geekhack
Site Announcements and Feedback => Announcements/Feedback/Suggestions => Topic started by: ander on Mon, 22 May 2017, 20:50:57
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It'd be fun if we could add a section, right after Great Finds, called:
"Great" (?) Finds
...where we could post ludicrously overpriced, contradictory, deceptive, ignorant and/or plain ridiculous ads we see for keyboards and board-related stuff—for example, the dirty, rusty F-XT in "cherry, like new condition" I just posted about here (https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=41.0).
I think most GHers get a laugh out of things like this, but I hate to clutter up Great Finds with Finds that are decidedly not Great.
They come up regularly enough. What do you think? Would it be fun, or would it be inappropriately lighthearted for such a Serious, Highly Technical Forum? ;?)
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Or we could call it Questionable Finds or Dubious Finds or Finds Whose Greatness May Be a Matter of Opinion. I don't care.
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Siunds like a fun idea. Almost like Off Topic for Great Finds
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I think this would be a good idea as well.
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**** YES
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I want this too.
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The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
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The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
True but at heart it is a good idea
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The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
Agreed.
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I think there was a thread a year or two ago suggesting the same thing.
The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
We've all seen threads which OPs have made in a tongue-in-cheek way regarding "great" (read: overpriced or questionable) items, which under the proposed new section would be self-submitted there, but you expect others would message the mods seriously for a thread move? Can't imagine who.
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Edit: you know what, one could just prefix titles with something like ["Great" find] instead. I could see that working without the need for an additional sub forum.
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I think there was a thread a year or two ago suggesting the same thing.
The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
We've all seen threads which OPs have made in a tongue-in-cheek way regarding "great" (read: overpriced or questionable) items, which under the proposed new section would be self-submitted there, but you expect others would message the mods seriously for a thread move? Can't imagine who.
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Edit: you know what, one could just prefix titles with something like ["Great" find] instead. I could see that working without the need for an additional sub forum.
Or just "[JK]".
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sound good. It works for newbies like me.
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Great is subjective
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Great is subjective
The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
I think these basically sum up the issue, as far as I personally see it. Historically speaking, "Great Finds" has always been home to both quirky and genuinely useful great finds. Adding some kind of a distinguishing keyword in thread title could work, though I can also see some people disregarding that rule when posting.
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Great is subjective
The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
I think these basically sum up the issue, as far as I personally see it. Historically speaking, "Great Finds" has always been home to both quirky and genuinely useful great finds. Adding some kind of a distinguishing keyword in thread title could work, though I can also see some people disregarding that rule when posting.
Just as some people make up their own keywords in classifieds threads. Status quo.
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The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
I don't think so. I'm talking about things like people asking $500 for a grimy Model M 1390401—you know, clearly audacious stuff. It's amazing how much of even these extreme examples come up. We could be very specific about this in the section's description.
I think there was a thread a year or two ago suggesting the same thing.
So I'm not the only totally loony person here—that's good to know!
The mods would end up flooded with requests to move threads from one section to another, based on people's interpretation of what makes each find "great".
But dude, posts like that already do appear in Great Finds, when people use the topic sarcastically. That's my whole point. And it's distracting to those looking for genuine bargains, and seems like a misuse of the section. If anything, "Great" (?) Finds would improve the board's organization, not diminish it.
If you're still concerned, let's make it clear that if something's posted to "Great" (?) Finds that's not clearly ridiculous—for example, an opinion that a particular switch technology isn't bothering with, or paying a reasonable price for—it can stay there and people can argue about it discuss it however they wish. I'd be glad to moderate and keep things from getting outright abusive. (That's what mods do in other sections, right?)
No one's ever required to participate in any topic. And in this section, no one would be required to determine if a topic was appropriate for it or not. That takes the pressure off other mods—make sense?
There's one thing I'd want to be clear about: Since the topic would be intentionally and inherently funny, I'd want to reserve the right of those who post to it to be funny (non-serious). So if some of our "drier" members were to wander into a discussion about something that's clearly silly and post a completely "straight" remark, they shouldn't be surprised or offended if they're not taken seriously. This doesn't mean they can be outright insulted—that can't encouraged in any part of GH—but we could definitely have some fun with that kind of thing, where it might not be appropriate elsewhere.
We've all seen threads which OPs have made in a tongue-in-cheek way regarding "great" (read: overpriced or questionable) items, which under the proposed new section would be self-submitted there, but you expect others would message the mods seriously for a thread move? Can't imagine who.
Whether they would or not, we could avoid the situation by having a section where such topics would not only be appropriate but welcome. It seems to me like a solution for exactly what you've described.
Edit: you know what, one could just prefix titles with something like ["Great" find] instead. I could see that working without the need for an additional sub forum.
I guess—but then you'd have a section, one intended for genuinely good deals, peppered with sarcastic topics. Why not used the board's capabilities to organize them so we can view one type of topic or the other, depending on our moods and needs?
Historically speaking, "Great Finds" has always been home to both quirky and genuinely useful great finds. Adding some kind of a distinguishing keyword in thread title could work, though I can also see some people disregarding that rule when posting.
Yup, there is that. (It took me a while to encourage people to add "[SOLD]" or "[ENDED]" to their expired Great Finds subjects, and it's still not a consistent thing.)
I realize this is primarily a technical board, and that many GHers don't seem interested in any non-serious discussion. But there are examples of fun and humour throughout GH nonetheless, so it doesn't seem like something we've actively shied away from on behalf of everyone.
It seems to me that more peeps are enthusiastic about this idea than not—so why don't we just give it a try and see how it works (or doesn't work)? I think it'll be hilarious, personally, and will be glad to do anything I can to help with it. – A.
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The question is, is there really a sufficiently high percentage of not-so-great finds in the great finds area?
Or it is just a few people posting them over a short period of time?
Yes, they turn up from time to time, but I don't think there's enough traffic there to warrant a new section.
Worst case, just post them in off topic.
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The question is, is there really a sufficiently high percentage of not-so-great finds in the great finds area? ... Or it is just a few people posting them over a short period of time? ... Yes, they turn up from time to time, but I don't think there's enough traffic there to warrant a new section.
Let's find out, shall we? I often see really goofy KB offers, but I rarely post them in Great Finds as I don't want to disrupt the topic. And that's speaking for just myself.
Besides, who cares if it doesn't get a raft of posts? Even if it starts with only a few posts, each of those topics will (I predict) be just as good as when there's 30 or 40. It's quality, not quantity. It'll just get what it gets.
Anyway, we could guess forever about how well it'd work, or how popular it'd be... The only way to find out is to try it. If it doesn't work, remove it. Simple.
Keyboards are all about trying new stuff, expanding on existing themes... Let's be Peeps of Action, shall we, rather than being timid about what might or might not work?
Worst case, just post them in off topic.
But dude, think about it: This is an input-device forum. Keyboards are input devices. So Off Topic is for stuff that's not about keyboards.
I'm also now suggesting we call it Not-So-Great Finds. It's simpler, and I think it'll look better on the index page. Whaddaya think?
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Just thinking how long it took to get bug reports and feature requests merged, and other similar thread changes.
Although we can try it, you might be waiting a year before it is created, and ever longer before it gets removed if that's how it ends up.
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Questionable Finds sounds great!
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Just thinking how long it took to get bug reports and feature requests merged, and other similar thread changes... Although we can try it, you might be waiting a year before it is created, and ever longer before it gets removed if that's how it ends up.
Merging? Changing threads? Who's talking about that? I'm simply suggesting we add a new topic section with a specific—and till now, unmet—purpose, so it'll no longer be necessary to clutter another one with posts that are, when you think about it, the exact opposite of its intended purpose.
As keyboard peeps, we're into precision, accuracy, having lots of of small things lined up in tidy rows, repetitive movements and rituals, avoiding physical contact and so on, right?
A well-organized message forum is an analogy for a keyboard, with its tidy rows of sections, topics and messages all lined up and functioning as they should. For example, just look how tidily I've organized this post, dividing it into well-paced, typo-free paragraphs with just a sprinkling of humour here and there to baffle 80% of the people on this forum.
So doesn't the idea of a new, purposeful message section—one that'll let an existing one stay focused and unsullied and germ-free, like going over it three times a day with virtual Lysol—appeal to this pathological obsession with fondness for precision and tidiness? It does to mine. Of course I've had coffee, but still.
Questionable Finds sounds great!
Thanks!
It seems like we rank-and-file generally approve of the idea, but the powers-that-be hesitate to try something new—even something as utterly sensible as this. Oh well, at least we were able to enjoy our clickety MKs in the course of discussing it. That's what I like about GH: Even a futile attempt to achieve the slightest departure from predictable routine a creative, reasonable, fun solution to an oft-acknowledged need isn't a total waste of time, as it involves typing.
The matter is now in God's the admins's hands. If the logic and potential of Not-So-Great Finds still doesn't sufficiently appeal to the peeps who run this board and probably live in basement suites in their parents's houses, where presiding over their little cyber-kingdom is the closest they'll ever get to feelings of power and purpose, there's nothing I can type to make it more compelling. All I can say is, thank you for the greatness that is GH and the medications that make it possible.
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Thanks!
It seems like we rank-and-file generally approve of the idea, but the powers-that-be hesitate to try something new—even something as utterly sensible as this. Oh well, at least we were able to enjoy our clickety MKs in the course of discussing it. That's what I like about GH: Even a futile attempt to achieve the slightest departure from predictable routine a creative, reasonable, fun solution to an oft-acknowledged need isn't a total waste of time, as it involves typing.
The matter is now in God's the admins's hands. If the logic and potential of Not-So-Great Finds still doesn't sufficiently appeal to the peeps who run this board and probably live in basement suites in their parents's houses, where presiding over their little cyber-kingdom is the closest they'll ever get to feelings of power and purpose, there's nothing I can type to make it more compelling. All I can say is, thank you for the greatness that is GH and the medications that make it possible.
Christ! the savagery!
Don't let the mods see that lol
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Okay, so I was wrong about the humour thing—good for you guys. :thumb:
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Just thought I'd mention that on Sunday, I posted this not-so-great find (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=90939.new#new) in Great Finds—calling the thread itself, appropriately, I thought, Not-So-Great Finds.
As I write, it's received 329 views and 6 replies (okay, including one of my own). Among the replies was this suggestion from esteemed user JP:
Perhaps we could start tagging not so great finds like with a [NSG] prefix?
And I replied:
Questionable finds are posted here so regularly, it prompted me to suggest a separate topic for them (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=89689.0) a while ago... However, this thread, within Great Finds could be made sticky, and we could post all the NSGFs to it in one endless stream...
What do you think? Would that be harmless enough? Many users here clearly enjoy seeing ludicrous listings (it is, after all, another way to discuss keebs's features and values), and it'd be another way of keeping the Great and NSG from cluttering each other.
With newfound humility, acknowledging admin greatness, etc., A.
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Hey, admins, thanks for making my "Not-So-Great Finds" thread (in "Great Finds") sticky! We'll do our best to find ridiculous keeb offers and share them for GH's entertainment. I reckon it'll also be a good educational opportunity, esp. to those just dipping their toes into the vintage keyboard swimming pool (which admittedly wouldn't be the best place to keep keebs, but I'm stuck with the analogy). Cheers, A.
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No problem ;) Glad there was an acceptable resolution for those who took it seriously.