austrian who failed art class, I submit that this pony isn't need in our pastures.
posted by bonehead at 8:01 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
I have seen an interesting feature on one board, where additional links that were posted by users got "promoted" to the first post. Automatically appended to the end with their name. So you could have a 5 page post with 100 comments, but all the links were at the top.
It would be an interesting way to do this kind of concept here, if anyone was interested in this kind of concept.
posted by smackfu at 8:08 AM on August 28, 2009
It would be an interesting way to do this kind of concept here, if anyone was interested in this kind of concept.
posted by smackfu at 8:08 AM on August 28, 2009
which midnight
Calibrated to the garden of good and evil.
posted by Abiezer at 8:43 AM on August 28, 2009
Calibrated to the garden of good and evil.
posted by Abiezer at 8:43 AM on August 28, 2009
One of the things that I dislike about this idea is the notion that such things should specifically and only appear on a given day of the week. I realize the internet has tried several times to annoint Friday as the day for Fun with Flash, but the rest of the week is pretty okay too.
But more generally, yeah, I dislike the notion of arbitrary shoehorning content together in a systematic fashion, and I much prefer the organic, poster-driven way things tend to happen now. The impromptu link-aggregation threads that Jessamyn mentioned are great when they happen, but that they just happen when they do instead of on some schedule is I think part of the charm (and helps with the natural pacing of things).
Which all sounds pretty negative. I don't think it's a bad idea per se, I just don't think it sounds like a great plan for mefi, where it'd be an odd fit and doesn't seem like it'd be serving a clear need.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:49 AM on August 28, 2009
But more generally, yeah, I dislike the notion of arbitrary shoehorning content together in a systematic fashion, and I much prefer the organic, poster-driven way things tend to happen now. The impromptu link-aggregation threads that Jessamyn mentioned are great when they happen, but that they just happen when they do instead of on some schedule is I think part of the charm (and helps with the natural pacing of things).
Which all sounds pretty negative. I don't think it's a bad idea per se, I just don't think it sounds like a great plan for mefi, where it'd be an odd fit and doesn't seem like it'd be serving a clear need.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:49 AM on August 28, 2009
I think just a single universal tag for each would be a good step in the right direction. Hey, sometimes I'm in the mood for a bunch of SLYTs, but trying to find the most recent ones is a bit difficult.
flashfriday
slyt or maybe youtube
Can we all agree to use these?
posted by soelo at 9:31 AM on August 28, 2009
flashfriday
slyt or maybe youtube
Can we all agree to use these?
posted by soelo at 9:31 AM on August 28, 2009
soelo's suggestion of standard "flashfriday" and "slyt" tags is an excellent one and should become standard practice if there is any justice in this crazy world.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:21 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:21 AM on August 28, 2009
If there's anything that's easy to standardize, it's tag usage.
posted by Plutor at 12:09 PM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Plutor at 12:09 PM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]
> If there's anything that's easy to standardize, it's tag usage.
Mefites have proven they can standardize on the, and, and of. slyt should not be a problem at all.
posted by ardgedee at 12:35 PM on August 28, 2009
Mefites have proven they can standardize on the, and, and of. slyt should not be a problem at all.
posted by ardgedee at 12:35 PM on August 28, 2009
I wasn't hoping for standardization as much as a general trend that will make it much easier for me (and I was only thinking of myself here, really) to browse all of these at a glance. You see I can read text easily on my phone, but flash and video not so much. So those get saved for later, when I have time for one long gaming session or youtube brain drain.
posted by soelo at 12:59 PM on August 28, 2009
posted by soelo at 12:59 PM on August 28, 2009
I'm actually okay at adding extra tags and I could prorbably remember to add slyt when I see it. I bet pb could make a little crawlbot that could do it in cases where people mention it in the post (which they often do)
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:27 PM on August 28, 2009
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:27 PM on August 28, 2009
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posted by carsonb at 4:08 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]