Keyboard shortcut to show new comments? February 24, 2011 2:11 PM   Subscribe

Low priority comment refresh Nigerian Dwarf Goat (a request even smaller than a tiny pony): keyboard shortcut to activate showing new comments.

The AJAX comment updater is awesome, but I was thinking it could be even more awesome if hitting a key (like say 'r') would do the same thing as clicking "show". This would be especially great for people who use j/k to move up and down a thread.

I know y'all are still working on rolling out the updater to the whole site, but hopefully this could be something to consider for after that.
posted by kmz to Feature Requests at 2:11 PM (59 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite

F5

sorry
posted by bdave at 2:16 PM on February 24, 2011 [4 favorites]


It should be mehhhhhhh
posted by iamkimiam at 2:16 PM on February 24, 2011


Also, 'r' is being held for the pirate's seahorse.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:20 PM on February 24, 2011


Some videos are so cute that after you are done watching them you feel the need to hug everything involved and then burn down your neighbors house just to reclaim some kind of internal equilibrium.

This was one of those videos.

*grabs gas can and lighter, walks off to neighbors yard whistling...*
posted by quin at 2:28 PM on February 24, 2011 [8 favorites]


I'd like to think that that corgi would like to eat that little goat.

I think it's far more likely that the corgi would really, really, really, really like that goat to go in the box. Because corgis herd, goats need herding, and the box is right. there.

The corgi is just trying to figure out why these pieces aren't all falling together even after a nose-poke.
posted by quin at 2:33 PM on February 24, 2011 [11 favorites]


Sorry, quin's neighbor.
posted by kmz at 2:34 PM on February 24, 2011 [2 favorites]


I actually gasped when I saw how tiny that goat is. I think the answer to this thread is Metafilter needs more tiny goats. On every page. Thanks.
posted by MadamM at 3:03 PM on February 24, 2011 [9 favorites]


I think MadamM has it, personally.

I'm ambivalent about keyboard shortcuts. You can just hit F5 but then you have to reload the who page. I get a sore hand from mousing too much but never remember to use the keyboard shortcuts anyway. So it is a good idea and probably should be done but I wouldn't notice if it isn't.

Whereas tiny tiny goats I would notice and be happy.
posted by shelleycat at 3:14 PM on February 24, 2011


While you're at it, could you push this out to twitter.com, too?
posted by misterbrandt at 3:23 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


It would be even more amazing if you didn't have to press it and new comments were denoted by a light left-border color like on Facebook.
posted by geoff. at 3:30 PM on February 24, 2011


Since you can already navigate to the "show" area via the ./, navigation on the page, it would be nice if hitting Enter would just activate the "show" link. Not sure how complicated that would be though.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 3:34 PM on February 24, 2011


F5

While you're at it, could you push this out to twitter.com, too?

It would be even more amazing if you didn't have to press it and new comments were denoted by a light left-border color like on Facebook.

If you're against the AJAX updater itself, that boat's already sailed. I would say this is just a logical extension of the current functionality.
posted by kmz at 3:54 PM on February 24, 2011


What about us mobile site users? We don't get keyboard shortcuts, and it's so much work to touch the show new comments link every time. How about you make it so that new comments appear if I tilt the phone?

And then you can move on to the part where it posts a well thought-out comment if I shake it up and down, or a witty quip if I turn it upside down quickly. And if I tap the battery cover three times and then whistle "Camptown Races" into the mic, I get a favorite.
posted by kyleg at 3:56 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


I like that tiny goat. I have no opinion about the tiny pony request. I think pb is stuck in the Portland SNOWPOCALYPSE along with the rest of Team Mod so all you have is me and I can't do anything but share your goat appreciation and maybe call the police on quin's neighbor....
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:56 PM on February 24, 2011


Whatever keyboard shortcut is used, don't make it the Any key. I still haven't found that one.
posted by perhapses at 3:57 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


I would like my neural implants now please.

also so I can watch goats play with dogs wherever i look thx
posted by not_on_display at 3:59 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


I think I've said it before, but be careful when buying pygmy and dwarf goats. A classic scam in the Farmers and Consumers Market Bulletin (published by the Georgia Department of Agriculture) is to list pygmy goat kids at inflated pygmy goat kid prices but pull the old bait and switch - by the time the "pygmy" kid is 30" tall the seller is long gone and you're stuck with a 100 pound ornery meat goat that hates you because it can never be what you really want.

Videos like this are prime marketing material for these scammers.
posted by ChrisHartley at 4:08 PM on February 24, 2011 [4 favorites]


That high pitched sound you're hearing? That's me squeeeeeing at the tiny goat.
posted by deborah at 4:12 PM on February 24, 2011


But goat is delicious.
posted by kmz at 4:12 PM on February 24, 2011


I bet little tiny baby goat is even deliciouser.
posted by heyho at 4:13 PM on February 24, 2011


MetaFilter: 100 pound ornery meat goat that hates you because it can never be what you really want.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:18 PM on February 24, 2011 [16 favorites]


That baby goat is cute, BUT THIS PILE OF BABY NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS FROM MY BEST FRIEND'S FARM COULD MELT EVEN THE HARDEST SEO SPAMMERS HEART

They were born a couple days ago
posted by Blasdelb at 4:22 PM on February 24, 2011 [11 favorites]


That pile of baby "nigerian" "dwarf" goats? It's called a 419 scam. Google it.
posted by ChrisHartley at 4:44 PM on February 24, 2011


How 'bout if somebody writes a Greasemonkey script (like the unicorn-post-comment and narwhal-preview) to make the Show into a dwarf goat? Win-win.
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:08 PM on February 24, 2011


I think the corgi is trying to sniff the goat's bottom, but the goat hasn't figured it out, so keeps presenting the wrong end.

(I have no opinion about the request.)
posted by lollusc at 5:10 PM on February 24, 2011


I think pb is stuck in the Portland SNOWPOCALYPSE...

I managed to tunnel my way out to this MetaTalk thread, but I only have minutes before one of these sliding cars crash into me.

Yeah, we'll think about this for the next version. The first question that pops into my mind is: which key would it be? No matter which one we pick someone will be using it for something. Browsers have shortcut keys, programs have shortcut keys, the OS has shortcut keys and we still get complaints about j/k for navigation. So we'd need to find one with as few conflicts as possible that makes enough sense for people to remember the key. j/k has emerged as a standard across dozens of sites, so we're riding a wave there. This 'show' key would be unique to MetaFilter.
posted by pb (staff) at 5:15 PM on February 24, 2011


Um, Corgis ride goats. In races. Has Tasha Tudor taught you people nothing?
posted by staggernation at 5:29 PM on February 24, 2011


Jesus. Why didn't I know about tiny goats until now. I need one immediately.
posted by something something at 5:46 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


Hey, look: the j and k keys scroll the page up and down!

But they are right in the middle of everything and they scroll just a tiny bit at a time. Spacebar! Can't miss that fat bastard and it scrolls down a whole visible page at a time. Shift space to go back up.
posted by dirtdirt at 5:48 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


I was thinking the 'r' key because that's refresh in Google Reader, but I'd be happy with anything.
posted by kmz at 5:52 PM on February 24, 2011


The first question that pops into my mind is: which key would it be?

g for goat, obviously.
posted by homunculus at 5:53 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


I think maybe the goat wants to nurse on the Corgi.
posted by Mister_A at 6:52 PM on February 24, 2011


"g for goat, obviously."

Now that would totally get my goat, I'm so very sorry
posted by Blasdelb at 7:02 PM on February 24, 2011


I have some questions about that video. Why was it filmed in arrow-slit-vision? And who puts a dog and a goat in a room full of white furniture and rugs?
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:36 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


And who puts a dog and a goat in a room full of white furniture and rugs?

I am in a room with white furniture and rugs. Also in this room is my husband. And he believes that nothing would enhance this room more than a dog and a goat. Apparently, there is at least one other person with this outlook.
posted by sonika at 7:42 PM on February 24, 2011


Greasemonkey corgi Nigerian baby
goats and white furniture pony just maybe
pb Snowpacalypse tunneled his way
These are a few things I see on the gray
posted by cashman at 7:59 PM on February 24, 2011 [7 favorites]


Why do I not own a tiny tiny tiny goatling? This is a flaw in the universe. Also, yes, I think 'r' would do nicely and I think this is a good idea.
posted by lriG rorriM at 8:35 PM on February 24, 2011


pops into my mind is: which key would it be? No matter which one we pick someone will be using it for something.

What if 'j' scrolled down until you were at the bottom, and then one more press showed more comments?

...says the guy who doesn't have any idea how complicated that would be.
posted by ctmf at 8:38 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


Why 'R' though? Is it an arbitrary choice? Ctrl+R is a reload in most browsers, so that key already has a heavy association. You're not reloading when you click 'show'.

and then one more press showed more comments?

It's too easy to accidentally repeat a key. We'd need to use a different key to make sure the intent to show more is there.
posted by pb (staff) at 8:52 PM on February 24, 2011


Also, the most nerdily awesome, if not terribly short-cutty, undocumented easter egg ever would be an edit box that popped up when you pressed M-x, and then parsed the input 'show-more' to show more comments.
posted by ctmf at 8:52 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


to make sure the intent to show more is there.

Eh, I don't know. Would someone really get upset if they accidentally showed more comments once in a while scrolling down? It's not destructive or navigate away from the page or anything.

Anyway, just throwing it out there, not questioning the guy who actually does it (and a damn fine job of it, too.)
posted by ctmf at 8:55 PM on February 24, 2011


pb writes "Yeah, we'll think about this for the next version. The first question that pops into my mind is: which key would it be? No matter which one we pick someone will be using it for something. Browsers have shortcut keys, programs have shortcut keys, the OS has shortcut keys and we still get complaints about j/k for navigation. So we'd need to find one with as few conflicts as possible that makes enough sense for people to remember the key. j/k has emerged as a standard across dozens of sites, so we're riding a wave there. This 'show' key would be unique to MetaFilter."

Some awkward meta chord like Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R would be fitting. Seriously though, F5 and Ctrl+R already do this; or is there something wrong with those keys.

On preview ctmf's idea would be shiny.
posted by Mitheral at 8:55 PM on February 24, 2011


The more at the end of the page on j idea that is.
posted by Mitheral at 8:57 PM on February 24, 2011


Seriously though, F5 and Ctrl+R already do this; or is there something wrong with those keys.

But again, those keys worked before the AJAX updater to load new comments too. The point is to take advantage of the AJAX updater from the keyboard.

And as I said, 'R' is refresh in Google Reader. It loads any new entries in the feed(s) you're looking at, and I thought it was fitting. I think it might refresh in other Google pages too, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, it's not a big deal, and I'm just happy it's even being considered.
posted by kmz at 9:08 PM on February 24, 2011


Omg cutest video. And the addition of the Flickr set just capped off the day!
posted by radioamy at 9:08 PM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]


If you're using jk you already have your finger right by the L. I don't think that's associated with anything.
posted by amethysts at 9:10 PM on February 24, 2011


Would someone really get upset if they accidentally showed more comments once in a while scrolling down?

You would be surprised what people get upset about.
posted by pb (staff) at 9:38 PM on February 24, 2011 [5 favorites]


which key would it be?

The meta key, of course.
posted by ctmf at 10:33 PM on February 24, 2011


maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:43 PM on February 24, 2011


If I'm at the bottom of the page and I hit 'j' that would make sense to trigger the 'load more comments' function.

On another note, could 'load more comments' be changed so that it doesn't stack up pages in my back button history?
posted by Space Coyote at 1:37 AM on February 25, 2011


Eh, I don't know. Would someone really get upset if they accidentally showed more comments once in a while scrolling down? It's not destructive or navigate away from the page or anything.

Yeah people are used to continuing scrolling in Twitter, and having it require a keypress would be less intrusive than reacting to hitting the bottom from a quick scroll. Also you have to press 'j' a bunch of times to get right down to the last comment, most people would stop hitting 'j' once the last comment is visible at the bottom of the screen. Having 'j' then reload the comments would make it more discoverable than eating up another key.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:40 AM on February 25, 2011


...could 'load more comments' be changed so that it doesn't stack up pages in my back button history?

We had several complaints that the load new comments "broke" the back button so now we change the URL whenever you click 'show'. It's a trade off. We felt like having a few extra pages in your history is better than not being able to get back to a particular state.
posted by pb (staff) at 7:22 AM on February 25, 2011


kmz, you misunderstood. I am absolutely in favor of this goat. My "can you push this out to twitter" comment was intended to convey that I have the same problem on twitter: the "1 new tweet" thing slides in, but I have to use my mouse to click it?? LAME. Let us hope that pb can demonstrate once and for all that Metafilter is superior to Twitter.

Also: if there is a keyboard shortcut for the twitter thing, plz let me know.
posted by misterbrandt at 8:09 AM on February 25, 2011


Ah, my apologies! I guess my default mode is to interpret everything as snark. Yeah, Twitter could definitely use it as well, though I don't check Twitter nearly as much as I check Metafilter.
posted by kmz at 8:30 AM on February 25, 2011


The . key loads more comments in the "new" Twitter. Here at work, it takes a second or two to work. I swear I saw that written somewhere, but I can't find it now in the help documentation.
posted by ctmf at 9:37 AM on February 25, 2011 [1 favorite]


I kind of feel bad for the corgi.

GO IN THE BOX WHY WON'T YOU GO IN THE BOX YOU ARE A GOAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GO IN THE BOX
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:33 AM on February 25, 2011 [2 favorites]


I thought the corgi was just confused. I KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO HERD YOU. BUT WHY ARE YOU SHORTER THAN ME?
posted by Zed at 3:38 PM on February 25, 2011


ctmf, awesome. thanks! ............
posted by misterbrandt at 9:04 PM on February 25, 2011


Goat Stampede!
posted by homunculus at 1:23 PM on March 20, 2011


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