MeFi stream graphs August 3, 2008 4:48 PM Subscribe
So I was reading this, and thought it would make an interesting visualization for MeFi statistics. Pretty pictures inside.
Posting data for the 50 most prolific posters (large)
Comment data for the 50 most prolific commenters (large)
For aesthetic reasons, the data is heavily smoothed and time-averaged; you can see general trends over periods of a year or so, but don't expect to be able to pick out any specific events on the timeline. For those who have the interest, OCaml source is here (requires Cairo; probably difficult to build on Windows). It relies on data from the latest infodump.
I'll take my one (1) internet now, thx.
Posting data for the 50 most prolific posters (large)
Comment data for the 50 most prolific commenters (large)
For aesthetic reasons, the data is heavily smoothed and time-averaged; you can see general trends over periods of a year or so, but don't expect to be able to pick out any specific events on the timeline. For those who have the interest, OCaml source is here (requires Cairo; probably difficult to build on Windows). It relies on data from the latest infodump.
I'll take my one (1) internet now, thx.
Oh my god. I love you. And I really need to regen the infodump.
Complaint: the black text is a bit hard to read against the many of the darker colors.
Request: this looks like it's for the blue, specifically. Any chance of the same for askme, metatalk, music?
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:53 PM on August 3, 2008
Complaint: the black text is a bit hard to read against the many of the darker colors.
Request: this looks like it's for the blue, specifically. Any chance of the same for askme, metatalk, music?
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:53 PM on August 3, 2008
Sure, I can work up something for the other subsites. Gimme a bit.
posted by Galvatron at 4:55 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Galvatron at 4:55 PM on August 3, 2008
As long as you're being awesome and putting out the effort, one thing that I thought might make for an interesting view is this:
A week of posts, streamed out by comments-per-hour (or maybe comments-per-three-hours, or whatever interval ends up looking nice), to sort of catch the different volume and lifetime envelopes of different threads throughout the day and week.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:01 PM on August 3, 2008
A week of posts, streamed out by comments-per-hour (or maybe comments-per-three-hours, or whatever interval ends up looking nice), to sort of catch the different volume and lifetime envelopes of different threads throughout the day and week.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:01 PM on August 3, 2008
Fascinating. These graphics should be MeFi's banner graphics.
posted by adamrice at 5:08 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by adamrice at 5:08 PM on August 3, 2008
Looks like mathowie is the head sperm swimming up the fallopian tubes of MetaFilter. Very cool.
posted by Sailormom at 5:13 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Sailormom at 5:13 PM on August 3, 2008
Oh, I miss jonson.
Yes, I know, 'That's what she said'. Haha.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 5:19 PM on August 3, 2008
Yes, I know, 'That's what she said'. Haha.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 5:19 PM on August 3, 2008
I've pored over the comments chart, and I can't find EB (yes, I miss him). Anyone with younger, sharper vision care to help out?
And needless to say: well done, and thanks!
posted by languagehat at 5:47 PM on August 3, 2008
And needless to say: well done, and thanks!
posted by languagehat at 5:47 PM on August 3, 2008
Oh, I miss jonson.
Was there drama or is he catching up with the real world? lilbrudder is gone too! What happened?
posted by carsonb at 6:07 PM on August 3, 2008
Was there drama or is he catching up with the real world? lilbrudder is gone too! What happened?
posted by carsonb at 6:07 PM on August 3, 2008
He should be there, lhat. I was checking my comment total against ColdChef's, which is about 6K, and he was well over that. I guess it's corrected for disabled accounts... ?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:12 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:12 PM on August 3, 2008
Your Internets, good sir.
You may also have a kiss.
posted by turgid dahlia at 6:18 PM on August 3, 2008
You may also have a kiss.
posted by turgid dahlia at 6:18 PM on August 3, 2008
OK, check here for images of all subsites, now with New and Improved MetaFilter-Inspired Palette Selection.
cortex: I probably won't be doing any per-thread analysis; I didn't code for that case, and I'm not sure I want to commit more time to this. Maybe one of the (hundreds and hundreds of) MeFi ML hackers will pick up the source and run with it.
languagehat: I don't think EB cracks the top 50 on comments. He shows up on a top 100 graph.
posted by Galvatron at 6:31 PM on August 3, 2008 [2 favorites]
cortex: I probably won't be doing any per-thread analysis; I didn't code for that case, and I'm not sure I want to commit more time to this. Maybe one of the (hundreds and hundreds of) MeFi ML hackers will pick up the source and run with it.
languagehat: I don't think EB cracks the top 50 on comments. He shows up on a top 100 graph.
posted by Galvatron at 6:31 PM on August 3, 2008 [2 favorites]
Nobody ever takes the kiss :'(
posted by turgid dahlia at 6:34 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by turgid dahlia at 6:34 PM on August 3, 2008
If I ever want to make it in life, it looks like I'm gonna need to quit my job so I can spend more time on metafilter.
posted by milarepa at 6:47 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by milarepa at 6:47 PM on August 3, 2008
Ok, what was THAT about? Why the huge expansion in 2003?
posted by gingerbeer at 6:54 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by gingerbeer at 6:54 PM on August 3, 2008
Oh oh oh my bad, I was looking at total comments, there.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:58 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:58 PM on August 3, 2008
Can you add a number of words per comment, and number of favorites for said comment.
Pretty much because I think contributions such from people such as Miko and DaShiv are under reported. Possibly a quality vs quantity ratio, weighted by average comment length and favorites.
Don't know if that is possible in the current info dump.
posted by mrzarquon at 7:03 PM on August 3, 2008
Pretty much because I think contributions such from people such as Miko and DaShiv are under reported. Possibly a quality vs quantity ratio, weighted by average comment length and favorites.
Don't know if that is possible in the current info dump.
posted by mrzarquon at 7:03 PM on August 3, 2008
Ok, what was THAT about?
That's probably the period after AskMe launched but before it was properly segregated from Metatalk.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:12 PM on August 3, 2008
That's probably the period after AskMe launched but before it was properly segregated from Metatalk.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:12 PM on August 3, 2008
*pumps fist*
GREY POWER!
*pumps fist
GREY POWER!
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:22 PM on August 3, 2008
GREY POWER!
*pumps fist
GREY POWER!
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:22 PM on August 3, 2008
Yeah, looks like there's a bunch of bogus posts in the MeTa infodump from the first half year after AskMe launched.
posted by Galvatron at 7:22 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Galvatron at 7:22 PM on August 3, 2008
Sweet. I love how the graphs look like sheets of clay stacked together, then mashed and pulled like taffy.
posted by orthogonality at 8:06 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by orthogonality at 8:06 PM on August 3, 2008
I like how I am there on the graphics like a parasite stuck to the body of mathowie (based on earliest user numbers, it was me on one side and jonmc on the other - and I'm sure that was how it felt to matt). And the way I disappeared during my 2001-2002 lack-of-internet-access period... that brings back memories that have nothing to do with this site.
posted by wendell at 9:29 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by wendell at 9:29 PM on August 3, 2008
Caduceus writes "Wow. Amberglow doesn't fuck around."
amberglow has been MIA since early this year, a fresh dump will look a little different.
posted by Mitheral at 11:02 PM on August 3, 2008
amberglow has been MIA since early this year, a fresh dump will look a little different.
posted by Mitheral at 11:02 PM on August 3, 2008
Oh man the music posts looks so sad. I start so strong, then fizzle out about the time my son was born, as my spare time was spent making farty noises on his tummy instead of weird noises for Metafilter Music. Hopefully I can make a comeback soon.
posted by Jimbob at 11:18 PM on August 3, 2008
posted by Jimbob at 11:18 PM on August 3, 2008
Jimbob, I suggest combining the two for superawesomeness.
posted by taz at 12:35 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by taz at 12:35 AM on August 4, 2008
Holy, Fucking. Hell. That is awesome! If ever I need to be humbled, this is the place to come, that's for sure.
posted by dg at 1:32 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by dg at 1:32 AM on August 4, 2008
amberglow has been MIA since early this year, a fresh dump will look a little different.
It's still worth adding that he still doesn't fuck around, as far as we know.
Also something about fresh dumps.
posted by Jofus at 3:32 AM on August 4, 2008
It's still worth adding that he still doesn't fuck around, as far as we know.
Also something about fresh dumps.
posted by Jofus at 3:32 AM on August 4, 2008
I start so strong, then fizzle out about the time my son was born, as my spare time was spent making farty noises on his tummy instead of weird noises for Metafilter Music.
Why not just repurpose the recordings of the farty stomach noises? I can see the A-side now: "Pththtfffffffththtfff: Who's yer daddy?? Yes I am! Yes I am!"
posted by whatzit at 3:49 AM on August 4, 2008
Why not just repurpose the recordings of the farty stomach noises? I can see the A-side now: "Pththtfffffffththtfff: Who's yer daddy?? Yes I am! Yes I am!"
posted by whatzit at 3:49 AM on August 4, 2008
Also, y'all are lucky the MeFi Music comments didn't go up through last month or I'd be whooping everyone. :-)
posted by danb at 8:21 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by danb at 8:21 AM on August 4, 2008
Can you do this for favorites? Like, which commentors got the how many favorites over time?
posted by spicynuts at 8:25 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by spicynuts at 8:25 AM on August 4, 2008
These are remarkably cool. I love how most of us are just small tributaries running alongside the mighty rivers that are amberglow, jonmc, and delmoi.
posted by quin at 8:30 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by quin at 8:30 AM on August 4, 2008
the mighty rivers that are amberglow, jonmc, and delmoi.
I love that dirty water....
posted by spicynuts at 8:44 AM on August 4, 2008
I love that dirty water....
posted by spicynuts at 8:44 AM on August 4, 2008
I'm in the top 50 prolific posters? Huh.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:53 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:53 AM on August 4, 2008
You, mathowie, and that glow-in-the-UV Dark Side of the Moon that everyone puts up in their freshman dorm room, yeah.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:13 AM on August 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:13 AM on August 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Wow, this is so neat! You've rocked me with your mad graphing skillz - a first, I must say.
posted by Craig at 9:31 AM on August 4, 2008
posted by Craig at 9:31 AM on August 4, 2008
Uhm, I am feeling pretty stupid (and not at all like the 14th smartest person on mefi according to that stupid site) because I am not understanding what I'm looking at when I see these. Hope please?
posted by waraw at 1:32 PM on August 4, 2008
posted by waraw at 1:32 PM on August 4, 2008
Sure waraw, not a problem. See where there is the wobbly bit with our names in it? It's pretty.
(I'm thinking that the width of the individual bands indicates the volume of traffic when compared to the date. The fact that it gets wider as time progresses suggests that there is more overall traffic being generated by whatever fifty users are listed. But again, I just think it's pretty, so I could be way off base.)
posted by quin at 1:39 PM on August 4, 2008
(I'm thinking that the width of the individual bands indicates the volume of traffic when compared to the date. The fact that it gets wider as time progresses suggests that there is more overall traffic being generated by whatever fifty users are listed. But again, I just think it's pretty, so I could be way off base.)
posted by quin at 1:39 PM on August 4, 2008
Well, as far as I can see (and I'm nowhere near the 14th smartest here), its your commenting (or posting, depending on the graph) history here, with your comments represented as a stream, starting when you started and either continuing to now or tapering off when you stopped. The wider your stream, the more you have commented. The wider the overall stream, the more comments there have been overall at that point.
I think. Maybe someone smarter can explain it more betterer.
posted by dg at 1:50 PM on August 4, 2008
I think. Maybe someone smarter can explain it more betterer.
posted by dg at 1:50 PM on August 4, 2008
I see it as meant to be a pie chart mapped over time.
any one vertical section is meant to represent how many posts are made at that point in time (or percentage of posts made by each person represented by a color).
Looking at this graph, you can see that for around 2005 amberglow and jonmc had the most number of comments for that time period, as you go forward you can parisparamus's comments taper out before he was banned (probably indicating a higher rate of deleted comments?), etc.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:03 PM on August 4, 2008
any one vertical section is meant to represent how many posts are made at that point in time (or percentage of posts made by each person represented by a color).
Looking at this graph, you can see that for around 2005 amberglow and jonmc had the most number of comments for that time period, as you go forward you can parisparamus's comments taper out before he was banned (probably indicating a higher rate of deleted comments?), etc.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:03 PM on August 4, 2008
"Can you do this for favorites?"
Knock it off.
What am I supposed to be knocking off?
posted by spicynuts at 4:10 PM on August 4, 2008
Knock it off.
What am I supposed to be knocking off?
posted by spicynuts at 4:10 PM on August 4, 2008
I got an e-mail from him a month or so ago and he said he is fine, just very busy with other stuff. What could be more important than MeFi, I can't understand, but there you are.
posted by dg at 8:14 PM on August 4, 2008
posted by dg at 8:14 PM on August 4, 2008
Why isn't this flash and realtime? I demand satisfaction! *Glove Slap*
posted by blue_beetle at 11:45 PM on August 4, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 11:45 PM on August 4, 2008
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posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:51 PM on August 3, 2008