mefi channels?

February 1, 2002 4:02 AM

Is this an old idea? Make a series of littler mefis, maybe mefi channels, run by Matt-designated hosts.
posted by pracowity to Feature Requests at 4:02 AM (51 comments total)

Matt would maintain ultimate control, but otherwise a channel would be autonomous. Choose one host for each channel and let the host shape the character of the thing: maybe left, maybe right, maybe no politics at all, maybe good grammar and spelling, maybe illiterate gibberish, maybe ad hominem attacks, maybe all sweetness and light, maybe news of the day, maybe cool sites. The host would be able to kick people off the channel. If you belonged to more than one channel, you could see them all on one screen. If you belonged to all channels, it would be like mefi as usual but with slightly different rules for different kinds of posts. You would be able to see what channel a post belongs to before you open it up. When you posted, you would have to choose the channel to which the post belonged.

If there's an ideal way to run mefi, some combination of these channels would reveal it. Meantime, Matt would have a lot of help running the place.
posted by pracowity at 4:03 AM on February 1, 2002

It's come up before, but I can't find the thread.
Advantages:
Coherence, direction, focused interest, dedication
Disadvantages:
Increased policing, possible censorship (brownnose j.edwards says that Matt's done a remarkable job not not censoring).
Personally, I'd like to see the current design salvaged, but that may not be possible.

And besides, everything would accidentaly get posted to 'bugs' anyways.
posted by j.edwards at 4:12 AM on February 1, 2002

Sportsfilter. Tread lightly, the doors aren't completely open yet.
posted by owillis at 6:50 AM on February 1, 2002

"This really belongs in Ad Hominem Attacks"

"Asshole, can't you learn to post these in Stupid Flash Tricks"

"Listen, user15327, you're a newbie to the O'Reardon Factor channel. In this channel, it has been long agreed that Jimmy Carter was a KGB spy." (names changed to protect the ignorant)

I like the concept, but I think it might create more problems than it solves.
posted by jpoulos at 6:51 AM on February 1, 2002

What is relationship between Sportsfilter and Metafilter, if I may ask?
posted by Voyageman at 7:08 AM on February 1, 2002

Seven of us on MetaFilter, inspired by this post, pooled our funds and paid Matt to create a sports version of this site.
posted by rcade at 7:22 AM on February 1, 2002

> What is relationship between Sportsfilter...

Shh. There is no SportsFilter.

But if there were a SportsFilter, it would not be like my proposal because it doesn't optionally stream together with MetaFilter. You have to go to that site and browse it separately.

You could do it with SportsFilter alone, though. Choose your sports and see only postings related to those sports. If I were to join, for instance, I would choose not to see NFL postings. Others might choose never to see curling postings. In fact, I might be the only one posting about and commenting on curling. And that would be fine for everyone.
posted by pracowity at 7:31 AM on February 1, 2002

I *heart* SportsFilter.
posted by corpse at 7:53 AM on February 1, 2002

I'd pay for BuffyFilter. seriously
posted by sadie01221975 at 9:07 AM on February 1, 2002

Actually, following the lead of SportsFilter, a MusicFilter and MovieFilter might not be a bad idea as these are subjects which invite fairly passionate discussions which can sometimes monoplize the days traffic away from the more general-interest stuff.
Although if sites like that got built, they should be separate, maybe "affiliated" sites. Metafilter should stay the way it is, any subject being fair game, like a big intellectual Hometown Buffet(note correct spelling, everyone).
However sometimes I'm just in the mood to talk music, or talk sports which would draw me to site like those proposed.

posted by jonmc at 9:15 AM on February 1, 2002

If a MusicFilter did come to be, it would of course have to be run by the dynamic duo of y2Karl and rodii. I of course would run it's subsection MetalFilter.
posted by jonmc at 9:24 AM on February 1, 2002

As long as I'm Batman and rodii's Robin.
posted by y2karl at 9:28 AM on February 1, 2002

Ok, sure. I'll be Alfred the butler.
posted by jonmc at 9:30 AM on February 1, 2002

www.musicfilter.com is a domain squatter :(
posted by insomnyuk at 9:31 AM on February 1, 2002

Of course, the more ___Filters there come to be, the less interesting downtown MetaFilter will be.

MeFi urban sprawl begins.
posted by D at 9:33 AM on February 1, 2002

Network Solutions says MetalFilter.com is taken, but typing the url in gives me nothing.
posted by jonmc at 9:39 AM on February 1, 2002

We only need one other: CrapFilter.
posted by mattpfeff at 9:44 AM on February 1, 2002

Well, dang!

Hmm, jukemonkey.com: Smells Like Kafakesque Spirit.

And I was just getting into it...

Ah... ::drool:: Julie Newmar...
posted by y2karl at 9:48 AM on February 1, 2002

Well, it was great while it lasted. Fetch you a drink, Mister Wayne?
posted by jonmc at 9:51 AM on February 1, 2002

SportsFilter: SpoFi!
BuffyFilter: BufFi!
MusicFilter: MuFi!
MovieFilter: MoFi! (alternate, FilmFilter: FiFi!)
MetalFilter: FeFi! (consult your periodic table)
___Filters: *Fi!

Everybody together now:

<singing> SpoFi! BufFi! MuFi! MoFi! (FiFi! FiFi!) FeFi! Star-Fi!

MeFi! </singing>
posted by iceberg273 at 9:55 AM on February 1, 2002

Also, a ScienceFictionFilter would be nice.

SciFiFi!
posted by iceberg273 at 9:56 AM on February 1, 2002

How about a Metafilter for french poodles?

FiFiFi!
posted by jonmc at 10:01 AM on February 1, 2002

KottkeFilter!

kidding, kidding
posted by lia at 10:13 AM on February 1, 2002

KottkeFilter ...
posted by walrus at 10:30 AM on February 1, 2002

> KottkeFilter ...

whoa. Where'd that design come from?
posted by D at 10:54 AM on February 1, 2002

GiantFilter: FeFiFoFum
posted by jacknose at 11:05 AM on February 1, 2002

That would be FeFiFoFumFi, wouldn't it?
posted by jpoulos at 11:23 AM on February 1, 2002

DoublePostFilter: all double posts, all the time.

But I would seriously go for a GamesFilter - kind of like joystick101.org, but more Filterlike.
posted by mkn at 11:29 AM on February 1, 2002

How about a FilterFilter for all the people who think they need to make public service announcements when they quit Metafilter?
posted by adampsyche at 11:36 AM on February 1, 2002

Filet-o-Filter for fishlovers.
posted by jacknose at 11:41 AM on February 1, 2002

How about a FilterFilter for all the people who think they need to make public service announcements when they quit Metafilter?

P-Trap Filter?

No, wait...

We only need one other: CrapFilter.


posted by y2karl at 11:43 AM on February 1, 2002

jpoulos, I suppose you are correct, unless that Fi in the middle stands for Filter (as in Fearsome Filter For Fuming Giants).
posted by jacknose at 11:44 AM on February 1, 2002

That works, jacknose. When I make my community weblog devoted exclusively to Fairy Tale giants, fefifofumfi.com will still be available. :-)
posted by jpoulos at 11:51 AM on February 1, 2002

Please let me know when you launch, jpoulos. I have a lot of FTG (fairy tale giants) news and tidbits that I've been dying to share. (But you'll probably discourage FTG news items.) ;-)
posted by jacknose at 12:11 PM on February 1, 2002

I'm with the Buffyfilter idea...oh endless discussion of why Spike is redeemed and much better than Angel anyway...oops, did I say that out loud?
posted by kittyloop at 1:21 PM on February 1, 2002

DoublePostFilter: all double posts, all the time.

But where would the first post come from?
posted by mrbula at 2:09 PM on February 1, 2002

BunnyFilter
posted by mattpfeff at 2:15 PM on February 1, 2002

Filet-o-filter made me laugh so hard my wife almost dialed 911.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:04 PM on February 1, 2002

sorry, but I have to do this...

StevenDenBesteTotalitarianRegimeFilter
posted by machaus at 3:29 PM on February 1, 2002

But where would the first post come from?

Ahh, the mysteries of life.

If a double post went back in time to an era before the original post was made, and then posts itself, does it remain a doublepost?
posted by mkn at 4:42 PM on February 1, 2002

BunnyFilter

With or without pancakes?
posted by bunnyfire at 5:01 PM on February 1, 2002

If a double post went back in time to an era before the original post was made, and then posts itself, does it remain a doublepost?

If there's a double post, but Matt goes back in time and kills the original post - is the double post still a double? And if it's not, then Matt never goes back in time. Which means....
posted by owillis at 5:04 PM on February 1, 2002

meficopfilter? (meficofi) they could get together and complain about things not really worth complaining.

metafilterfilter? (mefifi) all sorts of personalized settings. for instance, remove links to stileproject, the onion. move flashgames to the top of the page. sort political discussion by left, right, and realistic. filter out all posts by me.

metafiltermetafilter? (mefimefi) only updated once a month with the best of mefi?

wheatonfilter? (wefi) it exists. it's called wilwheaton.net

pancakefilter? (panfi) where you can... yumm.... pancakes...
posted by jcterminal at 5:22 PM on February 1, 2002

politicalFilter = poliFi. Instantly cut down signal to noise ratio of MeFi.

Just make sure all the text is left justified!
posted by Mick at 6:26 PM on February 1, 2002

We only need two: HiFi and LowFi.

Matt can segregate us into our appropriate camps.
posted by rushmc at 9:29 PM on February 1, 2002

calling all people who want a buffy filter...
please email me.
what are the options here matt?

posted by goneill at 6:42 AM on February 4, 2002

D - Of course, the more ___Filters there come to be, the less interesting downtown MetaFilter will be.

I've got the solution to this. Let a front page post on MetaFilter open to a discussion on SportsFilter. This approach would work for SportsFilter as well as any other *Filters.

It maintains the unique character and focus of affiliated sites while keeping MeFi active in this area as well. MeFi benefits from the specialized knowledge of the other communities and it avoids diminishing the thankfully broad range of topics presented on MeFi.

And now I'm wondering if I should have made this an independent "new feature" post to make sure Matt sees it...
posted by NortonDC at 6:51 AM on February 4, 2002

Sportsfilter has been a revelation. I notice artsfilter.com is still up for grabs, too ...
posted by walrus at 7:50 AM on February 4, 2002

FilmFilter?

Dude, I'm all about FilmFilter.

NortonDC: I'm not sure that the suburbanization of MeFi would be a bad thing. But yes, you'd want some sort of crossover. I'd almost prefer if SportsFilter enthusiasts chose what sports links showed up on MeFi, and so on -- but of course now I'm talkin' craaazy, with the moderation and the hijinx and the suchandsuch.
posted by D at 7:22 PM on February 4, 2002

Aargh. FilmFilter.com taken.

But eFilmFilter-Online.biz is available! Thank Gawd.
posted by D at 7:30 PM on February 4, 2002

Short-lived spin-off Event sites, while we're at it. Give Chris Baty a break (and a clue...ugh, Yahoo Groups) this year and start up NaNoWriMoFi.
posted by cortex at 11:36 PM on February 4, 2002