Notice the first comment in the cached version of the story is an ASCII graphic, which had been modded up to +1 at the last minute before the story was archived. That comment is now gone. As you can see, the comment was posted by this user. Notice the user info page now says the account has posted zero comments. All comments posted by that account, regardless of moderation score, have been wiped.
Q: Didn't the comment just get modded down?
No, the comment is gone. It is nowhere to be found in the current version of the story. One must go to the Google cache to view it.
Q: Maybe it got modded down just before the story was archived, and is now gone because comments at 0 and below don't get archived?
No, the story had already been frozen into Slashdot's static HTML archive. Look at that Google cached copy again. It clearly says:
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
That also means no more moderation could take place. The comment did not get modded down, it was deleted.
Q: So? It's their site, they can delete comments if they want to!
True. But it's also true that I can criticize them for being liars. Here is what the Slashdot FAQ says about the deletion of comments:
The only time we ever delete comments is if the comment contains malformed HTML that is somehow causing Slashdot to fail to display properly.
Comments are not deleted on the basis of content. [emphasis added]
As you can see from the Google cache, the comment displayed just fine in a standard browser. It was not deleted because it contained malformed HTML. It was deleted for no reason, save that they didn't like it. That is in direct conflict with the statements in the FAQ.
Q: Yeah well, that comment was an ASCII representation of goatse.cx, which is disgusting. I'm glad it's gone.
Odd that you find the human body "disgusting". Do you take showers with your eyes closed so you won't have to look at it?
Q: Look, that comment was posted by a troll; it was modded up by trolls, and therefore it was invalid!
I once again redirect your attention to the Slashdot FAQ. Slashdot brags about being user-moderated. The comment was posted and moderated up by users. How is that invalid?
Q: Because! I said it's a troll! Didn't you hear me?!
Whatever.
Q: Well, why are you posting this? What do you want them to do about it? What are you trying to prove?
The point of all this is that Slashdot's model of anonymous posting, never deleting comments, and purely user-based moderation doesn't work. They are, in fact, aware of this -- hence the deletion of comments (not to mention the vast number of comments modded down by editors rather than users).
There is nothing wrong with the administrator of a message board taking steps, even ruthless ones, to eliminate crap. In fact, most successful message boards on the web are run in this manner. However, since the Slashdot editors refuse to acknowledge this, and still publicly maintain their fantasy of a working user-regulated system, I think it's pretty funny to go around pointing out their hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Q: Don't you have better things to do?
Yeah, but I'm not doing them right now, am I?
Note: This FAQ is public domain. Copy-and-paste it to your heart's content. It is not released under the GPL.
Notice the first comment in the cached version of the story is an ASCII graphic, which had been modded up to +1 at the last minute before the story was archived. That comment is now gone. As you can see, the comment was posted by this user. Notice the user info page now says the account has posted zero comments. All comments posted by that account, regardless of moderation score, have been wiped.
Q: Didn't the comment just get modded down?
No, the comment is gone. It is nowhere to be found in the current version of the story. One must go to the Google cache to view it.
Q: Maybe it got modded down just before the story was archived, and is now gone because comments at 0 and below don't get archived?
No, the story had already been frozen into Slashdot's static HTML archive. Look at that Google cached copy again. It clearly says:
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
That also means no more moderation could take place. The comment did not get modded down, it was deleted.
Q: So? It's their site, they can delete comments if they want to!
True. But it's also true that I can criticize them for being liars. Here is what the Slashdot FAQ says about the deletion of comments:
The only time we ever delete comments is if the comment contains malformed HTML that is somehow causing Slashdot to fail to display properly.
Comments are not deleted on the basis of content. [emphasis added]
As you can see from the Google cache, the comment displayed just fine in a standard browser. It was not deleted because it contained malformed HTML. It was deleted for no reason, save that they didn't like it. That is in direct conflict with the statements in the FAQ.
Q: Yeah well, that comment was an ASCII representation of goatse.cx, which is disgusting. I'm glad it's gone.
Odd that you find the human body "disgusting". Do you take showers with your eyes closed so you won't have to look at it?
Q: Look, that comment was posted by a troll; it was modded up by trolls, and therefore it was invalid!
I once again redirect your attention to the Slashdot FAQ. Slashdot brags about being user-moderated. The comment was posted and moderated up by users. How is that invalid?
Q: Because! I said it's a troll! Didn't you hear me?!
Whatever.
Q: Well, why are you posting this? What do you want them to do about it? What are you trying to prove?
The point of all this is that Slashdot's model of anonymous posting, never deleting comments, and purely user-based moderation doesn't work. They are, in fact, aware of this -- hence the deletion of comments (not to mention the vast number of comments modded down by editors rather than users).
There is nothing wrong with the administrator of a message board taking steps, even ruthless ones, to eliminate crap. In fact, most successful message boards on the web are run in this manner. However, since the Slashdot editors refuse to acknowledge this, and still publicly maintain their fantasy of a working user-regulated system, I think it's pretty funny to go around pointing out their hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Q: Don't you have better things to do?
Yeah, but I'm not doing them right now, am I?
Note: This FAQ is public domain. Copy-and-paste it to your heart's content. It is not released under the GPL.
No shit. I mean, since when can moderators get away with smoking only $2 crack when the $3 crack is out!?!?! If there is any more zealotness shown by the moderators, I'd accuse them of being Jews who suicide-bomb abortion centers.
Slashdot Mirror
In all honesty, I meant to be logged in. So I just posted it at a 4th post, and now this. I'm expecting a bitchslap quite soon...
I want a bitchslap, michael. Give it to me like you gave Taco your cock last night. Quick and messy.
The Slashdot is Still Censorware FAQ, v1.1
Q: What is this all about?
Despite the fact that the Slashdot FAQ claims the editors "never" delete comments, proof exists that they have deleted comments on occasion:
Notice the first comment in the cached version of the story is an ASCII graphic, which had been modded up to +1 at the last minute before the story was archived. That comment is now gone. As you can see, the comment was posted by this user. Notice the user info page now says the account has posted zero comments. All comments posted by that account, regardless of moderation score, have been wiped.
Q: Didn't the comment just get modded down?
No, the comment is gone. It is nowhere to be found in the current version of the story. One must go to the Google cache to view it.
Q: Maybe it got modded down just before the story was archived, and is now gone because comments at 0 and below don't get archived?
No, the story had already been frozen into Slashdot's static HTML archive. Look at that Google cached copy again. It clearly says:
That also means no more moderation could take place. The comment did not get modded down, it was deleted.
Q: So? It's their site, they can delete comments if they want to!
True. But it's also true that I can criticize them for being liars. Here is what the Slashdot FAQ says about the deletion of comments:
As you can see from the Google cache, the comment displayed just fine in a standard browser. It was not deleted because it contained malformed HTML. It was deleted for no reason, save that they didn't like it. That is in direct conflict with the statements in the FAQ.
Q: Yeah well, that comment was an ASCII representation of goatse.cx, which is disgusting. I'm glad it's gone.
Odd that you find the human body "disgusting". Do you take showers with your eyes closed so you won't have to look at it?
Q: Look, that comment was posted by a troll; it was modded up by trolls, and therefore it was invalid!
I once again redirect your attention to the Slashdot FAQ. Slashdot brags about being user-moderated. The comment was posted and moderated up by users. How is that invalid?
Q: Because! I said it's a troll! Didn't you hear me?!
Whatever.
Q: Well, why are you posting this? What do you want them to do about it? What are you trying to prove?
The point of all this is that Slashdot's model of anonymous posting, never deleting comments, and purely user-based moderation doesn't work. They are, in fact, aware of this -- hence the deletion of comments (not to mention the vast number of comments modded down by editors rather than users).
There is nothing wrong with the administrator of a message board taking steps, even ruthless ones, to eliminate crap. In fact, most successful message boards on the web are run in this manner. However, since the Slashdot editors refuse to acknowledge this, and still publicly maintain their fantasy of a working user-regulated system, I think it's pretty funny to go around pointing out their hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Q: Don't you have better things to do?
Yeah, but I'm not doing them right now, am I?
Note: This FAQ is public domain. Copy-and-paste it to your heart's content. It is not released under the GPL.
Q: What is this all about?
Despite the fact that the Slashdot FAQ claims the editors "never" delete comments, proof exists that they have deleted comments on occasion:
Notice the first comment in the cached version of the story is an ASCII graphic, which had been modded up to +1 at the last minute before the story was archived. That comment is now gone. As you can see, the comment was posted by this user. Notice the user info page now says the account has posted zero comments. All comments posted by that account, regardless of moderation score, have been wiped.
Q: Didn't the comment just get modded down?
No, the comment is gone. It is nowhere to be found in the current version of the story. One must go to the Google cache to view it.
Q: Maybe it got modded down just before the story was archived, and is now gone because comments at 0 and below don't get archived?
No, the story had already been frozen into Slashdot's static HTML archive. Look at that Google cached copy again. It clearly says:
That also means no more moderation could take place. The comment did not get modded down, it was deleted.
Q: So? It's their site, they can delete comments if they want to!
True. But it's also true that I can criticize them for being liars. Here is what the Slashdot FAQ says about the deletion of comments:
As you can see from the Google cache, the comment displayed just fine in a standard browser. It was not deleted because it contained malformed HTML. It was deleted for no reason, save that they didn't like it. That is in direct conflict with the statements in the FAQ.
Q: Yeah well, that comment was an ASCII representation of goatse.cx, which is disgusting. I'm glad it's gone.
Odd that you find the human body "disgusting". Do you take showers with your eyes closed so you won't have to look at it?
Q: Look, that comment was posted by a troll; it was modded up by trolls, and therefore it was invalid!
I once again redirect your attention to the Slashdot FAQ. Slashdot brags about being user-moderated. The comment was posted and moderated up by users. How is that invalid?
Q: Because! I said it's a troll! Didn't you hear me?!
Whatever.
Q: Well, why are you posting this? What do you want them to do about it? What are you trying to prove?
The point of all this is that Slashdot's model of anonymous posting, never deleting comments, and purely user-based moderation doesn't work. They are, in fact, aware of this -- hence the deletion of comments (not to mention the vast number of comments modded down by editors rather than users).
There is nothing wrong with the administrator of a message board taking steps, even ruthless ones, to eliminate crap. In fact, most successful message boards on the web are run in this manner. However, since the Slashdot editors refuse to acknowledge this, and still publicly maintain their fantasy of a working user-regulated system, I think it's pretty funny to go around pointing out their hypocrisy and dishonesty.
Q: Don't you have better things to do?
Yeah, but I'm not doing them right now, am I?
Note: This FAQ is public domain. Copy-and-paste it to your heart's content. It is not released under the GPL.
No shit. I mean, since when can moderators get away with smoking only $2 crack when the $3 crack is out!?!?! If there is any more zealotness shown by the moderators, I'd accuse them of being Jews who suicide-bomb abortion centers.