Mandatory Fun Day
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
@cconroy said:
Actually I thought the comments where people posted their own comics in response were pretty funny. So I'd vote for leaving the comments open but restricting them to images only. :) At least make the whiners work a bit.
While I'm sure this was a bit of "kidding on the square"... comments have been restored. Somewhat.
Mr. Magenta explains ...See guys, you [i]can[/i] have your own personalized version of TDWTF. Just ask!
Now, Alex, if you can just move the main logo over a couple pixels to the right, and brighten the red by, oh, 3%, I'll be all set. TIA...
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
While I'm sure this was a bit of "kidding on the square"... comments have been restored. Somewhat.
Mr. Magenta explains ...
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Mr. Magenta sez...
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I'm still trying to figure out WTF the thought process was behind using a thinly-veiled Magneto as the boss.
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I've got to say, complaining aside, the picture-only comments DO make for amusing reading, and are quickly becoming a highlight of the site. Even if MFD itself IS awful.
If you're quick, you can pretend this was your plan all along, and no-one will be any the wiser. ;-)
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@dhromed said:
And fuck it's suddenly deleting two characters when the editor adds a space to the end of a line and I backspace it off. I feel special!
We have a special tag for that. Apparently it hasn't made its way over to the General Discussion yet.
Also, sorry for quoting an old post without reading the rest of the thread.
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I have a suggestion. How about allowing us to vote up and down for the picture comments. That way we can give praise to the funnies and destroy the self esteem of the dumbies.
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@tster said:
I have a suggestion. How about allowing us to vote up and down for the picture comments. That way we can give praise to the funnies and destroy the self esteem of the dumbies.
Great idea. If there's one thing I love, it's destroying the self-esteem of the dumb. And if there are two things I love, it's that and manipulating online polls...
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@bstorer said:
If there's one thing I love, it's destroying the self-esteem of the dumb. And if there are two things I love, it's that and manipulating online polls...
(apologies to Monty Python)
If there's one thing I love, it's destroying the self-esteem of the dumb and manipulating online polls. Two! Two things I love are, destroying the self-esteem of the dumb and manipulating online polls. Oh, and spotting WTFs. The three things I love are...
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@tster said:
How about allowing us to vote up and down for the picture comments
I like it! You have my blessing to start voting ... err, wait, you probably want +/- buttons, tallies, ... or at least, some functionality added?
For that, I'll need to find some time to make those changes... of course, before even doign that, I'd need to know what changes to make (the spec!). Any suggestions? Ideas? Models?
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
Models?
bash.org?
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
I like it! You have my blessing to start voting ... err, wait, you probably want +/- buttons, tallies, ... or at least, some functionality added?
I'd say model it after Fark's Photoshop contests. Commenters flag their submissions as "votable" when posting. Each "votable" submission has a vote checkbox, and the top and bottom of the page have a "vote" button, which increments the vote count of each submission with a checked checkbox.For that, I'll need to find some time to make those changes... of course, before even doign that, I'd need to know what changes to make (the spec!). Any suggestions? Ideas? Models?
An alternative would be something like Bash.org, wherein each submission has its own voting links.
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limerickdb.com - each entry has "+" and "-" next to it, and a cumulative score that starts from 0. Scores can go negative. Repeatedly voting on the same item gets your IP banned.
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
@tster said:
How about allowing us to vote up and down for the picture comments
I like it! You have my blessing to start voting ... err, wait, you probably want +/- buttons, tallies, ... or at least, some functionality added?
For that, I'll need to find some time to make those changes... of course, before even doign that, I'd need to know what changes to make (the spec!). Any suggestions? Ideas? Models?
Well, as much as I love manipulating polls, I don't like to do a lot of work. In the spirit of that sentiment, I suggest you contract this out to Diebold.
Or, if you've already reached your budget for the fiscal year, something like bash.org would work pretty well.
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@GalacticCowboy said:
limerickdb.com - each entry has "+" and "-" next to it [. . .]
Which is actually based off of, or uses the same system as bash.org.
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@Lingerance said:
@GalacticCowboy said:
limerickdb.com - each entry has "+" and "-" next to it [. . .]
Which is actually based off of, or uses the same system as bash.org.Most likely. I just saw it the other day 'cause XKCD launched it...
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
I like it! You have my blessing to start voting ... err, wait, you probably want +/- buttons, tallies, ... or at least, some functionality added?
For that, I'll need to find some time to make those changes... of course, before even doign that, I'd need to know what changes to make (the spec!). Any suggestions? Ideas? Models?
Here's a crazy idea. Just re-enable text comments, and then people can, you know, say which strips they like.
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@Zylon said:
Here's a crazy idea. Just re-enable text comments, and then people can, you know, say which strips they like.
As you may have already noticed, most people only say which strips they do not like.
I, for one, dislike the premature picture of the stereotypical long-haired Linux-using student. If I want Windows-Linux-Flamewars, there's enough other places I can get those.
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@ammoQ said:
As you may have already noticed, most people only say which strips they do not like.
Do you suppose our site culture is skewed toward people who like to post comments like "OMG that really sucks"?
I wonder how that happened.
I think the strip is just finding its legs. When I first started my own web comic (he casually said, conveniently giving him an excuse to add far too many links to his own work without it being spam), it started out being primarily about "skateboarders are rude and intolerant" and "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is the greatest game EVAR because Neversoft RULEZ0RZ".
Over time, other stuff worked its way into the storylines. First it was a gay monkey. Then there was me. (Fourth wall humor FTW!) Then Riggs and "random image stolen off the internet guy". Eventually, the Almighty Platypus and BAJSBAJS and various other people showed up.
And then your desktop was littered with windows! Ha ha! My evil plan was a success! Must have been the Irish step dancing.
Anyway, my point is that eventually, I did a number of strips that still make me giggle uncontrollably. Unfortunately, if you look at the date on strip #1, it had a rather unfortunate anniversary that pretty much slaughtered the association of my strip for its current audience. I've spent the last four and a half years trying to get an artist to revive it, although my new plan is somewhat more involved, but I can't seem to find a good artist.
So I'm not worried about the strips so far. It's exploratory. In my opinion, Crap Comix didn't hit its stride for about three and a half months. I can't really demand more than that from MFD. Give it time.
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I'm going to assume that "hit its stride", in this context, doesn't parse to any variation on "became funny".
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@Zylon said:
I'm going to assume that "hit its stride", in this context, doesn't parse to any variation on "became funny".
I suppose that depends on whether you think saying "gay" over and over again is funny.
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@CDarklock said:
I suppose that depends on whether you think saying "gay" over and over again is funny.
Apparently not.
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@GalacticCowboy said:
limerickdb.com - each entry has "+" and "-" next to it, and a cumulative score that starts from 0. Scores can go negative. Repeatedly voting on the same item gets your IP banned.
allow only registed members to vote. Keep track of who voted (and which way they voted so they can change their mind).
If you've ever used the forums at topcoder.com they have a good voting system.
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@CDarklock said:
I think the strip is just finding its legs.
I, for one, agree.
PS.
I snickered out loud at some of your really crappily drawn strips.
yo quiero taco bell
tehee
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@dhromed said:
I snickered out loud at some of your really crappily drawn strips.
I can't get over the one after it, where the DOJ lawyer yells "shit on a stickerooo". It's the three o's that cracks me up. I think you have to have a special sense of humor to appreciate my comic; I just don't really know whether it's the good kind of special or the short-bus kind of special.
I tried to make the bad art part of the joke, but it got old. I got to a point where I just wanted to do something more character-driven instead of basing it entirely on inappropriate stereotypes and pop culture references, and I'm simply not a good enough artist to do that. So I've spent the past several years trying to find the right atist partner to work on my next project, but they don't seem to grasp that the new project isn't just Crap Comix all over again. The occasional amusing audition pops up, all the same, but I just haven't found the right collaborator.
I think strips like this tend to settle into a rut if you're not careful:
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It's definitialy the short bus kind.
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Maybe it's just me, but I find MFD is pretty much the opposite to the rest of the front page stuff.
MFD - read for the cartoon replies, original content is worthless.
Rest of site - read for the original content, replies are worthless.Perhaps just stick to posting the textless version, with the voted WINNAR!11! promoted to the main article body? As a doubleplus bonus, (in Soviet Russia) you get to blame us if the comic is bad!
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After reading today's MFD, I have to wonder if the author has ever actually used Wikipedia.
In fact, a consistent problem with the strip's humor is that it feels like it's written by an outside observer (and not even a very good one) of geek culture, rather than an actual geek. As such, it's always going to fall flat. There's little in this world more lame than someone trying to pretend they're part of a culture that they're not.
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@Zylon said:
After reading today's MFD, I have to wonder if the author has ever actually used Wikipedia.
In fact, a consistent problem with the strip's humor is that it feels like it's written by an outside observer (and not even a very good one) of geek culture, rather than an actual geek. As such, it's always going to fall flat. There's little in this world more lame than someone trying to pretend they're part of a culture that they're not.
I absolutely agree. Poor observations, tired clichés, absence of punchlines. Tip for George : anyone can create a new wikipedia article. No one has to approve them. Oh, and the "linux person hates microsoft" joke has been done to death in thousands of other strips. You've done it three or four times yourself. Please stop.
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@Zylon said:
After reading today's MFD, I have to wonder if the author has ever actually used Wikipedia.
My theory is that those MDF strips were made in 2001, when Wikipedia was completely new (and probably mostly empty). It might also explain why the author overuses the cliche of the long-haired unemployed Linux hacker, ignoring the fact that Linux currently powers the world's most powerful super computers, millions of servers, several dozens of desktop computers ;-) and a large range of other devices, like WLAN routers, mobile phones and Asus' EEE-PC. The author's "Linux=amateurs, Wikipedia=amateurs" attitude seems completely outdated today.
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I'd like to see some classic WTFs resurrected...in comic form. I've always wondered what a cartoon Paula would look like. In fact, she should probably be the main character in all of the comics.
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@Outlaw Programmer said:
I'd like to see some classic WTFs resurrected...in comic form. I've always wondered what a cartoon Paula would look like. In fact, she should probably be the main character in all of the comics.
Now THAT I would love to see! Take some classic strips, such as Paula, or The Java Wizard, or the like, and make THOSE into comic form. Hell, they can be as shittily-drawn as MFD, just they would be funny.
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@ObiWayneKenobi said:
I concur.Now THAT I would love to see! Take some classic strips, such as Paula, or The Java Wizard, or the like, and make THOSE into comic form. Hell, they can be as shittily-drawn as MFD, just they would be funny.
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@Zylon said:
There's little in this world more lame than someone trying to pretend they're part of a culture that they're not.
There's also no real way to communicate to someone that they really, honestly aren't part of that culture. They have to figure it out themselves.
We've had the same joke three times now. "Oh noes! Someone is saying the Bad Thing about Microsoft on the internets!" - we had the Death Star joke, and the Cobra joke, and what looks like a Transformer joke. It feels like an experiment to see which pop culture icon has the most resonance for us. Next on MFD: A Voltron reference! And after that - THUNDERCATS! HOOOOOOOO!
There also seems to be some experiment about how to say bad things on the internet: open letter on Slashdot, Wikipedia entry... I don't even remember the third one. Maybe the Linux guy should just get a blog. Was that the third one? I forget.
MFD needs recurring characters, but not recurring jokes. Unless...
Well, if this were my comic, doing the same thing over and over would be a set up.
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@CDarklock said:
Well, if this were my comic, doing the same thing over and over would be a set up.
I think everyone is seriously underestimating the potential of [url="http://www.redmeat.com"]copy and paste humor[/url].
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@LieutenantFrost said:
I think everyone is seriously underestimating the potential of copy and paste humor.
I believe you are right. Few people appreciate the merit of collage as an art form, no matter the type or intent.
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@LieutenantFrost said:
@CDarklock said:
Well, if this were my comic, doing the same thing over and over would be a set up.
I think everyone is seriously underestimating the potential of copy and paste humor.
My issue with these kind of static comics is that they'd probably better be served without graphics. But that might betray bad writing.
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I figured it out!
I've got it figured out! Judging by the laziness of today's reuse of previous artwork, the poor "joke", the continuing "explain everything until it isn't funny" trend and the complete waste of the potential of the super-villain boss, this is all leading up to April 1st where it will be revealed that it has been an elaborate April Fools joke!
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@EpilepticFridgeBoy said:this is all leading up to April 1st where it will be revealed that it has been an elaborate April Fools joke!
Unfortunately, EpilepticFridgeBoy, we here at TDWTF simply don't have what it takes to live up to your demanding, super-advanced sense of humor, and probably never will. I've read through all of the comics you've created and posted on your website, and man - I just wish we could find a way to compete. I mean, jeeze, with creative zingers like that April Fools line, what's next... some jab that somehow manages to equate The Daily WTF being The Real WTF or something?
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@Lingerance said:
@ObiWayneKenobi said:
I concur.Now THAT I would love to see! Take some classic strips, such as Paula, or The Java Wizard, or the like, and make THOSE into comic form. Hell, they can be as shittily-drawn as MFD, just they would be funny.
Agreed. MFD is smirkworthy currently; fitting it round some classic or even not-so-classic familiar WTFery would bring it to life.
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
what's next... some jab that somehow manages to equate The Daily WTF being The Real WTF or something?
Yes! Get ready... here it comes... *ahem*... MFD is TRWFT.
Damn, didn't even get that right...
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@Zagyg said:
Agreed. MFD is smirkworthy currently; fitting it round some classic or even not-so-classic familiar WTFery would bring it to life.
Actually scratch that. My bad, I hadn't read enough of the image comments to appreciate that plenty of folk are already doing that, and generally rather well to boot. I guess my contribution retracts to - carry on. If you don't find the main comic particularly funny, the readership contributions are varied enough to invoke a few laughs. It's a shame there are still so many variations of "this sucks" which is getting pretty tiresome.
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I would like to thank the readers of this site for taking the time to make and submit their own comics.
Most of them are very funny for whatever reason.
Thanks.
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Am I the only one who's a little worried that Alex's "Best of the last set of comments" picks at the start of each new MFD are generally the LEAST funny of all the posted comments? Great Dodecahedron that's a bad sign.
WHO DARES SUMMON... etc.
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@rc_pinchey said:
Am I the only one who's a little worried that Alex's "Best of the last set of comments" picks at the start of each new MFD are generally the LEAST funny of all the posted comments? Great Dodecahedron that's a bad sign.
This should come as no surprise. Obviously, I have no sense of humor because I put up MFD, so what makes you think I'd have a sense to select the best funniest comments?
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
This should come as no surprise. Obviously, I have no sense of humor because I put up MFD, so what makes you think I'd have a sense to select the best funniest comments?
Heh, was just about to post and say your sense of humour seems quite different to most people I know, so of course you'd pick posts that were the funniest to you, but possibly not to the majority of vocal people here. The comments are good fun to read through though :)
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@Alex Papadimoulis said:
Obviously, I have no sense of humor because I put up MFD, so what makes you think I'd have a sense to select the best funniest comments?
You must have SOME sense of humour, maybe it's just not very mainstream. What are your favourite comedy TV shows/films?
Also, have any of the comics (MFD or user-submitted) actually made you laugh out loud? Or have they just made you think "yes, that's funny"?
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@rc_pinchey said:
must have SOME sense of humour, maybe it's just not very mainstream. What are your favourite comedy TV shows/films?
I think it's fairly mainstream ... absolute favorite movie/film humor is Zucker-style. Then again, I like most American, professionally-produced comedy work.
@rc_pinchey said:
Also, have any of the comics (MFD or user-submitted) actually made you laugh out loud? Or have they just made you think "yes, that's funny"?
Absolutely - George and I worked on a lot on the concept/storyline together, but obviously he did all of the artwork and most of the dialog. But seeing some of the "draft" versions (like the Microsoft BOB 2.0 mech), yeah... definite LLOL ("Literal" LOL). And for sure on some of the reader comics, but many were mostly "meta", and wouldn't have worked without the origianl in place. But others were just really clever.
