MeTaIRL

July 12, 2010 1:12 PM

Why do I keep seeing meetup threads on MeTa? Isn't that what IRL is for now?

This isn't a complaint; I'm just curious. I thought one of the reasons IRL was created was to clear out all of the meetup threads. Am I crazy?

posted by reductiondesign to MetaFilter-Related at 1:12 PM (60 comments total)

For now, at least, IRL is only for confirmed meetups where the date/location is already settled. Deciding where/when to have a meetup is still done in MeTa. Here's the MeTa about it.
posted by lilac girl at 1:15 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

Right now, I think IRL is just for established meetups - people still have to post in MetaTalk to plan the Meetup.

Metatalk: "Who wants to meet up in Boston this weekend?"

IRL: "Boston Meetup July 19th at 8pm at Cheers!"

IRL is still in beta, I guess. Maybe soon it will all move over there.
posted by muddgirl at 1:15 PM on July 12, 2010

Oh, okay. Thanks, guys. Stupid question, huh.

I just spent like twenty seconds wondering where the [mark as best answer] link was.
posted by reductiondesign at 1:17 PM on July 12, 2010

So, um, did you read the IRL unveiling post? Because this is pretty well covered there.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:18 PM on July 12, 2010

We're currently beta testing IRL which means it's not quite ready for prime time. We're still determining what features will be available at that site and working out the bugs. We only have one category for events, and we'll be opening that up soon. So there will be a transition time while people test/try out the site.

Once IRL is officially live we're still going to propose meetups over here in MetaTalk. Once the meetup has a solid date/time, it will move to IRL. The means meetup-related threads are going to continue in MetaTalk for a long time. We don't plan to ever remove them completely.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:18 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

Who's flaming out? Come on, we haven't had a good one in a while.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:18 PM on July 12, 2010

Why do I keep seeing shadow people in the corners of my office? Isn't that was sleep paralysis is for?
posted by Burhanistan at 1:19 PM on July 12, 2010

Oh, I'm supposed to get in arguments or something now, right? It's either that or recipes.
posted by reductiondesign at 1:23 PM on July 12, 2010

You could argue about recipes. With all the recipe exchanges going on it's only a matter of time before there's a heated argument about a particular cooking technique or ingredient usage.
posted by Burhanistan at 1:25 PM on July 12, 2010

I missed the IRL unveiling post...can someone link to it?
posted by Miko at 1:25 PM on July 12, 2010

I'm bummed that we still can't post upcoming gigs and stuff there yet.
posted by hermitosis at 1:26 PM on July 12, 2010

I got a recipe for a spicy argument. Just add cilantro.
posted by new brand day at 1:26 PM on July 12, 2010 [3 favorites]

Usually you have to wait for someone to call you out, reductiondesign. Then you start the arguments, then someone comes in with the recipes to try to smooth things over and play peacemaker.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:26 PM on July 12, 2010

If you think about it, isn't every thread a meetup thread, in its own special way?
posted by blue_beetle at 1:28 PM on July 12, 2010

Sure Miko, here's the thread: IRL is here. It's also linked at the top of the page at IRL, along with a note about its alphaness.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:29 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

This is the best recipe I've ever made that I owe this site for introducing me to.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:33 PM on July 12, 2010

So, um, did you read the IRL unveiling post?

I'd say it is pretty clear they didn't.
posted by marxchivist at 1:37 PM on July 12, 2010

I'd say it is pretty clear they didn't.

Is that something I'd have to have read the post to conclude?
posted by Sys Rq at 1:42 PM on July 12, 2010

You people with yer damn recipes keep ruining good flameouts by grilling on them.
posted by Babblesort at 1:43 PM on July 12, 2010

Once the meetup has a solid date/time, it will move to IRL.

It would really be better if it did "move" to IRL. The current state of things has it in both places, and people are posting updates to both.
posted by smackfu at 1:48 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm bummed that we still can't post upcoming gigs and stuff there yet.

We're hoping to launch that soonish (later this week hopefully), but we only have a few use cases from members so far. What exactly would you be announcing if you don't mind saying?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:49 PM on July 12, 2010

Is that something I'd have to have read the post to conclude?

Yes!

I think, that is if you are referring to this post, as in the Metatalk thread we are in right now, but if you're referring to the original IRL announcement post, I don't get what you're talking about.

But I think we can now safely conclude this post contains the current thinking on meetups in Meta vs. IRL.

Maybe.

I better read this thread again. And the one before it.

To answer your original question: Fuck if I know.
posted by marxchivist at 1:57 PM on July 12, 2010

Good question. Let's discuss it in person at Frjtz.
posted by roll truck roll at 1:58 PM on July 12, 2010

Good question. Let's discuss it in person at Frjtz.

Which question?
posted by marxchivist at 1:58 PM on July 12, 2010

mathowie: "What exactly would you be announcing if you don't mind saying"

Craft show my wife and I made stuff for. Although I'm assuming you wouldn't want a thread for every single one since it's a 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month until August or so kind of thing.
posted by theichibun at 2:01 PM on July 12, 2010

Matt, I've thought of using IRL to announce a Poetry Slam in Des Moines, but only if I was going. Again though, like theichibun points out this is an ongoing thing (once a month).
posted by cjorgensen at 2:15 PM on July 12, 2010

I swear I just saw echoes of a dead Vedic astrologer here.
posted by Burhanistan at 2:27 PM on July 12, 2010

Has anyone already pointed out that having IRL for solidly planned meetups and MeTa for meetup inquiries doesn't improve the current situation, it just complicates? There were already people who didn't get how and when to sidebar meetups and how to link to a specific comment with the details. This is just going to make it more messy. If there's going to be a separate meetup section of the site, it really should be the only place they go. Planning or solid or past or fell-through. It'll make it easier for me to see if there's already a Boston meetup in the planning stages, for instance. Oh, look, there is. Bad example.

Or, what _______ said, assuming someone else already made this point. Sorry, I was on vacation when IRL launched. It'll never happen again!
posted by Plutor at 2:31 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

If there's going to be a separate meetup section of the site, it really should be the only place they go.

I agree. This redundant system doesn't make sense to me at all.
posted by desjardins at 2:46 PM on July 12, 2010 [6 favorites]

The problem is that then you would have to let people edit things in IRL, and editing leads to chaos!!!!!!!!!!
posted by smackfu at 3:04 PM on July 12, 2010

I agree. This redundant system doesn't make sense to me at all.

A redundant system is redundant by definition. How else would we know it is redundant?
posted by blue_beetle at 3:08 PM on July 12, 2010

The problem is that then you would have to let people edit things in IRL, and editing leads to chaos!!!!!!!!!!

I would love an edit button IRL. For example, a mute function for my cat.
posted by desjardins at 3:25 PM on July 12, 2010 [5 favorites]

What exactly would you be announcing if you don't mind saying?

Well, on the 29th I'm presenting a live show here in NYC that's based on an online project myself and several other mefites have contributed to (not just in the form of online submissions: this time around mefite piratebowling is baking something special to present at this event. At the last one kkokkodalk performed a stunning makeup/fashion tutorial).

The show costs money to attend, but 92YTribeca is a big arts center with a cafe and it doesn't cost anything to come and meet up beforehand, which is something I'd like to have pointed out in the last thread about this event before cortex nipped it. For me it's not so much about selling a billion tickets (we don't really need much help in that department), it's about being able to personally invite the internet/IRL community which has inspired and supported (or tolerated) my various endeavors so far. Which is the also case for a lot of our creative peeps here, I suspect.
posted by hermitosis at 3:57 PM on July 12, 2010

hermitosis does good Shows.

I've got my standing shows every two weeks, but I'm missing some to go to San Diego Comic-Con, where I will be a wart on the pinkie toe of existance. A wart looking for parties.
posted by The Whelk at 4:00 PM on July 12, 2010

Although I'm assuming you wouldn't want a thread for every single one since it's a 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month until August or so kind of thing.

See, and this is the kind of thing I wouldn't mind regular updates for (though maybe once a month would be a good limit for posting). I like the idea of being able to flip over to IRL and look at the upcoming week and read "Craft show... book signing... original theatrical production... music, music, music... bake sale..."

If it gets out of hand we could adjust the standards a bit, but I'd love to see what y'all are putting out there.
posted by hermitosis at 4:01 PM on July 12, 2010

If there's going to be a separate meetup section of the site, it really should be the only place they go.

I agree. Having to manage two threads for last Saturday's Coney Island meetup was a pain. If meetups will still start in Metatalk, maybe at some point the thread should close and point to the IRL thread?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:03 PM on July 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

Someone up-thread has safely used the phrase "in IRL" without anyone ranting about ATM machines or PIN numbers. Maybe this thing will work after all.
posted by GeckoDundee at 4:31 PM on July 12, 2010 [3 favorites]

If meetups will still start in Metatalk, maybe at some point the thread should close and point to the IRL thread?

Maybe something like what happens in projects, where there's functionality to re-post it to the front page and it automatically leaves a note in the projects post to that effect? "This event was posted to MeFiIRL by FishBike on July 12, 2010: Gondwanaland Meetup" in a box at the top, sort of thing, to direct people over there from MetaTalk?
posted by FishBike at 4:55 PM on July 12, 2010 [1 favorite]

I would totally travel back in time 400 million years to attend a Gondwanaland meetup.
posted by twirlip at 5:24 PM on July 12, 2010

twirlip,

I agree, but our solar system was about halfway across the galaxy 400 million years ago, so the airfare is prohibitive, never mind the checked baggage.
posted by lukemeister at 6:01 PM on July 12, 2010

"A wart looking for parties."

Yeah, I would like a way of seeing who is visiting my location so I can offer hospitality and having the mefites whose location I happen to be visiting be able to offer to show me around without taking the risk of proposing a meetup and hearing only crickets.

I'll bring the Compound-W.
posted by vapidave at 9:08 PM on July 12, 2010

I have a hotel!

And the meetup thing is only cause I have LITERALLY NO IDEA what I am going to be doing on any given day during the con.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 PM on July 12, 2010

I suggest we start with meet up proposals in projects, move it to IRL, and once its decided we post it to the front page. The morning after we all go on AskMe to find out what happened, argue about it in MeTa, and then sit back and wait for cortex's song explaining why we woke up where we did.
posted by mannequito at 9:38 PM on July 12, 2010 [4 favorites]

oh yeah, and then we can all look for new Jobs.
posted by mannequito at 9:39 PM on July 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

It would really be better if it did "move" to IRL. The current state of things has it in both places, and people are posting updates to both.

Agree, having used IRL twice now.
posted by desuetude at 9:40 PM on July 12, 2010

Why do I keep seeing meetup threads on MeTa?

So that I can learn about yummy apple-based desserts. THX!
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:11 AM on July 13, 2010

A recent survey of the Chicago meetup thread landscape suggests we have five currently active threads between IRL and MeTa. We wouldn't have it any other way. TINCC.
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:25 AM on July 13, 2010

Once IRL is officially live we're still going to propose meetups over here in MetaTalk. Once the meetup has a solid date/time, it will move to IRL.

What is the logic behind this?
posted by adamdschneider at 8:01 AM on July 13, 2010

I concur that having two threads per meetup is a logistical pain.

Can I suggest something?

Why don't we add a tab to the existing ones (currently I can see Upcoming, Past, Future, Recently Posted and My IRL) called something like 'Proposed Events' or 'Events in Planning', where a thread can be mooted. When the person that posted the event is happy with the decisions in-thread, they update the details and tick a checkbox that makes it a confirmed event, whereupon it appears in the 'Future Events' tab.

You could keep the meetups sidebar in MeTa for those who might not pick up on the change, but all planning and pre/post event shenanigans should really be in one place, no?
posted by Happy Dave at 8:05 AM on July 13, 2010

where a thread can be mooted

where a meetup can be mooted, that should be.
posted by Happy Dave at 8:06 AM on July 13, 2010

PONYTIME:

This might belong in the other IRL thread, but it'd be neat if the events had a link to the original MeTa thread. Or if conventionally people would just do this. Sometimes there's relevant details about how long people plan on hanging and whatnot and they can get lost in the deluge of X user is Doing. It. Wrong. posts that dominate the gray.

_{Yeah, I know search and google search but I hate having to go to the googles.}
posted by edbles at 9:31 AM on July 13, 2010

Entmooted.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:41 AM on July 13, 2010

Entmooted.

Hrm. Hah. Hoo. Don't be hasty now.
posted by never used baby shoes at 10:29 AM on July 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

What is the logic behind this?

Not every decision is based on calculated logic. Meetups have always been organized in MeTa, it feels natural to us, and the system has worked for a long time. We're discussing moving things completely to IRL, and those arguments make total sense, we just sometimes go with our collective gut on things. Right now we have two paths we could walk down: 1.) Move all meetup related activity to IRL. We'd have a proposed status for an event that would not include a firm date/location. Once decided, someone could add the details and the post would move to main area of the site. 2.) Meetups are proposed in MeTa. Once a date/location is set, someone posts the details to IRL. That closes the proposal thread and adds a prominent link to the new home at IRL.

I personally see value in both systems. Option 1 is a bold new way forward, a single place to check for all meetup-related activity. Option 2 keeps us rooted in tradition. People who are used to checking MeTa for budding meetups will continue to see them here. (And we continue to gain the positive effects of breaking up a string of heated arguments with positive threads.)

We don't have a consensus yet, but we'll probably make a decision this week. Thanks for all the feedback so far, and for your patience as we get the new site running.
posted by pb (staff) at 7:05 PM on July 13, 2010

I vote for #1. Tradition in the butt.

We get votes, right?
posted by Plutor at 5:53 AM on July 14, 2010

Be aware that if you have a meetup at your house like we often do in Vermont that adding your event to IRL will map that address. Do what you will with that information.
posted by terrapin at 6:28 AM on July 14, 2010

I really like Option #2. We know that some areas of the site are Grand Central, and some are outlying depot stations. MeTa is closer to being a Grand Central, and it's more likely that people will visit here to see what's happening sitewise in all ways, including meetups. I think it's less likely that people will wander by IRL just to see what's going on. So it makes sense to me: propose and hash out the plan here, then move it to IRL once it's a scheduled gig. That remains consistent with the other content on IRL, which is also concretely scheduled gigs. Meanwhile, MeTa, the place for Metafilter-related content, remains the place to go to learn about plans for specifically Metafilter-related gatherings.

I think doing it the other way would be a pretty long and painful change of habit for folks, and likely the awareness of meetups, and perhaps attendance, would drop as a result - maybe only short-term, but possibly long-term as well. Working with the site's history of habitual use, using a more organic-outgrowth planning approach, makes sense to me.
posted by Miko at 6:32 AM on July 14, 2010

What about moving all meetup-planning to IRL (love the idea of a proposed tab!) but keeping the sidebar in MeTa to show upcoming meetups?

The frustrating thing with starting things in MeTa, then making a decision and posting it to IRL is that the whole discussion gets lost. Plus, if you were discussing the meetup, the new IRL thread isn't in your recent activity.

Unless the whole thread gets picked up and moved? But then it's not in MeTa anymore anyway. Content moves pretty quickly off the front page of MeTa anyway.
posted by desuetude at 6:58 AM on July 14, 2010

Small suggestion: add the day of the week to the individual event pages. I don't think it's anywhere on that page, just on the front page.

Like the line where it says, e.g. "July 17 at 7:30 PM, The Strange Brew"
posted by smackfu at 8:11 AM on July 14, 2010

Yeah, added. That is handy.
posted by pb (staff) at 9:48 AM on July 14, 2010