I'm all about pranks and nonsense1 and hearing something unexpected come out of someone's mouth. Being Rickrolled by your boss2 is a good example—but really only if your boss isn't the Rickroll type in the first place.
But all those newsy websites3 out there who fill their pages with crap every April 1 are in no way unexpected, and I'm really tired of it. I read these sites for the stuff they post every other day of the year, so early April is just an eyesore when it comes around. Oh, you posted a story about something zany and added a goofy picture to back it up? Oh awesome.
Gah.
1 See, kids? I'm hip! I'm with it!
2 Actually happened, but not to me. See guys, I know what a Rick-Roll is! I'm cool, right?
3 Gawker Media, I'm looking at you.
I agree wholeheartedly. I was became very frustrated while trying to find actual information during the biggest Internet holiday of the year.
When I saw the Legend Of Zelda movie trailer, I felt like an idiot because it looked too good to be a hoax. Trying to read XKCD, Dinocomics and QC was also difficult because they redirected to each other. Ha ha, but seriously, can I just view your god damn page please?
And the most pathetic April fools joke of the year: YouDigg, the YouTube+Digg mashup. Seriously? YouDigg? That's the best you got, aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com? Wow. Just. Wow.
It's like the entire internet turns inward on itself.
Ever feel like you're looking into forever? It's the opposite of that.
I had 2 April Fools jokes pulled on me, however neither of them was I Rickrolled. When I got to work someone had put a post-it over my optic mouse (I caught that one early). The other was sometime between lunch at after work, my friend's gf stopped by and put a for sale sign in the boxster's window. I guess it wasn't on there for more than 10 minutes before I found out, so I never had a chance to get a call.
Optical mouse tricks are a bit dated--but the For Sale sign is good stuff!
I'm more approving of April Fool's shenanigans that require some manner of preparation and energy. Cut-up post-its don't qualify--bogus advertisements are a step up.
--D