A double post is when someone posts something to the front page of MetaFilter (or sometimes MetaTalk) that has been there before.

There is no hard and fast rule on when a post is not a double anymore. For an identical URL and a site that hasn't changed in content "a few years" is a good guideline. For a site with the same URL and new content, indicating the previous post in your new post is a good idea. If there is a post on a similar topic still on the front page, please post your link into the open thread instead of starting a new post.

With few exceptions, there is no such thing as a doublepost in AskMe although users should generally search prior questions before posting to determine whether a very similar question has already been asked and answered.

Try searching for the URLs that are in your post before posting it. There is an oft-referred to way to check for doubleposts called "the crunchland method" Here is the synopsis. Go to his userpage for more information on making good posts to MetaFilter [now with nthdegx's advice on multi-link posts]

After you've found a site you want to feature on the front page, first go to the POST A LINK page on Metafilter, and enter in the url of the site. Leave off everything but the domain name -- no "http," no "www" and no directory or html file information. Press "Preview." If it's been posted before, even as a secondary link on someone else's post, it should pop up as a double.

(tags: doublepost ) March 6, 2006 - back to questions

When a thread is deleted, it is closed to new comments and is removed from the front page but can still be visible at the permanent URL for the thread. There is a brief "reason for deletion" given when a MetaFilter thread is removed. The most common reasons are

- double-post - the exact link or one linking to nearly the same content has already been posted
- self-link - you posted something to MetaFilter that is on your own site or that you contributed heavily towards
- newsfilter - you posted a link to a news article without creating a post that would lead to good discussion
- axegrindfilter - you posted on a hot-button topic that you frequently post about and/or used heavy-handed editorializing language.
- broken link - you posted a link to something that is no longer available on the web

Please note: Your FPP is no indication of your value as a human being. (Unless you are self-linking, spamming, or deliberately causing a problem. Then, you suck.)
(tags: metafilter deletion doublepost thread ) April 20, 2006 - back to questions