Admin duties on metafilter are a lot of work and more than a full time job.

October 19, 2001 9:42 PM

Just so you know, I was in LA for the last couple days, unannounced (because I didn't want people to take advantage of it).

I guess it's pretty clear now that I spend my time cleaning crap off metafilter 24/7 these days, and now that I was away, maybe everyone can appreciate how much work it is to snub double-posts, fix html errors, and ban malicious, callous users. I'm not looking for an inbox of thank-yous or twenty brown-nosing comments on this thread, I just feel it's worth saying. Admin duties on metafilter are a lot of work and more than a full time job.

My first attempt at supporting myself with this site will launch on Monday. Some people may not like it. I made it as harmless and innocous as possible. It won't make me rich, but it'll hopefully provide enough money for server upgrades and upkeep. Keep the last couple days in mind if you find anything not to like about The New Thing That Launches Monday.
posted by mathowie to MetaFilter-related at 9:42 PM (45 comments total)

I think some people were scared you were going to pull the plug... [sigh of relief]
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 9:46 PM on October 19, 2001

I think that was worth saying, Matt, but what exactly do you want from MeFi if not an inbox of thank-yous or twenty brown-nosing comments on this thread? Money? Or do we have to wait until Monday to find out?

Anyways, anything that helps you support yourself with MeFi is cool with me. Maybe you could be rich too.
posted by rschram at 9:46 PM on October 19, 2001

It goes from Blue to Green? Slashdot green? Wait, maybe a little seasonal for Halloween? Can't wait until Monday when everyone will toon in to crash and be the #1 to sign up? Well, can't say that I didn't see this coming. Maybe at 5000 or so, but now the once low key hang out it is the loudest most crowded spot to visit. Be back Monday to check it out.


posted by brent at 9:57 PM on October 19, 2001

I'd just wandered away from MetaFilter for awhile and when I got back everything was alright again! I knew it.

*cue Mamas and the Papas "Monday, Monday" and hope for the best*



posted by MiguelCardoso at 10:16 PM on October 19, 2001

Let's all make wide guesses and start spreading rumors about what's going to happen. I say it's going to be ads! Or he'll sell all our e-mail addresses to direct marketers... or... or...
posted by geoff. at 10:18 PM on October 19, 2001

Welcome back, Matt. Kinda figured you'd been away. We had a little party, but we didn't mess the place up too much, I hope...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:20 PM on October 19, 2001

(voice of matt)

stavros, is there a crack in my glass egg?
posted by machaus at 10:33 PM on October 19, 2001

I bet he's gonna show up at all of our doors on his bike and follow us all until we give him two dollars or a dozen Krispy Kremes...
posted by fooljay at 11:25 PM on October 19, 2001

i think jay's onto something with the donuts...
posted by judith at 11:43 PM on October 19, 2001

I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I, for one, didn't think it was that terrible. There was one long bitchy thread that I only looked at because people were complaining on Meta. Apart from that and some small text on the front page, what did I miss that was so bad (and is that really more than a full time job's worth of work)?

I appreciate Matt's work - the site wouldn't exist without hime, would it? - but all this gushiness makes me nervous. Is there a control freak by proxy syndrome? Maybe it's a cultural thing. Sorry.
posted by andrew cooke at 11:59 PM on October 19, 2001

dude, anarchy rules!
posted by palegirl at 12:27 AM on October 20, 2001

andrew, if I sounded presumptuous in my original post, it was due to coming back from a two day trip to find 25 emails telling me the world ended on MetaFilter while I was gone and that it was a craptacular.
posted by mathowie at 12:42 AM on October 20, 2001

It does sound like ads, though I wish it were some kind of new pay model instead. Seems like ads won't solve many mefi problems, though I guess lack of money to keep it going would be problem one.
posted by justgary at 2:51 AM on October 20, 2001

Well, Matt, I'm just glad you're okay and healthy. I was getting a bit worried.
posted by nprigoda at 4:51 AM on October 20, 2001

Matt, I'll be happy to read (and click on) ads, if that will allow you to keep Metafilter going. Thanks for all you do!
posted by Carol Anne at 5:40 AM on October 20, 2001

Ooh ooh! Is it going to be sly Truman Show-esque advertising? A crafty text link added after our username? You know:

posted by brookedel who digs Pepsi!
posted by Carol Anne who makes her pancakes with Bisquick!

Well, I can dream, I suppose.
posted by brookedel at 7:03 AM on October 20, 2001

posted by Carol Anne who makes her pancakes with Bisquick! Actually, I prefer waffles--with butter and real maple syrup.

While not an Ayn-Randite, I know that "there's no such thing as a free lunch." If keeping Metafilter/Metatalk afloat requires advertising, bring it on!
posted by Carol Anne at 7:38 AM on October 20, 2001

MetaPlacing.
posted by holgate at 7:39 AM on October 20, 2001

but what exactly do you want from MeFi if not an inbox of thank-yous or twenty brown-nosing comments on this thread?

Again, I wouldn't presume to answer for him, but in his situation, I know that what I would want would be responsible participation by the members, interesting links, and compelling discussion of same.

coming back from a two day trip to find 25 emails telling me the world ended on MetaFilter while I was gone and that it was a craptacular.

It got a bit rough. Kids always throw a party when the parents go out of town. It wasn't THAT bad. Certain people need to chill a bit.

Matt, I'll be happy to read (and click on) ads

Personally, I see no problem whatsoever with a few not-too-intrusive ads. They are ubiquitous. You're getting the hits for it, surely, and we're a pretty nice targeted group for advertisers--should be fairly lucrative. Just so long as they know that their ads will be as much targets for discussion and ridicule as the links (protect yourself from this contractually)!
posted by rushmc at 7:41 AM on October 20, 2001

HE SELLING OUT. HA, I KNEW IT.
posted by clavdivs at 8:11 AM on October 20, 2001

"but I, for one, didn't think it was that terrible."

It wasn't terrible, but it was only a couple days. The only reason those days were fun (or funny or whatever) was that we knew we were getting away with something. We knew once Matt got back he'd clean it up and thing would go back to normal.

If this had gone on forever it would have killed the place. Imagine all the double posts, self linking, pointless name calling, vulgar links, etc, if people knew that no one would do anything about it. The "do anything you want" version of Metafilter would suck. Self policing doesn't work if there aren't ever any consequences.

"Hey! You can't self link!"

"Oh yeah? Tough. Here watch, I'll do it again."

While people whine about the place not being as good as it used to be, I think we now see how much worse it would be without Matt nudging it back in the right direction.

Without a leader, this place turns into a foul tempered mob.

I doubt ads would bring in much revenue, but I wouldn't mind them (just, for the love of God, not pop ups) if it will help. I also wouldn't mind subscription. I just paid my public radio membership. I don't see why that couldn't work here. I pay for public radio, but I know many people get it for free. I don't expect more since I'm a paying member. It's one of those weird things that people will pay for even though they don't have to.

I pay every month to the "donate" link. I think if Matt had "pledge weeks" every few months, a lot more people would also.

I also wouldn't mind an admin core group to handle some of the policing chores.

Or whatever. I like Matt/Metafilter. I don't like Mob/Metafilter.

Thanks Matt. You rock. We like you. We really, really like you.
posted by y6y6y6 at 8:34 AM on October 20, 2001

feelingcontented
posted by feelinglistless at 11:12 AM on October 20, 2001

I like being a bottom on MeFi to Matt's top. (And now I'm going to have to pay for it? Goodie!!) Being a bottom to a foul tempered mob, now that's another story. I know my boundaries.

posted by dness2 at 11:29 AM on October 20, 2001

I like being a bottom on MeFi to Matt's top. (And now I'm going to have to pay for it? Goodie!!) Being a bottom to a foul tempered mob, now that's another story. I know my boundaries.

Wow! Somebody call porn superstar Houston. Looks like her record's about to be broken!
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:55 AM on October 20, 2001

MeFi submission. It's all good.
posted by dness2 at 12:31 PM on October 20, 2001

Capitalism!
posted by aaron at 2:53 PM on October 20, 2001

I missed the big mess. I hope I can still be part of whatever this place becomes. For some reason, no matter how crazy this place gets, I keep coming back for more. See ya'll in a week!
posted by john at 3:14 PM on October 20, 2001

> If keeping Metafilter/Metatalk afloat requires advertising, bring it on!

I don't have any inside info, but based on my experience running a site that had about 10x as much traffic as Metafilter and derived all of its revenue from advertising, I'd say the most Matt could hope to make from ads is $4000/year, at least until there is a significant shift in the online ad market. If he is a great deal-maker, he has a chance to swing much more lucrative sponsorships since there are many trendsetting types who frequent the place, but I'd find that pretty surprising.

In other words: get ready to pay. Not with your eyeballs, but with your credit cards.
posted by sylloge at 4:04 PM on October 20, 2001

You know what I heard? We're all going to need to have webcams installed on our monitors before we can load Metafilter. That way The Man can see what we look at and for how long. It's all true, a bloke down the pub told me.

(Oh, and you have to pay for the webcams.)
posted by gi_wrighty at 4:38 PM on October 20, 2001

We're all going to need to have webcams installed on our monitors before we can load Metafilter.

I heard that too, only I heard that it was to provide material for his new for-profit site, Am-I-Meta-or-Not.
posted by rushmc at 5:17 PM on October 20, 2001

We're all going to need to have webcams installed on our monitors before we can load Metafilter.

tha's cool, I'm gonna go make me a little mask, to wear in front o' my new webcam, so's I look jus' like the dude in this photo here....


posted by mattpfeff at 7:47 PM on October 20, 2001

Whatever it is, I hope we don't have to pay to be members. This is the second-in-fun thing to do on the web for free for me.
posted by Katy Action at 7:50 PM on October 20, 2001

Again, I wouldn't presume to answer for him, but in his situation, I know that what I would want would be responsible participation by the members, interesting links, and compelling discussion of same.

I think you're exactly right.

Without a leader, this place turns into a foul tempered mob.

WITH a leader it turns into that as well. Anyone remember Kaycee Nicole, 123Cheaphosting and others??
posted by fooljay at 8:29 PM on October 20, 2001

That picture of Miguel is looking right at me.

The calls are coming from inside the site! Get out! Get out now!
posted by dong_resin at 10:44 PM on October 20, 2001

I don't think anyone's gonna forget Kaycee Nicole anytime soon. I've heard rumors on CollegeClub that she's still "alive and emailing" there.
posted by Katy Action at 12:09 AM on October 21, 2001

Here's what I'm guessing (maybe hoping since I'm not a big poster, but have been reading forever. I only registered because of the one time Matt turned off access to non-registered users):

We will have to pay to post, but read-access will be free (or maybe a reduced rate).

I'll pay if you guys do.
Unfortunately, we've all seen what happens to the pay-sites.

I don't really know how to say what I want to say -- I have so many mixed feelings about the past several weeks' (months'?) activities. I guess "Thanks, Matt for putting up with us." is the only thing I can muster right now.
posted by j at 8:30 AM on October 21, 2001

I'll pay to post, and even pay to read, if some of the people I value stick around to post. And if this is the 'end,' I'd like to buy some CDs of the archives. How big is MeFi and MeTa combined? 2 GB? (4 CDs?)
posted by tamim at 8:45 AM on October 21, 2001

The calls are coming from inside the site! Get out! Get out now!

Hmmmm. Sounds like it's time to take a long sexy bath...
posted by fuq at 9:27 AM on October 21, 2001

We will have to pay to post, but read-access will be free (or maybe a reduced rate).

LOLOL THAT'LL work!
posted by rushmc at 9:46 AM on October 21, 2001

sigh. no more mefi for college kids?

(not that I would fault matt if this happened, just goons who can't play inside the rules)
posted by rabi at 10:08 AM on October 21, 2001

Here's an idea: Have those front-page multiple-link posters pay to put more than one link on the front page a week.
posted by Katy Action at 12:27 PM on October 21, 2001

Porn ads. Hey they pay.
posted by skallas at 2:02 PM on October 21, 2001

"sigh. no more mefi for college kids?

(not that I would fault matt if this happened, just goons who can't play inside the rules)"

I tell ya we get NO respect. NO respect at all!! =)
posted by Katy Action at 4:26 PM on October 21, 2001

I think the web should be run like British gas heaters. Everyone so often you have to feed it some shillings. If there were a little coin slot into which I had to drop a quarter every day I called up MeFi, I'd pay, and that goes for a half-dozen other sites as well. Except mine. I'll be damned I pay for that drivel.
posted by lileks at 6:46 PM on October 21, 2001

lileks, wouldn't that make MeFi like a porn booth*? Hmm, who gets to be mop-man? Maybe Wet Weekday is free.

*not that I would know or anything
posted by Kafkaesque at 7:07 PM on October 21, 2001