Other sites just prefer to hit headlines more often :) - Svetlana Gladkova

Is that how that works? Linking out is detrimental in the eyes of Techmeme? - Mike Bogle

Mike, from what I can see, yes. Linking out sets you in "discussion." - Cyndy

I didn't know that. how can Techneme discourage that critical behaviour? - felix

Mike, by linking out I've come in under Dave Winers post. If I hadn't linked I might not be there, but if someone had linked to me I'd be a headline. I tripped myself up from the start if you like. But ultimately, I'd rather value add than game - Duncan Riley

And people complain about people gaming the karma system on Plurk. That's crazy man, I had no idea Techmeme was like that - Bwana ☠

@Duncan: good philosophy overall. Value is more ... err ... valuable in the long run. - AJ Kohn

Kudos Duncan. I am liking the new Duncan more and more. - Robert Scoble

I'm counting down until we see the obligatory comment from Gabe saying that isn't necessaily how it works, blah, blah in 5... 4... 3... ;) - Cyndy

It's 100% false that linking out relegates you permanently to "Discussion". Linking often causes new posts not appearing at all on Techmeme to first appear in "Discussion", but in these circumstances you would not have appeared initially as a full headline if you hadn't linked. So linking at least places you somewhere on Techmeme, and furthermore it probably gives you a better shot at appearing as a headline since more bloggers can find your post and link to it if they find it valuable. - Gabe Rivera

Cyndy: so I shouldn't respond to false things you say about Techmeme? - Gabe Rivera

even though Gabe says "False" I am still with Duncan on the linking out. Value before headlins and besides there is nothing wrong with being in the "Discussion" section of a Techmeme headline .. the only ones who care about that are the ones looking for a place on the leaderboard - Steven Hodson

I sidestepped the "gaming" issue, and whether someone should vs. shouldn't link. That has all sorts of complications. I'm just commenting on one technical aspect of how Techmeme works. For the most part, it's the links *to* your post that determine its placement, not the links *from* your post. - Gabe Rivera

@Cindy Funny. You called it. - Daniel Shaw

Gabe, here's the thing: we all watch how it works. We know that TechCrunch gets more weight. If we look at the difference between how Ben talks about RSSmeme (no weight to anyone, level playing field), you still see sites like TechCrunch floating to the top. Everyone flaunts the Techmeme leaderboard as a badge of honor, but when the sites are getting more weight (due to your undisclosed criteria), people are going to wonder what it takes to get there. So you watch. - Cyndy

Cyndy: TechMeme works partly on this principle: past behavior is best indiction of future success. So, Techcrunch gets on top for a lot of things because he's been best in the past. But even with that factor, the best thing you can do to get on TechMeme is to cause a shitstorm. Get 500 people to link to you, comment about you on FriendFeed, share your thing on Google Reader, Digg your item, etc, and you WILL be on Techmeme too. - Robert Scoble

@Steven The reality is that the "discussion" links don't get a lot of traffic from Techmeme, so if the goal is eyeballs, which it is for most blogs, the discussion link doesn't help much. Hence eveyone's goal of the headline. In promoting a blog, it helps to know where to focus your efforts, even though what it really amounts to is more akin to running for homecoming queen. - Cyndy

Cyndy: nothing you just said supports the contention that linking out prevents you from becoming a headline. All I'm saying is that that contention is 100% false. - Gabe Rivera

actually Cyndy I do very well traffic wise from those discussion link .. it might not be as good as being a lead headline but cranky old farts like me can't look any gift horses in the mouth :) - Steven Hodson

Really, Steven? I haven't seen it. @Gabe How about "less likely" as a qualifier? - Cyndy

No, somewhat "more likely" since appearing as "Discussion" at least gives bloggers the opportunity to spot your post on Techmeme and link to it if they like it, potentially triggering a full headline. I apologize for repeating myself since I basically said the same above, but this is one piece of misinformation I don't want spreading around. - Gabe Rivera

BTW, I love FriendFeed. Perhaps only a few dozen humans are interested in the points I'm making here, but it's likely that the majority of those humans are reading this thread. It's much better targeted than twitter.com/gaberivera or news.techmeme.com. - Gabe Rivera

Steve Gillmor and Mike Arrington say they don't read FriendFeed. So, you aren't hitting two of the biggies. :-) - Robert Scoble

We don't read Techcrunch comments too :D - Erhan Erdogan

Exactly, Robert. I didn't need to interrupt them because they already know what I've written here. Like I said, great targeting! - Gabe Rivera

Wow this convo is way over my head... - Anthony Farrior

Not perfect targeting though; we're spamming Anthony! - Gabe Rivera

Gillmor mayby not but Arrington has posted to FF so I call bullshit on that one :) - Steven Hodson

lol -- but very informative nonetheless - Shey, Jamaican of FF

lol @ Gabe you not spamming me, I just thought you had to be on the "list" to get on Techmeme. Now I have to digest this convo and see how I can use this to my benefit!!!!! - Anthony Farrior

I'll be looking out for your next shitstorm Anthony :) - Shey, Jamaican of FF

;-) yeah but what hasn't been covered already? - Anthony Farrior

If you take a look at Jeff Jarvis' differentiation here http://technobabble2dot0.files... then it is clear that current (1st generation) meme trackers only award meme starters. Maybe 2nd generation meme trackers also allow sorting the conversations by the most powerful meme spreaders or even meme adapters. - Benedikt Koehler

What's a "meme tracker"? - Gabe Rivera