Oprah doesn't need any help shilling her book club December 13, 2004 3:14 PM Subscribe
shouldn't you be working or something mutex?
posted by puke & cry at 3:22 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by puke & cry at 3:22 PM on December 13, 2004
Least necessary metatalk post ever.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 3:23 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Saucy Intruder at 3:23 PM on December 13, 2004
That was a cruddy thing to say. I apologize. It's just a rash of bad stuff today.
So, I'm sorry.
Except for you puke & cry!
posted by xmutex at 3:23 PM on December 13, 2004
So, I'm sorry.
Except for you puke & cry!
posted by xmutex at 3:23 PM on December 13, 2004
Four minutes if you count my bug post, which seems to have resolved itself.
posted by The White Hat at 3:25 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by The White Hat at 3:25 PM on December 13, 2004
Alright, I've come around. Despite high hopes, we do in fact suck. Where are the pamphlets and sign-up forms to join the shit-on-you brigade?
posted by drpynchon at 3:28 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by drpynchon at 3:28 PM on December 13, 2004
Hey Pierson, I'm hunting this fox, so STFU.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 3:28 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by monju_bosatsu at 3:28 PM on December 13, 2004
seriously though, how is it possible that superposition could make this post? has she read NOTHING on mefi since she joined? before she joined?
posted by quonsar at 3:33 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by quonsar at 3:33 PM on December 13, 2004
It's pretty obvious that newbies will, at first, probably make bad posts. What's really disappointing are the old timers who continually complain about posts on the front page, rather than using metatalk.
posted by Doug at 3:34 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Doug at 3:34 PM on December 13, 2004
Wow, people are acting like assholes with the pile ups.
posted by crunchburger at 3:35 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by crunchburger at 3:35 PM on December 13, 2004
So... We're all aware of the problem by now. Does anyone have a solution? I've been spending a little time thinking about it, but no ideas yet.
posted by joelr at 3:43 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by joelr at 3:43 PM on December 13, 2004
Does anyone have a solution? I've been spending a little time thinking about it, but no ideas yet.
If only this site had a moderator...
posted by jpoulos at 3:44 PM on December 13, 2004
If only this site had a moderator...
posted by jpoulos at 3:44 PM on December 13, 2004
These posts are getting worse, not better.
DrPynchon and everyone else, the information you seek is freely available
posted by fenriq at 3:46 PM on December 13, 2004
DrPynchon and everyone else, the information you seek is freely available
posted by fenriq at 3:46 PM on December 13, 2004
I'm just waiting for some "oldie" to say to me "I was posting in threads in Nam when you were poppin' out of yer mommie's vagina, boy!"
I know that new people (like me) make dumb posts...but can't we come up with a better etiquette than blowing off folks for being idiot newbies?
maybe if there was an aptitude test you could take before you get on Mefi? or a bigger price to pay for membership? I thought 5 dollars was rather small -- to be transparent, I'd pay (and probably will donate) much more than that.
posted by Hands of Manos at 3:48 PM on December 13, 2004
I know that new people (like me) make dumb posts...but can't we come up with a better etiquette than blowing off folks for being idiot newbies?
maybe if there was an aptitude test you could take before you get on Mefi? or a bigger price to pay for membership? I thought 5 dollars was rather small -- to be transparent, I'd pay (and probably will donate) much more than that.
posted by Hands of Manos at 3:48 PM on December 13, 2004
Go stick your Barbeyrac up your Puffendorf, monju.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 3:51 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Saucy Intruder at 3:51 PM on December 13, 2004
Yes, but the pamphlets! The brochures, at least?!
posted by drpynchon at 3:53 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by drpynchon at 3:53 PM on December 13, 2004
How about blowing them off for being idiots and dropping the noob part?
posted by fenriq at 3:53 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by fenriq at 3:53 PM on December 13, 2004
This whole everybody running over to Metatalk and whaling on people is something I wasn't aware before I joined. I've been watching this shit on and off all weekend. I thought the poster did a good job of saying "Sorry, I'm outta here," but then they always have to come back and do this. Of course, she was egged into it a bit.
I'm gonna sit back and watch the shitstorm. If I ever get hauled in here I think I'll reboot and go for a walk.
I can't believe "shit" isn't in the spellcheck.
posted by marxchivist at 3:54 PM on December 13, 2004
I'm gonna sit back and watch the shitstorm. If I ever get hauled in here I think I'll reboot and go for a walk.
I can't believe "shit" isn't in the spellcheck.
posted by marxchivist at 3:54 PM on December 13, 2004
I think the thing is that there's really no solid metric for what makes a good post -- Like the US gov't guideline for obscenity, we don't know what it is, but we'll recognize it when we see it.
Posts like the one discussed are, frankly, pretty damned poor, and the response from the author was, if anything, even worse than the post itself.
As a noob myself, I've wanted to post one thing so far, found that it was a dupe, and walked away from it slowly and with my palms raised. I feel safer that way. However, some people aren't born with, or never developed, the mental goaltender that keeps thoughts that are subpar from making it out into the world. We noobs also require a meta-tender to help out with it. Aversion therapy (in the form of a pile-up on bad newbie posts) might well be the best way to accomplish this.
posted by ChrisR at 3:55 PM on December 13, 2004
Posts like the one discussed are, frankly, pretty damned poor, and the response from the author was, if anything, even worse than the post itself.
As a noob myself, I've wanted to post one thing so far, found that it was a dupe, and walked away from it slowly and with my palms raised. I feel safer that way. However, some people aren't born with, or never developed, the mental goaltender that keeps thoughts that are subpar from making it out into the world. We noobs also require a meta-tender to help out with it. Aversion therapy (in the form of a pile-up on bad newbie posts) might well be the best way to accomplish this.
posted by ChrisR at 3:55 PM on December 13, 2004
An aptitude test...
ah, reminds me of the leet bbs days. Used to ask new users for group acronym definitions, references, and such... The nostalgia..
But exclusivity is so 1989.
posted by drpynchon at 3:58 PM on December 13, 2004
ah, reminds me of the leet bbs days. Used to ask new users for group acronym definitions, references, and such... The nostalgia..
But exclusivity is so 1989.
posted by drpynchon at 3:58 PM on December 13, 2004
This whole everybody running over to Metatalk and whaling on people is something I wasn't aware before I joined.
but see, how the fuck is that even possible, Marxchivist?
posted by quonsar at 3:59 PM on December 13, 2004
but see, how the fuck is that even possible, Marxchivist?
posted by quonsar at 3:59 PM on December 13, 2004
Nice name joelr... We should start thinking of building an army of Joels.
posted by joelf at 4:00 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by joelf at 4:00 PM on December 13, 2004
So what I'm reading from Marxchivist is that n00bs don't know about MeTa, and what I'm reading from Doug is that all complaints regarding n00bs should be made in MeTa.
How can we reconcile these two things?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
How can we reconcile these two things?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
What amazes me is that when the n00bs (myself included) first showed up, things got better. But now things are backsliding into today having the worst front page I've ever seen.
Is it one of those things where it just so happened that the shit's cycling into today, or is there any significance to the idea that about three weeks after membership reopens, madness ensues? Is three weeks the incubation time for someone unfamiliar with MeFi's guidelines to start posting crap, doubleposts, ShillFilter, GYOBFilter, etc?
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
Is it one of those things where it just so happened that the shit's cycling into today, or is there any significance to the idea that about three weeks after membership reopens, madness ensues? Is three weeks the incubation time for someone unfamiliar with MeFi's guidelines to start posting crap, doubleposts, ShillFilter, GYOBFilter, etc?
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
drpynchon: I remember those tests. It was so elitist. Tell me what ACiD means. Define 0-day warez. Blah blah.
Hoo hoo. The good old days.
posted by xmutex at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
Hoo hoo. The good old days.
posted by xmutex at 4:02 PM on December 13, 2004
whaling on people
Is that like wailing on people with harpoons?
Metafilter: The only way to win is not to play.
posted by cosmonik at 4:03 PM on December 13, 2004
Is that like wailing on people with harpoons?
Metafilter: The only way to win is not to play.
posted by cosmonik at 4:03 PM on December 13, 2004
In superposition's defence, her earlier post linking to dictionary.com's definition of "finals" and somehow ending up talking about aliens did not get deleted. Slippery slope?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 4:03 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by DrJohnEvans at 4:03 PM on December 13, 2004
How can we reconcile these two things?
Duh! With Pepsi Holday Spice of course
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
Duh! With Pepsi Holday Spice of course
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
Some people are being way too harsh. There weren't any obvious errors with the post (forgetting to search, ReutersFilter, too much text). I don't think this was the best of the web but opinions differ and this kind of smackdown is not needed for this sort of thing.
posted by grouse at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by grouse at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
I think the thing is that there's really no solid metric for what makes a good post
Well there is for making a bad one: don't link to news, products, retail sites (Amazon, ebay, etc.), or things that REQUIRE discussion unless you've been here a long time and know why linking to one of those things is worthwhile. If you're new, ACCEPT that it's a given that you should not link to one of those things unless you want to get the snot beat out of you.
posted by dobbs at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
Well there is for making a bad one: don't link to news, products, retail sites (Amazon, ebay, etc.), or things that REQUIRE discussion unless you've been here a long time and know why linking to one of those things is worthwhile. If you're new, ACCEPT that it's a given that you should not link to one of those things unless you want to get the snot beat out of you.
posted by dobbs at 4:04 PM on December 13, 2004
0-day warez
mmmm....and they say meth is addictively good.
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:05 PM on December 13, 2004
mmmm....and they say meth is addictively good.
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:05 PM on December 13, 2004
Wow. Today is taking up the entire MetaTalk front page.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 4:08 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by DrJohnEvans at 4:08 PM on December 13, 2004
but see, how the fuck is that even possible, Marxchivist?
I don't know, but it happened. I just enjoyed the good links and got enough snarkiness with ElectionFilter.
As I was getting ready to say (and quonsar beat me to it):
I can be really stupid about some shit.
But I figured out pretty quickly what makes a good and post. How hard is it? No news shit, especially from CNN, Yahoo, or things everyone on the planet knows about, like Oprah. Don't link to people selling shit. Don't do one link posts.
I think the three posts I've done have been okay. The last one may have been a bit news-filtery but folks seemed to enjoy it. This is coming from an idiot who didn't know about Metatalk before he joined. And I can do a decent FPP, how fucking hard is it?
posted by marxchivist at 4:09 PM on December 13, 2004
I don't know, but it happened. I just enjoyed the good links and got enough snarkiness with ElectionFilter.
As I was getting ready to say (and quonsar beat me to it):
I can be really stupid about some shit.
But I figured out pretty quickly what makes a good and post. How hard is it? No news shit, especially from CNN, Yahoo, or things everyone on the planet knows about, like Oprah. Don't link to people selling shit. Don't do one link posts.
I think the three posts I've done have been okay. The last one may have been a bit news-filtery but folks seemed to enjoy it. This is coming from an idiot who didn't know about Metatalk before he joined. And I can do a decent FPP, how fucking hard is it?
posted by marxchivist at 4:09 PM on December 13, 2004
Don't do one link posts.
Fuck that noise, Johnson! I want more one link posts. To me, one link posts are the point of Metafilter. Just link to something worth linking to. (I'm sick to death of the freaking essays on the front page!)
posted by dobbs at 4:11 PM on December 13, 2004
Fuck that noise, Johnson! I want more one link posts. To me, one link posts are the point of Metafilter. Just link to something worth linking to. (I'm sick to death of the freaking essays on the front page!)
posted by dobbs at 4:11 PM on December 13, 2004
Solutions? Force them to read the grey and all the threads about bad posts? Nothing like a good rant/flame/troll to instil the fear of the grey in them :p
Some of the callous have made me cringe but on the other hand being nice and offering to help neoFites (ala mentorFilter, wendell redoing a fpp for someone, Matt linking to y6y6y6's post for neoFilte's, links to the wiki etc) doesn't seem to be sinking in so left to do "the nasty". How many times does one need to say RTFM! before someone does? Am I the only one who thinks it is a requirement and not an option?
I dunno I have payed a lot of attention to the call outs, read linked archives, wiki etc and tried to avoid the most egregious errors. Think it worked, I don't see a link in the grey to my ffp nor a deleted post with "this is lame wtf where you thinking?" from Matt. YMMV
posted by squeak at 4:12 PM on December 13, 2004
Some of the callous have made me cringe but on the other hand being nice and offering to help neoFites (ala mentorFilter, wendell redoing a fpp for someone, Matt linking to y6y6y6's post for neoFilte's, links to the wiki etc) doesn't seem to be sinking in so left to do "the nasty". How many times does one need to say RTFM! before someone does? Am I the only one who thinks it is a requirement and not an option?
I dunno I have payed a lot of attention to the call outs, read linked archives, wiki etc and tried to avoid the most egregious errors. Think it worked, I don't see a link in the grey to my ffp nor a deleted post with "this is lame wtf where you thinking?" from Matt. YMMV
posted by squeak at 4:12 PM on December 13, 2004
We noobs also require a meta-tender to help out with it.
Here's an idea, and one I used to alert Matt to what I thought was a bug. I checked his user info for an IM handle. Then I asked him if he had a moment. Then I talked to him.
Really simple, huh?
There's a lot of other people with their handles and e-mail in their user profiles, if you like their posts and/or comments and find them helpful, ping them and run the post by them. There was even a metatalk thread with people telling you they were available for this.
You can also surf over to the wiki and read up on the IRC channel #mefi, and go ask them. They may poke you with sticks, but they'll be honest about whether you have a crap post.
Or you can ignore all this advice, rush over to post your great link, and take your chance. But if you take your chance, don't whine when you get shit on.
posted by FunkyHelix at 4:15 PM on December 13, 2004
Here's an idea, and one I used to alert Matt to what I thought was a bug. I checked his user info for an IM handle. Then I asked him if he had a moment. Then I talked to him.
Really simple, huh?
There's a lot of other people with their handles and e-mail in their user profiles, if you like their posts and/or comments and find them helpful, ping them and run the post by them. There was even a metatalk thread with people telling you they were available for this.
You can also surf over to the wiki and read up on the IRC channel #mefi, and go ask them. They may poke you with sticks, but they'll be honest about whether you have a crap post.
Or you can ignore all this advice, rush over to post your great link, and take your chance. But if you take your chance, don't whine when you get shit on.
posted by FunkyHelix at 4:15 PM on December 13, 2004
Fuck that noise, Johnson!
I like fp essays...but I'm a newbie, so that must be wrong [/passive-agressive]
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:16 PM on December 13, 2004
I like fp essays...but I'm a newbie, so that must be wrong [/passive-agressive]
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:16 PM on December 13, 2004
I don't think this was the best of the web but opinions differ
Oh good grief. It's a link to an utterly uninteresting summary of the current #6 bestseller at Amazon. It's equivalent to posting a link to the IMDB profile for The Incredibles.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 4:18 PM on December 13, 2004
Oh good grief. It's a link to an utterly uninteresting summary of the current #6 bestseller at Amazon. It's equivalent to posting a link to the IMDB profile for The Incredibles.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 4:18 PM on December 13, 2004
Ooo that sounds like a good fpp, armitage. You're giving them ideas!
posted by Hildegarde at 4:20 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Hildegarde at 4:20 PM on December 13, 2004
"...the IRC channel #mefi...may poke you with sticks..."
Oh, we will definitely poke you with sticks. Then we'll make you dance like a monkey on a chain.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:21 PM on December 13, 2004
Oh, we will definitely poke you with sticks. Then we'll make you dance like a monkey on a chain.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:21 PM on December 13, 2004
Don't get me started xmutex. I wasted all of puberty on that crap. And what did I have to show for it coming out of highschool? My virginity.
And it's ansi creators in command, not to be confused with iCE, there bitter competitors in teh day.
posted by drpynchon at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2004
And it's ansi creators in command, not to be confused with iCE, there bitter competitors in teh day.
posted by drpynchon at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2004
Perhaps the time before a new user can post should have been extended to something like a month. Though I imagine most people who paid 5 dollars to join have been reading metafilter for quite some time, and should have some idea about what people don't like to see here. I mean, this whole notion of noobs seems pretty stupid to me.
posted by chunking express at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by chunking express at 4:23 PM on December 13, 2004
I like fp essays...but I'm a newbie, so that must be wrong
It's not wrong. I don't get the one-link thing, especially with obtuse link text that doesn't give you even a slight hint at what is being linked to.
I like a well-crafted essay, backed up with multifarious links that shed light on the topic from different angles.
I don't think I'm the only one. Vive la difference.
posted by beth at 4:27 PM on December 13, 2004
It's not wrong. I don't get the one-link thing, especially with obtuse link text that doesn't give you even a slight hint at what is being linked to.
I like a well-crafted essay, backed up with multifarious links that shed light on the topic from different angles.
I don't think I'm the only one. Vive la difference.
posted by beth at 4:27 PM on December 13, 2004
Please note (dobbs, FunkyHelix) that I'm not talking about myself here -- My meta-tender is working just fine -- fine enough that I'm just not posting anything because everything cool I've come across on the web so far as been via MeFi.
That instant message thing... that's a good idea, but man... Poor Matt. I feel for the guy, I really do.
posted by ChrisR at 4:32 PM on December 13, 2004
That instant message thing... that's a good idea, but man... Poor Matt. I feel for the guy, I really do.
posted by ChrisR at 4:32 PM on December 13, 2004
Hey Saucy: You stink to me.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 4:37 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by monju_bosatsu at 4:37 PM on December 13, 2004
I'm somewhere in between. I love a well crafted fpp like pretty much any by matteo but there's also something to be said for letting the link speak for itself.
Don't be obtuse, say what its linked to but save the editorial for comments. Ask yourself what's being served by loading up a half page of verbiage? Are you stroking your ego or providing necessary information for a well rounded fpp?
And, when in doubt, ask someone. Ask Matt, ask wendell, ask any number of other members who will give you a straight answer (sorry quonsar).
You can save yourself some frustration or hit the ground running with a note from one of the elders.
posted by fenriq at 4:39 PM on December 13, 2004
Don't be obtuse, say what its linked to but save the editorial for comments. Ask yourself what's being served by loading up a half page of verbiage? Are you stroking your ego or providing necessary information for a well rounded fpp?
And, when in doubt, ask someone. Ask Matt, ask wendell, ask any number of other members who will give you a straight answer (sorry quonsar).
You can save yourself some frustration or hit the ground running with a note from one of the elders.
posted by fenriq at 4:39 PM on December 13, 2004
I don't really give a shit about the links, personally. Most of them are recycled from boingboing or memepool or SE anyway.
[/heresy]
But not learning immediately after joining (or well before, as so many claim) how this place is meant to work -- that's just plain stupid, and I have no sympathy whatsoever.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:39 PM on December 13, 2004
[/heresy]
But not learning immediately after joining (or well before, as so many claim) how this place is meant to work -- that's just plain stupid, and I have no sympathy whatsoever.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:39 PM on December 13, 2004
This post was deleted for the following reason: Metafilter's just not that into you.
*hands beth a bottle of ass sanitizer*
posted by wendell at 4:42 PM on December 13, 2004
*hands beth a bottle of ass sanitizer*
posted by wendell at 4:42 PM on December 13, 2004
number of other members who will give you a straight answer (sorry quonsar)
Henceforth let it be known, that if I haveth a question, thy will always asketh Quonsar the Brave.
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:46 PM on December 13, 2004
Henceforth let it be known, that if I haveth a question, thy will always asketh Quonsar the Brave.
posted by Hands of Manos at 4:46 PM on December 13, 2004
Then we'll make you dance like a monkey on a chain.
Just so long as there isn't an organ grinder and tin cup for donations but if you charge for the entertainment I want a cut of the action especially if it is my ass doing the entertaining.
and that was supposed to be "callouts" not callous
posted by squeak at 4:48 PM on December 13, 2004
Just so long as there isn't an organ grinder and tin cup for donations but if you charge for the entertainment I want a cut of the action especially if it is my ass doing the entertaining.
and that was supposed to be "callouts" not callous
posted by squeak at 4:48 PM on December 13, 2004
Metaquonsar's Law #1: If you want the upper case Q, go to John DeLancie...
Imagine.
Oprah and Regis in two seperate (now deleted) Front Page Posts.
THAT's a bad day on MeFi.
Anybody wanna link to Jimmy Kimmel's blog?
posted by wendell at 4:59 PM on December 13, 2004
Imagine.
Oprah and Regis in two seperate (now deleted) Front Page Posts.
THAT's a bad day on MeFi.
Anybody wanna link to Jimmy Kimmel's blog?
posted by wendell at 4:59 PM on December 13, 2004
Henceforth let it be known, that if I haveth a question, thy will aways asketch LOWER CASE Q DAMMIT the Brave
posted by Hands of Manos at 5:00 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Hands of Manos at 5:00 PM on December 13, 2004
asketch = old english word for "oops, spellcheck"
posted by Hands of Manos at 5:01 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Hands of Manos at 5:01 PM on December 13, 2004
Give this site a moderator (someone dedicated to moderation)......then we can spend more time in the blue and green, and less in the grey. Let the grey be about meet-ups etc. What's the point in talking about this stuff? What does it solve? Get somebody to moderate the posts, then leave it to them. There's a really musty smell in the grey, and I don't like it.
posted by SpaceCadet at 5:05 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by SpaceCadet at 5:05 PM on December 13, 2004
I Love qUONSAR.
posted by exlotuseater at 5:10 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by exlotuseater at 5:10 PM on December 13, 2004
I, too, thought the newbies were really well-behaved at first. There's been some crap posts lately, though. On the other hand, there's been so many posts lately that I've not been paying attention to them as much.
I still wish, though, that some distinction was made between being a clueless newbie who makes a dumb mistake and being a trolling fuckwit. A lot of these newbies are clueless but mostly harmless. Being well-intentioned, most of them, I think, will get the hang of it over time. Given the chance. Using the red-hot anal poker on them will mostly drive them away. Our loss, I think.
Finally, a lot of old members post crap posts. There's some reason for the newbs to be confused. Still, though, perhaps Matt should use blinking text, God help us, on the posting guidelines page. The message isn't getting across as it is.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:14 PM on December 13, 2004
I still wish, though, that some distinction was made between being a clueless newbie who makes a dumb mistake and being a trolling fuckwit. A lot of these newbies are clueless but mostly harmless. Being well-intentioned, most of them, I think, will get the hang of it over time. Given the chance. Using the red-hot anal poker on them will mostly drive them away. Our loss, I think.
Finally, a lot of old members post crap posts. There's some reason for the newbs to be confused. Still, though, perhaps Matt should use blinking text, God help us, on the posting guidelines page. The message isn't getting across as it is.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:14 PM on December 13, 2004
The fantasies of reference librarians?
For 30 years now I've fantasized about reference librarians. I even met a few "off-duty". Better than waitresses, in my opinion.
posted by davy at 5:55 PM on December 13, 2004
For 30 years now I've fantasized about reference librarians. I even met a few "off-duty". Better than waitresses, in my opinion.
posted by davy at 5:55 PM on December 13, 2004
Interesting. My own two FPPs went over okay; the first inspired a few remarks about religion, while the second got people debating the worthiness of "advocacy journalism". Even my (sometimes drunken) comments here and to the Blue, and my (sometimes dumb) questions to Ask Metafilter, don't get me the same kind of chest-pounding posturing hairy-toothed shite- flinging vitriol that gets splotched all over the other poor li'l "n00bs".
It seems y'all storm troopers "self-policers" can't handle somebody your own size. Or maybe I simply fail to suck. Or both. But being modest by nature I'm more inclined to credit my first hypothesis.
Anyway. Here's a fuzzy ::hug:: for Quonsar & The Oldbies, and a big ;-) too.
posted by davy at 6:48 PM on December 13, 2004
It seems y'all
Anyway. Here's a fuzzy ::hug:: for Quonsar & The Oldbies, and a big ;-) too.
posted by davy at 6:48 PM on December 13, 2004
qUONSAR is god.
posted by The God Complex at 6:52 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by The God Complex at 6:52 PM on December 13, 2004
So what I'm reading from Marxchivist is that n00bs don't know about MeTa, and what I'm reading from Doug is that all complaints regarding n00bs should be made in MeTa.
How can we reconcile these two things?
Was that a rhetorical question?
posted by davy at 6:53 PM on December 13, 2004
How can we reconcile these two things?
Was that a rhetorical question?
posted by davy at 6:53 PM on December 13, 2004
So, who had superposition in the Burn-the-Noob pool?
posted by joaquim at 7:37 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by joaquim at 7:37 PM on December 13, 2004
most of you new folks fail to suck--the vast majority.
I betcha matt closes membership soon.
posted by amberglow at 7:37 PM on December 13, 2004
I betcha matt closes membership soon.
posted by amberglow at 7:37 PM on December 13, 2004
Didn't we do this book/ideology to death on AskME?
posted by scarabic at 8:07 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by scarabic at 8:07 PM on December 13, 2004
qUONSAR is god.
Does that make you The qUONSAR Complex?
Lord, I *hope* Matt closes membership soon. I don't think the Blue can take much more of this beating.
posted by me3dia at 8:42 PM on December 13, 2004
Does that make you The qUONSAR Complex?
Lord, I *hope* Matt closes membership soon. I don't think the Blue can take much more of this beating.
posted by me3dia at 8:42 PM on December 13, 2004
You sussed me out. I have a medical condition that makes me think I'm qUONSARian.
posted by The God Complex at 8:45 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by The God Complex at 8:45 PM on December 13, 2004
Lord, I *hope* Matt closes membership soon. I don't think the Blue can take much more of this beating.
I don't think the Grey can take much more of this beating. Things have really turned sour around here lately, and it is a tad disheartening. MeFi has never been a utopia, but lately, the "old timers" have been really f'n harsh, and I am really f'n sick of it. It's embarrassing, and it does nothing in the way of making Metafilter a better place.
Sure, there have been some terrible posts lately, but does every bad post have to be met with a pile-on? Seriously, what does it do besides creating animosity?
We had to sit through the months and months of bullshit USelectionsfilter without this kind of viciousness, can we not show some restraint for people who are finding their legs?
posted by Quartermass at 9:47 PM on December 13, 2004
I don't think the Grey can take much more of this beating. Things have really turned sour around here lately, and it is a tad disheartening. MeFi has never been a utopia, but lately, the "old timers" have been really f'n harsh, and I am really f'n sick of it. It's embarrassing, and it does nothing in the way of making Metafilter a better place.
Sure, there have been some terrible posts lately, but does every bad post have to be met with a pile-on? Seriously, what does it do besides creating animosity?
We had to sit through the months and months of bullshit USelectionsfilter without this kind of viciousness, can we not show some restraint for people who are finding their legs?
posted by Quartermass at 9:47 PM on December 13, 2004
I'm a new account (though I've been reading for years) and I must say that, while there have been a lot of bad posts, I don't see how these posts are any worse than the constant barrage of Newsfilter posts that Metafilter has been witness to over the past year.
Is the crappy Oprah Book Club post somehow worse than the constant pro or anti Bush CNN links? How often do old-timers post bare CNN, MSNBC, etc links as though they qualify as a good FPP? Every day, as far as I can tell.
Crappy posts are no more or less crappy when they come from a newbie or one of the first 100 members.
posted by Justinian at 10:22 PM on December 13, 2004
Is the crappy Oprah Book Club post somehow worse than the constant pro or anti Bush CNN links? How often do old-timers post bare CNN, MSNBC, etc links as though they qualify as a good FPP? Every day, as far as I can tell.
Crappy posts are no more or less crappy when they come from a newbie or one of the first 100 members.
posted by Justinian at 10:22 PM on December 13, 2004
pedantic - "He's just not that into you" wasn't an Oprah book club pick, she just had the author on the show (I know this because I work at a bookstore) /pedantic.
posted by drezdn at 10:32 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by drezdn at 10:32 PM on December 13, 2004
but does every bad post have to be met with a pile-on?
Yes, by the sweet unsucked nipples of the mother of jesus! We gots to learn these newbs somewayhow!
Is the crappy Oprah Book Club post somehow worse than the constant pro or anti Bush CNN links?
No. They both suck equally, in different ways.
How often do old-timers post bare CNN, MSNBC, etc links as though they qualify as a good FPP? Every day, as far as I can tell.
No again. But far too frequently, perhaps. They suck too, and were spanked over and over and over and over again here in Meta for it during the Evilection Season, as was right and sensible. Sadly, there were newshitlerfiltrons who thought such stuff was just fine, but we're purging those counterrevolutionary bastards one by one and shipping them to Gulag Archipelablogger, where they can perform re-educative labour in the Linklog Mines with the rest of the filthy Kossacks.
Crappy posts are no more or less crappy when they come from a newbie or one of the first 100 members.
No shit.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:38 PM on December 13, 2004
Yes, by the sweet unsucked nipples of the mother of jesus! We gots to learn these newbs somewayhow!
Is the crappy Oprah Book Club post somehow worse than the constant pro or anti Bush CNN links?
No. They both suck equally, in different ways.
How often do old-timers post bare CNN, MSNBC, etc links as though they qualify as a good FPP? Every day, as far as I can tell.
No again. But far too frequently, perhaps. They suck too, and were spanked over and over and over and over again here in Meta for it during the Evilection Season, as was right and sensible. Sadly, there were news
Crappy posts are no more or less crappy when they come from a newbie or one of the first 100 members.
No shit.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:38 PM on December 13, 2004
Yes, by the sweet unsucked nipples of the mother of jesus! We gots to learn these newbs somewayhow!
Like Fred Durst, we're all in agreeance here about this. But like the Black Eyed Peas say: where is the love?
posted by Quartermass at 10:51 PM on December 13, 2004
Like Fred Durst, we're all in agreeance here about this. But like the Black Eyed Peas say: where is the love?
posted by Quartermass at 10:51 PM on December 13, 2004
or, as rob tyner said: kick out the jams, motherfuckers!
posted by quonsar at 10:59 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by quonsar at 10:59 PM on December 13, 2004
I enjoy very much seeing a crap post being torn apart by cutting sarcasm. For me, this truly is the best of the Web.
I like, as I think do most people, the schadenfreude of other people's idiocy. My all time favorite is to help a technically challenged individual with a virus problem, and say gravely, "hmm, looks like you have maidyk 4". It doesn't get much funnier than that.
posted by Dag Maggot at 11:12 PM on December 13, 2004
I like, as I think do most people, the schadenfreude of other people's idiocy. My all time favorite is to help a technically challenged individual with a virus problem, and say gravely, "hmm, looks like you have maidyk 4". It doesn't get much funnier than that.
posted by Dag Maggot at 11:12 PM on December 13, 2004
Wow. You pretty much don't have to read this thread. Just read the user numbers..
Old timers piss and moan and swear. NeoFites warble inarticulately. Old timers open umbrellas up the neoFites' asses. NeoFites retaliate against stodgy belligerence, which they say is more of a threat than bad posts.
Blah blah blah. It's been like this in the Grey for weeks now. This place has become as stinkingly polarized as the US is with its red/blue political shit.
If we can't learn to discuss the merit of a post without descending into neo/retroFite warfare at every turn, we're going to wish Matt had pulled the plug entirely instead of opening registration.
I for one promise I will not tell newer folk that "that's just the way it's always been," as long as they will work on finding more convincing arguments than "aw c'mon I liked it." Hopefully, at some point, we'll all be old timers, with just few noobs trickling in, and we can get on with life at MetaFilter.
But for now, the tide of pent-up demand suddenly loosed forth to crash upon the crusty establishment has created one hell of a muddy mess around here. It's not the fault of the neoFites, exclusively. Yes, they're having problems integrating, but part of the problem was letting the establishment get so crusty in the first place. We should be absorbing new folks slowly and steadily, not in massive waves every two years. It's no wonder the old folks feel inundated and the new folks feel like they have to band together.
Cock-sucking, motherfucking, goddamn piss-shitter!
posted by scarabic at 11:23 PM on December 13, 2004
Old timers piss and moan and swear. NeoFites warble inarticulately. Old timers open umbrellas up the neoFites' asses. NeoFites retaliate against stodgy belligerence, which they say is more of a threat than bad posts.
Blah blah blah. It's been like this in the Grey for weeks now. This place has become as stinkingly polarized as the US is with its red/blue political shit.
If we can't learn to discuss the merit of a post without descending into neo/retroFite warfare at every turn, we're going to wish Matt had pulled the plug entirely instead of opening registration.
I for one promise I will not tell newer folk that "that's just the way it's always been," as long as they will work on finding more convincing arguments than "aw c'mon I liked it." Hopefully, at some point, we'll all be old timers, with just few noobs trickling in, and we can get on with life at MetaFilter.
But for now, the tide of pent-up demand suddenly loosed forth to crash upon the crusty establishment has created one hell of a muddy mess around here. It's not the fault of the neoFites, exclusively. Yes, they're having problems integrating, but part of the problem was letting the establishment get so crusty in the first place. We should be absorbing new folks slowly and steadily, not in massive waves every two years. It's no wonder the old folks feel inundated and the new folks feel like they have to band together.
Cock-sucking, motherfucking, goddamn piss-shitter!
posted by scarabic at 11:23 PM on December 13, 2004
Well fucking said.
posted by Quartermass at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2004
posted by Quartermass at 11:37 PM on December 13, 2004
It stings; it stings, but I like it; I like it.
posted by superposition at 12:32 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by superposition at 12:32 AM on December 14, 2004
I think I like this place better when you are all asleep. In fact there should be a nocturnal metafite page for activity between 1 and 4 am.
So this is what the bottom feels like. Now I guess it's all scratching and scrambling to get out of this hole in some manner, like that chick from The Ring, so I can crawl out of a TV set and air out.
So what did I learn:
1) I am idiot. check
2) The dorsal fin on metafi is not that of a dolphin. check
3) If you can't make a name for yourself with wit and brilliance, there always the being completely retarded route. check
4) If this was survivor noobies, I would have been voted off first. check
posted by superposition at 2:31 AM on December 14, 2004
So this is what the bottom feels like. Now I guess it's all scratching and scrambling to get out of this hole in some manner, like that chick from The Ring, so I can crawl out of a TV set and air out.
So what did I learn:
1) I am idiot. check
2) The dorsal fin on metafi is not that of a dolphin. check
3) If you can't make a name for yourself with wit and brilliance, there always the being completely retarded route. check
4) If this was survivor noobies, I would have been voted off first. check
posted by superposition at 2:31 AM on December 14, 2004
Just how superfluous is this thread? Honestly, you don't need to callout this kind of stuff at this point in the game. It just enables the ensuing dogpile
superposition: This post was bad. But this post was genius.
posted by mek at 3:38 AM on December 14, 2004
superposition: This post was bad. But this post was genius.
posted by mek at 3:38 AM on December 14, 2004
If this were survivor n00bies, I would be like the Professor on Gilligan's Island; building stereos and toasters out of bamboo. (and qUONSAR would be quietly criticizing them) superposition- don't sweat it. like everything else, it'll blow over in a day. Wait, I think it already has. ;)
posted by exlotuseater at 3:39 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by exlotuseater at 3:39 AM on December 14, 2004
Jesus was a formula baby? Hmm. That explains a lot.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:01 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:01 AM on December 14, 2004
I guess it's all about temperment. My inclination is to be very forgiving when someone is obviously well-intentioned. And my inclination is to be much more forgiving of newbies than of old members that did egregious stuff...that's why I was more annoyed during electionfilter than I am now.
I dunno if it's being borderline Asperger's or what, but I've pretty much never valued social interaction and mechanics for its own sake. That is to say, it seems to me that a very large portion of what people do—a big portion of our brains is devoted to doing—is socializing in the sense that means creating a social structure, determining dominance, relative position, and, just using all those related skills. I totally recognize that these things are functional and useful and necessary. Even so, they've always been, to me, a means to an end, not an end to themselves. But it seems to me that a lot of what people do in Real Life and on the net is Conversation as Primate Grooming, along with Teeth Baring dominance and Genital Flashing. And other stuff.
In this social context, the huge influx of newbies and their misbehavior is hugely important and naturally responded to with great vigor and alacrity. Because sorting these things out is crucial, correcting newbie misbehavior crucial, making the rules and heirarachy very clear is crucial. And I'm not dismissing this—it seems to me that were I to take this socializing component as primary, then the importance of these things, and perhaps the justification for being mean, starts to be more rational.
But, you know, not all of us sees things this way. And, also, there is a different (but no less heirarchical and certainly covertly vicious) social "mode" than the intellectualized, conflict-favoring, snark-inflected, hazing culture that characterizes metafilter. That mefi is the way it is is not so clear to the lurker—its flavor is much more apparent once you become a participant.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:17 AM on December 14, 2004
I dunno if it's being borderline Asperger's or what, but I've pretty much never valued social interaction and mechanics for its own sake. That is to say, it seems to me that a very large portion of what people do—a big portion of our brains is devoted to doing—is socializing in the sense that means creating a social structure, determining dominance, relative position, and, just using all those related skills. I totally recognize that these things are functional and useful and necessary. Even so, they've always been, to me, a means to an end, not an end to themselves. But it seems to me that a lot of what people do in Real Life and on the net is Conversation as Primate Grooming, along with Teeth Baring dominance and Genital Flashing. And other stuff.
In this social context, the huge influx of newbies and their misbehavior is hugely important and naturally responded to with great vigor and alacrity. Because sorting these things out is crucial, correcting newbie misbehavior crucial, making the rules and heirarachy very clear is crucial. And I'm not dismissing this—it seems to me that were I to take this socializing component as primary, then the importance of these things, and perhaps the justification for being mean, starts to be more rational.
But, you know, not all of us sees things this way. And, also, there is a different (but no less heirarchical and certainly covertly vicious) social "mode" than the intellectualized, conflict-favoring, snark-inflected, hazing culture that characterizes metafilter. That mefi is the way it is is not so clear to the lurker—its flavor is much more apparent once you become a participant.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 4:17 AM on December 14, 2004
I think I like this place better when you are all asleep. In fact there should be a nocturnal metafite page for activity between 1 and 4 am
That's mefi, superposition. It's always between 1 and 4 am somewhere.
posted by NeonSurge at 5:51 AM on December 14, 2004
That's mefi, superposition. It's always between 1 and 4 am somewhere.
posted by NeonSurge at 5:51 AM on December 14, 2004
S/he posted a stupid link; she didn't light your grandmas on fire and piss in the holiday pudding, jeez! I'm really glad I foolishly posted Blogger Junior High (hadn't ever been posted! I'd never seen it before!) 12,000 users ago, because some of y'all have gotten mean.
posted by headspace at 7:04 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by headspace at 7:04 AM on December 14, 2004
Superposition, if you, and any other n00bsters (0ldsters, etc. ) had email in your profiles, we could email our comments. They might not all be flames. My complaint was that the post was an invitation to a discussion, with 1 sort of interesting link. A better post would have found more info about subject or author, or opposing views, or something. A strong single link post is fine, but if in doubt, build the post more carefully. It's an interesting subject.
Meanwhile, the daily pile-ons are getting old. Can we please have more civility?
posted by theora55 at 7:24 AM on December 14, 2004
Meanwhile, the daily pile-ons are getting old. Can we please have more civility?
posted by theora55 at 7:24 AM on December 14, 2004
I didn't see it on preview, but headspace, are ya sure she didn't desecrate the pudding? Are ya?
posted by theora55 at 7:29 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by theora55 at 7:29 AM on December 14, 2004
superposition, I'm glad you've apparently decided to stick around. We may be jerks at first but we're still jerks once you get to know us.
posted by fenriq at 8:35 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by fenriq at 8:35 AM on December 14, 2004
Sure, there have been some terrible posts lately, but does every bad post have to be met with a pile-on? Seriously, what does it do besides creating animosity?
We had to sit through the months and months of bullshit USelectionsfilter without this kind of viciousness, can we not show some restraint for people who are finding their legs?
posted by Quartermass, member since: September 20, 2001
If more Old Timers were like this guy I might not not have had to make poor Quonsar fear my entypéd wrath. Oh, I hope Matt keeps letting other "n00bs" in for a while yet: y'all Old Timers can be so dull sometimes, even when you're giving me license to be mean to you by acting like your seniority on some dinky website entitles you to forego basic decency.
So shut up about the "horrendous" new folk and get back to entertaining me with all those wonderful links posts you're supposedly so expert at. Show us how it's done, O Brilliances.
posted by davy at 8:55 AM on December 14, 2004
We had to sit through the months and months of bullshit USelectionsfilter without this kind of viciousness, can we not show some restraint for people who are finding their legs?
posted by Quartermass, member since: September 20, 2001
If more Old Timers were like this guy I might not not have had to make poor Quonsar fear my entypéd wrath. Oh, I hope Matt keeps letting other "n00bs" in for a while yet: y'all Old Timers can be so dull sometimes, even when you're giving me license to be mean to you by acting like your seniority on some dinky website entitles you to forego basic decency.
So shut up about the "horrendous" new folk and get back to entertaining me with all those wonderful links posts you're supposedly so expert at. Show us how it's done, O Brilliances.
posted by davy at 8:55 AM on December 14, 2004
What scarabic said.
The new members are here to stay and name calling is not going to make things get better any faster. Nevertheless, flame throwers are still appropriate for the egregious transgressions. Adding "stoopid n00b" only diminishes the searing heat of the flames. Keep the focus on the bad acts rather than who committed them.
posted by caddis at 9:02 AM on December 14, 2004
The new members are here to stay and name calling is not going to make things get better any faster. Nevertheless, flame throwers are still appropriate for the egregious transgressions. Adding "stoopid n00b" only diminishes the searing heat of the flames. Keep the focus on the bad acts rather than who committed them.
posted by caddis at 9:02 AM on December 14, 2004
[T]he huge influx of newbies and their misbehavior is hugely important and naturally responded to with great vigor and alacrity.
I don't understand why more Mighty Apes, instead of flinging virtual faeces, aren't discovering which "n00bs" are cute and seducing them in Real Life. You do know how, right?
How many of you Big Boys are older than 35 and still spend lots of time and money playing video games where you can act out your compensatory fantasies -- instead of finally learning to actually be adequate?
posted by davy at 9:16 AM on December 14, 2004
I don't understand why more Mighty Apes, instead of flinging virtual faeces, aren't discovering which "n00bs" are cute and seducing them in Real Life. You do know how, right?
How many of you Big Boys are older than 35 and still spend lots of time and money playing video games where you can act out your compensatory fantasies -- instead of finally learning to actually be adequate?
posted by davy at 9:16 AM on December 14, 2004
Adequacy is defined by how well you can seduce reference librarians and n00bs? I always thought it was being comfortable with who you are to a degree that you no longer need to prove your worth with bigger cars, bigger body parts and more profligate seduction.
posted by caddis at 9:36 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by caddis at 9:36 AM on December 14, 2004
"A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy" and "Group as User: Flaming and the Design of Social Software". Both reposts, but applicable today.
posted by ericb at 9:47 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by ericb at 9:47 AM on December 14, 2004
davy - don't be a chip-on-your-shoulder hostile n00b. We've been showing you how it's done for 5 frickin' years.
posted by scarabic at 10:00 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by scarabic at 10:00 AM on December 14, 2004
Rewritten to insult only davy and not the rest of the new members:
davy - don't be a chip-on-your-shoulder hostilen00b doofus. We've been showing you how it's done for 5 frickin' years.
posted by caddis at 10:06 AM on December 14, 2004
davy - don't be a chip-on-your-shoulder hostile
posted by caddis at 10:06 AM on December 14, 2004
does anybody else besides me hear & picture the boy from davey & goliath when reading davy's posts...? it's extra funny since he's sort of an angry guy.
no, just me...? nevermind.
posted by t r a c y at 10:24 AM on December 14, 2004
no, just me...? nevermind.
posted by t r a c y at 10:24 AM on December 14, 2004
davy, what if I exactly 35 and still play video games (who spends money on them anymore? yeah, I buy the games but $50 isn't lots of money), is that okay? Because I am, I do and am much better than merely adequate. But hey, you keep aiming for that mediocrity!
On a side note, I emailed with superposition some last night. The verdict is in, there are some real jerks on MeFi.
The pile ons are lame, the new members should be welcomed and guided, not berated and humiliated. But its a two way street,new members, please bounce your "wicked awesome" first posts off someone if you have even the slightest doubt or worry of front page public humiliation.
And even if you do see your post go down in flames, watch it burn and resist the temptation to defend it in the thread. It just looks bad.
I'll reoffer my ears and eyes, if you've got a post you aren't sure about, IM or email me, contacts are on my page. Not that my fpp's are any great shakes.
posted by fenriq at 10:39 AM on December 14, 2004
On a side note, I emailed with superposition some last night. The verdict is in, there are some real jerks on MeFi.
The pile ons are lame, the new members should be welcomed and guided, not berated and humiliated. But its a two way street,new members, please bounce your "wicked awesome" first posts off someone if you have even the slightest doubt or worry of front page public humiliation.
And even if you do see your post go down in flames, watch it burn and resist the temptation to defend it in the thread. It just looks bad.
I'll reoffer my ears and eyes, if you've got a post you aren't sure about, IM or email me, contacts are on my page. Not that my fpp's are any great shakes.
posted by fenriq at 10:39 AM on December 14, 2004
no, caddis, actually I've seen davy lash out at the established membership explicity more than once. Clearly he identifies as a "new person" and has formed a lot of generalizations about the "old people." I'm sick of hearing them. While I don't deny that some established members have lashed out pretty viciously and indiscriminately, I'm even less inclined to listen to it from someone who has yet to prove himself here.
posted by scarabic at 10:39 AM on December 14, 2004
posted by scarabic at 10:39 AM on December 14, 2004
:hugs MetaFilter:
Please stop hugging metafilter! All of you!
posted by glenwood at 10:44 AM on December 14, 2004
"We had to sit through the months and months of bullshit USelectionsfilter without this kind of viciousness..."
...and there's a lot of frustration that just as we reached the light at the end of the electionfilter shit post tunnel, it turned out to be a freight train laden with more shit posts.
posted by majick at 11:01 AM on December 14, 2004
...and there's a lot of frustration that just as we reached the light at the end of the electionfilter shit post tunnel, it turned out to be a freight train laden with more shit posts.
posted by majick at 11:01 AM on December 14, 2004
But sweethearts, I'm only new here, and then only to "write privileges".
Anyway. Personal shit-flinging is not what I spent $5 on. Note that I've left alone those "established members" who don't viciously pile on "n00bs". Don't get all confused, please.
posted by davy at 11:33 AM on December 14, 2004
Anyway. Personal shit-flinging is not what I spent $5 on. Note that I've left alone those "established members" who don't viciously pile on "n00bs". Don't get all confused, please.
posted by davy at 11:33 AM on December 14, 2004
Note that I've left alone those "established members" who don't viciously pile on "n00bs".
And hey, I only bothered with one of those by name, as a sort of synecdoche, and he was selected for me by references to his reputation.
posted by davy at 12:03 PM on December 14, 2004
And hey, I only bothered with one of those by name, as a sort of synecdoche, and he was selected for me by references to his reputation.
posted by davy at 12:03 PM on December 14, 2004
I've pretty much taken the hazing/breaking in period as par for the course and expected it. Human nature to behave this way towards new people who join a clique (people are predictable).
(and thanks fenriq for the offer of assitance.)
posted by squeak at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2004
(and thanks fenriq for the offer of assitance.)
posted by squeak at 12:31 PM on December 14, 2004
We should be absorbing new folks slowly and steadily, not in massive waves every two years.
That seems to me a very good point. Remember what happened on Usenet when AOL first became a direct ISP?
posted by davy at 12:42 PM on December 14, 2004
That seems to me a very good point. Remember what happened on Usenet when AOL first became a direct ISP?
posted by davy at 12:42 PM on December 14, 2004
Remember what happened on Usenet when AOL first became a direct ISP?
I sure do (self-link).
posted by macrone at 1:29 PM on December 14, 2004
I sure do (self-link).
posted by macrone at 1:29 PM on December 14, 2004
Ahh, yes. The September that Never Ended. I, unfortunately, was on the bad end of that one.
posted by shawnj at 1:46 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by shawnj at 1:46 PM on December 14, 2004
I don't understand why more Mighty Apes, instead of flinging virtual faeces, aren't discovering which "n00bs" are cute and seducing them in Real Life. You do know how, right?
How many of you Big Boys are older than 35 and still spend lots of time and money playing video games where you can act out your compensatory fantasies -- instead of finally learning to actually be adequate?
davy, you're not using your getting-to-know-you time well. A word to the wise.
Anyone who wants to try out their first-post idea should feel free to e-mail me as well: languagehat AT yahoo DOT com.
posted by languagehat at 2:55 PM on December 14, 2004
How many of you Big Boys are older than 35 and still spend lots of time and money playing video games where you can act out your compensatory fantasies -- instead of finally learning to actually be adequate?
davy, you're not using your getting-to-know-you time well. A word to the wise.
Anyone who wants to try out their first-post idea should feel free to e-mail me as well: languagehat AT yahoo DOT com.
posted by languagehat at 2:55 PM on December 14, 2004
Yeah, neither do those particular comments seem to be directed at any one particular person, davy, nor a particular gorup.
*gets all confused*
Incidentally, a neoFite recently did email me for a pre-flight check on a potential post. We'd already locked horns once or twice over the whole n00b fiasco on MeTa, but I think it was a very productive exchange. I certainly found respect for the guy's giving it a shot.
I'm always open to more of the same. Email is on my profile page.
posted by scarabic at 3:41 PM on December 14, 2004
*gets all confused*
Incidentally, a neoFite recently did email me for a pre-flight check on a potential post. We'd already locked horns once or twice over the whole n00b fiasco on MeTa, but I think it was a very productive exchange. I certainly found respect for the guy's giving it a shot.
I'm always open to more of the same. Email is on my profile page.
posted by scarabic at 3:41 PM on December 14, 2004
By the way, check out the front page. Despite all this "n00b" bitching, the front page is filled with gorgeous links, some from low user numbers (i.e. 145) and some from some high user numbers (i.e. 20,372). Despite some spates of junk posts the new guys are adding lots of good stuff. Since most people take a few months or longer to hit their stride just imagine how much great stuff we will be seeing come Spring. It will be a little messy in between. Thank you Matt for taking on the task of cleaning up all the babies' messes (along with the geriatric accidents). This is good practice for that new baby coming.
posted by caddis at 4:43 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by caddis at 4:43 PM on December 14, 2004
("mild" or "borderline") Asperger's: The latest all-pacifying, all-validating excuse for complete and total social ineptitude. A prophylactic self-diagnosis offered by clueless assblankets to ward off criticism of their dipshit self-involvement.
Now playing on a screen (very) near you.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 8:47 PM on December 14, 2004
Now playing on a screen (very) near you.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 8:47 PM on December 14, 2004
The way I heard it, Rob Tyner said, "Kick out the jams, [click, lower volume] brothers and sisters [click, resume normal volume] !"
posted by rfs at 9:03 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by rfs at 9:03 PM on December 14, 2004
Also: quonsar: The only MeFite older than Rob Tyner, PBUH.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:07 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:07 PM on December 14, 2004
I dunno. I think maybe you've crossed over into embarassing-yourself territory from annoying-EB territory. But that works out because as long as I still am annoyed by you, I take some satisfaction in your embarassment. At some point, I'll be completely inured and pity will be the only thing left I feel for you. All in all, good times ahead. Middle-age does have its satisfactions.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:27 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:27 PM on December 14, 2004
Who you talking to, sonny Jim? (Here's a clue: "The guilty flee where no man pursueth." Here's another: "If the shoe fits...")
By the by, delusions of reference? Not diagnostic of Asperger's.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:32 PM on December 14, 2004
By the by, delusions of reference? Not diagnostic of Asperger's.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:32 PM on December 14, 2004
Anyway, pumpkin, my wife's down with the flu, it's past the hour at which I can treat my neighbors to Motorhead and I'm fresh outta Prisoner DVDs, so baiting you will just have to do.
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:35 PM on December 14, 2004
posted by Adam Greenfield at 9:35 PM on December 14, 2004
:kicks MetaFilter square in the nuts:
:gently places ice on MetaFilter's delicate parts:
posted by deborah at 11:56 PM on December 14, 2004
:gently places ice on MetaFilter's delicate parts:
posted by deborah at 11:56 PM on December 14, 2004
Yeah, neither do those particular comments seem to be directed at any one particular person, davy, nor a particular gorup.[SIC]
Can it, Puddnhead. You don't know me here either. Practice ignoring me some more, we'll both feel better.
posted by davy at 10:47 AM on December 15, 2004
Can it, Puddnhead. You don't know me here either. Practice ignoring me some more, we'll both feel better.
posted by davy at 10:47 AM on December 15, 2004
:gently places ice on MetaFilter's delicate parts:
ARGH! For hemorrhoids you use a warm compress!
posted by davy at 1:31 PM on December 15, 2004
ARGH! For hemorrhoids you use a warm compress!
posted by davy at 1:31 PM on December 15, 2004
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posted by xmutex at 3:17 PM on December 13, 2004