This First-Page Party's Got to Go! Hey Hey! April 1, 2012 7:48 AM   Subscribe

Why do we treat FPPs differently?

A lot of times in MetaTalk, it seems that FPPs are treated differently than other posts. For Example. Why are FPPs treated differently? Shouldn't they be judged in the same way as a one-favorite post? It's not the post or the poster's fault that 30 people liked it.
posted by benbenson to MetaFilter-Related at 7:48 AM (258 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

What do you mean differently?
posted by daniel_charms at 7:50 AM on April 1, 2012


Yes, clarify please.
posted by lampshade at 7:52 AM on April 1, 2012


And from what?
posted by daniel_charms at 7:52 AM on April 1, 2012


I thought 'FPP' meant 'front-page post,' but suddenly I'm not so sure.
posted by box at 7:52 AM on April 1, 2012


I have also always read FPP as "front page post"; I'd be curious to hear if I am wrong on this.
posted by Forktine at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2012


Hey, nice gag!
posted by box at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2012


yeah, FPP just means Front Page Post. I think maybe benbenson was thinking it indicated something about favorites.
posted by taz (staff) at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2012


April fools!
posted by yeoz at 7:57 AM on April 1, 2012


Sounds like a First-Page Problem.
posted by box at 7:58 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


As opposed to say, OPP, which I am totally down with. Yeah, you know me.
posted by briank at 7:58 AM on April 1, 2012 [32 favorites]


I was hoping this meant cortex went through the whole userbase and came up with a Staff tag joke for every member individually, but alas.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:59 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Sorry, I suppose I should've explained better. It seems that FPPs are held to a higher standard. People will describe a problem with a post and identify it as a FPP, as if this is relevant. Sometimes it is, when the post's popularity matters. But if we're just talking about whether a post is scammy or self-linking or whatever, what's the difference?
posted by benbenson at 7:59 AM on April 1, 2012


I am at a loss to understand the question.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:59 AM on April 1, 2012


box, see also: April Frist!
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:00 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


can't tell if confused

[squinty Fry]

or April Fool's
posted by mendel at 8:01 AM on April 1, 2012 [13 favorites]


Yeah, benbenson, what do you think "FPP" means? It's just an acronym for "front page post", and could be applied equally validly to every single post to the front page; it carries no qualitative or descriptive weight, it just means "a post that someone made to metafilter". Some people use the acronym, others do not. It's like calling something soda or pop or sugar water or Coke.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:01 AM on April 1, 2012


benbenson, there's no difference. An FPP is an abbreviation, which is quicker to type. A "P", rather than an "FPP" would likely confuse people.
posted by Solomon at 8:02 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Wut?
posted by Lord_Pall at 8:04 AM on April 1, 2012


It seems that FPPs are held to a higher standard.

...than... ?
posted by Aquaman at 8:04 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Fucking Problem Post?
posted by daniel_charms at 8:05 AM on April 1, 2012


Oh this awesome :)
posted by DarlingBri at 8:05 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


Fish in Pants Post.
posted by daniel_charms at 8:06 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


A "P", rather than an "FPP" would likely confuse people.

I thought that only FPPs are posts, and the rest of the things in a thread are comments. No?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:06 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I am not stout; I am substantial.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:07 AM on April 1, 2012


And now that comment makes no sense, because the labels keep changing. It's diabolical.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:08 AM on April 1, 2012


It sounds as if benbenson thinks that the front page of MetaFilter works like, eg, Reddit, where popular posts float to the top, and (presumably) that favourites work like upvotes?

Either that or this is an April Fool I really don't understand.

I thought that only FPPs are posts, and the rest of the things in a thread are comments. No?

Yeah, 'FPP' doesn't make a lick of sense - there are posts and there are comments.
posted by jack_mo at 8:10 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Or there are FPPs, and then there are posts on AskMe and MetaTalk and, uh, the other one, Travel.
posted by box at 8:11 AM on April 1, 2012


FPP refers to any post made on the blue. Any of them. It has nothing to do with how popular a post is or how many favorites it has. And assuming that FPP did mean Front Page Party (which it will to me from now on), how are they treated differently?
posted by iconomy at 8:13 AM on April 1, 2012


How do we pronounce FPP? Eff pee pee? Fup? Fip?

I vote Fippy.
posted by zarq at 8:13 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I think FPP started at kuro5hin.org, where all posts were assigned to non-front-page tabs, and only posts designated the best of the best made the front page. At K5, FPP meant quality user-generated content, and people were protective of it.

I came to metafilter through kuro5hin, like a lot of people (remember the MET4FILTER April Fool's Day prank?). That sense of community and my engagement with it came with me as well as some of the K5-specific vocabulary. Now, for better or for worse, some people on metafilter use FPP to mean posts to the blue, just like how some people say hero and some say submarine sandwich. That protectiveness has come over as well for some, I think, even though the content of posts are entirely different at MeFi and K5.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:13 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


Fickle Poopy-Pants
posted by pyrex at 8:17 AM on April 1, 2012


We could always go with FP (metaFilter Post), AP (Ask metafilter Post), MP (metafilter Music Post), and so on. On the other hand, that would gives us TP for MeTa and PP for Projects, which...
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:18 AM on April 1, 2012


I pronounce "FPP" out loud as "eff pee pee" or "Front Page Post". In my head, though, I pronounce if Fihppppp with lots of lip flapping on the end of the word.
posted by rmd1023 at 8:19 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


This appears to be the wrong day to ask the question!
posted by benbenson at 8:19 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


...would be awesome?
posted by davidjmcgee at 8:19 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Yeah, 'FPP' doesn't make a lick of sense - there are posts and there are comments.

It's worth remembering that "FPP" as a mefi-specific acronym emerged very early in Mefi's life and hence very early in the development of working jargon about the moving parts of blog type stuff in general. These days the idea that a comment is a thing attached to a post is a bit more regularized in general (though you still run into confusion over local customs for this), but a decade ago that may not have been so much the case.

And since mefi as a self-reflecting community was itself still new and without a firmed-up local jargon people played around with different ways to make it clear what they were talking about -- if you wanted to make sure people knew what you meant when you said "post", you qualified it as "front page post" so that people who might otherwise think you're talking about a post to Metatalk, or who use "post" interchangably to mean comment, would know what specific kind of creature you were talking about. But that was wordy, so why not abbreviate it to FPP?

Though Matt wasn't really thrilled with FPP specifically because it's kind of opaque. You'll note it's not something we really use much in any official capacity to describe stuff. What works just fine is to say "post" when you're talking about a post, and qualify the subsite where it's not clear from context, e.g. "metafilter post" or "post to the blue" or "post to the front page of metafilter" or "this weird post about cats".
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:20 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


For the record, I agree with the OP.
posted by mazola at 8:21 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


And benbenson, as one of the folks who actually works here and is one hundred percent on my honor not fucking with you, I want to reiterate that I literally do not know what you mean and think you are misunderstanding what "FPP" means, which makes it impossible to know what you're asking. Can you restate your question without using the acronym "FPP", please?
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:21 AM on April 1, 2012 [15 favorites]


...would be awesome?

I guess it would let us have sentences like "I can handle the PP of the OP, but his TP from last week was in bad taste."
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:24 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


and then there are posts on AskMe and MetaTalk and, uh, the other one, Travel

Everybody forgets Projects

and really everybody forgets Music
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:26 AM on April 1, 2012


FPP defined.
(Front Page Post is in there btw)
posted by lampshade at 8:26 AM on April 1, 2012


Fart Party Penis
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:28 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


as one of the folks who actually works here -- we're apparently all on the payroll today.
posted by crunchland at 8:29 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


mazola: great!

what is it you are agreeing with?
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:29 AM on April 1, 2012


A post here is a FPP, a post here is a MeTa, and a post here is an AskMe, but an OP posted every one of them. HTH.
posted by Edogy at 8:34 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Why do we treat FPPs differently?

Because some posts are from the wrong side of the tracks and we don't want that short of riff raff in the drawing room.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:43 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's worth remembering that "FPP" as a mefi-specific acronym emerged very early in Mefi's life and hence very early in the development of working jargon about the moving parts of blog type stuff in general

Ah, good point. I suppose that by the time I turned up here 'posts' and 'comments' had become standard vocab, so I've wasted minutes - maybe as much as half an hour! - of the last decade being annoyed by 'FPP' and 'OP' without considering them as relics of a bygone age.

You'll note it's not something we really use much in any official capacity to describe stuff.

I have noted that, and always nod appreciatively when I see you lot doing it. Which probably makes me sound like a beanplating loon.

A post here is a FPP, a post here is a MeTa, and a post here is an AskMe, but an OP posted every one of them. HTH.

They're all just posts to the various sites; there's only one poster per post, so OP is redundant.

Gah, that's another couple of minutes of the decade wasted.
posted by jack_mo at 8:46 AM on April 1, 2012


I think that what benbenson is trying to say is why do we not front page a favourited linked post in the comments when no one takes it to Meta and the upvote/downvote quotient exceeds the derail threshold on the unflagged comments in the adjacent thread.
posted by Decani at 8:49 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


That cortex user is hilarious, if a bit mean to be fucking with benbenson like that. I guess that sort of behaviour is okay considering what day it is.
posted by gman at 8:49 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Go on.
posted by asuprenant at 8:51 AM on April 1, 2012


but an OP posted every one of them.

Oh man, "OP" is the worst of the lot, (and is also an import from elsewhere I believe, not site-originating jargon). Because, yeah, not only is it opaque, it's also overloaded in use; some folks also say "OP" to mean "Original Post", i.e. the post in question, as if there were other posts involved, but also some folks say "OP" to mean "Original Poster", i.e. the person who made the post in question (as if there were other posters involved? There's one poster and a bunch of commentors!). Let's have a discussion about the OP's OP! Gah!
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:53 AM on April 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


> This appears to be the wrong day to ask the question!
posted by benbenson (gaffe) at 11:19 AM on April 1


Epomodbadgisterical!

Also:

sorry i was made these post because a error...

administrator!!! please hope me!


(Oh man, this one's a keeper.)
posted by languagehat at 8:53 AM on April 1, 2012 [7 favorites]


You know, folks, it was a simple question..and has a simple answer.

"Why do we treat FPPs differently?"

Because we're FPPist.

/ well, simple until you factor in the influence of the GITW (Great Image Tag Wars), which ripped the community apart and pushed us all back to ASCII graphics, God knows that conflict changed things forever!
posted by HuronBob at 8:56 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


OP, original poster.
posted by box at 8:57 AM on April 1, 2012


there's only one poster per post, so OP is redundant.

Not if it's a double or triple post. Hence, first person to post the link (OP). Next person to post the link is the double poster (DP), third is the triple poster (TP), etc.

Sometimes a FPP is linked as [previously] in a new FPP. The poster that references the original FPP as 'previously' then becomes a 'secondary poster' (2P). While there can be only one OP in a FPP, there can be many 2Ps to the same FPP. To track their reference, we order them: hence, first reference as 'previously' is 2P1, second appearance as 'previously' 2P2, etc.
posted by mazola at 8:59 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
posted by Trochanter at 9:00 AM on April 1, 2012 [6 favorites]


How is babby formed?
posted by Trochanter at 9:01 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm contributing!
posted by slimepuppy at 9:02 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Benben, the front page has specific guidelines for posting. If one is going to post something "on the blue" it needs to follow those guidelines. People who think a post isn't good enough go to the gray to complain. The first I remember seeing was a complaint saying that an FPP about omg kittens!!! was an affront to the site. (but they were very cute kittens that day.)

Posts are made directly to the front page. They are not promoted to it by favoriting.

Does this help?
posted by SLC Mom at 9:06 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Wait, how is OP different from OPP? And are we down with it? Or just OPB?
posted by dw at 9:07 AM on April 1, 2012


We could always go with FP (metaFilter Post), AP (Ask metafilter Post), MP (metafilter Music Post), and so on. On the other hand, that would gives us TP for MeTa and PP for Projects, which...

Would make us sound like an rpg.

but also some folks say "OP" to mean "Original Poster", i.e. the person who made the post in question (as if there were other posters involved? There's one poster and a bunch of commentors!)

On the other hand, saying, 'Poster, could you clarify this?' would make me sound as if I were talking to my wall.
posted by ersatz at 9:09 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


If I were the OP here, I would feel embarrassed and I would not want to come back to clarify myself. Maybe give him a chance before starting with the jokey responses?
posted by vincele at 9:10 AM on April 1, 2012


Apparently nobody (including me) reads the post titles around here. The OP seems to think that FPP means 'First-Page Party'.
posted by daniel_charms at 9:10 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


(Discuss.)
posted by daniel_charms at 9:11 AM on April 1, 2012


OPB, WTF? OPB!
posted by flabdablet at 9:12 AM on April 1, 2012


The Cabal is going to have to change its name now that it's been outed as the First-Page Party.
posted by hippybear at 9:16 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I have nothing to say except that I want to see what my title/tag will be
posted by radioamy at 9:23 AM on April 1, 2012


Are all of the tags usernames?
posted by radioamy at 9:24 AM on April 1, 2012


We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all FPPs are created equal.
posted by mazola at 9:33 AM on April 1, 2012


˙əɯosəɹıʇ əq oʇ sʞuɐɹd ʎɐp slooɟ lıɹdɐ əsəɥʇ puıɟ ı
posted by Bonzai at 9:35 AM on April 1, 2012


I'm still waiting for benbenson to explain. Everyone else has made guesses as to what this question is about, some of which might be right, but nothing's been confirmed.

benbenson? What are you trying to ask? Because... what are you TRYING TO ASK OMG WHAT?
posted by tzikeh at 9:40 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


benbenson? What are you trying to ask? Because... what are you TRYING TO ASK OMG WHAT?
posted by tzikeh (calved) at 11:40 on April 1 [+] [!]


I would tell you 'Don't have a cow,' but.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:44 AM on April 1, 2012


This appears to be the wrong day to ask the question!

Unless it's a wry April Fools Joke, it may have been. As cortex says above, we are not sure what you mean. FPP here on the site just means "front page post" and so there is literally no difference between something called an FPP and any other post on the front page of metafilter.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:46 AM on April 1, 2012


soda or pop or sugar water or Coke

Wait, what? Who uses sugar water as term for anything but water with sugar in it, aka simple syrup? That's even weirder than calling all pop coke.
posted by nooneyouknow at 9:49 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Just posting to check out the gag.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 9:53 AM on April 1, 2012


Keep it down in here, I have a headache.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 9:58 AM on April 1, 2012


Are you the guy with his spoon in the creamed spinach?
posted by mintcake! at 10:01 AM on April 1, 2012


I'm just commenting to see my title.
posted by roll truck roll at 10:03 AM on April 1, 2012


There are free titles?
posted by antiwiggle at 10:05 AM on April 1, 2012


*crosses fingers, hopes for the coolest modlink epithet*
posted by byanyothername at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2012


It's not the post or the poster's fault that 0 people liked it.
posted by so_gracefully at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2012


roll truck roll: "I'm just commenting to see my title."

Me too!
posted by dismas at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2012


Aw yeah. Stuff.
posted by byanyothername at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2012


WAIT IT COMPLETELY IS.
posted by so_gracefully at 10:07 AM on April 1, 2012


Does anyone else see "Premium Level Member" with 5 gold stars next to their name? Because I do. Or do I?
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:08 AM on April 1, 2012


I was getting very, very confused about the sudden proliferation of mods.
posted by charmcityblues at 10:09 AM on April 1, 2012


I agree with everyone.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:09 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


what are you TRYING TO ASK OMG WHAT? Matt? He's hurt? A tree's fallen, and he can't get his leg out? Over past Old Man Richard's farm?

benbenson you saved the day!!!1
posted by Meatbomb at 10:10 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


The hell you do.
posted by Trochanter at 10:10 AM on April 1, 2012


There is totally a free title thread over here, and it is still our assumption that benbenson was actually asking a question here, so if you just want to see the tags maybe go make the throwaway comment over there.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:11 AM on April 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


posted by Meatbomb (SHAFT) at 6:10 PM on April 1 [+] [!]

Well, that's awesome.
posted by Jehan at 10:16 AM on April 1, 2012


Maybe give him a chance before starting with the jokey responses?

That's pretty fair. Tell you what, benbenson - if you're still confused and want to ask about this quietly send me a MeMail. (I'm just some dude, not a mod or anything FWIW.) Also, MetaTalk is where all of the screwing around happens, so if you're agitated by how this thread is going please don't think it's personal or that this is a goof on you.
posted by mintcake! at 10:17 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


and also, today is a particularly screwey day.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:25 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


All posts to MetaFilter start out on the front page, and are gradually shifted down the page as new posts are made. All Metafilter posts are listed chronologically. It has nothing to do with popularity. And all Metafilter posts are held to the same standards, regardless of whether they are brand new, or 10 hours old.

The rules for Metafilter, AskMetafilter, and MetaTalk are all slightly different, though. Maybe that's what is confusing you?
posted by MexicanYenta at 10:26 AM on April 1, 2012


FPP and Post are interchangeable. They are the same thing. No difference. If you post in a thread it's a comment.
posted by Splunge at 10:39 AM on April 1, 2012


And even if we have one favourite, we have one. HAH! Even if we have ALL THE FAVOURITES! Even if we FPP so far above our heads that our noses bleed for a week to ten days; even if God in Heaven above comes down and favourites our post; even if every man, woman and child held hands together and prayed for our post to have more favourites, it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking MeFites would still go over to MetaTalk because they're FPPists. It just doesn't matter if we have one favourite, or thirty. IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

Rest of group: IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER...
posted by peagood at 10:42 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I just want to see what it says next to my name.
posted by dame at 10:48 AM on April 1, 2012


Someone's tag was STARBURNS. I am happy.
posted by Occula at 10:52 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I yearn for a meaningful tag.
posted by MustardTent at 10:55 AM on April 1, 2012


Damn
posted by MustardTent at 10:55 AM on April 1, 2012


My name is Alex.
posted by subbes at 11:09 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


Whosawhatsit?
posted by experiencing a significant gravitas shortfall at 11:11 AM on April 1, 2012


What...
posted by zennie at 11:25 AM on April 1, 2012


FPP for 500, Alex.
posted by zennie at 11:26 AM on April 1, 2012


I feel special today too.
posted by zennie at 11:27 AM on April 1, 2012


Shut it down!
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 11:29 AM on April 1, 2012


Came for the tag.
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 11:37 AM on April 1, 2012


I think we can close this up now.
posted by supercres at 11:59 AM on April 1, 2012


there's only one poster per post, so OP is redundant.

Not so, I just posted this comment.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 12:01 PM on April 1, 2012


Dang it, I think we should treat FPPs differently. There, I said it.
posted by found missing at 12:02 PM on April 1, 2012


Or, maybe I didn't understand the question.
posted by found missing at 12:03 PM on April 1, 2012


Sorry, I suppose I should've explained better. It seems that FPPs are held to a higher standard.

You still haven't explained it. You keep saying "higher." We don't know what that means without any context. Higher than what?
posted by John Cohen at 12:07 PM on April 1, 2012


I'm still really confused.
posted by OmieWise at 12:12 PM on April 1, 2012


Higher than the thing he is comparing it to, obviously.
posted by Justinian at 12:17 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


FPP is OG, that's why.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:19 PM on April 1, 2012


benbenson apparently thinks that 'FPP' stands for 'First-Page Party,' this this is indicated by activity in the thread - favorites and comments (with attendant favorites).

Under this definition, benbenson has noticed a disparity with how 'First-Page Party' posts are held to a higher standard. It is unknown what this standard is higher than.

Since this thread, in this place, on this day, has gone predictably - OP has yet to clarify.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 12:19 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


OP has very sensibly nipped down tit pub.
posted by Trochanter at 12:22 PM on April 1, 2012


It can now be revealed that every time a MeFite uses the acronym "FPP", Matt invests one dollar in FieldPoint Petroleum (FPP), which makes him now the majority shareholder.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:25 PM on April 1, 2012


Keep it down in here, I have a headache.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies (stoooooooooooooned) at 12:58 PM on April 1 [+] [!]


This is the best one yet.

Also, benbenson wants to know why FPPs are not all evaluated against the gold standard of Jackie Wilson. While I love Jackie Wilson, I'm not sure he is useful as a universal metric.
posted by winna at 12:29 PM on April 1, 2012


Judging by the Meta thread he linked to, I think first page party might refer to posts about big announcements/breaking news where most comments tend to be of the "Yay!" or "Awesome!" type. If that's really the case, then the OP is right in that people do tend to hold them to a higher standard.
posted by daniel_charms at 12:31 PM on April 1, 2012


Nice job, wiseguys. Now I'll never know what he meant and the mystery will annoy me forever. Some April Fool's Day this turned out to be!
posted by moxiedoll at 12:32 PM on April 1, 2012


moxiedoll (fapfapfap)

Always a good day.
posted by Trochanter at 12:34 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


This appears to be the wrong day to ask the question!
posted by benbenson (farts) at 3:19 AM on April 2 [1 favorite +] [!]


Farts are funny.
posted by flabdablet at 12:44 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm so sad that come tomorrow, all the titles will be gone...
posted by Gordafarin at 12:44 PM on April 1, 2012


Is this something I'd need to be on drugs to understand?

Because I'm willing to do that. Anybody got any drugs?
posted by BitterOldPunk at 12:46 PM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


I actually cut my workout short (slightly) so I could rush back home to see if benbenson had explained what this MeTa meant and if benbenson has misunderstood and thought FPP meant something other than Front Page Post (i.e., a newly-made post on the blue). Oh, benbenson, you keep me hanging on!

Though now, I must say, I'm curious to see what my faux-mod name will be.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 12:52 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Cool quite a nice april fools day thing. I wonder what I will get?
posted by koolkat at 12:53 PM on April 1, 2012


This is like taters all over again.
posted by andoatnp at 12:54 PM on April 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


>>This appears to be the wrong day to ask the question!

It's the wrong day to fail to understand that every Metafilter post is an FPP. They are synonymous and identical.

(It may be a not ideal acronym to use because it doesn't differentiate, as you assumed it does.)
posted by J. Wilson at 1:01 PM on April 1, 2012


stoat
posted by estlin at 1:06 PM on April 1, 2012


DRUGS FOR EVERYONE!
posted by The Whelk at 1:06 PM on April 1, 2012


Just want to see what my labels is....
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 1:06 PM on April 1, 2012


staves? WTF is that?

*off to dictionary.com*
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 1:07 PM on April 1, 2012


You people are crazy! (And I love every one of you because of that!)
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 1:08 PM on April 1, 2012


I'm on drugs, but any insight I have into this will seem awkward and obvious when I look at my notes later when I sober up.
posted by Burhanistan (stoooooooooooooned) at 12:50 PM on April 1

DRUGS FOR EVERYONE!
posted by The Whelk (stoooooooooooooned) at 1:06 PM on April 1


Makes me think the tags are not so random.
posted by LionIndex at 1:10 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


"Favorited Plenty Post?"
posted by straight at 1:16 PM on April 1, 2012


I bet the mods thought these name tags were going to be an hilarious april fools day joke. I bet they didn't imagine how it would completely destroy Metatalk for the day.
posted by crunchland at 1:17 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Trochanter: "OP has very sensibly nipped down tit pub."

Where is this tit pub you mentioned?
posted by Splunge at 1:18 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


LionIndex: "I'm on drugs, but any insight I have into this will seem awkward and obvious when I look at my notes later when I sober up.
posted by Burhanistan (stoooooooooooooned) at 12:50 PM on April 1

DRUGS FOR EVERYONE!
posted by The Whelk (stoooooooooooooned) at 1:06 PM on April 1


Makes me think the tags are not so random.
"

drugs drugs drugs
posted by Gordafarin at 1:23 PM on April 1, 2012


Gordafarin (stamp out litter) : "drugs drugs drugs"


:(
posted by Gordafarin at 1:23 PM on April 1, 2012


Okay, but what is the difference between FPPs?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 1:33 PM on April 1, 2012



drugs drugs drugs
posted by Gordafarin (waft)


oh I laughed
posted by The Whelk at 1:37 PM on April 1, 2012


Wait, I can get a random tag next to my name? Woo hoo! I get a prize with my first MetaTalk comment. I knew I was saving it for something.
posted by bessel functions seem unnecessarily complicated at 1:55 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Hold on, I think I've got it! It is *we* who treat FPPs differently. You're welcome.
posted by found missing at 2:01 PM on April 1, 2012


it turns out the monster is MAN
posted by The Whelk at 2:07 PM on April 1, 2012


Fabulous Pumpkin Pie
posted by Sys Rq at 2:13 PM on April 1, 2012


I found it, it was under the volvo.
posted by clavdivs at 2:13 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Fish Pooping Pebbles
posted by OsoMeaty at 2:36 PM on April 1, 2012


Has anyone memailed benbenson to get a clarification?
posted by tzikeh at 2:39 PM on April 1, 2012


You're assumption is that benbenson is on mefi to pick up memail, but that he/she isn't tracking the meta that he/she started?
posted by found missing at 2:43 PM on April 1, 2012


Damn you apostrophe.
posted by found missing at 2:43 PM on April 1, 2012


FPP Farmland Protection Program (now Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program)
FPP Frequent Player Points (online poker)
FPP Flash Panorama Player
FPP Florida Professional Photographers
FPP First Past the Post
FPP First Person Perspective
FPP Floating Point Processor
FPP Fully Packaged Product
FPP Family Planning Program
FPP Famous People Players (Toronto)
FPP Fixed Pitch Propeller
FPP Faculty Practice Plan
FPP Family Preservation Program
FPP Patriotic Front for Progress (Central African Republic)
FPP Family Planning Perspectives (journal)
FPP Focal Plane Package
FPP Flexible Polypropylene
FPP fire protection program
FPP Federal Practice and Procedure
FPP Fixed Path Protocol
FPP Front Page Post
FPP Finished Pharmaceutical Product
FPP Frames Per Packet
FPP Foramina Parietalia Permagna
FPP Food Processing and Packaging Equipment
FPP Floridians for Patient Protection
FPP Federal Processor Permit
FPP Forest Peoples Program (UK)
FPP Fast Pattern Processor
FPP Front Panel Programming
FPP Forbidden Planet Productions (George Washington University; Washington, DC)
FPP Force Protection Program (US Army)
FPP Fiber Patch Panel (Nortel)
FPP Fixed Price Project
FPP Full Protection Package (automobile rental)
FPP Firepower Potential
FPP Federation of Polish Patients (Warsaw, Poland)
FPP First Playable Prototype (games industry)
FPP Ferromagnetic Proximity Polarization (physics)
FPP Fuzzy Preference Programming
FPP Force Planning Process
FPP Full Parity Protection
FPP Fully Preemptive Priority
FPP Future Packaging & Preservation, LLC
FPP Financial Project Planning
FPP First Person Plural (various organizations)
FPP Financial Planning Program
FPP Fracture Propagation Pressure (geomechanics)
FPP Fiscal Policies and Procedures
FPP Furry Paws Point (gaming)


I'm gonna for with either First Past the Post, Floating Point Processor or Furry Paws Point.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:48 PM on April 1, 2012


clavdivs: "I found it, it was under the volvo."

DUDE!
posted by Splunge at 2:53 PM on April 1, 2012


Testing
posted by notned at 2:54 PM on April 1, 2012


Hilarious
posted by Mercaptan at 3:02 PM on April 1, 2012


the NPR April Fool's gag was a li'l funny
posted by angrycat at 3:05 PM on April 1, 2012


I bet the mods thought these name tags were going to be an hilarious april fools day joke. I bet they didn't imagine how it would completely destroy Metatalk for the day.
posted by crunchland (scrappy doo) at 1:17 PM on April 1 [+] [!]


Destroy it? Or raise it to unprecedented heights of AWESOME?!?

usually all it takes to destroy a MetaTalk post is one comment from crunchland - BURN
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:05 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


While I love Jackie Wilson, I'm not sure he is useful as a universal metric.
posted by winna (karen carpenter) at 3:29 PM on April 1 [+] [!]


Well, you would say that wouldn't you, winna karen carpenter?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:06 PM on April 1, 2012


I was just under the Volvo and I didn't see shit.
posted by From Bklyn at 3:06 PM on April 1, 2012


I think if this was a serious question benbenson would at some point have clarified what his question actually meant. Survey says: APRIL FOOLS.
posted by Justinian at 3:06 PM on April 1, 2012


I think I understand the problem.
posted by Auguris at 3:10 PM on April 1, 2012


I'm so sad that come tomorrow, all the titles will be gone...

I would be sad, if it didn't cause uncontrollable threadshitting despite a post specifically devoted to getting a special name - that people seem incapable of seeing despite the fact it was all of two posts below this one.
posted by smoke at 3:11 PM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


I treat FPPs differently. I'm not afraid to say it.
posted by Quonab at 3:18 PM on April 1, 2012


FFPs are to be cared for and loved, like a baby snail or pair of extra expensive stockings. You know what I'm saying? YES.
posted by but no cigar at 3:23 PM on April 1, 2012


I want my new title to be permanent.
posted by sourwookie at 3:46 PM on April 1, 2012


nothing to say here
posted by a humble nudibranch at 3:56 PM on April 1, 2012


.
posted by a shrill fucking shitstripe at 4:00 PM on April 1, 2012


I am on lots of drugs and believe me you, it ain't helping.
posted by deborah at 4:05 PM on April 1, 2012


I'm so confoosed.
posted by chunking express at 4:06 PM on April 1, 2012


Will my admin tag change if I post again?
posted by chunking express at 4:07 PM on April 1, 2012


Ugh. I hate April Fool's Day (except for the other MeTa thread with all the cool mod signifiers) because I'm stupid. If anyone figures out what Benbenson is talking about could you MeFiMail me? 'Cuz I'm gonna take a nap now.
posted by trip and a half at 4:08 PM on April 1, 2012


Will my admin tag change if I post again?

It'll change if you post again, refresh, or click on the thing showing new comments.
posted by LionIndex at 4:16 PM on April 1, 2012


crunchland: " -- we're apparently all on the payroll today."

That's gonna make tax time a bitch.
posted by dg at 4:27 PM on April 1, 2012


i have nothing to add, i just wanted to see what my tag is
posted by radiosilents at 4:30 PM on April 1, 2012


^ HOW TRUE
posted by radiosilents at 4:30 PM on April 1, 2012


oh, it changes! ok, now i'll stop chattering.
posted by radiosilents at 4:30 PM on April 1, 2012


My eyeball hurt.
posted by Sassyfras at 4:34 PM on April 1, 2012


Just checking in to see my new assignment.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:34 PM on April 1, 2012


I think benbenson is sensibly staying in the pub until we calm down, I hope he's got peanuts,, it's going to be a long night.
posted by arcticseal at 4:38 PM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


" -- we're apparently all on the payroll today."


*psst* don't tell anyone I slacked off, k?
posted by squeak at 4:58 PM on April 1, 2012


found missing: You're assumption is that benbenson is on mefi to pick up memail, but that he/she isn't tracking the meta that he/she started?

I get notifications at my personal email when I get memail. It's possible benbenson does too.
posted by tzikeh at 5:20 PM on April 1, 2012


I am pleased to accept the position of Übermod that mathowie offered me. Thank you, mathowie. I look forward to banning at least half of the current membership, and reinstalling quonsar.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:31 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Oh, what the hell - I dropped benbenson a mail.
posted by Pronoiac at 5:32 PM on April 1, 2012


i have a fish. in my... oh fuck it.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 5:35 PM on April 1, 2012


I get notifications at my personal email when I get memail.

I need to get out more, I had no idea you could do that.
posted by found missing at 5:35 PM on April 1, 2012


[starfish kisses]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW
posted by byanyothername at 5:57 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Can I be a stack hat?
posted by vrakatar at 5:59 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Self-favorited because my first one read "stacked."
posted by vrakatar at 6:02 PM on April 1, 2012


why me?
posted by sciencegeek at 6:04 PM on April 1, 2012


LionIndex: "I'm on drugs, but any insight I have into this will seem awkward and obvious when I look at my notes later when I sober up.
posted by Burhanistan (stoooooooooooooned) at 12:50 PM on April 1

DRUGS FOR EVERYONE!
posted by The Whelk (stoooooooooooooned) at 1:06 PM on April 1

Makes me think the tags are not so random."

drugs drugs drugs
posted by Gordafarin (cory doctorow) at 1:23 PM on April 1 [+] [!]


You might be on to something.
posted by malthusan at 6:27 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


benbenson, this is more confusing than it need be due to the April 1 prank. Let me clear this little matter up.

Despite the goofy little name that appears after this post due to it being April 1, I am mathowie. I founded the site. All the other mods don't really exist, they are sock puppets that allow me maximum plausible deniability when something is unpopular.

it seems that FPPs are treated differently than other posts.

Very astute! For someone who has only been here a short time, I am surprised you cracked the code so quickly. Now, let us never speak of this again.

Signed -

toddlokken mathowie
posted by madamjujujive at 6:29 PM on April 1, 2012 [7 favorites]


Dasein, you can be many different people until you hit on one you like if you just refresh.
posted by madamjujujive at 6:35 PM on April 1, 2012


Why do we treat FPPs differently?

Do we treat FPPs differently because we're human, or are we human because we treat FPPs differently?
posted by mazola at 6:36 PM on April 1, 2012


There was a time when it was common wisdom and a comforting thought that there is a significant difference between humans and FPPs.
posted by found missing at 6:39 PM on April 1, 2012


Oh, and for the record I hate the abbreviation FPP and I don't know why and can't explain it, but there you go, I will never use it.

signed
son_of_minya mathowie
posted by madamjujujive at 6:53 PM on April 1, 2012 [4 favorites]


FPPPPPPPPPPPP. P. April fool's?
posted by The Michael The at 7:08 PM on April 1, 2012


I think so, yes.
posted by seawallrunner at 7:39 PM on April 1, 2012


My guess is that either benbenson is under the (erroneous) impression that what posts appear on the "front page" is determined by popularity or being promoted by the mods or something like that (as opposed to the reality, that any posts that don't get deleted show up on the front page in the order they are submitted, and is operating on the impression that people are more judgmental of those posts that "make it" to the front page...

OR ELSE that he is saying that people are more judgmental of posts that appear on the "front page" i.e. Metafilter proper as opposed to AskMe, MeTa, Music etc...? Which is true in a way, mainly only FPPs get judged or argued about on the basis of their general "quality" or the "quality of discussion", while with questions it is mainly about is it in the guidelines, are answers breaking the guidelines, and very occasionally is it wrong to give a guy advice about how to hide a gun in his pants. But the subsites are all such distinct beasts I'm not sure that question makes a ton of sense either.

If it's a April Fools post it's a darn subtle one tho.
posted by nanojath at 7:39 PM on April 1, 2012


Erogenous ZONE. Erogenous zooooone. That's so woody. Don't you think?
posted by Splunge at 7:41 PM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


I am making a comment just to see what epithet I get.
posted by Miko at 7:42 PM on April 1, 2012


If it's a April Fools post it's a darn subtle one tho.

Subtle is good.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:42 PM on April 1, 2012


Erroneous. Erroneous. Errooooneous. Also woody.
posted by Splunge at 7:42 PM on April 1, 2012


Epithet. Oh no , too tinny! Horrible.
posted by Splunge at 7:44 PM on April 1, 2012


Who's down with FPP?
posted by SisterHavana at 7:45 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


Subtle, now that's a woody sound.
posted by Splunge at 7:45 PM on April 1, 2012


Ef pee pee, no sorry, very tinny.
posted by Splunge at 7:46 PM on April 1, 2012


Holy crap, I almost missed the April Fools thingie. Can't wait!
posted by Argyle at 7:51 PM on April 1, 2012


I want to be steffi graffi! Also I know what all the initials mean so maybe I should get winner!
posted by bquarters at 7:57 PM on April 1, 2012


Oh. Stoooooned.
posted by bquarters at 7:58 PM on April 1, 2012


See, this is where it is good that I'm not a mod or have any powers, because I swear I would fix it so one April Fool's all the post buttons would go into an endless loop of 'Did you read the FAQ?' with quiz questions attached. Not even hard ones! Easy ones, like 'What makes a good front page post to MetaFilter?' or 'Are self-links ever okay on any part of the site?' or 'What does a single period in a comment by itself mean?'

And they would all fail, no matter what you clicked, with a redirect back to the FAQ.

And I would turn off email to the mods and drink a lot and laugh.

I am bad folk.
posted by winna at 7:59 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


posted by winna (steppenwolf) at 10:59 PM on April 1 [+] [!]

Oh yay!

Life, thought I, must in the end be in the right, and if life scorned my beautiful dreams, so I argued, it was my dreams that were stupid and wrong headed. But that did not help me at all. And as I had good eyes and ears and was a little inquisitive too, I took a good look at this so-called life and at my neighbors and acquaintances, fifty or so of them and their destinies, and then I saw you. And I knew that my dreams had been right a thousand times over, just as yours had been. It was life and reality that were wrong. It was as little right that a woman like me should have no other choice than to grow old in poverty and in a senseless way at a typewriter in the pay of a money-maker, or to marry such a man for his money's sake, or to become some kind of drudge, as for a man like you to be forced in his loneliness and despair to have recourse to a razor. Perhaps the trouble with me was more material and moral and with you more spiritual--but it was the same road.
posted by winna at 8:03 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


"Metafilter! That's where I'm a viking!"
posted by blaneyphoto at 8:04 PM on April 1, 2012


Because it has one leg, both the same.
posted by unSane at 8:20 PM on April 1, 2012


what different standard, greg nog? what rules weren't applied equally?

god, i'm so confused.
posted by nadawi at 8:39 PM on April 1, 2012


pretty sure that was another jokey joke, nadawi.
posted by sweetkid at 8:42 PM on April 1, 2012


i fucking hate this day. i'm glad it's almost over. this is what i get for breaking my own rule about not interacting with the world on april first.
posted by nadawi at 8:53 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


bquarters: "Oh. Stoooooned."

Now that's bloody woooooody!
posted by Splunge at 9:01 PM on April 1, 2012


The tags are killing me.
posted by MissySedai at 9:02 PM on April 1, 2012


And poof, gone.
posted by Splunge at 9:04 PM on April 1, 2012


It was all a crazy dream!
posted by mazola at 9:09 PM on April 1, 2012


He awakened one night, thinking he had seen a bunch of people, all with mod tags. He turned over to his significant other.

"Honey, I thought that for a time I was a mod. A mod at a wonderful place. And every time that I posted my mod tag was something new and wonderful."

"And there were other people there, they were all mods! And we had fun. We were all so special and yet the same. Mods all of us and we worked together for a brighter forum!"

And the significant other said, "Reddit has that. Now go to sleep."

And he was sad. Very sad.

::sigh::
posted by Splunge at 9:16 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


And... the world returns to normal. Any chance that the April 1st threads could be frozen with some version of the mod tags?
posted by salvia at 9:24 PM on April 1, 2012


Ah, it appears that the other thread still has the tags. Fabulous!
posted by salvia at 9:25 PM on April 1, 2012


Why is that thread treated differently?
posted by mazola at 9:36 PM on April 1, 2012 [5 favorites]


ITS MAGIC
posted by The Whelk at 9:37 PM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


This back-page party is gone, hey hey!
posted by daniel_charms at 9:41 PM on April 1, 2012


It's over
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:55 PM on April 1, 2012


Where is this tit pub you mentioned?

Next to the famous erotic ballet venue, the Titty Barre.

I imagine it would be akin to horizontal-pole dancing
posted by zippy at 11:01 PM on April 1, 2012


I, the fat lady, am singing.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 11:50 PM on April 1, 2012


:(
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 1:15 AM on April 2, 2012


I know it's over
posted by daniel_charms at 4:39 AM on April 2, 2012


I think this went extremely well.
posted by dirtdirt at 6:34 AM on April 2, 2012 [1 favorite]


For change I'm so glad the weekend is over.
posted by infini at 9:03 AM on April 2, 2012


I think this went extremely well.

Yes, I'm glad that got cleared up.
posted by jeremias at 10:11 AM on April 2, 2012 [1 favorite]


I seriously wish I knew what benbenson was really asking.
posted by GuyZero at 8:07 PM on April 2, 2012 [7 favorites]


I am just looking for a used car...what is all this?
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 9:37 PM on April 2, 2012


FPP's: The basis of this website
posted by not_on_display at 10:47 PM on April 2, 2012 [1 favorite]


I hope benbenson doesn't feel embarassed; whatever the reason he set off a very entertaining discussion and I for one would not treat him differently.
posted by Segundus at 1:28 AM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]


It's taters, all the way down.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:33 AM on April 3, 2012


Fairly Popular Post?
posted by cmoj at 4:46 PM on April 3, 2012


I'm going to die a little inside if this falls off the front page without no explanation from benbenson.
posted by chiababe at 9:28 PM on April 3, 2012 [2 favorites]


The drugs wore off.
posted by Meatbomb at 10:56 PM on April 3, 2012


This tit pub must be an amazing place, benbenson still hasn't made it back. Should have warned him not to eat the peanuts.
posted by arcticseal at 11:46 PM on April 3, 2012 [1 favorite]


Famous Paisley Pants
posted by obscurator at 11:51 AM on April 4, 2012


Even though the not knowing is killing me, this thread did remind me of my favorite joke:

What's the difference between a duck?

please come back benbenson.
posted by Space Kitty at 4:28 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]


One of its legs is both the same?
posted by en forme de poire at 7:43 AM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]


What's the difference between a duck?

I'll let you know as soon as I figure out why I'm not helping the tortoise.
posted by found missing at 10:44 AM on April 5, 2012


What's the difference between a duck?

One of them has feathers.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:12 AM on April 5, 2012


Wait, that's a duck?

*puts glasses back on*
posted by infini at 11:26 AM on April 5, 2012


I had a dream we all had the img tag back. For some reason there was a way to do easy charts and graphs too, somebody had turned someone's logic sequence into a flowchart. I think it was one of the mods. And at the moment, I cannot be certain whether or not it was a dream. But anyway, I spent a few hours trying to figure my way through how he did it, to build a response to him. I was thinking of maybe building a map of a dungeon from Zelda. Alas, I couldn't get it to work, so I just put up a picture of a moose. It was like the old times. Then I woke up. It had been a real nice nap. What are we talking about here?
posted by TwelveTwo at 12:20 PM on April 5, 2012


God, the mystery. I just want to know. Did anyone ever find out?
posted by ztdavis at 9:51 PM on April 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


Great mysteries of the world:

- The identity of the Zodiac killer

- The language of the Voynich manuscript

- What Benbenson thought 'FPP' stood for
posted by Gordafarin at 11:03 AM on April 9, 2012


I got a private reply from benbenson! He's still alive.
posted by Pronoiac at 11:19 AM on April 9, 2012


I would've expected better from mefi, but I guess we'll all just human, in the end.

I guess you missed the duck thing...
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:29 AM on April 9, 2012


Fecund Pendulous Pudenda
posted by Sys Rq at 11:43 AM on April 9, 2012


UNSUBSCRIBE.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:26 PM on April 9, 2012 [1 favorite]


I got a private reply from benbenson! He's still alive.

Did he reveal anything else?
posted by infini at 12:35 PM on April 9, 2012


That's got to go. Hey hey! Ho Ho!
posted by not_on_display at 4:12 PM on April 9, 2012


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