Brevity is the soul of. . . what again?

June 16, 2007 3:28 PM

Flagging a post as "too long."
posted by bardic to Etiquette/Policy at 3:28 PM (58 comments total)

posting some kind of snarky comment along the lines of "huh?"
posted by sergeant sandwich at 3:33 PM on June 16, 2007

I've really liked the quality and framing of recent posts, so much so that the ones that needlessly take up half the front page bother me even more. Would it be possible to add a "flagging mark" for a post simply being too long? I usually mark it as "it breaks the guidelines," which I believe they do, but it might be nice to have something more specific in place. Lots of these posts are actually great, content-wise, but need to be trimmed. "It's too long" would indicate that the FPP has merit, but needs some pruning.

I guess the only downside would be more work for the mods, who might become thought of as de facto FPP editors (more often than they are now).

Anways, I think it would be a good idea and easy to implement. Also, I have 1) just eaten a bag of huge cocks, 2) realized my favorite band and/or community website sucks, 3) cleaned the sand out of my vagina. Tia!
posted by bardic at 3:34 PM on June 16, 2007

I checked out all the examples you provided and I totally agree.
posted by dhammond at 3:36 PM on June 16, 2007 [9 favorites]

Calling out specific posts is so 2006. It's a brand new day!
posted by bardic at 3:38 PM on June 16, 2007

“I checked out all the examples you provided and I totally agree.”

That's funny. I checked out all his examples and I disagree completely.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:44 PM on June 16, 2007

I disagree, too, but I will not tell you—any of you, so don't even ask—what I disagree with. Forget it, it's not gonna happen. I just frickin' disagree, and that's all there is to it.
posted by cgc373 at 3:47 PM on June 16, 2007 [2 favorites]

I think the 'breaks the guidelines' flag is fine, or possibly the HTML/display error one when a long post just looks like arse. We can get pretty carried away making specific flags for everything otherwise.

I always assumed the flag was mainly to draw the mods attention to something, and they're smart enough to figure out what's wrong with the post once they see it.
posted by shelleycat at 3:48 PM on June 16, 2007

I flag it as display error. I also flag blink tags on the front page that way.
posted by puke & cry at 3:52 PM on June 16, 2007

Assuming you mean what I think you mean, I think "HTML/Display Error" effectively communicates one's belief that 11 italicized lines of text containing no links should be on the inside of a post.
posted by Partial Law at 3:54 PM on June 16, 2007

In this case, brevity is the soul of opacity.
posted by Tuwa at 3:55 PM on June 16, 2007

display error works great for these but with too long FPPs there is really nothign we can do other than delete or edit both of which are terrible options in an otherwise decent post.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:56 PM on June 16, 2007

A [more inside] feature would help solve the problem.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:57 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

I figure you could just chop it and stick it inside. You know, like a sex change.
posted by puke & cry at 3:58 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

Just flag everything you don't like as "noise." It's a workable alternative until we get our "shit" flag.

The whole flag/favorite system could probably be replaced with a little drop down with two options, actually: "shit" and "the shit."
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 3:58 PM on June 16, 2007 [6 favorites]

I imagine that when a post starts getting flagged rapidly, the first impression for mods is that someone has posted Hitler's myspace page. If anything, between the "zomg this is great" and "zomg this goes to Stormfront.org" it would be handy to have something like "Hey little guy. You've got pluck and gumption, but you're harshing my mellow with unjustified verbosity is all. Stick around. We like you. We'll take a trip to the beach and fall in love all over again, eventually. Until then, hang in there."

Actually, that's the flag I want. Word-for-word.
posted by bardic at 3:58 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

If you do get around to adding entries in the "flag" list, could you also add "axe-grinding"? Right now I flag those as "noise" but it isn't really accurate.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 3:59 PM on June 16, 2007

bardic, I'm sure you realize already that I disagree, because I said I disagreed above, but I really disagree about the beach thing. I hate beaches. And Beaches bugged the shit out of me, too. It got sand in my vagina, you might say.
posted by cgc373 at 4:01 PM on June 16, 2007

But why do you disagree cgc373? Tell me.
posted by vronsky at 4:08 PM on June 16, 2007

Oh, why is completely different from what, vronsky. Why is easy. I disagree because I am contrarily inclined. I'm sort of declined, then, I guess. Or reclined. Stupid latinate English.
posted by cgc373 at 4:11 PM on June 16, 2007

Flagging my penis as "too long".
posted by Meatbomb at 4:20 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

*also flags meatbomb's penis on general principle*
posted by psmith at 4:28 PM on June 16, 2007

More single link youtube posts! WOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!
posted by miss lynnster at 4:28 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

Funny. I flog my penis when it gets too long.

Different strokes and all that.
posted by bardic at 4:32 PM on June 16, 2007

I know it's been suggested many times before, but perhaps it really is time for a [more inside] feature on MeFi? jessamyn has said she opposes that because she fears it would lead to essay-length posts, so why not start off with a short trial period? Say, implement the [more inside] feature and see what sorts of effects it has on post length and quality and how it affects the site? Then at the end of the trial period, if the feature isn't causing any major problems or changes, you could extend it for a second trial period (since I think it would probably take a couple of months to notice any changes in posting trends). After that, if everything is still good, make it a permanent feature.
posted by Sangermaine at 4:33 PM on June 16, 2007

Enough with the reasonable suggestions, Sangermaine. THIS IS METATALK!

Flag Meatbomb's penis or begone!
posted by cgc373 at 4:36 PM on June 16, 2007

God DAMN it, it's a HUGE BAG OF COCKS, not a BAG OF HUGE COCKS.

Jesus. I need to take this shit less seriously.
posted by disclaimer at 4:36 PM on June 16, 2007

any way to invoke a character limit on the FPP, that includes a [MI] link?

please note, i am not any form of script kiddie, so i'd have no idea if that's actually a reasonable assumption. it just seems like it'd be fairly simple to reduce the chance of war and peace sized postings.

that, and i want the fucking blink tag to DIE already. woo yay, it's my day to ask for pretty pretty ponies!
posted by lonefrontranger at 4:56 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

why not start off with a short trial period? Say, implement the [more inside] feature and see what sorts of effects it has on post length and quality and how it affects the site?

Makes sense, doesn't it?

*flags meatbomb's penis as double post*
posted by languagehat at 5:21 PM on June 16, 2007

* uses own extra long penis to hit the flag button to flag meatbomb's penis.
posted by vronsky at 5:54 PM on June 16, 2007

*flags penis as "Meatbomb"*
posted by hermitosis at 6:03 PM on June 16, 2007

Max character counts before and after the jump should do the trick. Also, I repeat my request for a "Rampant douchebaggery" flag. Also, we need a "not snarky enough" flag for MetaTalk flameouts.
posted by RussHy at 8:10 PM on June 16, 2007

Anything longer than 255 characters I flag as "breaks the guidelines".

EIGHT BITS 4 LIFE
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:21 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

I flag the fact that I have no penis.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:52 PM on June 16, 2007

I'm late to this party. Someone will have to flagellate my penis.
posted by strawberryviagra at 9:52 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

Wow, Metatalk is even dumber than usual lately.

Flag that, fuckos.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:05 PM on June 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

Why so grumpy, stavros? We're flagging penises in here, man! It is the best of times!
posted by cgc373 at 12:03 AM on June 17, 2007

You should not have cleaned the sand from your vag, just leave it there and pearls will form around it.
After a year you can harvest, drill, string and when someone complements you on them you can say you made it yourself.
posted by Iron Rat at 12:09 AM on June 17, 2007 [3 favorites]

Methinks Stavros is envious.
posted by strawberryviagra at 12:41 AM on June 17, 2007

He's got nothing flagworthy, poor little guy.
posted by Meatbomb at 1:48 AM on June 17, 2007

flogging this post as Nacht der langen Penisse
posted by taz at 4:01 AM on June 17, 2007

My extra long penis is perfect for cleaning the sand out of those hard-to-reach places.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:25 AM on June 17, 2007

Ah yes, the swivel-head model. Handy.
posted by taz at 4:48 AM on June 17, 2007

*flags Meatbombs penis*

I hereby claim this territory in the name of Her Majesty, The Queen of Spain, and all tenants upon thee Her loyal subjects. Proof of fealty begins tomorrow at noon, BYO condom.

Onto the other topic in this thread, I wonder why we need a bauble that tells mods what they would know simply by looking at the front page. One can miss axe-grinding or a double post or a plain ol' shitty link unless every post is read carefully; a long post is obvious to anyone with eyes trained on the front page, literate or not. You don't even have to read the post to see it's too long. Then again, I am a Master of the Obvious and what is apparent to me is not always apparent to those who want more flags on Meatbomb's penis.
posted by carsonb at 9:40 AM on June 17, 2007

Run it up the penis and see if anyone salutes.
posted by y2karl at 11:18 AM on June 17, 2007

Now I have penis flagging envy.
posted by misha at 11:42 AM on June 17, 2007

* salutes karl's penis.
posted by vronsky at 3:12 PM on June 17, 2007

The whole flag/favorite system could probably be replaced with a little drop down with two options, actually: "shit" and "the shit."

Word choice aside, why not? Don't all of the flags do essentially the same thing (alert the mods to a post that needs attention)?
posted by danb at 5:08 PM on June 17, 2007

Usually the flags help us out a little bit in terms of how severe the problem is. "breaks the guidelines" gets pretty speedy attention as does HTML error and double post. The rest just help us see what might be wrong with a post and I don't know about the other folks, but I treat noise and derail and offensive and other as all about the same unless there are a whole lot of one of them. It also depends on whether what was flagged is a post or a comment. double post on a post gets quicker attention than double post on a comment. We could probably tighten it up some.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:26 PM on June 17, 2007

* flags jessamyn's penis.
posted by vronsky at 10:52 PM on June 17, 2007

There's a "whopper" flag?
posted by strawberryviagra at 11:07 PM on June 17, 2007

I'd like a 'Male Answer Syndrome' flag in AskMe myself.
posted by romakimmy at 3:25 AM on June 18, 2007

Shit, my flag is only at half-mast this morning. *sigh*
posted by NationalKato at 9:16 AM on June 18, 2007

what is the point of metatalk? is it just a kindergarten for children who think dirty words are funny?
posted by uspommie at 1:31 PM on June 19, 2007

What makes you say that, bumface?
posted by strawberryviagra at 3:53 PM on June 19, 2007

Proof that more inside won't cause people to write more.
posted by smackfu at 3:56 PM on June 19, 2007

what is the point of metatalk?
If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.
posted by dg at 4:06 PM on June 19, 2007

Is this really appropriate
posted by bethrossrn at 3:44 AM on June 21, 2007

Well, you wrote it.
posted by strawberryviagra at 5:05 AM on June 21, 2007