Idols and Twisted Gnostic Secrets

[aggienaut]

   Most recent LJ Idol poll is up. With 28 people remaining, its easy to read them all. I encourage doing so. And voting! (=

[Poll #1348977]

   I stared deep into the dark coils of lj, to understand its arcane inner magic, and lo, I was rewarded with gnostic secrets. Anyone can post any poll. I'm not a hacker, there is no secret. I simply questioned what I couldn't do and was rewarded.
   And I found this pleasing -- that specifically the kind of behaviour I thought most commendable (questioning your surroundings) yielded a reward of some usefulness. Personally I think the advantage gained by being able to post the poll in your entry was more deserved to those who found it and more proportional to the merits of earning it than nearly all the random "rewards" and "Special powers" that have been purposefully bandied about in this competition. In short, it made me feel like at least something was right in the world.
   However, all good things must come to an end. All too often good technology is eventually twisted, and this has happened.
   Gary became concerned and asked how it is done, and the knowledge was passed on to him. I hoped he would have the good sense to keep it under wraps, or at least would tell everyone about it all at once. Unfortunately however, he simply told two idolists, spydielives and kittenboo.
   It is no longer a slight advantage to those who have thought to question and investigate their surroundings on their own, it is now an advantage to those who asked Gary how to get advantages. That literally makes me feel sick, and I'll feel filthy until I rectify it.
   From here I'm quite clear that it will continue to spread, and until someone posts about it publicly the people who have gained the knowledge by asking others will do it under the table. Already today I'm seeing strange vote spikes NOT accompanied by a visible entry, that ARE accompanied by "last post: four hours ago," a spot I can't see an entry anywhere near.

   And so, I am levelling the playing field. I am telling each and every one of you that yes, you can post the poll. The method is shockingly, mind-blowingly simple, all you have to do is try. That or ask Gary.


PS: I thought I'd brighten your days with a visual representation of the poll standings. Please stand by, hopefully I'll have some charts converted to a postable size and form within an hour or two.

Comments

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I did specifically tell those individuals. Because they asked.

What he didn't spell out though is that how I found out what was going on is that someone he tried to share the information with decided that they didn't like the technique. In fact they considered it to be cheating.

So I went to one of the people they said was involved(not emo)and asked them what was going on.

They told me how to do it and after looking at it I said it didn't seem to be "cheating" but if anyone asked me how to do it I would of course have to tell them and at some point (when RL calmed down a bit) I was going to add it to the FAQs.

A couple people beat me to it the other day by mentioning the technique in a public post. I was asked (by the two mentioned) about what was going on. Without naming names of who was doing it - I said how it was done.

I then, last night, told the person who gave me the information in the first place (again, not emo) exactly who had asked and how much I had told them.

My question would be why *wouldn't* information about how to post what is in essence just a fancy link to the poll be shared with anyone who asked?

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

My only correction to your comment is the person who considered it cheating I had never attempted to share it with.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

So noted.

In which case someone you shared the knowledge with must have shared it with them.

Because they knew. I stand by the idea that it's not (in fact it was noted that LJ had apparently said that it *fixed* the glitch that let people do it. So apparently it's something well known to the poll posting crowd, but people just didn't think it could be done anymore.)

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

oh, you know that there are always people who look for a reason to suggest you are tipping the scales. some of them quit and start their own idol and continue to bitch about it for the next 6 months.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

6 months? Heh, they are *still* bitching about it in some circles!*G*

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

It's probably cause I emailed them and told them that boxsofrain is actually Tulip and you are helping her hide it so she can win.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Bahahaha

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

She would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids and your pesky dog!!

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

*laughing*

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

I'm like the anti-Spydie...I give away everyone's secrets ;)

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

You are an evil man.

*crooks finger*

Come here. I will whisper what you want to know into your ear...

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

you'd just call me over with promises of a secret, then say "Oh, I forgot."

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

Oh... but I don't tease... not like some anyway.

[brightflashes.livejournal.com]

Oh shut up. You're going to hear from me in an email. ;)

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

Isn't tulip someone you don't like or something? :(

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

Just someone else who trades sex for votes ;)

Though I don't think she ever went as far as posting the poll in her journal behind filters, like someone whose name starts with A and rhymes with Cash Tree!

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

Fuck you! ;)

Oh please, I have 2 filters right now, one is so my RL friends can't read certain things, and my other filter is for gratefuladdict's eyes only.

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and the SECRET one where you and Emo Snal Embed the poll and then ask for votes from your friend list, then go "why is RM getting so many votes? She is using her friend list!!"

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

You lie! I am not talking to you anymore. :)

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

oh, you can run, but you can't get away from the rumor mill that is SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. Who are emo's friends? Who gets a lot of votes each week? What does two plus two equal?

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Haha I also use that one to discuss how I'm engineering the "economy collapse disorder" so that beekeeping will become the only remaining stable industry.


But seriously for a moment, since I suspect you are hinting at hypocracy, I've never said it was condemnable that her friends list keeps her afloat, and frankly I was completely taken by suprise by her complete lack of support previous to linking it in yesterday. And I've been calling for a community or contestant only vote to even things out and that of course effects me just as much as her.


edit comment: wow I got my own bee disease reference wrong. ::Commmits sebukki::

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

oh, I was mostly joking.

that said, I think most people see you as part of a small social circle. and some of that social circle HAS talked about people getting by on their votes. and in that case, it means you have. whether you have or not, if that makes sense.

taking it back to last season, there was a community of people who voted for one another. maybe some people didn't always support people in the community or they also supported people outside, but the public perception was that everyone involves was a selfish asshole trying to cheat the game. was it accurate at all? not a bit. but perception is perception...

[worldofcharlie.livejournal.com]

*snorts*...you're too funny...

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

The similarities are striking...well, except there is no crazy temper or drama this time.

[worldofcharlie.livejournal.com]

well in the past - when I didn't have a lot of time to vote at one time...I'll read so many entries, vote and then come back to the poll, read more entries, and vote more.

That's the only way I've used it.

However I've never copied/pasted the poll unto my own LJ entry..that's a neat trick..

and that's no different than doing "recommends"...I suppose...

*my two cents*

:)