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June 13, 2007 10:05 PM

With AskMe getting lots of press (as in here) as a unit seperate from Metafilter (meaning, blue, grey, white, mauve, etc.), there should really be a message on ask letting the droves of new users know that it is a part of a larger community, with other features, a resource for post discussion and discourse, and a user base not completely dedicated to the green. People who enter through Angel Island should know New York exists. /metaphor)
posted by potch to Feature Requests at 10:05 PM (32 comments total)

What do you think all those yellow words at the top of the screen are for?
posted by ChasFile at 10:13 PM on June 13, 2007

I don't think the problem is ignorance but indifference. Anecdotally, I've gotten a bunch of friends to look at Metafilter at some point or another, and a couple even signed up, but none of them have any interest in the non-green sections.

Also, I would think the navigation bar across the top of the screen and the non-www subdomain would clue people in, but maybe that's being optimistic.
posted by danb at 10:17 PM on June 13, 2007

I was hoping for something less cautionary or informative, more welcoming.
posted by potch at 10:26 PM on June 13, 2007

I think it'd help to link to the FAQ from all areas, not just MetaTalk. Imagine coming to the green and scanning those yellow words. "MetaTalk? Who am I going to talk to? I don't know anybody."

Even so, the new user signup page explains it all nicely.
posted by hydrophonic at 10:30 PM on June 13, 2007

I have to agree with the FAQ link because this is the result of pluging "Metafilter FAQ" into the Metafilter search bar.
posted by 517 at 10:40 PM on June 13, 2007

I think it'd help to link to the FAQ from all areas, not just MetaTalk.

Now that's a good idea.
posted by danb at 10:40 PM on June 13, 2007

While I'm here, I also think it might help to move the MeFi Wiki over here (wiki.metafilter.com, maybe). The combination of a separate domain and an unfamiliar, unconventional layout (read: not MediaWiki) could give it a sort of dodgy appearance.
posted by danb at 10:44 PM on June 13, 2007

Mauve?! I thought that there were only three mauve sites on the internets, and they're the most dangerous.
posted by homunculus at 10:48 PM on June 13, 2007

the faq is in the footer of every page, but I could put it in the header for non-members, for sure.

I could also display a welcome message on the front page of ask mefi for people that have never been here before (check for a cookie). What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:08 PM on June 13, 2007

There's a footer? Holy cow, there is! All this time I've never scrolled past the live preview box.
posted by hydrophonic at 11:16 PM on June 13, 2007

I was hoping for something less cautionary or informative, more welcoming.
How about being honest instead?
posted by dg at 11:27 PM on June 13, 2007 [1 favorite]

IM IN UR ASKME, PIMPIN UR MEFI
posted by thatweirdguy2 at 12:35 AM on June 14, 2007

Anecdotally, I've gotten a bunch of friends to look at Metafilter at some point or another, and a couple even signed up, but none of them have any interest in the non-green sections.

I may be in the precious, quaint minority on this one, but I find that anecdotal evidence quite reassuring.
posted by The God Complex at 12:49 AM on June 14, 2007

What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?

Welcome to Ask Metafilter. Please don't douche it up. Metaphorically. Literally, if you have a question about douching, consult the the archives and, if your question has yet to be answered, douche it up. Also, it would have to be a very sharp icicle.

Thanks,

- Mods
posted by The God Complex at 12:51 AM on June 14, 2007 [2 favorites]

Haha. I don't think I've ever been past the preview box either! It's like I just discovered antarctica!
posted by iamkimiam at 2:03 AM on June 14, 2007

-What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?-

If you mean a kind of a splash page through which a person had to click to get to the site proper then maybe it's not that good an idea. A certain % will walk away (arguably no great loss I suppose) just because there is something in their way.

Otherwise I would urge for very few words, something along the lines of..

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to the metafilter community, which consists of the following sites:

Askmetafilter -- ask and answer questions on every imaginable topic
Metafilter -- post and discuss interesting links from around the internet
Mufi -- post and discuss selfmade music
jobbies -- employment opportunities
Projects -- announcements about member projects

For more information, see: FAQ, signup page......etc

And a bloody big button that leads straight to AskMefi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But I'm not convinced this is a good idea. There is something to be said for the organic way in which the membership evolves at the moment. People come here and look around to varying extents and some stay. If I was coming here via google or a link from some blog and was met by something that was in my way to getting to the info I was seeking, depending on the day or hour, I might just not bother. We all have those moments of low threshold rejection of sites. Why put up even so small a hurdle? (unless you mean something other than a splash page/clickthrough thingy??)


Out of curiosity Matt, has the addition of URL titles in AskMefi increased the referrals/pageloads coming from search engines by much?
posted by peacay at 2:47 AM on June 14, 2007

What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?

"Abandon all hope ye who enter here."
posted by Dave Faris at 3:09 AM on June 14, 2007 [4 favorites]

If someone is too stupid or indifferent to explore beyond AskMe do we really want them in the rest of the site? We have enough trouble with hissy fits as it is.
posted by caddis at 4:33 AM on June 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

I don't know about a "welcome" message pointing out other parts of the site. I came to this metafilter via Angel Island (nice metaphor!) - it was often mentioned in lifehacker - and I lurked exclusively in the green for a good while before I joined. Then I still lurked in the green, until one day maybe there weren't any good questions, or I'd read them all, or something, and I started clicking those other links.

Maybe if people start joining in droves/day, a little signposting might help, but obviously (that trainwreck Jesus-in-the-grey-desert-thread) having a low user number doesn't mean that one knows anything about how this places operates. I think most people will be fine with just wandering around for a while, and figuring it out for themselves. It's good to keep a little mystery in the relationship.

But if there were a welcome message, maybe "Get off my lawn!" would work.
posted by rtha at 5:48 AM on June 14, 2007

What caddis said. People too stupid to figure out that there is more to the site than ask.mefi should just hang out in the green, where they won't be mocked.
posted by chunking express at 6:21 AM on June 14, 2007

Because people who come to AskMe for answers via Google are really looking for a community weblog?
posted by smackfu at 7:21 AM on June 14, 2007

Dammit, Dave, I was gonna post the very same witty reply. Now everybody thinks you're all clever and funny, but it should be ME! And, oh look, you got two favorites, THREE if you count mine. Those should be MY FAVORITES!!*

Jerk.

* I'm saving up for a trike.
posted by LordSludge at 7:24 AM on June 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

I agree. I don't even know about MetaTalk.
posted by The Deej at 8:28 AM on June 14, 2007

What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?

"Welcome."
posted by The Deej at 8:30 AM on June 14, 2007

Aw, shucks...
posted by LordSludge at 8:44 AM on June 14, 2007

The site(s) don't need new members, especially the front page. New members are fine; those who are interested in joining and being active are welcome. If some people just want to use ask.me, no problem. Those who are curious & interested will easily find the other sites, and grasp their functions. Not everybody uses Projects or Music or MeTa or Jobs, either. Large volumes of new users on the Blue has not necessarily encouraged quality posts/comments.
posted by theora55 at 9:09 AM on June 14, 2007

"The Internet is full. Go away."
posted by davy at 10:42 AM on June 14, 2007

What theora55 said.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 12:21 PM on June 14, 2007

"The Internet is full. Go away."

I heard Compuserve has a few slots available, you should check with them.

Also, the rabble's internet is full. I have a pass for the VIP internet and it's awesome, specially the good wine and supermodels.

[NOT MIGUELIST]
posted by qvantamon at 2:27 PM on June 14, 2007

What would a welcome message say that would feel welcoming?

ALL THESE DOMAINS ARE YOURS, EXCEPT METATALK. ATTEMPT NO POSTING THERE. USE THEM TOGETHER. USE THEM IN PEACE.
posted by InfidelZombie at 3:59 PM on June 14, 2007

I have a pass for the VIP internet and it's awesome, specially the good wine and supermodels.

Oh, you mean UltraFar*CARRIER LOST*

oops, wrong site
posted by IndigoRain at 5:05 PM on June 14, 2007

Unless (this is not a serious proposal in any way) you want to raise the entry fee from $5 to $50 or $500 and see how that affects / distorts the posts and responses on the green and the blue.

TaxFilter: How can I launder my capital gains in the Cayman Islands?
posted by bad grammar at 7:41 PM on June 14, 2007