Why so many unowned low id numbers?

November 30, 2001 12:30 AM

Is there a reason so many of the lower id numbers belong to no one? Are we allowed to know the reason? Will those who know the reason tell us? Please do. (O four, how lovely you are... I wish you could be mine...)
posted by e^2 to MetaFilter-related at 12:30 AM (21 comments total)

They're for when Matt needs more money.
posted by EatenByAGrue at 12:35 AM on November 30, 2001

They were test accounts, deleted when the testing was no longer necessary.
posted by mathowie at 12:51 AM on November 30, 2001

$179.29 for #8? Dayam! How much would #588 be worth? I could use a couple hundred bucks.

I've thought about auctioning off stuff I own on Ebay, but I have no idea how to go about doing it. Can one sell used Bloom County books over the 'Net without getting into some kind of legal trouble?

Wait, I just went over the strips where Binkley's dad went into a Liberal Democrat Guilt Fit. I changed my mind, they're not for sale.

Maybe this lamp...
posted by ZachsMind at 3:12 AM on November 30, 2001

Selling Mefi Member Accounts/Numbers: Brooklyn Bridges For The New Millennium
posted by ParisParamus at 5:55 AM on November 30, 2001

Wouldn't work. Toyed with acquiring luscious number 8. Talked it over with a few MeFi cops. Said I would never be referred to as Mister Eight, as desired. Or if so honoured, by some ignorant newbie, never without suffix "a.k.a. #10947"

In some versions: "ten-fucking-thousand; nine-fucking-hundred;-and-add-forty-fucking-seven-if-that's-not-fucking-enough-for-ya-bud!"
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:55 AM on November 30, 2001

Obviously it's part of a continuing campaign to make sure that Mister 7870 never reaches A-List status.
posted by UncleFes at 7:36 AM on November 30, 2001

As an alternative, how hard would it be to change the user-page address that each signature links to to /user.mefi/username, instead of /user.mefi/user# (and also still get the threads and comments posted by said user on that page)?

This page would still have "Member since ____", of course, and might help eliminate this whole user#-envy that so plagues MeTa. (Except in the case of thirteen, I guess.)

Honestly, I don't really see why anyone worries about this....
posted by mattpfeff at 7:42 AM on November 30, 2001

whos #6?
posted by clavdivs at 7:46 AM on November 30, 2001

whos #6?

You are #6915.
posted by snarkout at 7:54 AM on November 30, 2001

Obviously it's part of a continuing campaign to make sure that Mister 7870 never reaches A-List status.

Dude, when we have 100,000 members, your number will be prime real estate. It's not about two-digit or three-digit user numbers, it's about percentages. I think instead of A-listers, we should have "10 percent-ers". Right now, everyone under users number 1261 would make the list.

I need a life...
posted by jpoulos at 8:02 AM on November 30, 2001

If you did want to committ suicide online, all it would take would be to suggest here on MeTa that this numbers lark, the "member since" feature, the counting of everyone's posts and comments and, above all, posters' bylines - not to mention criticism of any kind - should just be scrapped so we could start afresh as a real community.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:24 AM on November 30, 2001

jpoulos;

watch what you say about the 3 digit crowd, buddy.


posted by rich at 9:28 AM on November 30, 2001

I am not a number... I am a free man!
posted by spunkster at 9:32 AM on November 30, 2001

Hello, I am number two.
Number two? But who is number one?

Damn, beaten to the prisoner quotes!
posted by starduck at 10:24 AM on November 30, 2001

instead of A-listers, we should have "10 percent-ers".

Great! That makes me an "F-Lister" (62nd percentile).
posted by UncleFes at 11:11 AM on November 30, 2001

I'm almost a 33 1/3%er.

But I'm 99 44/100% pure!

It's the unpure part you gotta watch out for.
posted by Kafkaesque at 11:44 AM on November 30, 2001

hrm.. where would that place me, I'm a 10.875079264426125554850982878884%-er... thank god I wouldn't make the cut. It just wouldn't seem right
posted by tj at 12:30 PM on November 30, 2001

Just so long as no one "gives 110%". I hate that.
posted by jpoulos at 1:48 PM on November 30, 2001

jpoulos: "I think instead of A-listers, we should have "10 percent-ers". Right now, everyone under users number 1261 would make the list."

Okay so I'll never be an "A-Lister" but I am officially a "Ten Percenter" aka "10%er." That's nice. Does this title come with a T-Shirt and a baseball cap? Maybe a Senior Citizen discount at delis? In fact, I'm not just a 10%er. I'm just under 630 which makes me a 5%er! So I outrank all you people!

Well except for Rich, and Starduck... and Mathowie of course.

Come to think of it, I'd rather have a couple hundred bucks.

MiguelCardoso: "If you did want to committ suicide online... ...should just be scrapped so we could start afresh as a real community."

Oh you just say that you lowly 5digitperson cuz you ain't special. Speaking as an all-important 3digitperson I say you should shut the hell up. And as I'm obviously so much more important than you, I suggest you bow before me and then go get me coffee.

Hey! I think I could get the hang of this! =)

Screw merit or participation or whether or not people actually like you. Everything should go by seniority! Yeah! I could get behind that, but only cuz I happen by pure longevity to be in a good position for it.

Somebody get me a coffee!
posted by ZachsMind at 10:50 PM on December 1, 2001

I think you're had entirely too much coffee already.
posted by rodii at 9:15 AM on December 2, 2001

It only hurts because I'm so much cooler than you.


posted by rich at 7:33 AM on December 3, 2001