posted
There haven't been any real dobies for a lo-o-ong time. Or at least they've been extremely few and very far between.
1st) A dobie must be spun off of a truly contentious or popular thread: ie one with lots of postings within a short period of time.
2nd) The thread title must be identical or easily mistaken for the original. The first is prefered: the gotcha is in using a different meaning of the original title word(s). God -> Cod is a dobie. A quick scan can lead to mistaking it for the original. god -> cod is not. God -> Gold is not. Neither can be misread as the original.
3rd) The first/topic posting in a dobie must be extremely similar to or a close parody of the original.
4th) A dobie should contain a link in that first/topic posting. Which means that the original should also have had a link in the first/topic posting. Not must, but ya lose a lot of points toward dobiehood without the link in the original and especially in the dobie attempt. In other words, it better be "spew your soda all over the screen" funny if the link requirements aren't met.
5th) A linked-dobie must have the gotcha in clicking its link, and finding an article that matches the underlined-words-of-the-link yet also uses an entirely different meaning than those underlined-words-of-the-link did in the original.
Puns and wordplay do not a dobie make. They should be confined to the original thread.
Most of the pseudo"dobie"s are just showing disdain for others, for their use of this forum, by blowing their threads off the front page for a meaningless "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"
posted
So, unless we post thoughtful, insightful threads we are pathetic attention seekers? Not everyone is looking for the same gratification from this site that you are. Different strokes for different folks is one of the ideas that make this board so entertaining.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote: So, unless we post thoughtful, insightful threads we are pathetic attention seekers? Not everyone is looking for the same gratification from this site that you are.
Do you really believe the point of this thread was to say that all threads should only ever be thoughtful and insightful?
Making a request to get some color on a white wall doesn't mean you require it now to be black. There are alllll sorts of options between "back off the dobies" and "Only ever post serious topics! Seig Heil!"
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
Nope, punwit. I love the fluff threads. I love the puns and the jokes. I love the "just normal stuff" commentaries. I doubt that I would be a regular if they weren't a major part of this community's activities. Heck, I'm probably the lowest-numbered member who regularly partakes of the LastPost thread; and one of the few regulars who remembers when&how&why they started.
Nonetheless, displacing others' threads off the front page, not to share, but rather to garner extra attention to oneself is just spam.
posted
I'm sorry, I was remiss in not indicating that my post was directed to aspectre for this:
quote: Most of the pseudo"dobie"s are just showing disdain for others, for their use of this forum, by blowing their threads off the front page for a meaningless "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"
I found the proliferation of dobies a bit tiresome but I don't agree with the previous view at all.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I hope I've answered your objection in the posting immediately preceding it.
The reason ol'timers rarely do (or don't do) dobies is cuz they're hard to pull off. Cuz they hafta be unexpected; the main joke is in the gotcha: being pulled into a thread you thought you had already read (maybe already posted in, or are intending to reply to); noticing it's different ("hrrrmmm...Maybe the moderators deleted a buncha the postings."); clicking the link and finding out that it isn't the same thread at all, not even in subject matter; then getting annoyed that ya got pulled into a different thread, followed by laughing at yourself for falling for it.
quote:Maybe we could have a shared name to put all "Dobie's" under? That way, we could easily distinguish between content and fluff. What do you all think?
btw - This isn't a bad idea, but unfortunately I don't think it would be any more successful than Moose's 'Dobie Thread', meant to contain them within one.
MOST Dobies are started by n00bs who don't understand the tradition (as it is on Hatrack) and have yet to gain a sense of proportion. It would be just as difficult trying to introduce each of them to a single moniker as it is a single thread.
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
Ralphie, I'll feel really bad if you wind up leaving because I couldn't contain my dobieing urge this afternoon. But it was really gratifying that it bugged Tom.
The great thing about Good COD... was that the original title had been all caps and COD happened to be an acronym.
But Moose's Iraq -> a rack isn't visually confoundable. Not that you ever said you thought it was.
quote: This isn't a bad idea
I nominate Dobbie, Trogdor the Burninator, and Rita Spankmistress as the only true dobie makers. Which is too bad because I don't know any of those logins. Well, too bad for me at least.
posted
Ah well, it was a thought. I suppose that one of the attractions of "Dobies" is being able to take personal credit for the thoughts.
Posts: 2425 | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
I would swallow my tongue if Rita was the Dobie maker.
pooka - I anticipated the Dobies for today. Heck, I'm an anarchist at heart, too. I can see why people wouldn't be able to resist temptation.
I'm not leaving due to today. Admittedly, if the forum continues to be 30% on the first page for the next two weeks I'll probably lose interest and stop checking the board, but it took me a long time just to get to the point of making a thread. It would be pretty lame if I decided to leave in a huff because people weren't doing exactly what I wanted exactly when I wanted them to.
posted
I admit to starting the Hatrack Sock Exchange thread in response to T_Smith's Hatrack Stock Exchange thread. I think that's been my only dobie.
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
OK, OK, I have to do this now. I am suspending my Hatrack participation entirely and all other online participation for the time being. Starting now. I have to much to get done and I'm getting refresh rash. Posting this is entirely for my benefit so that I know I've done it. I will see you all later. Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Ralphie, I'm petitioning to add a sixth person to that list of dobie makers, me. My dobies have been few and far between, but I think the quality of my dobies speak for themselves. My resume:
I started a dobie that has created a Hatrack in joke and a new persona for one of our members: "I don't believe in K.A.M.A." or "do you believe in KAMA?" or something along those lines.
I also had a pretty long lasting one that went something along the lines of "I believe in the existence of Pod".
I believe these two examples alone should be enough to guarantee a top placement, right up there with the dobie greats. But I will adhere to your final judgement.
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I gave you honorable mention, Strider. Those were pretty classic.
For what it's worth, in my opinion there's no need to feel guilt over having made Dobies. The reason why I think people are sick of them is their ubiquitiousness and inanity. But they aren't always so ham-fisted, and they aren't always made in droves.
Posts: 7600 | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
Aspectre, I was perhaps, a bit annoyed last night and my tone was reflective of that, for which I apologize. I still don't share your opinion but I can admit that there are many who do share that perception. I find that I'm reluctant to assign motivation to groups of posters because that is, in my opinion, presumptive. I also recognize that what one may find funny and relaxing, another may find tiresome and boring. At any rate, I appreciate your desire to clarify your position without taking offense at my sarcasm.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I missed that. But the question is, did you register a new screen name to post them under? ![[Evil Laugh]](graemlins/evillaugh.gif)
