Is it just me? The "Popular Questions" list is filled with really old questions.
So, I am looking for an official answer for what's going on, but I'll award best answer to the most creative answer to what this conundrum means. :)
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M$8 Answers
Later is was discovered by Corey that this was not meant to happen and after a week of this messy mess of old and expired questions the front page was returned to normal. I am hoping this is the case again and the front page will be back soon. Last time this happened it took a week to fix and the the FP stayed as a historical document until the following Thursdays update deployment.
I would love to get creative here but I really cannot because this is just a algorithmic bug.
Here is Corey's answer to the same question 15 days ago.. when this happened last time..
Has the "Popular Questions" section changed in some way?
"An unintended line in our code made questions appear on the HP that were very old, which isn't good for the homepage! "
Hopefully we will not have to wait a week for this to be fixed but we likely will.
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M$Thursday is always a big change/fix rollout moment, and apparently they rolled out some new stuff, but accidentally removed the switch to only incorporate "Open" questions in the "Most Popular" list.
No worries, Mahalo staf has been notified, and they will probably have the devs fix this when they can. It's still very early in the US, so @Corey and the rest of the bunch are not in office yet.
In the meantime, enjoy checking out those old charity and pool-party threads. They are actually fun to read back!
My own observations.
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M$Is this still happening for everyone? I've been refreshing Answers several times, and I've cleared all my cache/cookies, but I'm not seeing this. Here is what I am seeing:
The oldest questions I see are up to five days old. Over the past week, the "Most Popular" section was configured to only show questions that were asked within the past 24 hours. This was to give more questions a chance in the spotlight. Last night we made the call to show questions in Most Popular from the past 5 days - or the full time of the voting period. Like many things we try on the site, this is entirely trial-and-error. We want to design the most enjoyable Answers site possible. Already, I'm feeling like 5 days is too much - as the same question could potentially be up there for 5 days. This isn't *bad*, exactly, but it isn't fresh, either. Thoughts on timing for the Most Popular section? That section is determined by a process that basically says, "Show questions with the most votes that were asked within the past "x" hours". After seeing 5 days is too much, I'm thinking 48 hours might be a good number. Thoughts? 24? 48? 72?
Regarding old questions, please keep me posted on if you're still seeing them, and, where you are located. We have servers across the country so, if people on the East Coast are seeing ancient questions, but West-Coasters aren't, we'll be able to pinpoint the problem faster.
Thanks to everyone for making Mahalo the best community on the web!
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M$
I'm thinking "Most popular - open" questions will do, doesn't matter the "day/hour".
This will give a chance to those old, undiscovered questions that suddenly found and become popular.
But I guess there isn't such option.
Corey I feel that the 24 was good but 48 is worth exploring and might be better but 72 is too many hours and will allow the front page to stagnate.
The way the FP is sorted now (well .. if it was bug free)
Highest Tipped Questions ~ 3 days right? I like this, users pay and the questions stay.
Featured Questions ~ Staff curated and a subjectively selected duration. I like this too and this section seems fresh and full of surprises and staples.
Most Popular Questions ~ 1 day. I like this but 48hrs might be okay, I would lean to saying 1 day is enough and if anyone wants more time on the FP they can pay for it in the HTQ section.
New Questions ~ Just waiting to be voted on and/or answered this section is perfect and I doubt would be improved by any changes.
Unanswered Questions ~ Love it. this section is great and a fantastic "Second Chance" section for questions that might have been missed by interested uses.
Corey! I too am having the 'ancient popular screen' issues. Im' not as eastern as Buddawiggi, but I'm in the Gulf of Alabama... at central time.
I would also like to raise my hand to the 48 hour idea for the popular category. If it turns out to be a little long... we can always go back to 24!
Thanks Corey!
I understand the difference. Budda is looking at http://www.mahalo.com/answers/ ,
Corey is looking at http://www.mahalo.com/answers?filter=open&sortby=sort_popular
The answers main page is incorrect, the 'popular' page is correct.
As for the correct period, I would say: All most popular 'Open' questions should probably be listed. So,that's a maximum of five days. Sounds reasonable?
I'm seeing really old questions in the most popular section. I'm from the Chicago area. As for how long questions should be in the most popular, I think 4 days is about right.
Corey I have done the same and cleared all cache.. refreshed everything.
I live in NH so would be in the Chicago group of servers?
This is what I see. Love that the "Darcy Logan" thread is there... from April of 2009.
Please just put things back to anything that resembles new or questions on the "most popular questions" section..
Like @buddawiggi I am on the east coast, so maybe it's something with Chicago. Glad to hear it can be fixed, but this is definitely fun. :)
Very cool, Corey! Thanks, guys.
I'm thinking 48 hours, with a two-drink minimum. Errrr, two-VOTE minimum.
BTW, Corey, what are you seeing on the "Expiring Questions" tab? I'm seeing a lot of Q's with "-1" answers, Q's with invisible answers, Q's that won't open, and older Q's that weren't there yesterday (that shouldn't happen, based on my understanding of this tab - should it?).
LATER: Just posted this Q to try to bring in more feedback: http://www.mahalo.com/answers/love-and-relationships/mahalo-seeking-feedback-asap-dynamic-website-reasonably-attractive-wants-popularity-feedback-from-all-young-old-today-fri-night
Most Popular question section is now fixed and set for "Show most popular questions asked within the past 48 hours" - huzzah!
i'm seeing the super old popular questions...
Good news - we can fix this tonight! Now, regarding my question, how "old" should questions be on the Most Popular section? Help me fill in the blank:
"Show questions with the most votes that were asked within the past "x" hours".
I'm thinking 48 hours might be a good number. Thoughts? 24? 48? 72?
I think budda buddy and I are on the same page. I'll just re-raise the queries re: making "new q's" vary in length to guarantee at least one hour on the front page, and allowing the "most Popular q's" to vary in length to have a minimum-vote threshold.
Also... the top spot - "highest Tipped q's" - often is too static. I've sometimes wondered whether it might be wise to vary the order of the 5 sections in some way or other. (For instance, each hour, or each time a user hits the front page, or....) Reaction?
Sorry, Corey, you must have the ultra-secret, mega-special version of the M.A. Front Page! I'm still seeing the all-time faves (funny, because it IS a much different list than the last time it happened), led by Brian San's Thanksgiving Q! (I have NOT tried to clear cache, because the rest of the page is dynamic so I couldn't see any reason to - but, if that's what it takes, I'll try it.)
As for the timing, I've been peripherally aware of that experimentation, and I've thought 24 hours is fine EXCEPT when you have Q's with 0 or 1 vote on the "Most Popular" list. That makes us seem like a low-traffic site, which is presumably not the image we would like to convey.
Is it possible to have the 5 sections of the MA Front Page all have dynamic lengths (displayed by default)? If so, then I'd like to see a minimum # of votes as a cut-off on the "most popular", and I'd like to see the "new" section feature at least an hour's worth of questions.
Also, didn't Mahalo also play with the algorithm to determine the ranking of "popular"? Now it is solely the number of votes, right? I thought it was more intriguing to have a "secret" formula that included views, answers, etc - did that not work?
Thanks.
Re: Corey: Maybe, Mith, maybe.
Re: 4-day-while-open suggestion: I could live with that, but I think that might seem too static, especially when combined with the 4-day "highest Tipped". Even though they're still open, I think most threads slow down after a couple of days - even if they're still on the front page.
(Hey, wasn't that one of the variables that was going to go into the popularity algorithm? Continuing interest? I always thought that would be a harder variable to program. Now, we've gone super-easy: just total votes.)
My personal observation on this matter is that this may not be development issue but an innovation. This change it was made that way in order for new members of the Mahalo Answers Community to view the popular questions and have an idea how the community works from highest tipped questions, contests (e.g. Oscar Pool Party, NCAA Bracket and the like), charities, community announcements, go team, guruteam, how to barn raising, new features and other happenings, somewhat giving member a 360 degree view in the inner wonders of Mahalo.
Mahalo has been changing constantly for the benefits of both the members, staff, stockholders and CEO Jason M. Calacanis. Based on my recent experience here, Mahalo is now conquering a wide spectrum of the World Wide Web, making not just waves but a tsunami of interesting new ideas that excites each member.
With the "POPULAR QUESTIONS" in full view of members, each can recall the questions and best answer of every category and reminisce the good things that ever happened to Mahalo Answers and Mahalo as a whole.
We can all make MAHALO the most popular site in Cyberspace and the World.
Personal opinion.
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M$
Me too, Edward. Sometimes, waves are great!
What user has the most popular questions since Jan 2009?
Just going against the tides to create some waves....
Oh, cool, Edward, we definitely had some of the same thoughts! But, there is no way that this is intentional - even if it can serve as a good purpose. Smack dab in the middle of the very important Mahalo Answers Front Page (as distinguished from the Mahalo Front Page), it looks like we are a stagnant, archival site instead of the super-dynamic site that we are. (In fact, I've seen peak times where the "new questions" section only holds the last 18 minutes of questions; I'd like to see the length of that section be dynamic where a new question will always be easily visible for at least an hour.) In fact, that stagnant historical document is seen BEFORE getting to the most dynamic parts (new and unanswered).
If we want to display some of our greatest hits as inspiration, we should make a smaller box for it in the space-available right-hand column. I think that WOULD be a neat idea.
I think that Mahalo developers have subconsciously realized that, in order to move boldly into the future - to boldly go where no answers site or search engine has gone before - it is important to remember whence we came. An occasional look backward can ground us, can remind us how far we've come and how far we've to go, can give us the kick in the butt to propel us into that brave new Mahalo-Central-and-sister-sites world.
Let's take inspiration from this 2nd week (see Budda's answer) of "historical documents". Because, this history lesson is only of the BEST of (Mahalo) times! Just take a moment to peruse that list – I think ALL of them are POSITIVE threads and are indicative of the cool things that this community has done and can do, and the discussions that we have had and can have.
At this moment in http://www.mahalo.com/answers/mahalo-answers-community/what-are-some-examples-of-mahalos-finest-moments, we are trying to launch dozens (if not hundreds) of sister sites. Ideally, each of those satellites will bring in new people and will form little suburban communities that will also nourish Mahalo Central. Sooooo, hopefully, each of those sister sites will have special moments like the ones we are looking back on in Mahalo Central’s history.
Example: I have a very strong interest in the Phoenix-Answers.com sister site. Come Thanksgiving 2010, we may very well have a small core group on that site. This apparent-glitch reminds me that we could have a Thanksgiving thread that will raise money for the local food bank efforts. Or, maybe I’ll now be inspired to come up with something before then. Los Suns are kicking some butt in the NBA (errr, National Basketball Association) playoffs right now – maybe the Oscar’s Pool Party fundraising thread gives me an idea.
Sure, this might be easier for some sister sites than others. Toyota may not be willing to donate a *NEW CAR* to our unaffiliated discussion site in order to raise money to help birds along the Gulf Coast. Or, WOULD they? We may have to take medications that help us focus to actually focus on similar efforts on some prescription meds sites. A Craigslist ad announcing TRAINING SESSIONS on the Austin, Texas sister site? Hmmm.
So, let’s seize the opportunity (inadvertently) given us (again) by the new deploy/rollout. Look at the questions. Jot down some ideas. Then, let’s go forth and create new questions that will out-popular the old most-populars!
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M$
HOT TUB TIME MACHINE.
That is all.
common knowledge based on current cinema
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M$
Why do I always think of Galaxy Quest when I hear the word, "historical documents??"
http://media.sbs.com.au/films/upload_media/site_28_rand_940960962_galaxy_qu...
Mahalo.com
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M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
Well a few months ago I read that Nicholas Cage had signed on to do an online version of what will certainly be a terrific sequel to National Treasure and a fantastic expansion of the franchise. Hopefully this is Hollywood and Mahalo working together to complete the online, real life, and real time movie..
National Treasure 4: The Golden Days of Mahalo.
Hollywood's expansion into reality might be complete with this movie as the film industry looks to 100% integrate with real life so we all can live the lives of Hollywood superstars not by going to Hollywood and chasing reckless dreams but by Hollywood coming to us and making our own lives the movie where we are the stars.
Did every one know the Jason Calacanis is really just Nick Cage in make-up? Well if you don't know now you know...maybe.. is it real or is it Hollywood? This whole project has been and will continue to be a film scene = reality = film scene project to make life a move and make movies actually real life, and in real life there are obstacles.. the front page algorithm update bug is one of them..
This began to show and those in the know knew about the Mahalo = Hollywood connection back in 2009 with Ondi Timoner, Josh Harris, and Tom Harris and the documentary "We Live In Public" so look forward to more real but artificial but real and artificial ups and downs all created, directed, and offered to us by the now public collaboration and friendship between semi-real Nicholas Cage and semi-real Jason Calacanis... if you believe those sorts of things..
Pretty funny @skristoff!! I liked your comment!
In the meantime, it's kind of cool seeing the most popular answers from the past. It's fun to revisit those questions!
Oh I figured it was something like that, but I'm in a weird mood this morning and thought it would be fun to come up with a more creative reason. Maybe @tealmyster actually went and got that Mahalo tattoo and posted it for all to see, but then realized later that the tattoo artist spelled Mahalo wrong and rather than delete the post she decided to bury it under an avalanche of old yet fun to read questions so people wouldn't bother to read her post. :P
That is the hook of the online life/online movie.. is it Jason Calacanis? Or is it Nicholas Cage? Are they the same person or are they two entirely different people?!?
All of this will cleared up at the end of the National Treasure 4: The Golden Days of Mahalo theatrical presentation of life online in Mahalo as seen through the eyes of those who use Mahalo.
** Rumor Alert ** Lon Harris will be coming back to Mahalo in the movie for the big drop of "This Week in What Is and Isn't Real" and his part in the film will either be played by Lon Harris (hopefully) or Sally Jess Raphael (I dunno.. just tellin' what I heard).
We will have to just wait and see.. ; )
But can Jason C act better then Nick Cage?