As a counterpoint, I think the rise of shortform on LessWrong has partially led to more stuff being written and partially led to more stuff that would have been posts written in a way that is less searchable, less linkable (in practice), less polished, and generally less supportive of ongoing discourse.
I have definitely published fewer posts since the shortform feed started up on the front page.
The more more we raise profile of comments the more they’ll displace posts as the medium of communication.
can you operationalize this more so we can bet on it?
Certainly there’s a bunch more shortform since we’ve made room for shortform. The question is has this displaced posts, by the same people writing it? (as opposed to turned more random Constellation lunch-room hot takes into things that were public-at-all)
But btw, part of my proposal vague ideation here is that comments can have titles. Most comments don’t, by default, but if you end up writing an effortcomment you can give it a title. And, ideally, make them more natural to link to.
can you operationalize this more so we can bet on it?
Sure!
In the years before shortforms were on the front page, Eli published more LessWrong posts (on average) than the years when shortforms were on the front page.
This is an unfair operationalization, perhaps, but it does hew directly to the evidence that makes me believe the claim!
@Eli Tyre I’m not sure when you’re counting “the quick takes started changing things” but it seems like yourposting has basically been pretty constantly except for a brief more intense period in 2019/2020.
(you don’t seem to have any writing here before 2017 although I’m a bit surprised and not sure if you had a second account)
As a counterpoint, I think the rise of shortform on LessWrong has partially led to more stuff being written and partially led to more stuff that would have been posts written in a way that is less searchable, less linkable (in practice), less polished, and generally less supportive of ongoing discourse.
I have definitely published fewer posts since the shortform feed started up on the front page.
The more more we raise profile of comments the more they’ll displace posts as the medium of communication.
can you operationalize this more so we can bet on it?
Certainly there’s a bunch more shortform since we’ve made room for shortform. The question is has this displaced posts, by the same people writing it? (as opposed to turned more random Constellation lunch-room hot takes into things that were public-at-all)
But btw, part of my
proposalvague ideation here is that comments can have titles. Most comments don’t, by default, but if you end up writing an effortcomment you can give it a title. And, ideally, make them more natural to link to.Sure!
In the years before shortforms were on the front page, Eli published more LessWrong posts (on average) than the years when shortforms were on the front page.
This is an unfair operationalization, perhaps, but it does hew directly to the evidence that makes me believe the claim!
Well here is your posting history:
Year
Posts
Post wordcount
Comments
Comment wordcount
Shortform
Shortform Wordcount
Total wordcount
2017
0
0.0k
2
1.7k
0
0.0k
1.7k
2018
1
1.7k
35
0.4k
0
0.0k
2.1k
2019
12
2.2k
193
7.8k
25
4.1k
14.2k
2020
28
15.6k
147
11.1k
11
7.6k
34.3k
2021
5
3.4k
96
10.1k
14
2.7k
16.2k
2022
3
4.2k
114
14.5k
2
0.4k
19.2k
2023
3
14.8k
128
20.5k
0
0.0k
35.3k
2024
1
0.4k
227
27.0k
8
8.2k
35.6k
2025
0
0.0k
307
35.2k
9
5.9k
41.1k
2026
3
4.3k
234
25.9k
6
4.1k
34.3k
@Eli Tyre I’m not sure when you’re counting “the quick takes started changing things” but it seems like yourposting has basically been pretty constantly except for a brief more intense period in 2019/2020.
(you don’t seem to have any writing here before 2017 although I’m a bit surprised and not sure if you had a second account)
You guys started a new account for me when LessWrong 2.0 started.
I do kind of think we should be applying the frontpage/personal filter reliably to the quick takes section, so that it’s less news-y.