from the planning-for-2016-already-... dept.
To say that today (or yesterday, depending on your perspective) has been an interesting day for our community would be something of an understatement. While we understand that some people do dislike that 4/1 does not mean business as usual on the site, I think it provides us an important opportunity to remind everyone we are a single community, and just once in awhile, it's all right for us to have a bit of fun together and perhaps enjoy being a little bit silly.
For what it's worth, we understood that you didn't want a bunch of fake stories, so we tried to do something a little different, and hopefully catch you off guard at the same time.
I'd love to hear your feedback on what you liked and didn't like this year, and for those who wish to continue using it, the VT100 theme shall remain available as it was before. And with that note, so long, and thanks for all the fish :)
- NCommander
(P.S: You may need to do a force reload (Ctrl-F5) to get your theme back)
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:40AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_(CMS) [wikipedia.org]
fix the submissions user page box on VT100
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Touché) by takyon on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:09AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89 [wikipedia.org]
lÉ trol
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:47AM
I see what you did there. (Touché'd yourself publicly)
(Score: 2) by Ryuugami on Thursday April 02 2015, @10:39AM
I like how that article begins:
É
Not to be confused with È.
If a shit storm's on the horizon, it's good to know far enough ahead you can at least bring along an umbrella. - D.Weber
(Score: 5, Touché) by aristarchus on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:44AM
Could've been worse. I am upset the gerbil story was not legit. And worried that our fearless Leader was playing Netcraft for how long? Lives, people, we needs to get them!
(Score: 3, Insightful) by takyon on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:45AM
I spent 5 minutes searching for "Netcraft" videos on YouTube at one point.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Touché) by NCommander on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:46AM
Not long accident to make a baby between Minecraft and NetHack, with the bastard stepchildren of Super Meat Boy and Papers Please
Still always moving
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:46AM
Yeah, Subsentient went rouge and posted that gerbil story. Maybe he didn't get the memo.
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 5, Funny) by Magic Oddball on Thursday April 02 2015, @08:02AM
Subsentient went rouge
At least that way he'll look healthy...better than joining the blue team and going cyanotic. ;)
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Friday April 03 2015, @04:37AM
Heh, you'll have to excuse my (lack of) proofreading, I slept around 7 hours in the past 3 days due to trying to spend as much time on the live stream as possible after working 10 hours, spending a few hours playing music with my band, and coordinating the 4/1 shenanigans (which we planned all of 10 hours in advance).
But nice catch!
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 4, Funny) by wantkitteh on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:50AM
The number of people watching our sleep-deprived, fearless leader Twitch stream an installation of eMacs is quite disturbing, but at the same time a moment of awesome geekiness I will never forget.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by tynin on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:49AM
Had too much fun watching the twitch stream.
Lets plan something in the future for a community wide event.
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Friday April 03 2015, @05:25AM
Not as much fun as we had hanging with you guys, thanks for being a part of it tynin!
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 2, Touché) by khallow on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:57AM
(Score: 2) by canopic jug on Thursday April 02 2015, @05:13AM
Yes, it looked sharp.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.
(Score: 1) by NickFortune on Thursday April 02 2015, @07:26AM
I think it's awesome. Only problem is that each reload seems to give me about half a second of the default skin before the VT100 one loads again, which kind of ruins the effect.
(Score: 4, Funny) by aristarchus on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:09AM
What really scares me, however, is that the systemd fork of the Linux kernel did not make the April One queue. That can only mean one thing! It's real! OMG! To the walls! Fire, Foes, Alarm! (whatever it is that Tooks say).
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:29AM
You're not allowed to disapprove of free software forks, because Freedom. Don't like Freedom? Fork you.
(Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:35AM
Even worse, the story is no longer in the queue at all! Banned! Censored! Misplaced! I came across it at Distrowatch, so I suggest everyone keep an eye out for it. Meaning, keep one eye open. Not meaning, pluck an eye out. That would be stupid. And who was disapproving of forks, unless they had eyeballs on the tines? Chill, man!
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:59AM
Just following the github link provided in the distrowatch article made it abundantly clear that it was some kind of troll or hoax.
What's more, Phoronix and several other sites debunked it quite thoroughly.
I considered posting a story debunking the rumor, but then it disappeared from the submissions queue. Then I lost interest.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday April 02 2015, @05:16AM
Just following the github link provided in the distrowatch article made it abundantly clear that it was some kind of troll or hoax.
Yeah, that's what they want you to think! Has your tinfoil hat slipped slightly akimbo?
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:48AM
First, if you are going to do green screen motif... THEN DO GREEN SCREEN MOTIF! The site was unreadable in the form that you used, making the fun subjects a waste of elections and photons. Maybe I will go to yesterday back button to see what I missed since I never came back to site during the day.
Next year, if you going to do that BAD effect again, give us a clear opt-out option to get a readable interface. Minimally at least for the color blind can use the site. About 8% males and 1/2% of females are color blind in some form. You must think about gags that full group using the site can be in on it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:52AM
Being color blind is no excuse to not learn how to use your browser. You choose the colors buddy.
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday April 02 2015, @10:48AM
I haven't used that option for years, ever since flat screens started replacing CRTs.
Used to force web pages to have black backgrounds, to save energy. CRTs use a lot more power to show white backgrounds. Now with flat screens, that doesn't matter.
My school had green screens. They added amber screens while I was there. I found amber marginally easier on the eyes. Thankfully, one thing the green theme didn't do was simulate the low resolution of those monitors.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @05:04PM
Web developers:
The default view of your pages shouldn't suck (with both plain HTML as viewed with Lynx and with your stylesheet as viewed with graphical browsers.)
This stuff isn't rocket surgery.
There is an extension for the Chrome browser that allows you to view your pages as someone with one of several types of colorblindness might see them.
View web pages as colorblind people see them [googleusercontent.com] (orig) [ghacks.net]
-- gewg_ (who doesn't bother with stylesheets and does hate it when your pages don't degrade gracefully) [google.com]
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Friday April 03 2015, @05:52AM
I'll pass this along to appropriate parties.
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Ryuugami on Thursday April 02 2015, @10:37AM
making the fun subjects a waste of elections
Fearless leader also think elections a waste because all subjects have fun!
On a more serious note, I use a Stylish script to fine-tune the colors of the red-and-gray SN theme. On default, I find that the red is too strong, the titles have too much contrast and the sidebars... oh my god the sidebars...
Anyway, since I rewrite only some of the CSS elements, this resulted in an interesting combination where most of the page was in usual colors, with some elements getting a makeover (e.g. bright green borders). Took me a few seconds to figure out what the deal was :)
Where I'm going with this is: if you use Firefox et.al., I'd recommend to get Stylish [mozilla.org] and tweak any sites you regularly visit to be easier on the eyes. It works great for those that don't change their CSS every week. I use scripts for e.g. Wikipedia, TVtropes, YouTube, Techdirt etc. Here's [pastebin.com] my script for SN, if anybody wants to try it (it's a modified version of a script I found on userstyles.org a while back).
If a shit storm's on the horizon, it's good to know far enough ahead you can at least bring along an umbrella. - D.Weber
(Score: 2) by wantkitteh on Thursday April 02 2015, @12:40PM
I like it - still using it.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by sjames on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:12AM
I liked the vt100 for April fool's day. I might even switch to it from time to time. I also enjoyed the mix of hoaxes and real stories that sound like hoaxes.
(Score: 3, Funny) by TLA on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:20AM
You will not be allowed to live the horse puns down. Ever.
Excuse me, I think I need to reboot my horse. - NCommander
(Score: 3, Funny) by wantkitteh on Thursday April 02 2015, @12:43PM
Do you want your possessions identified?
(Score: 2) by bradley13 on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:23AM
The April Fool's content was fun - thanks. As always, probably not to everyone's taste, just like some of the articles - that's just how life is.
I'll be keeping the VT100 theme, at least for a while.
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 2) by mtrycz on Thursday April 02 2015, @08:03PM
The theme's great, I didn't knew it was an option, but now I think I'll keep it.
Anyway, probably never had that much fun in browsing SN before. You set a high standard this year.
In capitalist America, ads view YOU!
(Score: 3, Funny) by plnykecky on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:29AM
When seeing yesterday's SN, for a few seconds I thought my browser just crashed - it's that I am normally using the green/black xterm.
Really like this little unintended 'prank' :)
(Score: 1) by anubi on Thursday April 02 2015, @06:38AM
If anything, it not only brought back a lot of memories working with the green screens, but also made me appreciate more the advances in technologies we have made since then. I for one would sure miss these high resolution screens...
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by pkrasimirov on Thursday April 02 2015, @07:50AM
I second this ^^
(Score: 5, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday April 02 2015, @08:16AM
Good to see the site back to it's old self. I avoided the site yesterday, why spend my time here if I can't trust anything on the site? I come here to get news and other peoples viewpoints on what is happening in the world. If I want amusing stories I read The Onion, they are much better at it.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Jaruzel on Thursday April 02 2015, @09:30AM
Totally Agree, 100%. See my Journal for my view on April Fools.
This is my opinion, there are many others, but this one is mine.
(Score: 5, Informative) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday April 02 2015, @10:27AM
Joke's on you then. Every story except the giant hamster one was checked by multiple editors to be legit yesterday.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:15PM
I fail to follow your reasoning.
Scrolling back through the stories from yesterday there isn't anything, real, that I missed from other sources, all of whom treat April 1st like any other day.
Your the one who wasted your time checking everything you read on SN yesterday with other sources.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @07:08PM
So you're trying to tell me the Slenderman one was real?
Maybe it was an actual story, perhaps of the kind some tabloids might print any day of the year, but you can be sure no-one actually saw Slenderman, so it isn't worth reading. The NZ Weed one looks like an April Fools as well, as it reads like satire and was posted on April Fools, I'll just assume it is, and I won't waste my time trying to check.
I didn't mind the green screen, and if that was all you guys did I wouldn't really complain, but I do find all the fake stories on April Fools to be really lame, they are hard to do well and few succeed in doing good ones, so in general they are best avoided altogether. And I don't think there is much point posting "real" stories that may not be actual April Fools but are from such questionable sources they might as well be.
I realise I am complaining about a site run by volunteers that I don't contribute to myself, so I would like to add that I do appreciate the work everyone does in keeping this site running.
(Score: 2) by mrcoolbp on Friday April 03 2015, @05:47AM
Yeah, agreed on the slender man post, I questioned that one with the editors, but we ran it anyway. The gerbil story slipped through as well, though after an unexpected and epic IRC battle between Subsentient and I with plenty of kicking and banning, for all I know he was just trolling me : )
The thinking behind the seemingly-fake story was this: I remember distinctly that people complained about the fake stories being lame and overdone. So I thought coming up with stories that were actually real (but seemed fake) would be the ultimate troll, and *that* made me laugh anyway.
And yes we do work hard, and we took the day to play, we may have gone overboard, but if you payed attention, you would know about the themes and would be able to change them if you have an account (read: benefits of logging in). So thanks for bearing with us, maybe we'll be less evil next year, no promises, but we are listening to the feedback.
(Score:1^½, Radical)
(Score: 2) by khchung on Friday April 03 2015, @12:39AM
Seconded.
Every year, there is this 1-2 days period where I stop visiting any US news sites. It is a nuisance.
Hint: some parts of the world remained normal on 1st April.
Thanks for the color theme change though, it reminded me it is time to stop coming for a couple of days.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @10:51AM
No, didn't like it at all. The green was atrocious to read and joke stories are a nuisance.
But it's your site and you guys work your asses off at it so if you want a day to play, why not?
Glad it's back to normal...
(Score: 3, Informative) by CoolHand on Thursday April 02 2015, @11:54AM
I don't know if I'd call it play. From an editor's perspective, I think it was a lot more work than a normal day. However, it was quite fun and enjoyable..
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job-Douglas Adams
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday April 02 2015, @11:52AM
So, did you sacrifice the Amulet of Yendor?
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by NCommander on Thursday April 02 2015, @11:01PM
Nope :(, didn't even get to medusa :(
Still always moving
(Score: 2, Interesting) by stormreaver on Thursday April 02 2015, @12:12PM
I just stay off of news sites on April 1, and don't pay attention to anyone. The mindset wanes and everything is back to normal about April 5, as some people try to take things way too far until April 3 to 4.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @12:30PM
I don't recall any vt100s that looked like that. They were all b&w in my memory.
Plus smooth, smooth scrolling that's remains unmatched to this day....
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @05:03PM
Mod this up. Theme should be vt220
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02 2015, @02:39PM
I really enjoyed the April 1 story theme, much more so than what Slashdot did. The "True but sound like they are made up" is definitely a good take, especially as they are true stories. It was very amusing and still informative... as opposed to Slashdot which was amusing but ultimately worthless to have read.
I guess that seems to be in line with the general feeling of a better technology/informative angle of this site as compared to that one.
(Score: 2) by tadas on Thursday April 02 2015, @03:42PM
Please don't ever do that again. I found the screen totally illegible, and basically had to wait an entire day before it was possible to read anything on the site again.
(Score: 2) by fnj on Thursday April 02 2015, @04:42PM
Agreed; it was godawful; utterly illegible. The monospace characters had stems about a millionth of an inch thick and there was extremely low contrast.
Worse; it stayed stuck for me today. It finally cleared up, messing with F5 reload, but I don't trust it to STAY fixed.
Massive FAIL.
(Score: 1) by Megahard on Thursday April 02 2015, @05:13PM
(Score: 2) by nightsky30 on Thursday April 02 2015, @07:53PM
Cane we have the BACON theme back? Please!?
(Score: 2) by turgid on Thursday April 02 2015, @08:09PM
I don't get much time these days to read and write so I was checking every few hours on my Android phone and I really liked the green-on-black theme, The text was nice and clear and easy on the eyes :-)
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 1) by Murdoc on Friday April 03 2015, @02:06AM
...have always enjoyed the A1 stuff, even on the other site. The new theme was fine, cool even, I had no problem reading it. Heck, I'd be using it now but I found the Ponies theme instead. :P So I say keep it up, I appreciate the effort. If some don't like it they can miss one day a year. Big loss.
From these comments I think I might regret not tapping into the stream though. If we do it again I'll probably give that a go.
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Friday April 03 2015, @11:17AM
I didn't know about themes. Pretty neat. Thanks!
compiling...