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On Worst Nodes

by Petruchio (Vicar)
on Jan 13, 2001 at 22:17 UTC ( [id://51617]=monkdiscuss: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??

Upon consideration, I am not at all sure that having a Worst Nodes section is a good idea.

It's fun. I like it. But what is it, really? Do we, as a community, really want to showcase the dross we've acquired along the way? I am hard pressed to see what good this does any of us; it seems a lot like the sorts of daytime television which, in the US, showcase the basest behavior in society, so that everyone else can marvel at how low human beings can sink. It also seems like our own little Troll Hall of Fame, a goal for sad individuals who feel incapable of contributing anything better to a community than petty vandalism.

Granted, to remove it only obscures the information; it is still there for the clever or dilligent to find. But why enshrine what is bad? We've got too many great things going on here to call attention what little is ignorant or rude.

I'm not pleased to suggest this. Like JavaScript on homenodes, this is a bit of fun that would be sad to lose. But it may be for the best, especially in light of recent events.

But maybe I'm wrong, or I'm overreacting, or not seeing the whole picture. Wouldn't be the first time. What do my fellow monks think?

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: On Worst Nodes
by Fastolfe (Vicar) on Jan 13, 2001 at 22:23 UTC
    I occasionally hit Worst Nodes to see if there are posts unfairly downvoted, so it has a use, at least in my eyes.
      In fact, this is a very good use for Worst Nodes, as I recognized as soon as I read this. I do this myself, and it simply didn't occur to me as I wrote, because I was really more thinking of the All Time list. Thus I point to ybiC's suggestion as more representative of the spirit of my post. ++ to you both.
Re: On Worst Nodes (great minds think alike)
by ybiC (Prior) on Jan 14, 2001 at 02:04 UTC
    I see wisdom in Petruchio's post, and in Fastolfe and KM's replies.

    Here's an idea that could retain the best of both viewpoints:
    Worst Nodes to include only Daily and Weekly lowest rep nodes, but not Worst Of All Time.

    Update: Turns out this is what Petruchio meant at the root of this very thread.   So if you were considering ++ing my node, point your incrementer that direction instead.
        cheers,
        Don
        striving for Perl Adept
        (it's pronounced "why-bick")

      ++ ybiC. Unlike Best Nodes, where newcomers can always find something of value in the all time bests, there really isn't anything to be gained by visiting the all time worst nodes (not even as examples of things not to do, as that information is best provided in a positive instructive manner rather than simply by negative example). A week's worth seems more than adequate for other monks to counter any seemingly unfair --votes. I don't see a need for a hall of shame to hold up to ridicule those that, wittingly or unwittingly, may have cloaked themselves in dubious monasteric habits.

Re: On Worst Nodes
by KM (Priest) on Jan 13, 2001 at 23:07 UTC
    I second Fastolf. I tend to use it make sure nothing seems unfairly --d.

    Cheers,
    KM

Re: On Worst Nodes
by boo_radley (Parson) on Jan 14, 2001 at 09:23 UTC
    Worst Nodes of all time shows what not to do - it's a gallery of homework, bad formatting, unethical programming and programmers, and totally non-perl things. A good example of teaching by bad example, so to speak.
      Yes! Worst of All Time should stay! Maybe it shouldn't be more prominent than worst today or this week on the Worsts page but ... it serves as an invaluable resource when looking for "what not to do here" etc. It should be linqed from the newbie help-type stuff (along w/ good examples) so that a reference for appropriateness is clear. That's what I thinq anyway. TTFN.

      -PipTigger
      p.s. The Most Cigarettes.
Re: On Worst Nodes
by extremely (Priest) on Jan 14, 2001 at 02:17 UTC
    Hear Hear! I to use worst nodes to find unfairly treated nodes.

    --
    $you = new YOU;
    honk() if $you->love(perl)

Re: On Worst Nodes
by thaigrrl (Monk) on Jan 17, 2001 at 21:05 UTC
    In MHO I feel that posting the worst nodes could only discourage those in favor of posting on PM. Which is sort of pushing away new comers like myself. It's like discouraging students from participating in class. I love reading people's posts, be it they posted something good or bad. Some of you posted here that you feel that it would be a good way of showing people what not to do. Instead of putting a name to error wouldn't it be more discreet to just create a node that described a list of things not to do? -- Instead of linking the "worst nodes"? well, that's just how I feel at least.

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