Idea: Hiding your own projects from the hot list

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Josh (SpongeJr)

January 01, 2017 18:24
Edited

Hi programming community! It seems like from time to time, community members might make use of a feature that would allow users to hide their own projects from the Hot list. I've seen more than one use case for this:

I've actually seen projects with comments and discussion posts that say things such as "please don't vote this up yet, it's a work in progress, and I don't want it popular/on the hot list yet!"
Current policy says that "projects ... such as memes, messages, and images, may be removed from the Hotlist" if they seem to be more intended for vote-gathering than showcasing programming skills. However, sometimes users just want to make something relatively short and simple with a few lines of code, and aren't interested in votes, or showcasing their skills. Being able to voluntarily hide our own projects would offer a solution, and it would keep community chatter down about whether something that's receiving votes really deserves to be on the Hot list. This type of chatter is not uncommon, and usually gets fairly off-topic quickly.

To the community: Would you use a "hide my own project from the hot list (permanent!)" feature? Can you see any drawbacks, moderation challenges, or ways to misuse such a system?

While I'm not in a position to snap my fingers and make such a feature happen, I do have an idea for a possible quick 'n' easy implementation that might make this a really easy feature request for developers -- if there's a good reason.

Any thoughts, project makers?

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13 comments

Official comment
Josh (SpongeJr)

January 10, 2017 03:53

Edited
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Interested in this feature? Try this out!

Here's a quick "hackish" (in a benign sense) way to automatically hide your projects from the Hot list that I have been testing out, and would like to share with others. If the feature request I mentioned were to be implemented, it would likely work in a similar way, but using a different "magic string".

Currently, when you first create a new project, add this magic string in a comment somewhere:

// /cs/pro/5733417664643072

That's it! When you click Save, you should have a scratchpad that will be hidden from the Hot list!

Important information:
- This is not an actual feature, it's just a little trick that I'm testing. If for some reason it isn't working properly, feel free to let me know on this thread, but don't expect official support in general at this time as if it were an official feature.
- This is a one-way street. You won't be able to unhide your project if you choose to hide it this way, and Guardians will not unhide them either (please don't ask). I don't think this will be an issue, but it does need said.
- This only works (to my knowledge) when the scratchpad is first saved. You may want to save a project with just that in it to get it hidden so that you don't forget later. Adding the magic string after you've saved your project won't hide it!
- Feel free to use this for good legitimate uses, such as when you have a large work-in-progress that isn't really ready for exhibition to the community and voting, or those times when you want to make something relatively simple that you don't really want on the hot list.
- I haven't really thought of any way to misuse such a feature, but please don't misuse it if you do think of a way. (Instead, you might open a Help Center ticket and reference me and this discussion, in case the agent doesn't know what's going on.)
- Please feel free to comment here if you've used the feature and have feedback!
Matthias (Soli Deo gloria)

January 19, 2017 01:25
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In case anyone was wondering how this works, it's because programs made with Art Maker Pro are automatically hidden from the hot list, to avoid spam of programs that are just art. These programs credit Art Maker Pro, and so, by including a link to Art Maker Pro in your program, (khanacademy.org) /cs/pro/5733417664643072, you can hide it from the hot list!

This check is only preformed once, when the program is created, so if you remove or add the string after creation, it won't effect whether the program is hidden or not.
GameChief

June 19, 2017 14:46
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I've actually figured out that the end number of the string will work with any hidden project(that is still visible to the community).

// /cs/pro/(hidden project ID)

Works like a charm!
Benjamin Clements

January 19, 2017 02:08
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Matthias (Soli Deo gloria) thanks for the info! Though that makes me think there should be a second "hot list" for art rather than just hiding it... What's the point of art if it's never seen? anyways.
FunkyChicken

May 15, 2017 12:21

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Hey Josh! I just thought of a vulnerability with that, or a way a user could misuse that string. I'm not sure if there's a fix for it, though.

What if a user tried to "help" another user with code, but had that string at the top of it, or maybe in the middle of the code itself? Would it hide the project if the string wasn't added to the first part of the program?

I'll run some tests(on myself, of course) to see if there are any other ways that that string can be used, for good, or bad. I'll get back to you with my findings if you would like me to.

If you want me to, please contact me via one of my programs. Thanks!
creativename

January 20, 2019 17:51
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they should make a button to autohide

it's annoying to keep having to copy and paste hidden project's id into your program
also are programs with discord links hidden from the hot list?
Katey Gordon

January 11, 2017 19:26
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This is awsome Thank you so much!
Estudios De Plata

June 08, 2017 20:46
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Wow! I don't think the permanent feature will be an issue cuz you can copy-paste the code to a new program and then post it as the comment on the hidden WIP. it would also allow you to do some experiments with your games without someone seeing and putting it on the hotlist, so your mistakes would not become famous! Overall i think that this program would be an awesome feature to the already awesome khan! must agree on this :)

-V
qov

July 22, 2017 19:51
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i think this is great
Tator[sun & moon](creed)

December 01, 2020 20:29
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This happened to my project and I didnt want votes or showcase my skills but people noticed it and voted up. I did an image and i didnt know that ben lyon's image generator required me to say this cant make it to the hot list
D̴̬̒eP̷̩̉r̸̹͐o̷͍͐g̵̯̓r̸͉̄ȧ̴͈m̵̨̉m̵͈̑eȑ̵̦

January 18, 2021 15:40
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its optional you just don't add it to it or delete it before you save the program
卄Ҝ丂ㄖ千丨ㄥ丨ㄒㄒ乇几(BIO)

March 03, 2021 23:57
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Make a separate place where un-finished projects/webpages can be finished and kept secret a little.
GameChief

January 10, 2017 23:04

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Idea: Hiding your own projects from the hot list

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