Noding for Numbers, or '
NFN', is a somewhat vague term which refers to the practice of adding gratuitous writeups to the database. It's an unavoidable side-effect of the
voting/experience system which requires a minimum number of
writeups
to make the next 'level' and gain certain powers.
A few examples of this (long since deleted):
- A user once attempted to add a writeup for each zip code in the U.S.. The node would be titled '22451' and the writeup would read "A zip code in the Chicago area". Some of the writeups actually read "A zip code that has yet to be assigned to a region".
This user is no longer with us.
- Adding a writeup for each past tense or plural of any given word. A writeup for 'elephants' that reads
"Plural of elephant".
These were commonplace when E2 was the infantile E1 and writeups like this were accepted and welcomed. Unfortunately, when we switched URL's and evolved into Everything 2 we imported all of the writeups from E1 and they have been setting bad examples ever since. Many of the older users still have writeups like this floating around and we delete them as we find them.
A recent feature known as the 'firm link' will make this style of noding completely antiquated as we'll be able to permanently link a nodeshell like 'elephants' to the 'elephant' node. Of course, we do our readers a disservice in assuming they couldn't figure out the root word in the first place. E2 does not need to be perfectly clear to seven year olds or simpletons.
- Creating a number of different writeups for information best presented cohesively, in one node. Examples of this have included creating a writeup for each two dozen different colors of candles and listing the properties of each color. Instead, the information was collected into one node, Color symbolism for candles, and was then soft linked to 'candle' and 'candles'. You must consider, again, that your researcher has a certain amount of sense and a finite amount of patience - he or she isn't going to be happy about clicking over twenty-five different links to find their 'power candle'.
It should be made clear that 'noding for numbers' is not the same thing as submitting a lot of writeups. Noding for numbers is submitting a lot of writeups without a good reason. Noding for numbers is creating multitude of unwise, superfluous or inane writeups in a short period of time. Users have a tendency to get upset when an author 'floods' the new writeups list with a series of writeups. It's unfortunate, since often it simply means is someone is working hard, but downvotes can be a result. Users get around this by using the "submit writeups hidden" option. A common sign of true "noding for numbers" is a complete lack of soft links as the user hurries to create the next node. Bad form. The Perfect Node is your only hope.
See also: E2 FAQ: Is E2 Just Like E1? and
Is Everything 2 really everything?