

TL;DR's should always go on top - methochris
http://www.tagxt.com/post/572

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ColinWright
If there's going to be a tl;tr then it certainly should not go at the top, it
should be an integral part of the construction of the article. Good newspaper
articles were always written to be iteratively deepening - it didn't matter
where/when you stopped, everything that followed was more details or
enhancements of what you've already read.

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beatgammit
TL;DR Use good journalism style.

If I understand correctly, you're saying that if there is one, then there
shouldn't be one? I agree that the article should be iteratively deepening,
but that doesn't change where a TL;DR section should go if there is one.

If there is one, put it at the top; if not, give me all the information I need
at the top and explain later.

A TL;DR is an alternative to reading the article. If I have time, I'll read
the article (if the title sounds interesting). If I don't, I'll read the
TL;DR, bookmark it and refer later if I think I might need more info later.

It's like the title 2.0, not a different name for an abstract.

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mjn
In more conventional terms, this seems to be an argument about whether to
start with a summary Abstract, or to conclude with a summary Conclusion. There
are reasons for each, and sometimes you might do both. The ones at the end, as
I usually read them, are intended to be recaps summarizing the main takeaway,
not literally intended as a substitute for having read the post.

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frooxie
Not if it's a story. I don't want the ending spoiled.

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fwr
Exactly. You don't put an abstract on prose. I believe in tl;drs, but that
shouldn't be a rule.

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ezequiel-garzon
"Abstract"! That's it! I'm not a native English speaker, and I was wondering
what already existing (and more positive) term could replace "TL;DR". I had
simply thought of "summary", but "abstract" seems more accurate. I guess
people avoid it not to look pretentious... though the semicolon in "TL;DR"
could also be perceived as such.

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methochris
Summaries should go at the bottom and recap the points u made. TL;DR's, by
definition, are there because the post is overwhelmingly long but I still want
to hear the point, so it would make sense for them to go in a quick access
location.

I like the TL;dr button idea that at any time takes me there, but that seems
infeasable for most of the blogging population to implement.

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kristiandupont
I love how the internet world thinks it invented the concept of summaries by
coming up with a ridiculous abbreviation.

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thwarted
I'll stop putting my TL;DRs wherever I want to when everyone else stops top
posting.

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tluyben2
I like a 'TL;DR' button which scrolls with the page on the left side and
whenever I think 'PLEASE KILL ME THIS IS BORING' I can press it and it jumps
to the TL;DR part.

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namenotrequired
That's how it should always work.

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winsmart
TL;DR is for crappy writers and/or long-winded comments, which is why you see
it a lot. It's merciful to the reader to put it up top.

Screw the conventional construction of an article. TL;DR isn't a spoiler
either, because most people don't write comments in a coherent linear way like
a good story. It takes most people three paragraphs just to get to the meat of
what they're trying to say.

If you feel you need to use a TL;DR, you are a crappy writer and/or have
written an unnecessarily long-winded comment. Put the TL;DR up top. Either
that, or rewrite your comment.

