Linking to everyone is obnoxious and counterproductive

June 22, 2004 1:53 AM

I find Angry Modem's linking to everyone obnoxious and counterproductive. Could it be possible that one could reject a linkage?
posted by interrobang to Feature Requests at 1:53 AM (57 comments total)

He de-linked me on request, because I found it anti-social. That, I felt, was courteous.

However, his linking (almost) everyone is odd: it makes his page almost unusable, and surely puts a strain on servers when it is called up.

It is his choice tho': why should he not do it, if he'll de-link when asked? Surely, it's between him and Matt, and him & every Mefite individually.
posted by dash_slot- at 2:27 AM on June 22, 2004

And I thought I was special. :(
posted by seanyboy at 2:48 AM on June 22, 2004

It is worth pointing out that mefi's "link to me/I link to" interface is slightly unusual -- most social software type things I've used handle each link as something that either goes two ways or no ways (ie. you have to reciprocate in a "this person wants to be your friend, do you accept?" sort of way before a link is formed).

Perhaps that would be a better way of doing it, if the intention is social linking, but then again if the intention is just to let people track contributions from folks they like then it might not be so hot (in that case, there's an argument to be made for outward-only linking). As it stands, the thing has two conflicting uses that it's trying to cater to, and so isn't going to be able to do brilliantly at either.
posted by reklaw at 3:10 AM on June 22, 2004

I really appreciate the gesture. At least one person linked to me. Thank you Angry Modem!
posted by sebas at 3:52 AM on June 22, 2004

I can't see the point of this feature at all -- it adds nothing to the MeFi experience. If I want social networking I'll go to a site that does it properly.
posted by cbrody at 4:01 AM on June 22, 2004

...or organise a meetup.
posted by cbrody at 4:29 AM on June 22, 2004

I don't get it...how can this be interpreted as "obnoxious and counterproductive" or "anti-social"? Pointless and silly, perhaps, but what's the harm to any one of us in being linked (aside from the previously-noted server strain)?
posted by ChrisTN at 4:41 AM on June 22, 2004

I'm with Chris. Wtf, interrobang? Here's a clue... don't click on his user page.
posted by crunchland at 4:43 AM on June 22, 2004

Could be a plot to gather email addresses and names from those users who request de-linking. A new way of e-mail harvesting Angry Modem?
posted by DBAPaul at 5:52 AM on June 22, 2004

haha, this is rich. like chris, how is this "obnoxious and counterproductive" and "anti-social"? I'd appreciate an explanation because I can't fathom why this would bother you. Maybe he likes everyone?
posted by Stynxno at 6:01 AM on June 22, 2004

I winced when I realized what he'd done - it seems like a rather snide way of rejecting the spirit of Matt's efforts. Mind you, I think the 'contacts' feature is worse than pointless, but I'm ignoring it rather than trying to frustrate its intent... particularly in a way that chews up resources. Having made his point, perhaps Angry Modem could be asked to recast his apparent protest (or his clever bit of performance art, if there's no protest intended) in the form of a snappy one-liner on his user-page?
posted by stonerose at 6:05 AM on June 22, 2004

I was having some (nearly) harmless fun, guys. Number one already emailed me and told me he's wiping my contact list and is imposing a 100 contact limit, after explaining the strain on the server loading the page creates.

You guys should really lighten up. I wasn't going to put you all on some republican mailing list or anything.
posted by angry modem at 6:06 AM on June 22, 2004

Apr 23 18:37:41 you're why we can't have nice things, angry ;)

Indeed! ;-)
posted by stonerose at 6:09 AM on June 22, 2004

Now see what you've all done? I'm going to feel lonely again once I get back to having zero people linking me as their contact. I'll miss you, angry modem!

::runs off to bawl in corner::
posted by ChrisTN at 6:12 AM on June 22, 2004

Chris, if you have big Tennessee farmboy hands, I'll put you down as a contact.
posted by stonerose at 6:19 AM on June 22, 2004

I just reckoned, based on how many he links to and how few link back, angry modem has several friends and 16,000+ enemies ;-)
posted by Shane at 6:26 AM on June 22, 2004

Apr 23 18:37:41 you're why we can't have nice things, angry ;)

And, case in point, why you do have to watch what you say on #mefi ! ;)
posted by y2karl at 6:34 AM on June 22, 2004

Stonerose: I do, and I'm yours! ;-)
posted by ChrisTN at 6:35 AM on June 22, 2004

Maybe he likes everyone?

Maybe he's like a dorky guy at a dance, asking every girl to dance with him on the off chance one will say yes.
posted by jonmc at 6:40 AM on June 22, 2004

:-(
posted by angry modem at 6:59 AM on June 22, 2004

I'd like angry modem to do some bash scripting for me sometime.
posted by the fire you left me at 7:00 AM on June 22, 2004

I can't see the point of this feature at all -- it adds nothing to the MeFi experience. If I want social networking I'll go to a site that does it properly.

Y'know, despite the social networking roots of the code and the interface, I've never seen it as an actual social networking feature (at least not in the way I think you intend). Its just -- to me, anyway -- a handy one-stop-shopping set of bookmarks -- a way to keep track of the posts and comments of authors I enjoy, espeically since I tend to have blocks of time when I'm away from MeFi entirely.

Sure, the whole friend-muse-crush thing is there, but you don't have to use it if you don't want to. Plus, it is kinda flattering when someone links to you ... especially, I think, if you're a newer or lower-contributing user.

PS: The spellcheck on MeTa is not working for me in Mozilla 1.6 -- it just freezes and sits there forever
posted by anastasiav at 7:01 AM on June 22, 2004

:-(

Oh, all right. But I only know how to slow dance. And if you grab my ass you're getting slapped.
posted by jonmc at 7:05 AM on June 22, 2004

What anastasiav said; it's a neat way for me to bookmark people who post stuff I find interesting, especially those folks with consistent nerdy little fascinations similar to my own, but whose posts I may miss through being busy/away.
posted by carter at 7:12 AM on June 22, 2004

Well crap, nobody links to me at all.. :(
posted by eas98 at 7:21 AM on June 22, 2004

-- a way to keep track of the posts and comments of authors I enjoy, espeically since I tend to have blocks of time when I'm away from MeFi entirely.

exactly, brava.


You guys should really lighten up

coming from someone whose idea of fun is linking 16,500+ users as contacts, well, it's quite rich
posted by matteo at 7:28 AM on June 22, 2004

On a side note:
I'm sure this has come up before but ... why when I link to a Mefite that has no other linking outwards (ie, Contacts: This user doesn't link to any other MetaFilter members. 7 MetaFilter user(s) link to this user), I can't see who those other linkers are - there is no 'View contacts and contributions from contacts' link.

Is this a bug, or a feature?
posted by dash_slot- at 7:47 AM on June 22, 2004

See, I don't need XFN contacts to act as status symbols, because I have a Gmail account.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 7:56 AM on June 22, 2004

I can't fathom why this would bother you.

Cuz they are, you know, that way. ;-P
posted by mischief at 7:57 AM on June 22, 2004

Dash, type the word "contacts" in after "user" in the address (just that, no underscore, no space) and that will show you your contacts list.
posted by orange swan at 8:36 AM on June 22, 2004

Hey, if angry modem hadn't'a done that, I wouldn't have seen how hawt he is. Rowr.
posted by WolfDaddy at 8:38 AM on June 22, 2004

Thanks, orange swan (it's not my usercontacts that I can't see, it's someone elses) - but why, sometimes, isn't there a link?
posted by dash_slot- at 9:02 AM on June 22, 2004

dash, beause the point is for people to only see usercontacts *if* they link to someone else.
posted by riffola at 9:08 AM on June 22, 2004

Is this a bug, or a feature?

It's a feature, dash_slot. Riffola mentioned the previous way it worked here and mathowie followed up by saying he would change it to the way it is now.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 9:10 AM on June 22, 2004

D'Oh!
posted by filmgoerjuan at 9:11 AM on June 22, 2004

I find Angry Modem's linking to everyone obnoxious and counterproductive.

As for angry modem's adding every user to his Contact page, I found it to be a bold statement about the politics of inclusion here on MetaFilter.

We're supposed to be a community of peers here and yet as soon as the Contact option was introduced, it segmented that community. Sudddenly people were forming into cliques...subgroupings of MetaFiltarians...were you one of the cool kids? How many people linked to you? Am I on this person's list? Did they mark me as a friend or an acquaintance? Who is this person I don't know that's marked me as a crush? Not to put too fine a point on it, but the community was a shambles.

But then a voice spoke out and said "I choose not to be part of the cliques, the subgroups, the haves and the have nots. I believe in a community where *everyone* is included, where *everyone* is my Contact, my friend, my acquaintance, my sweetheart, my crush. I choose to add *everyone* to my Contact page".

That voice was angry modem's. And I say God bless the little bastard.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 9:14 AM on June 22, 2004

beause the point is for people to only see usercontacts *if* they link to someone else.

Then, again, what is the point of being able to see other people's usercontact list at all? Seems like it should be one way or the other.
posted by rushmc at 9:50 AM on June 22, 2004

coming from someone whose idea of fun is linking 16,500+ users as contacts, well, it's quite rich

It was a five line script, man. Let's go get perms.
posted by angry modem at 9:54 AM on June 22, 2004

/me claps for filmgoerjuan
posted by Stynxno at 9:55 AM on June 22, 2004

and yet as soon as the Contact option was introduced, it segmented that community. Yeah, that's when it started!

Metafilter: Let's go get perms.

[nb: in the UK, a 'perm' is a curly hair do...]
posted by dash_slot- at 10:33 AM on June 22, 2004

We're supposed to be a community of peers here and yet as soon as the Contact option was introduced, it segmented that community.

I suspect that your tongue is in your cheek there, filmgoerjuan, but if not, I'm sorry you feel that way.

Personally, I find the IRC backchannel clique much more devisive.
posted by timeistight at 10:46 AM on June 22, 2004

Don't be silly, people! It REVEALED the cliques, it didn't create them!

Commence McCarthy-esque hearings for Cabal members and subsequent Donkey (or Monkey) court. Then punish 'em, kids!
posted by Shane at 10:58 AM on June 22, 2004

How does someone add/view their contacts anyway? I don't see a link for the page anywhere.
posted by xmutex at 11:19 AM on June 22, 2004

timeistight: I suspect that your tongue is in your cheek there, filmgoerjuan, but if not, I'm sorry you feel that way. Personally, I find the IRC backchannel clique much more devisive.

whhhoOOOOOOOOOSSSssshhh!!
posted by riffola at 11:24 AM on June 22, 2004

xmutex: you add contacts by going to someone's userpage and clicking the "Add ____ as a contact" link. You'll then be able to fill out a form that lets you establish what your relationship (if any) is to that user. Once you've linked to other users, your own userpage should display a "View contacts and contributions from contacts" link. Click on that to view the list of people you've linked to and who have linked to you.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 11:28 AM on June 22, 2004

I just put the 100 contact limit in place, and deleted all of angry modem's contacts, as his contact page was crashing the db server.

I myself like to tweak online things whenever they come out so I don't blame anyone for playing with the limits, it just pointed out all the places I forgot to induce limits or data checks. I think at this point, all those things have been fixed.

I also changed the way the "view contacts page" thing works -- as long as someone either links to you or you link to someone, you can view it.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:37 AM on June 22, 2004

Personally, I find the IRC backchannel clique much more devisive.

I'm sorry you feel that way. I suspect your issue might not be with the #mefi channel specifically, but with IRC in general. My experience has been that #mefi is very inclusive — heck, there are even non-MetaFilter people who have been welcomed with open arms — but it takes a bit of getting used to the fast-paced nature of the place.

I mean, I don't hang out with those freaks anymore and it will be a cold day in hell before you'll ever find me lowering myself to join in their elitist little snarkfest. But I will defend to the death their right to be a bunch of narcissistic, self-important, know-it-alls.

Um, defend to their death, that is, not mine.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 11:49 AM on June 22, 2004

[nb: in the UK, a 'perm' is a curly hair do...]

As far as I know, it is in the states as well.
posted by angry modem at 12:05 PM on June 22, 2004

Oh. OK, well, that's good then....
posted by dash_slot- at 12:47 PM on June 22, 2004

I mean, I don't hang out with those freaks anymore and it will be a cold day in hell before you'll ever find me lowering myself to join in their elitist little snarkfest.

Are they talking about me? They're talking about me, aren't they? Damn them.

[nb: in the UK, a 'perm' is a curly hair do...]

As far as I know, it is in the states as well.

Well, ya know, a perm can also be for a permanent wave or a beehive too, I think. You mean it's ONLY for curls in the UK? I find that absolutely fascinating. No, really.
posted by Shane at 12:52 PM on June 22, 2004

Hey, if angry modem hadn't'a done that, I wouldn't have seen how hawt he is. Rowr.

I'm sayin'! Big ol' Iowa farmboy hands, indeed!
posted by ChrisTN at 1:09 PM on June 22, 2004

It was a five line script, man. Let's go get perms.
posted by angry modem at 9:54 AM PST on June 22

That was funny. I think I'll add angry modem as a contact.
posted by jennyb at 2:00 PM on June 22, 2004

All I want to know is what was wrong with meeeee? :-(
posted by callmejay at 2:01 PM on June 22, 2004

Hey, if angry modem hadn't'a done that, I wouldn't have seen how hawt he is. Rowr.

he looks neither angry, nor modem....!
posted by t r a c y at 2:23 PM on June 22, 2004

Better than the stuff he does as lysol. He's got a little more etiquette here than at slashdot. No GNAA crapfloods and first posts.
posted by lkc at 8:47 PM on June 23, 2004

lkc: the proper address of that would be this one, for future reference.
posted by angry modem at 8:06 AM on June 24, 2004

Hehehe, ya know i thought it was, actually, but i couldnt find meatbox in my address cache. I had to google for it. Actually I would have never made the connection if i hadnt seen that right after I had tried to figure out who the hell was linking to me in the first place. (I only read slashdot for the trolls, anyway).
posted by lkc at 9:23 PM on June 24, 2004