# Omnibus Stupid MFers in the news thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 5, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657 "2024-01-05T16:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 41
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/801 "2024-04-12T08:14:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > This kind of goes against the whole philosophy of hypertext, the basis of the WWW. Having to always retype or copy/paste all information that you wish to reference from an outside site instead of providing a link to that information would be insane. You don’t have to post ALL the information, just a quick summary. Also, letting the audience know the length of the clip is also a courtesy. If you tell me NOTHING I’m not clicking because that’s a tactic of spammers, scammers, and bad actors. If you don’t tell me the length I also might not click because I’m not going to sit through an hour or more of video to find whatever point you’re tying to make (exception if you give me a time stamp). > [@Joey\_P](#): > > But I still never really understood the ‘I’m not clicking on some random link’ attitude towards youtube videos. On another forum we had a poster who thought it was “funny” to post a link directly to child porn. Fortunately, I missed that one, the mods broke the link. Also before in-line previews were common. Granted, there are ways to check out a link prior to clicking, but that’s yet another step people are then feeling compelled to do. And not everyone knows how to do that. See above about spammers, scammers, and bad actors. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/802 "2024-04-12T10:43:27Z")
Maybe I’m a delicate snowflake, but I hate opening a video link to find myself blasted with loud, foul, violent, or angry clips. I also will NOT listen to Trump. There’s enough angst and anger and awfulness in the world, I don’t need to subject myself to it when I’m not mentally ready for it. That 4 second clip was indeed benign and I’m sorry to have caused a stink over such a small thing. But, a 4 second clip could also be someone getting shot in the head, and that I do not want to see, even just a movie clip. I’ll just go back to my quiet nerdy corner now … ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/803 "2024-04-12T11:13:48Z")
Yes, I’ll fifth this tangent (or however many people have complained at this point). Posting a drive-by link is saying “My time is too valuable to bother to post a summary, I’m going to instead require that an unlimited number of people all have to waste significant time watching a video and trying to reverse-engineer what my point is” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/804 "2024-04-12T11:41:00Z")
But people make such a big deal out of it. Like they’re worried they’ll get a virus on their computer. If you don’t want to click on it, don’t click on it, just like if there’s a post you don’t want to read, you don’t read it. And, again, it was a joke response in a pit thread. Apparently, I’ve spoken about this before. Here’s part of something I wrote 12 years ago. > I understand that when it’s a bit.ly or goes to some place many people haven’t heard of, but it’s a youtube link, you _could_ just click on it and see what it is, you know it’s going to be a video of some sort, it’s not going to contain a virus… To be clear, I fully understand the rules about posting bare links and I generally try not to do it myself, but I just don’t understand why people get so worked up about it. Click on it, don’t click on it, whatever. > [@Pleonast](#): > > I’m here to read and post on the SDMB. If I wanted to watch and comment on YouTube, I’d be at that site. It sounds like you’re not going to watch them regardless, so why worry about it? Do you demand the same amount of description for a link to a news or wiki article? > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > As for why I don’t want to click on a random YouTube video, one reason is that every time I do so, it pollutes my YouTube history. Right click, “open in private window” or the equivalent for your browser. I 100% agree with you there and I make very regular usage of private windows when I want to watch something on youtube without it affecting my suggestions. In fact, I open most links here (youtube or otherwise) that way, just for that reason. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And for an example of when bare links to YouTube (or whatever) are particularly annoying, imagine you’re in a thread about “songs about airplanes”. Various people post various song titles but a good number of the posts will be bare YouTube links; perhaps a quarter of them. I guess I don’t understand how that would be a problem. If you have a thread about songs about airplanes, wouldn’t it be reasonable to think that a bare youtube link goes to a song about airplanes? > [@Broomstick](#): > > On another forum we had a poster who thought it was “funny” to post a link directly to child porn. Well, that’s a problem we don’t have here so you don’t need to worry about it. And keep in mind, someone could give a detailed explanation of the video and still link to porn, so a bare link vs one that’s described wouldn’t have made a difference. See: Rickrolling. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/805 "2024-04-12T11:53:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@Pleonast](#): > > > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > > > But I still never really understood the ‘I’m not clicking on some random link’ attitude towards youtube videos. > > > > I’m here to read and post on the SDMB. If I wanted to watch and comment on YouTube, I’d be at that site. > > It sounds like you’re not going to watch them regardless, so why worry about it? Do you demand the same amount of description for a link to a news or wiki article? I don’t worry about it, and I don’t complain about it, either. I was directly answering your question about not understanding. And, yes, I typically don’t click on any links. YouTube especially, since those don’t even get past the firewall I’m usually behind. Either a poster makes their point with their own writing or I move on to the next point. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/806 "2024-04-12T15:36:10Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Maybe I’m a delicate snowflake, but I hate opening a video link to find myself blasted with loud, foul, violent, or angry clips. And I may get that even if it’s not in the intended link. I just gave up on one I clicked on in another thread because it started with an unskippable full-minute movie preview of a movie that I knew within six seconds that I didn’t want to watch. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Do you demand the same amount of description for a link to a news or wiki article? Generally, yes; though at least then I know I’ll be seeing print, probably not something flashing light and blaring sound at me. But even a wiki article is better with a few words describing why it was posted. Why do you think it’s so much harder for you to do that than for all of us to go to your unexplained link? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/807 "2024-04-12T15:41:42Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Why do you think it’s so much harder for you to do that than for all of us to go to your unexplained link? Did I say that? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/808 "2024-04-12T15:49:20Z")
Why not explain it, then? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/809 "2024-04-12T15:50:32Z")
Explain what? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/810 "2024-04-12T15:51:06Z")
Is this the right room for an argument? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/811 "2024-04-12T15:51:51Z")
That’s down the hall. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/812 "2024-04-12T15:51:53Z")
You’re right, it isn’t. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/813 "2024-04-12T16:12:57Z")
Yes it is! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/814 "2024-04-12T16:41:46Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > And for an example of when bare links to YouTube (or whatever) are particularly annoying, imagine you’re in a thread about “songs about airplanes”. Various people post various song titles but a good number of the posts will be bare YouTube links; perhaps a quarter of them. > > I guess I don’t understand how that would be a problem. If you have a thread about songs about airplanes, wouldn’t it be reasonable to think that a bare youtube link goes to a song about airplanes? _Of course_ it goes to a song but what’s the name of the song? It is perhaps the same one I was thinking of adding to the conversation? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/815 "2024-04-12T19:05:39Z")
Moving on because I seem to be defending myself against something I didn’t do. So, unless someone wants to point out the post that I’m being asked to explain… Tow truck in San Francisco [tried to grab a car while it was at a red light with occupants](https://i.imgur.com/qc78qeX.mp4). It sounds like their license has already been revoked and they’ve been in trouble in the past. Not that it’ll go this far, but I see people suggesting what he did could legally be considered, at least, carjacking, possible kidnapping. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/816 "2024-04-12T19:17:29Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Maybe I’m a delicate snowflake, but I hate opening a video link to find myself blasted with loud, foul, violent, or angry clips. I also will NOT listen to Trump. There’s enough angst and anger and awfulness in the world, I don’t need to subject myself to it when I’m not mentally ready for it. > > That 4 second clip was indeed benign and I’m sorry to have caused a stink over such a small thing. But, a 4 second clip could also be someone getting shot in the head, and that I do not want to see, even just a movie clip. > > I’ll just go back to my quiet nerdy corner now … Got room there for one more? I’ll bring my cats if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/817 "2024-04-12T19:21:19Z")
Cats are always good! Though it might be a little crowded … I have 12 of my own plus the momma and three kittens I found two weeks ago. Anyone need a kitten??? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/818 "2024-04-12T20:15:27Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > So, unless someone wants to point out the post that I’m being asked to explain… I was asking why you wanted to post unexplained links in general. If you haven’t been, then I mixed you up with somebody else, and apologize for it. > [@saje](#): > > Anyone need a kitten??? Sorry, not now and I hope not for quite a while! I’m living with 4 (two of whom showed up on their own) and try to keep the number here to not more than that. There are four cats and one dog and only me to pat them all. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/819 "2024-04-12T20:32:16Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I was asking why you wanted to post unexplained links in general. I typically don’t, I just never understood the outrage over it. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657/820 "2024-04-12T20:34:18Z")
I wouldn’t call it outrage. I just find it annoying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-stupid-mfers-in-the-news-thread-part-2/995657.md?page=42)