Could people please stop guessing where someone got a link from? July 20, 2005 1:39 PM Subscribe
Could people please stop guessing where someone got a link from?
That example is just the most recent one (not intended to single any one person out). This has been annoying me for a while though.
posted by drezdn at 1:41 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by drezdn at 1:41 PM on July 20, 2005
Prostyle seems to believe everyone visits boingboing. Prostyle seems to be wrong.
posted by justgary at 1:42 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by justgary at 1:42 PM on July 20, 2005
Prostyle seems to be a dick.
posted by greasy_skillet at 1:52 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by greasy_skillet at 1:52 PM on July 20, 2005
For example.
Forgot the "via MetaFilter" there.
I kid.
Completely agree with you. It's yet another example of pointless smuggery.
posted by me3dia at 1:52 PM on July 20, 2005
Forgot the "via MetaFilter" there.
I kid.
Completely agree with you. It's yet another example of pointless smuggery.
posted by me3dia at 1:52 PM on July 20, 2005
drezdn writes "it annoys me when people accuse posters of stealing their links from other sites."
I don't really see your point. In the very example you quote, the original poster didn't seem to mind or even take notice. And "accuse" and "stealing" are a bit strong for what you're describing (which, in most cases, is just a "Hey, I saw this one on xyz yesterday"). And I bet sometimes people really forget (or fail) to mention their source. In short, I don't care. If you do, flag as noise and move on.
posted by nkyad at 2:09 PM on July 20, 2005
I don't really see your point. In the very example you quote, the original poster didn't seem to mind or even take notice. And "accuse" and "stealing" are a bit strong for what you're describing (which, in most cases, is just a "Hey, I saw this one on xyz yesterday"). And I bet sometimes people really forget (or fail) to mention their source. In short, I don't care. If you do, flag as noise and move on.
posted by nkyad at 2:09 PM on July 20, 2005
Hm, this is only semi-related, but I figure I might ask it, to both sate my own curiosity and to save, you know, another MeTa post:
Say, hypothetically, on my own blog, I were to post about something that I thought was cool; I hadn't seen it linked elsewhere (i.e. it wasn't "Hey, check this thing out I saw on Plastic and Memepool!" or anything) -- would it be acceptable to post a link to MeFi to the source (i.e. not mentioning my own blog post at all, even though the blog itself is on my userpage), or would that count as a Self-Link (though, an admittedly roundabout one).
Erm, I don't know if this is making sense. Maybe an example would work. Say, on my own blog, I write:
Hey! Have you guys seen this? CNN.com seems to be this, like, site where there's all sorts of news articles and stuff! It's AWESOME!
Is it OK to later post on MeFi:
CNN.com is a site that compiles news articles from around the world, from the wacky to the important!
as long as I don't add anything like [via Myblog!] or "Here's what I had to say about it before!!" or anything lame like that?
I'm just mainly asking because someone who was Enthralled by such a wonderful post might click through to my userpage, see the link to my blog and see the original post I made about CNN.com.
Now that I think about it, this sounds like a silly question, but... I dunno, not really a fan of self-linking here, and I'd prefer not to do something in a Round-About way.
(or fearing the incredibly unlikely happenstance of someone going "You forgot the [via YourBlogOnlyIDon'tRealiseThisAtTheTime]!" and me having to say "Uh... actually I didn't forget it, because I wrote the via-article.")
Erm, yeah. I think I'm just gonna sorta trail off here before I ramble and embarrass myself further...
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 2:10 PM on July 20, 2005
Say, hypothetically, on my own blog, I were to post about something that I thought was cool; I hadn't seen it linked elsewhere (i.e. it wasn't "Hey, check this thing out I saw on Plastic and Memepool!" or anything) -- would it be acceptable to post a link to MeFi to the source (i.e. not mentioning my own blog post at all, even though the blog itself is on my userpage), or would that count as a Self-Link (though, an admittedly roundabout one).
Erm, I don't know if this is making sense. Maybe an example would work. Say, on my own blog, I write:
Hey! Have you guys seen this? CNN.com seems to be this, like, site where there's all sorts of news articles and stuff! It's AWESOME!
Is it OK to later post on MeFi:
CNN.com is a site that compiles news articles from around the world, from the wacky to the important!
as long as I don't add anything like [via Myblog!] or "Here's what I had to say about it before!!" or anything lame like that?
I'm just mainly asking because someone who was Enthralled by such a wonderful post might click through to my userpage, see the link to my blog and see the original post I made about CNN.com.
Now that I think about it, this sounds like a silly question, but... I dunno, not really a fan of self-linking here, and I'd prefer not to do something in a Round-About way.
(or fearing the incredibly unlikely happenstance of someone going "You forgot the [via YourBlogOnlyIDon'tRealiseThisAtTheTime]!" and me having to say "Uh... actually I didn't forget it, because I wrote the via-article.")
Erm, yeah. I think I'm just gonna sorta trail off here before I ramble and embarrass myself further...
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 2:10 PM on July 20, 2005
aside: Since I don't read Fark, I am often confused and put-off by all the Fark comments. /aside
I fear posting a link and being accused of "Pshaw you got that on Phineas T. Bonesworth's Link-a-day intarweblog!*" and somehow I am supposed to magically be aware of every website that links to something?
*Where Phineas T. Bonesworth's Link-a-day intarweblog! can be replaced with Boing-Boing, Kottke, Fark, /., or whoever
So I agree with you drezdn but what is the point of even calling it out?
posted by tweak at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2005
I fear posting a link and being accused of "Pshaw you got that on Phineas T. Bonesworth's Link-a-day intarweblog!*" and somehow I am supposed to magically be aware of every website that links to something?
*Where Phineas T. Bonesworth's Link-a-day intarweblog! can be replaced with Boing-Boing, Kottke, Fark, /., or whoever
So I agree with you drezdn but what is the point of even calling it out?
posted by tweak at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2005
Because I love her so, I'll link to some give and take between madamjujujive and glider in this thread, starting with glider's first attempt to ascertain exactly where mjj found the link. I found her comments kind of annoying, but madam handled the situation with her usual grace and tact.
People really need to stop assuming they know where someone found a link. Not everyone reads Boing Boing and/or Slashdot. That is all.
On preview: Rev. Syung Myung Me - if I read you correctly, that's perfectly fine. Lots of people mention something on their own sites and then post again here. Minus the via to their site.
posted by iconomy at 2:23 PM on July 20, 2005
People really need to stop assuming they know where someone found a link. Not everyone reads Boing Boing and/or Slashdot. That is all.
On preview: Rev. Syung Myung Me - if I read you correctly, that's perfectly fine. Lots of people mention something on their own sites and then post again here. Minus the via to their site.
posted by iconomy at 2:23 PM on July 20, 2005
Rev, self-linking means linking to, you know, yourself. If you link to something on your blog, and then come here and repeat the link, that would be self plagerizing, not self linking.....right?
Also, you would think people who have never posted a link to anything would have the good manners to keep their snarking about others' links to a minimum.
posted by CunningLinguist at 2:24 PM on July 20, 2005
Also, you would think people who have never posted a link to anything would have the good manners to keep their snarking about others' links to a minimum.
posted by CunningLinguist at 2:24 PM on July 20, 2005
editing my comment above: I found her comments should be I found his comments.
posted by iconomy at 2:28 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by iconomy at 2:28 PM on July 20, 2005
what is the point of even calling it out?
Same as the point of calling anything out: In hopes of changing the future behavior of people who read it and realize the kind of reaction it generates.
I'll throw in, as well, my own "vote" against this practice, for the simple reason that such a comment is always a derail, contributing nothing positive to the thread, and often succeeds only in generating a snippy denail and/or lengthy back-and-forth about whether the poster reads the site in question.
On preview: What madamjujujive said in iconomy's link.
Hi, iconomy!
posted by soyjoy at 2:29 PM on July 20, 2005
Same as the point of calling anything out: In hopes of changing the future behavior of people who read it and realize the kind of reaction it generates.
I'll throw in, as well, my own "vote" against this practice, for the simple reason that such a comment is always a derail, contributing nothing positive to the thread, and often succeeds only in generating a snippy denail and/or lengthy back-and-forth about whether the poster reads the site in question.
On preview: What madamjujujive said in iconomy's link.
Hi, iconomy!
posted by soyjoy at 2:29 PM on July 20, 2005
Cool; thanks -- I figured that was the case (I'm a big fan of self-plagiarism...), but I just wanted to double check, since it'd be a pity if my first link annoyed everyone (or, rather, annoyed everyone because of a policy-breach)!
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 3:04 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 3:04 PM on July 20, 2005
You've reached the end of the blogoverse. Now go back and return to where you're coming from.
posted by NewBornHippy at 3:35 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by NewBornHippy at 3:35 PM on July 20, 2005
A-fucking-men. For some reason that annoys me more than anything on this site. Just because you saw it on Boing Boing or /. or whereever-the-fuck doesn't mean that the poster saw it there too. My less subtle approach.
posted by eyeballkid at 3:36 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by eyeballkid at 3:36 PM on July 20, 2005
People who do this also talk about whuffie as if it were a real thing.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 3:40 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 3:40 PM on July 20, 2005
I like via's because they point to even more potential good links. Why keep them a secret?
posted by Space Coyote at 3:42 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by Space Coyote at 3:42 PM on July 20, 2005
Yeah, I'm also sick of people who do this. Where do they think the site they think the link was stolen from got it? Very annoying.
posted by dobbs at 3:42 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by dobbs at 3:42 PM on July 20, 2005
You forgot the [via] to BoingBoing
Yeah that's frikkin' annoying. Like BoingBoing's links aren't recycled from the same cesspool we all wallow in.
I like via's because they point to even more potential good links. Why keep them a secret?
I totally agree with you. Via's are good karma, although, as dobbs suggests, it's ultimately pointless to try to figure out who is the "source." But anyway this discussion is about demanding them based on a flimsy assumption that you know where the poster got it. That's rude and slapworthy.
posted by scarabic at 3:47 PM on July 20, 2005
Yeah that's frikkin' annoying. Like BoingBoing's links aren't recycled from the same cesspool we all wallow in.
I like via's because they point to even more potential good links. Why keep them a secret?
I totally agree with you. Via's are good karma, although, as dobbs suggests, it's ultimately pointless to try to figure out who is the "source." But anyway this discussion is about demanding them based on a flimsy assumption that you know where the poster got it. That's rude and slapworthy.
posted by scarabic at 3:47 PM on July 20, 2005
Space Coyote writes "I like via's because they point to even more potential good links. Why keep them a secret?"
I'm all for via's, I'd rather not see the smug self-satisfaction and the implied "I'm pretty cool, I knew about this before the other commenters here even saw it" of the inthread call-out.
posted by OmieWise at 4:13 PM on July 20, 2005
I'm all for via's, I'd rather not see the smug self-satisfaction and the implied "I'm pretty cool, I knew about this before the other commenters here even saw it" of the inthread call-out.
posted by OmieWise at 4:13 PM on July 20, 2005
Yeah, this drives me nuts too. And throwing in a [via] may well be good karma, but does it serve any purpose when it's a link to BB/Slashdot/Fark/b3ta/etc.? We already know about those websites, thanks.
posted by Galvatron at 4:16 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by Galvatron at 4:16 PM on July 20, 2005
A-fucking-men. For some reason that annoys me more than anything on this site. Just because you saw it on Boing Boing or /. or whereever-the-fuck doesn't mean that the poster saw it there too. My less subtle approach.
posted by eyeballkid at 3:36 PM PST on July 20
yeah, what he said.
posted by ori at 4:16 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by eyeballkid at 3:36 PM PST on July 20
yeah, what he said.
posted by ori at 4:16 PM on July 20, 2005
I don't really care for the guessing game stuff but I do like properly attributed links. Sure, BoingBoing got it from somewhere else and they should be attributing it as well.
I don't read BoingBoing and I don't read Fark, the signal to noise ratio is too high. I read MeFi because its a community of bright, interesting and engaging people. That and I love it when people make jokes about bunnies and pancakes.
posted by fenriq at 4:32 PM on July 20, 2005
I don't read BoingBoing and I don't read Fark, the signal to noise ratio is too high. I read MeFi because its a community of bright, interesting and engaging people. That and I love it when people make jokes about bunnies and pancakes.
posted by fenriq at 4:32 PM on July 20, 2005
Thank you. That always annoyed me. Vias are nice but they shouldn't be mandatory and since this is Metafilter and we're supposed to be, you know, filtering the best of the web I usually assume someone saw it someplace else. The snippy 'via' reminders just come across as smug.
posted by LeeJay at 4:44 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by LeeJay at 4:44 PM on July 20, 2005
I got links from a toilet seat. My health teacher lied to me.
posted by jonmc at 5:29 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by jonmc at 5:29 PM on July 20, 2005
Yeah, what everyone else said. I do really appreciate attribution for links though, regardless of the popularity of the linked site.
posted by cali at 5:50 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by cali at 5:50 PM on July 20, 2005
I like the attributions when they're about sites I've never heard of. In those cases the shoutout is not only good karma, it's good content.
Via BB, via NYT, via fark....pointless.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:03 PM on July 20, 2005
Via BB, via NYT, via fark....pointless.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:03 PM on July 20, 2005
via [gawker, wonkette, fleshbot, etc] ... pointless or content?
posted by If I Had An Anus at 6:09 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by If I Had An Anus at 6:09 PM on July 20, 2005
"Could people please stop guessing where someone got a link from?"
OK.
posted by voltairemodern at 6:37 PM on July 20, 2005
OK.
posted by voltairemodern at 6:37 PM on July 20, 2005
I think the best possible response is to people who do this is "Ha, you still read BoingBoing? Lame."
posted by Jimbob at 7:25 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by Jimbob at 7:25 PM on July 20, 2005
The point is being missed. Things like this are not so much about the specific site from whence the link was lifted, but that it appears everywhere else on the not-really-all-that-big-when-it-comes-down-to-it interweb, too. That kinda sucks.
People who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' can fuck right off. Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be.
Personally, I don't really care that much. But it seems self-evident that if you see the same link of the front page of X, Y, Z, Q and M(eepzorp), it's worth a second think about whether it's really adding much to the 'filter. Not filtering very well, then, are we?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:35 PM on July 20, 2005
People who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' can fuck right off. Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be.
Personally, I don't really care that much. But it seems self-evident that if you see the same link of the front page of X, Y, Z, Q and M(eepzorp), it's worth a second think about whether it's really adding much to the 'filter. Not filtering very well, then, are we?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:35 PM on July 20, 2005
stavros says: People who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' can fuck right off. Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be.
and then: Personally, I don't really care that much.
I'm having difficulty getting those two thoughts to agree with each other, stavros. Either you have the rather fervent opinion that those with a limited scope of the internet should fuck off, OR, you really don't care, in which case your first couple of paragraphs are useless babble.
I agree with your sentiment, though. This place was founded on "gems of the web" mentality. It's too bad that it's become a pulpit for so many "causes" now.
Not that I really care, either. ;-P
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:00 PM on July 20, 2005
and then: Personally, I don't really care that much.
I'm having difficulty getting those two thoughts to agree with each other, stavros. Either you have the rather fervent opinion that those with a limited scope of the internet should fuck off, OR, you really don't care, in which case your first couple of paragraphs are useless babble.
I agree with your sentiment, though. This place was founded on "gems of the web" mentality. It's too bad that it's become a pulpit for so many "causes" now.
Not that I really care, either. ;-P
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:00 PM on July 20, 2005
Not filtering very well, then, are we?
Well, I'd argue that we are. There's just lots of other sites out there doing it too. It's not like every BoingBoing or Fark or LindyBunnie15's Livejournal post ends up here. (Generally) Only the really good ones. That's a filter isn't it?
By your logic, stav, the more weblogs there are, the less there is fit to appear on Metafilter. Taken to it's logical conclusion, eventually everything of interest will be linked elsewhere and Metafilter will serve no purpose.
Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be.
Now, I'm not sure if you're saying lame-o should be reading BoingBoing to see example of "Best of the Web", or if you're saying they should read it to learn what "Best of the Web" isn't. If it's the first case, then you're pretty much saying that BoingBoing also posts "Best of the Web" content. Is it any surprise the same content ends up here, then?
In particular, people rightly bitch that BoingBoing doesn't allow comments. It's not really a duplication then, it's enhancing user-friendliness.
posted by Jimbob at 8:01 PM on July 20, 2005
Well, I'd argue that we are. There's just lots of other sites out there doing it too. It's not like every BoingBoing or Fark or LindyBunnie15's Livejournal post ends up here. (Generally) Only the really good ones. That's a filter isn't it?
By your logic, stav, the more weblogs there are, the less there is fit to appear on Metafilter. Taken to it's logical conclusion, eventually everything of interest will be linked elsewhere and Metafilter will serve no purpose.
Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be.
Now, I'm not sure if you're saying lame-o should be reading BoingBoing to see example of "Best of the Web", or if you're saying they should read it to learn what "Best of the Web" isn't. If it's the first case, then you're pretty much saying that BoingBoing also posts "Best of the Web" content. Is it any surprise the same content ends up here, then?
In particular, people rightly bitch that BoingBoing doesn't allow comments. It's not really a duplication then, it's enhancing user-friendliness.
posted by Jimbob at 8:01 PM on July 20, 2005
"People who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' can fuck right off. Start reading, lame-o, or you don't get a vote about what the best of the web should be."
Well reasoned and persuasive. Bravo!
Incidentally, where are these people who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' and yet read and post to metafilter? I've never seen them.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 8:26 PM on July 20, 2005
Well reasoned and persuasive. Bravo!
Incidentally, where are these people who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' and yet read and post to metafilter? I've never seen them.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 8:26 PM on July 20, 2005
I'm having difficulty getting those two thoughts to agree with each other, stavros.
Imagine me giving someone noogies, while saying 'you can fuck right off, booboo' in an avuncular tone.
Incidentally, where are these people who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' and yet read and post to metafilter? I've never seen them.
They seem to pop up in their legions every single time this topic comes up.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:42 PM on July 20, 2005
Imagine me giving someone noogies, while saying 'you can fuck right off, booboo' in an avuncular tone.
Incidentally, where are these people who say 'well, I don't read any other sites' and yet read and post to metafilter? I've never seen them.
They seem to pop up in their legions every single time this topic comes up.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:42 PM on July 20, 2005
"Could people please stop guessing where someone got a link from?"
If people took the 2 secs to attribute then this wouldn't come up. It's just good form. If I don't put a 'via' it means I stumbled upon a site through google or blind luck. I like to see what other sites people visit - that's one way I have to discover nice new stuff. In fact there's often days when I'll open more of the via links at a site than content links. Serendipity. And I like to reciprocate - I like to put a 'via' so other people can pick up cool sites.
But guessing attribution is just soooo presumptuous and noisy.
posted by peacay at 9:26 PM on July 20, 2005
If people took the 2 secs to attribute then this wouldn't come up. It's just good form. If I don't put a 'via' it means I stumbled upon a site through google or blind luck. I like to see what other sites people visit - that's one way I have to discover nice new stuff. In fact there's often days when I'll open more of the via links at a site than content links. Serendipity. And I like to reciprocate - I like to put a 'via' so other people can pick up cool sites.
But guessing attribution is just soooo presumptuous and noisy.
posted by peacay at 9:26 PM on July 20, 2005
Thank you all for charitably not including me in this callout and, lest there be any doubt, I wrote via BB only to give credit for the refutation I cited, and not to snark at the original post.
posted by Zetetics at 9:34 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by Zetetics at 9:34 PM on July 20, 2005
Hey c'mon, without the attribution, it's outright theft!
Posters are only permitted to invent original content and then post it... except that that would be a self-link... so they have to find completely unknown internet material, preferably the work of somnabulistic web-designers (thus, unknown even to themselves).
Otherwise we're just "best of the leftovers", folks.
posted by dreamsign at 9:37 PM on July 20, 2005
Posters are only permitted to invent original content and then post it... except that that would be a self-link... so they have to find completely unknown internet material, preferably the work of somnabulistic web-designers (thus, unknown even to themselves).
Otherwise we're just "best of the leftovers", folks.
posted by dreamsign at 9:37 PM on July 20, 2005
tweak - I googled Phineas T. Bonesworth, and got zero hits, but it asked me if I wanted Phineas T. Bosworth, and then said there were about 3490 pages. Did you miss-type? Which one of those 3490 is the link fest you are talking about? (Link-a-day intarweblog led to Link-a-day interblog, but with no hits)
/end noise
I agree that if a poster indicates where the link came from (whether it be a "usual suspect" or not), MeFites who weren't conversant with the site can check it out, or potentially even be convinced that it may be worth a second chance if it had been previously dismissed for whatever reason. I also agree that if there is no [via] (silly Canadian humour), presuming to know whence it was obtained is rude and to be frowned upon.
/renew noise
stavros - if the 'someone' is "booboo", does that make you Yogi?
posted by birdsquared at 10:11 PM on July 20, 2005
/end noise
I agree that if a poster indicates where the link came from (whether it be a "usual suspect" or not), MeFites who weren't conversant with the site can check it out, or potentially even be convinced that it may be worth a second chance if it had been previously dismissed for whatever reason. I also agree that if there is no [via] (silly Canadian humour), presuming to know whence it was obtained is rude and to be frowned upon.
/renew noise
stavros - if the 'someone' is "booboo", does that make you Yogi?
posted by birdsquared at 10:11 PM on July 20, 2005
MetaFilter: Best of the leftovers.
It's been that way for years, and that's why I no longer read memepool (does it even still exist?) nor ventured off to read BoingBoing or Fark.
posted by mischief at 10:40 PM on July 20, 2005
It's been that way for years, and that's why I no longer read memepool (does it even still exist?) nor ventured off to read BoingBoing or Fark.
posted by mischief at 10:40 PM on July 20, 2005
I admit to having a bit of a thing for pickanick baskets, yes.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:54 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:54 PM on July 20, 2005
birdsquared: you are my hero for actually googling that! I was trying to fabricate something that wouldn't show up just as an immature, humorous example. Bonesworth has the word bone in it, you know... nevermind. But thanks, and the via link was a nice touch too.
posted by tweak at 12:20 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by tweak at 12:20 AM on July 21, 2005
I read plenty. I don't read Boing Boing. I don't want to read Boing Boing. People who say "well, you have to read Boing Boing cause I say so" can fuck right off.
posted by grouse at 1:21 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by grouse at 1:21 AM on July 21, 2005
I don't think posting a [via] is good karma at all. In fact it is the opposite. It lays the groundwork for the sort of fatuous notion you see here that linking to something is something that deserves a karmic copyright.
The original content deserves the credit. The karmic shoutouts seem like a circlejerk requirement. I post links here because I want to give some back but I don't kid myself. I deserve no credit for the links because I didn't do any actual work. I pointed to things other people did. The content deserves the credit. Nobody else.
posted by srboisvert at 1:56 AM on July 21, 2005
The original content deserves the credit. The karmic shoutouts seem like a circlejerk requirement. I post links here because I want to give some back but I don't kid myself. I deserve no credit for the links because I didn't do any actual work. I pointed to things other people did. The content deserves the credit. Nobody else.
posted by srboisvert at 1:56 AM on July 21, 2005
Did I mention boingboing? No sir, I did not. Now where the hell's my pickanick basket?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:32 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:32 AM on July 21, 2005
Guilty.
Sorry; I'll try not to.
*ritually disembowels*
posted by NinjaPirate at 2:47 AM on July 21, 2005
Sorry; I'll try not to.
*ritually disembowels*
posted by NinjaPirate at 2:47 AM on July 21, 2005
"The content deserves the credit. Nobody else."
Then why don't we all just post anonymously?
posted by boymilo at 7:18 AM on July 21, 2005
Then why don't we all just post anonymously?
posted by boymilo at 7:18 AM on July 21, 2005
How about adding a "via" box on the post entry form, similar to the "more inside"? That would probably prompt more people to add via links (and they'd be consistently formatted).
posted by kirkaracha at 7:46 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by kirkaracha at 7:46 AM on July 21, 2005
Having a standardized [via] input box will hardly serve to reduce the number of presumptuous "Via website X?" guilt trips. At that point, the [via] link becomes practically expected. What are you supposed to do if you get a link via email or IRC? Will you have to preemptively defend the lack of attribution to ward off the inevitable flood of via-whores?
And really, the whole notion of attribution is a little wacky--I largely agree with srboisvert on that. If you want to add a [via] link to point the audience to a neat website, that's cool. If you think the justification is to actually credit a source, then the source ought to have done some work to earn that credit. Most of the link aggregation websites just regurgitate a few phrases and call it a day, and that doesn't earn you anything in my book.
posted by Galvatron at 8:49 AM on July 21, 2005
And really, the whole notion of attribution is a little wacky--I largely agree with srboisvert on that. If you want to add a [via] link to point the audience to a neat website, that's cool. If you think the justification is to actually credit a source, then the source ought to have done some work to earn that credit. Most of the link aggregation websites just regurgitate a few phrases and call it a day, and that doesn't earn you anything in my book.
posted by Galvatron at 8:49 AM on July 21, 2005
"Then why don't we all just post anonymously?"
We do. Or, is boymilo your real name? tsk tsk
posted by mischief at 9:16 AM on July 21, 2005
We do. Or, is boymilo your real name? tsk tsk
posted by mischief at 9:16 AM on July 21, 2005
But.... Is posting under a pseudonym the same as posting anonymously?
posted by boymilo at 10:21 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by boymilo at 10:21 AM on July 21, 2005
"Could they? Yes. Will they? Not bloody likely." Via deborah
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:21 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:21 AM on July 21, 2005
I apologize for making anyone upset. I suppose it was rather presumptious of me to make that comment. Of course I'm not an omniscient being and of course I don't know who got their information where.
It always just appears to be more than a simple correlation when, within five minutes, I see the same thing in my BlogLines feed on BB and then in a MeFi FPP (usually formatted as a single-link at the end of the exact paragraph header from BB). After I made that comment, I realized it wasn't exactly my axe to grind. I just don't care that much, and it's a lot easier for me to just skip the post as I've already seen it elsewhere.
A lot of people have this problem, and I've seen more MetaTalks about the [via] situation than I have against comments along the lines of mine. However, I do agree that it is a pointless observation to make, especially when it's in multiple threads. If the FPP isn't that impressive it's rather self-evident, and doesn't need any further degredation. I apologize for the noise and I promise I won't be making a habit of it.
posted by prostyle at 7:44 AM on July 22, 2005
It always just appears to be more than a simple correlation when, within five minutes, I see the same thing in my BlogLines feed on BB and then in a MeFi FPP (usually formatted as a single-link at the end of the exact paragraph header from BB). After I made that comment, I realized it wasn't exactly my axe to grind. I just don't care that much, and it's a lot easier for me to just skip the post as I've already seen it elsewhere.
A lot of people have this problem, and I've seen more MetaTalks about the [via] situation than I have against comments along the lines of mine. However, I do agree that it is a pointless observation to make, especially when it's in multiple threads. If the FPP isn't that impressive it's rather self-evident, and doesn't need any further degredation. I apologize for the noise and I promise I won't be making a habit of it.
posted by prostyle at 7:44 AM on July 22, 2005
the funniest thing is, we got to the point where stealing links from Fark actually raises the overall quality of the front page
posted by matteo at 10:10 AM on July 27, 2005
posted by matteo at 10:10 AM on July 27, 2005
This discussion is entirely missing the case of when your too ashamed to admit you were reading the site you got the link via.. and thus leave it out to save humiliation...
posted by rubin at 11:20 AM on July 27, 2005
posted by rubin at 11:20 AM on July 27, 2005
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
Just because you saw it there, doesn't mean the original poster did. Links do not travel across the blogoverse in a linear fashion. Maybe there should be firmer rules for link attribution, but it annoys me when people accuse posters of stealing their links from other sites.
posted by drezdn at 1:41 PM on July 20, 2005