AskMe for feedback on projects

January 1, 2005 9:08 PM

Legitimately unsure if the following is an acceptable use of AskMe: (more inside)
posted by John Kenneth Fisher to Etiquette/Policy at 9:08 PM (22 comments total)

I'm keeping this vague so as not to just be asking a question here, but if a user is puttering on something such as a chart of cast changes for a TV show, or something silly like that, would an AskMe of "I'm sure I've made mistakes.... what/who have I missed?" be an acceptable use of the resource?

I have a specific personal thought in mind, obviously, but I suppose what it comes down to is a broader question for the record: Can AskMe be used to request Peer Review of personal projects?
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 9:13 PM on January 1, 2005

My instinct is to say No, because that paves the way for posts like poetry or fiction with a request for a critique, and things of that nature. (Which would be great, having 20,000-odd users tearing apart my writing, but I think it might be frowned upon.)

Of course, I defer to the opinions of our older, wiser users.

quonsar?
posted by exlotuseater at 9:35 PM on January 1, 2005

Be sneaky and make it look like you're asking for information rather than trying to fill in gaps, and you'll slip by.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:49 PM on January 1, 2005

The governing distinction here seems to be one between a well defined request for specific information and an open ended solicitation of opinions. JKF's example seems to be an example of the former and perfectly acceptable. There's a danger that a wide variety of acceptable question types might pave the way for other related unacceptable question types. The success of AskMe relies on the discipline of its users to maintain these distinctions. Obviously, this system has failed in isolated instances but overall it seems to be working pretty well.
posted by stuart_s at 9:55 PM on January 1, 2005

Matt said announce.metafilter.com, which now comes back to MetaTalk, is coming soon and sounds exactly what you are looking for. I think that would be a more appropriate to wait for it to go live.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 10:14 PM on January 1, 2005

Just ask the damn question. If people don't want to answer it, they'll just not click on it or ignore it without complaining about it to metatalk.

Right? Right?
posted by interrobang at 10:14 PM on January 1, 2005

Ask the question. AskMetaFilter is about connecting you with the people who can help you with a question, and you have a question that you want help with. Such a request is perfectly appropriate.
posted by gd779 at 10:27 PM on January 1, 2005

I third the Go Ahead. It's close to the line of acceptability, but quite in bounds.

This is what eternal vigilance is all about. Go ahead, JKF, and we'll see you back in here approximately four hours after the post goes live when someone unaware of this thread kvetches unnecessarily about it.

sic transit gloria mundi. Go on. You'll get an answer, which is what the service is for.
posted by chicobangs at 10:31 PM on January 1, 2005

I think, so long as the question isn't intentionally misleading you should be fine. If people want to answer, they'll answer.
posted by fenriq at 11:56 PM on January 1, 2005

As long as you're not asking about something really impractical or impossible, like survival tactics for humanity if the sun were to go out, I'm OK with it.
posted by weston at 12:08 AM on January 2, 2005

A difficult one, for the reasons given by exlotuseater. My gut reaction says give it a go, and if questions of the same ilk become a problem, then we'll review it then. I've asked questions which don't belong on AskMe, (survey response question) and the response has been fantastic, but I wouldn't have liked it if that was what AskMe became.
posted by seanyboy at 5:33 AM on January 2, 2005

Asking for help on a specific project has already happened a couple of times, even with linked images/diagrams and whatnot. It's quite useful. I say go.
posted by loquacious at 8:02 AM on January 2, 2005

Go ahead, JKF, and we'll see you back in here approximately four hours after the post goes live when someone unaware of this thread kvetches unnecessarily about it.

Well, I'm within 7 days of my last question, so I can't now anyway, but this makes me more likely to ask for help when I'm able to. :-)

As long as you're not asking about something really impractical or impossible, like survival tactics for humanity if the sun were to go out, I'm OK with it.

Was that really a problem? My friends and I often debate questions like that, and I like seeing opinions by others. :-)
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 8:41 AM on January 2, 2005

A question like that seems ok, but a project that smacks too much of homework or potential commercial profit would cross the line. It's a really fuzzy boundary.
posted by dness2 at 10:52 AM on January 2, 2005

I wouldn't actively bitch if it were posted, but I'm going to say no. Without knowing too much about what you're looking for, it strikes me as a quesion only useful to you. What are the odds of someone coming along in the future with the same problem who can find their answer by doing a search? That, to me, is the gauge of an AskMe post's merit.

A good, useful question might be, "I'm developing a project in the area of X. Anyone know where a good online community where I can find people who are super-knowledgeable about it?" You'll get a few links, and the odd person will invariably pipe up with "I know all about X. I'll email you."
posted by mkultra at 10:58 AM on January 2, 2005

it strikes me as a quesion only useful to you

So what? What is this, the Soviet Republic of MetaFilter? Can I really not get an answer to a question that's probably "only useful to me"? This is a bad approach. Questions should be real questions (I don't like the "do you have strange dreams?" type of question either), but there's no requirement they be Socially Useful.
posted by languagehat at 12:30 PM on January 2, 2005

What is this, the Soviet Republic of MetaFilter?

Why shouldn't a bit of that spirit exist here?

Besides, I don't think my metric applies as broadly as you say. There are very few questions, I think, that would fit it, and "would you help troubleshoot my project?" is one of them. Your metric of "real questions" is just as arbitrary.
posted by mkultra at 3:51 PM on January 2, 2005

Which "spirit" are you referring to, mkultra? I hope it's 100 proof or higher. Na zdorov'ye!
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:05 PM on January 2, 2005

Was that really a problem? My friends and I often debate questions like that, and I like seeing opinions by others.

I keed, I keed -- I actually participated enthusiastically in that thread, and really liked some of the answers. Though beth's freaked me out a bit.
posted by weston at 9:39 PM on January 2, 2005

Why shouldn't a bit of that spirit exist here?

I have no words.

Your metric of "real questions" is just as arbitrary.

Sure, and I'm not asking anybody else to abide by it. Just mentioning my preferences. And I sometimes comment in those threads, so I can't even claim consistency.
posted by languagehat at 7:20 AM on January 3, 2005

I have no words.

Oh, come on. I'm not advocating Soviet-style governance (that was your hyperbole, not mine), but a bit of "Is this toward the Greater Good?" is a step toward staving off some of the crappier questions.
posted by mkultra at 10:02 AM on January 3, 2005

In Soviet Russia, MetaFilter questions you.
posted by timeistight at 10:14 AM on January 3, 2005