It's got a lot of miles on it but still it runs well.

April 28, 2010 12:00 PM

OdometerFilter: Who made the three-millionth MetaFilter comment? Who gave the two-millionth AskMe answer?
posted by not_on_display to MetaFilter-Related at 12:00 PM (138 comments total)

3,000,000

2,000,000
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:03 PM on April 28, 2010

Perfect.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:03 PM on April 28, 2010

Do you mean the comment with comment ID number 3,000,000? Or the 3 millionth comment currently in the database? Due to deleted comments and other gaps in the ID sequence, these two ways of looking at it yield different answers.
posted by FishBike at 12:04 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

They're kinda odd right next to each other like that.

Any baby could grow up to be a dictator.
Any baby could grow up to be a watered down caricature of a dictator.

i wouldn't buy anything mainstream. anything that is crazy or weird and will probably never see a dvd release. now get drunk with your friends and watch them, its a blast!
posted by The Whelk at 12:05 PM on April 28, 2010

MeFi comment #2,000,000
MeFi comment #1,000,000

AskMe comment #1,000,000
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:11 PM on April 28, 2010

(I particularly like cortex's gleeful historical note immediately following MeFi #1M)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:15 PM on April 28, 2010

None of these are by delmoi. I call shenanigans!
posted by Kattullus at 12:15 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]

(Err, that should be AskMe #1... benzo8 self-identified on MeFi)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:16 PM on April 28, 2010

(Err, that should be #1M... hey look! something shiny!)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 12:18 PM on April 28, 2010

I keep trying and missing.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:19 PM on April 28, 2010

If I surpass Astro Zombie's favorite count, I get to eat his heart to obtain his power, right?
posted by The Whelk at 12:21 PM on April 28, 2010 [3 favorites]

None of these are by delmoi. I call shenanigans!

Heh. According to my slightly stale copy of the infodump, 20,572 different user IDs have posted comments on the blue. But 10% of the comments come from just the 32 most prolific commenters.
posted by FishBike at 12:22 PM on April 28, 2010

SPARTA!
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:22 PM on April 28, 2010

As long as we're throwing numbers around...
My original Mefi member # is 10709
My new Mefi member # is 107309

EEEEEERRRRRRIIIIIE!!!!!!
posted by Kskomsvold at 12:23 PM on April 28, 2010

as of this moment, this is the most recent comment.
posted by gman at 12:24 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

Who had the 1,000,000th pony request for an AskMe queue?
posted by shakespeherian at 12:24 PM on April 28, 2010 [4 favorites]

this thread is longer then it's ever been and now it's even longer, now it's even longer, now it's even longer.
posted by The Whelk at 12:25 PM on April 28, 2010 [3 favorites]

If I surpass Astro Zombie's favorite count, I get to eat his heart to obtain his power, right?

Only 20,000 to go!
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:25 PM on April 28, 2010

now it's longer still.
posted by The Whelk at 12:25 PM on April 28, 2010

That's what she said.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:26 PM on April 28, 2010 [5 favorites]

I am hastily unfavoriting every comment from The Whelk so that he doesn't eat zombieheart.

I mean, ye gods, man, the cholesterol!
posted by shakespeherian at 12:26 PM on April 28, 2010

Only 20,000 to go!


TO DO LIST:

GET KITTEN
GET BANJO
GET ADORABLE ROBOT
posted by The Whelk at 12:26 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hi Kevin, welcome back.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:27 PM on April 28, 2010

Wait, Ksomsvold, shot in the dark here - and not to "out" you on the "Internet" as I hear that is frowned upon - but does your first name rhyme with "heaven?"
posted by jtron at 12:29 PM on April 28, 2010

Or "Shmevin"?
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:33 PM on April 28, 2010

or "writ of replevin?"
posted by jtron at 12:37 PM on April 28, 2010

My goals are more modest. I don't aspire to round number comments. No, I want the triple double, 1,000 comments in MeFi, MeTa and AskMe.
posted by fixedgear at 12:42 PM on April 28, 2010

I have the good sense to stay out of AskMe.
posted by The Whelk at 12:49 PM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]

None of these are by delmoi. I call shenanigans!

AskMetaFilter 1,000,000, however, was by klangklangston and mentioned Robert Christgau, to boot. Can't call shenanigans there.
posted by y2karl at 12:52 PM on April 28, 2010

The triple-1000 comments club has 50 members currently.
posted by FishBike at 12:58 PM on April 28, 2010

I would have gone with OdoMetaFilter.
posted by dirtdirt at 12:59 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

TO DO LIST:

GET KITTEN
GET BANJO
GET ADORABLE ROBOT

HATCH FIENDISH PLAN TO CATCH MOOSE AND SQUIRREL
posted by shothotbot at 12:59 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

You're a Million
I'm a Million
posted by klangklangston at 1:02 PM on April 28, 2010

Who made the four-millionth comment?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:04 PM on April 28, 2010

Who made the four-millionth comment?

John Titor/Marty McFly/Richard Nixon's head. Depends on if you're talking about Metafilter-616, Ultimate Metafilter, or 30th Century Metafilter.
posted by kmz at 1:12 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

No, I want the triple double, 1,000 comments in MeFi, MeTa and AskMe.


Wow. I just got my 1000th MeFi comment earlier this year, and I've been here for a long time. At current rates I'll hit the triple in about, oh, 2030.
posted by norm at 1:14 PM on April 28, 2010

Who had the 1,000,000th pony request for an AskMe queue?

Probably me, and damn proud of it. If we were asking who tried to make the 1,000,000th snarky-snark joke, you might be the proud winner of that title.
posted by deacon_blues at 1:23 PM on April 28, 2010

*prepares acceptance speech*
posted by shakespeherian at 1:25 PM on April 28, 2010

Wait, Ksomsvold, shot in the dark here - and not to "out" you on the "Internet" as I hear that is frowned upon - but does your first name rhyme with "heaven?"

Yes. Formerly kevinskomsvold but I shortened it. Probably could have shortened the last name but oh well.

Thanks Jessamyn.
posted by Kskomsvold at 1:27 PM on April 28, 2010

Hi, do you want me to pretend I never used your first name? We can delete everyone's comments, ban them all and close the thread if you want.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:39 PM on April 28, 2010 [8 favorites]

Nooooo you wouldn't do th---....
posted by not_on_display at 1:43 PM on April 28, 2010

GET BANJO

BANJO GET
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:45 PM on April 28, 2010

NO BANJILDO NO!
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:51 PM on April 28, 2010

My Odometer needs calibration.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 1:53 PM on April 28, 2010

Hi, do you want me to pretend I never used your first name? We can delete everyone's comments, ban them all and close the thread if you want.

what
posted by zarq at 1:54 PM on April 28, 2010

speaking of Astro Zombie, I just found out today that that is a Misfits song. I did not know that.
posted by shmegegge at 1:56 PM on April 28, 2010

We can delete everyone's comments, ban them all and close the thread if you want.

The mods should handle all disagreements in this way from now on.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:58 PM on April 28, 2010

speaking of Astro Zombie, I just found out today that that is a Misfits song. I did not know that.

It was a movie first, and the trilogy is finally finishing this year!
posted by kmz at 2:12 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

The mods should handle all disagreements in this way from now on.

But what if the disagreement was between the mods? What THEN, smartypants?
posted by maxwelton at 2:15 PM on April 28, 2010

Nerd Thunderdome.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:16 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

Two nerds enter, two nerds leave, but one of them is dead.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:17 PM on April 28, 2010

Hi, do you want me to pretend I never used your first name? We can delete everyone's comments, ban them all and close the thread if you want.

Heh. No worries. I assumed everyone knew who I was. We are all good.

Now about banning everyone....
posted by Kskomsvold at 2:48 PM on April 28, 2010

HOLY SHIT IT'S KEENAN SKOMSVOLD!
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:51 PM on April 28, 2010

I assumed this:
Thanks Jessamyn.

Was in response to this:
Hi Kevin, welcome back.
posted by djgh at 2:59 PM on April 28, 2010

FishBike writes "The triple-1000 comments club has 50 members currently."

I really thought it would have been more than that.
posted by Mitheral at 3:06 PM on April 28, 2010

Blevin? Glavin. Laaaaady.
posted by Splunge at 3:36 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

But what if the disagreement was between the mods?

pb erases the whole database, obvs.
posted by epersonae at 4:34 PM on April 28, 2010

This offer not valid in Utopia or Quebec.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:56 PM on April 28, 2010

they are ONE AND THE SAME MEATBOMB.


ONE AND THE SAME.
posted by The Whelk at 4:58 PM on April 28, 2010

Hi, do you want me to pretend I never used your first name? We can delete everyone's comments, ban them all and close the thread if you want.

MeFites are a disease. Jessamyn is the cure.
posted by DU at 5:03 PM on April 28, 2010

Please, the Mods are much niver and have better hair.
posted by The Whelk at 5:05 PM on April 28, 2010

nicer.
posted by The Whelk at 5:05 PM on April 28, 2010

OH GOD IT IS HAPPE------------NO CARRIER
posted by The Whelk at 5:05 PM on April 28, 2010

Not like this... not like this.
posted by dnesan at 6:00 PM on April 28, 2010

+++ATH0

NO CARRIER

posted by not_on_display at 6:53 PM on April 28, 2010

One of these days I need to get off my ass and make a t-shirt that says:

PRAY

NO CARRIER

posted by Kattullus at 7:32 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

I really thought it would have been more than that.

The quadruple-1000 club (MeFi, AskMe, MeTa, and Music) is pretty lonely. Hi, cortex! How are you doing all by yourself over there?
posted by FishBike at 7:55 PM on April 28, 2010

Who made the four-millionth comment?

Well, if one were to take all the comments from the four sub-sites and sort them by time stamp, the four millionth comment would be this one, at least currently. Deletion of any comment prior to that one would change this, of course.
posted by FishBike at 8:01 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

You know who else takes all the comments from the four sub-sites and sorts them by time stamp?
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 9:25 PM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]

Syslogitler.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:32 PM on April 28, 2010

Watch out Astro Zombie, your days as MetaFilter's most prominent zombie are numbered!
posted by munchingzombie at 9:33 PM on April 28, 2010

I can raise an army against you any time I want.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:54 PM on April 28, 2010

What the ... Is there some reason you woke me up?

Really? For this? Fuck off, I have a full day tomorrow.
posted by Astro Zombie 2 at 9:55 PM on April 28, 2010

See?
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:56 PM on April 28, 2010

I bow to your superior curmudgeonliness.
posted by munchingzombie at 9:59 PM on April 28, 2010

The triple-1000 comments club has 50 members currently."

I need to step up my askme participation, clearly.
posted by empath at 11:32 PM on April 28, 2010

How about the triple 100 FPP club?
posted by empath at 11:33 PM on April 28, 2010

My original user number was #206 (closed when I decided to let Wendell end well).
I got this account when the $5 signups started just to throw $5 at Matt (and make sure nobody else used my sometimes-blog-title). It's #20007.

That's ONE away from TOTALLY EERIE.

When user numbers get close to 200000, I may try again what I wasn't really trying to do before.


I was also born in the Cleveland, Ohio suburb of Lakewood, near LAKE EERIE.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:26 AM on April 29, 2010

How about the triple 100 FPP club?

mathowie is 8 questions away from being the founding member of that club.

And in the process of figuring out who might become the 2nd member of that club, I found what I think is some wackiness in the postdata_meta.txt file in the Infodump. Specifically, MeTa posts that were later moved over to AskMe when it got a separate table are also still there in the postdata_meta file. Is that working as designed (in which case I'll throw a note into the Infodump wiki about it)?
posted by FishBike at 6:42 AM on April 29, 2010

Hmm. That sounds like me just failing to sift them out, actually. I'd much rather the metatalk file have only actual metatalk posts, not askme ghosts as well. I'll have to take a look at how they're IDed in the db.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:01 AM on April 29, 2010

They've all got a category ID of 10, if that helps.
posted by FishBike at 7:02 AM on April 29, 2010

Ooh, yeah. Yeah, no, I think that's just a total oversight on my part, I didn't realize the old askme stuff was still in the metatalk posts table like that. I'll put it on the to-do list for the dump, should be a pretty quick fix since it'll just be a conditional check against the cat id.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:39 AM on April 29, 2010

Ugh, 1000 posts in Meta?

Can anyone extrapolate when the next round number posts will happen? Or is this a case of Goodheart's Law?
posted by unixrat at 8:08 AM on April 29, 2010

Can anyone extrapolate when the next round number posts will happen?

Extrapolating linearly based on the ID number usage rate over the past 12 months, here's when it looks like the various odometers will tick over to the next "all zeroes except the first digit" value:

05-Aug-2010: 800,000 MeTa comments
21-Sep-2010: 5,000 Music posts
11-Nov-2010: 20,000 MeTa posts
02-Mar-2011: 100,000 MeFi posts
13-May-2011: 30,000 Music comments
29-Oct-2011: 200,000 AskMe posts
14-Feb-2012: 3,000,000 AskMe comments
24-Feb-2012: 4,000,000 MeFi comments

Since activity is generally increasing on the site, it's likely the actual dates will be a little sooner than shown.

Or is this a case of Goodheart's Law?

As I understand it, Goodheart's Law is that if you start to monitor a specific metric as a summary indicator of a more general concept, or as a proxy for another metric of interest that you can't measure directly, the metric you are measuring loses all value in that regard. I think the proposed mechanism is that people then try to optimize for/game the metric you are measuring, instead of the thing you really wanted to optimize.

I think for that to happen here, there would have to be a pretty obvious and sustained campaign of bad-faith posting and/or commenting in order to game these dates. Trying to hit specific ID numbers (as was averted with the contest for user #100,000), yes, but trying to actually control the dates for the mostly-zeroes IDs to be hit? Seems like a lot of work for no apparent benefit.
posted by FishBike at 8:53 AM on April 29, 2010

Okay, one more question. Ask is gaining on Mefi, right? Can we guess at the date or post count of when ask comment counts pass Mefi counts?
posted by unixrat at 9:03 AM on April 29, 2010

Several of the usual suspects took a joyride in the MetaFilter moderator time machine and answered your question last night, unixrat.
posted by FishBike at 9:06 AM on April 29, 2010

Oh, wait, you said post count, not comment count. Disregard.
posted by FishBike at 9:07 AM on April 29, 2010

I am not having a good day. Disregard previous instruction to disregard previous comment.
posted by FishBike at 9:09 AM on April 29, 2010

Trying to hit specific ID numbers (as was averted with the contest for user #100,000), yes, but trying to actually control the dates for the mostly-zeroes IDs to be hit? Seems like a lot of work for no apparent benefit.

Have you met The Whelk yet? I'm pretty sure he's fallen silent so he can figure out a way to make this happen...
posted by This Guy at 10:04 AM on April 29, 2010

14-Feb-2012: 3,000,000 AskMe comments

Valentines Day = DTMFA
posted by fixedgear at 10:16 AM on April 29, 2010

Have you met The Whelk yet? I'm pretty sure he's fallen silent so he can figure out a way to make this happen...

Leave me out of your mathomancy damnable wizards, you will know the true meaning of infinity when the Innumerate One comes.
posted by The Whelk at 11:55 AM on April 29, 2010

I want the triple double, 1,000 comments in MeFi, MeTa and AskMe.

I've got to get my MeTa numbers up. So here you go!
posted by Pollomacho at 12:26 PM on April 29, 2010

See previous.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:26 PM on April 29, 2010

i'm confused...
posted by infini at 1:16 PM on April 29, 2010

A feeling of confusion is a good sign that you're still sane.
posted by The Whelk at 1:28 PM on April 29, 2010

A feeling of sanity is a good sign that you are still confused.
posted by not_on_display at 1:38 PM on April 29, 2010

A feeling of salinity is a good sign you're in the ocean.
posted by The Whelk at 1:40 PM on April 29, 2010

A confusing sign for a restroom is good for sanitation.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:40 PM on April 29, 2010

Are we doing an alphabet thread with an increment of 0? I'm definitely confused.
posted by FishBike at 1:40 PM on April 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

Absolutely not. That's a terrible idea.
posted by shmegegge at 1:41 PM on April 29, 2010

As far as I know we are not doing an alphabet thread.
posted by fixedgear at 1:46 PM on April 29, 2010

Besides Fishbike, how would you even know?
posted by The Whelk at 1:46 PM on April 29, 2010

Because that would be odd.
posted by fixedgear at 1:47 PM on April 29, 2010

Can you please restrain your incessant need to one up everybody, The Whelk?
posted by shmegegge at 1:47 PM on April 29, 2010

C what I did there?
posted by fixedgear at 1:48 PM on April 29, 2010

Delete, delete, rinse, repeat.
posted by fixedgear at 1:48 PM on April 29, 2010

Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every cake you bake. Every leg you break....
posted by zarq at 1:53 PM on April 29, 2010

For he's a jolly good Mefite, For he's a jolly good Mefite, that nobody can deny!
posted by The Whelk at 1:54 PM on April 29, 2010

God damn this alphabet thread.
posted by shmegegge at 1:55 PM on April 29, 2010

He does, shmegegge. He does.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:56 PM on April 29, 2010

I Do no not take that back! I never not ever try to upstage anyone. I am simply naturally better.
posted by The Whelk at 1:58 PM on April 29, 2010

Okay.
posted by The Whelk at 1:59 PM on April 29, 2010

ZAMBONI
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:00 PM on April 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

BLASTED CORTEX!
posted by The Whelk at 2:00 PM on April 29, 2010

cortex basically just went "1, 2, skip a few, 99, 100."
posted by shmegegge at 2:01 PM on April 29, 2010

DAMN HIS PLUCKING FINGER!
posted by The Whelk at 2:02 PM on April 29, 2010

I'm really glad I joined this here Josh Millard Fan Club.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:03 PM on April 29, 2010

Just a matter of time before this here thread gets meatbombed!
posted by Kattullus at 2:05 PM on April 29, 2010

KEGGER IN THE ASTRAL PLANE!
posted by The Whelk at 2:07 PM on April 29, 2010

You bring the beer! I'll bring the Cosmic Oneness!
posted by The Whelk at 2:07 PM on April 29, 2010

LAMBONI
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:08 PM on April 29, 2010

SANTORINI
posted by The Whelk at 2:09 PM on April 29, 2010

This is an Enigma ciphered alphabet thread, and you're just not telling me, isn't it?
posted by FishBike at 2:10 PM on April 29, 2010

Each clue is more puzzling ...and more DEADLY then the rest.


(Derail: I was watching 30 Rock a while back and Jenna said "I love any party where it looks like the Riddler is about to attack". Bitch that's MY LINE. I said the same exact thing when I got to go to a premier a year ago! Where do I go to complain?)



(on the other hand, it is just about the best way to describe a fancy party ever )
posted by The Whelk at 2:19 PM on April 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

I've never seen a single episode of The Office. Any good? Better than LOST? ;)
posted by zarq at 2:21 PM on April 29, 2010

Eh. I'm not a fan.
posted by The Whelk at 2:22 PM on April 29, 2010

..of either. My opinion really shouldn't count.
posted by The Whelk at 2:23 PM on April 29, 2010

Yes The Office is better than LOST. Less shrieking, more snacks, less slogging mystery, more talented actors who you want to see even with all their clothes on.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:30 PM on April 29, 2010

maybe this is the solution
posted by The Whelk at 2:31 PM on April 29, 2010

or this
posted by The Whelk at 2:32 PM on April 29, 2010

there are a lot of these.
posted by The Whelk at 2:32 PM on April 29, 2010

O, R there? (No wait, that's Scrubs.)
posted by not_on_display at 9:06 PM on April 29, 2010

When confused, pull out the hugbucket.

that's my new grey motto

so there
posted by infini at 12:16 AM on April 30, 2010

See what I mean? It's already started...The Whelk's Plan to 1 Million MeTa Comments is in full swing.

"I demand...the 1 millionth comment"

**Pinky Finger to Mouth, Evilly**
posted by This Guy at 4:31 AM on April 30, 2010

If Lost ends without explaining the mystery pregnancy deaths, I am going to... I don't know. Probably just shake my fists.

The Office certainly doesn't make you feel like you're dropping acid when you try to explain the plot to someone who hasn't been watching it.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 6:09 AM on April 30, 2010

1 Million Comments opens up the WARP ZONE stage.
posted by The Whelk at 6:32 AM on April 30, 2010

"The Office certainly doesn't make you feel like you're dropping acid when you try to explain the plot to someone who hasn't been watching it"
posted by grapefruitmoon

...and then, there's a stapler suspended in a jello mold. And it's just hanging there, like, it's in a jello mold. And it's so funny.
posted by not_on_display at 8:38 AM on April 30, 2010 [1 favorite]

grar

grar grar grar

*men*

grar
posted by infini at 9:04 AM on April 30, 2010