Who the hell are you people? December 10, 2010 3:34 PM Subscribe
I like to know things. I like to know things about people. I especially like to know things about people who I interact with online. It bums me right out that it seems so few newer members take the time, or wish to, fill out anything in their profile. Is there any way to encourage this?
Without casting aspersions on anyone, it's something I've noticed when I click through to a profile from a AskMe question which gob smacks me. Most recent example is this question/asker.
I know that any time information is required you get a) fewer people joining and b) a higher instance of BS information. But even a bit of BS would be a nice change of pace.
I realize there's also a good chance I may be the only one that gives a crap about stuff like this.
Without casting aspersions on anyone, it's something I've noticed when I click through to a profile from a AskMe question which gob smacks me. Most recent example is this question/asker.
I know that any time information is required you get a) fewer people joining and b) a higher instance of BS information. But even a bit of BS would be a nice change of pace.
I realize there's also a good chance I may be the only one that gives a crap about stuff like this.
I very much doubt this will happen. Some people are very happy with the almost-no information about them floating out in the ether. Especially when it may lead to real-world consequences, as could happen with the question you linked to.
Are you bothered by anonymous questions as well?
posted by lilac girl at 3:41 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
Are you bothered by anonymous questions as well?
posted by lilac girl at 3:41 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
You will know me by the trail of dead.
posted by The Whelk at 3:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [21 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 3:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [21 favorites]
Maybe add an optional "tell us about yourself" box to the end of the sign-up process? The questions currently attached to all profile pages are okay, but you kinda have to go out of your way to find them. I suspect a lot of users never fiddle with their preferences. (if you know what i mean)
posted by Rhaomi at 3:43 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by Rhaomi at 3:43 PM on December 10, 2010
lilac girl - not at all bothered by anonymous questions and I get that there are plenty of folks who don't want to share such information. But I'm also willing to bet there are people who just never even thought to fill that out. It's been so long since I signed up that I have completely forgotten the process.
posted by FlamingBore at 3:46 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by FlamingBore at 3:46 PM on December 10, 2010
It would be really awesome if there were a 'tour' of the entire site that was offered upon sign-up. OK Cupid encourages profile completion by reporting to users the 'percent complete' their profile is (and includes things like interacting with other users). FB just took over the browser window for a few minutes when I upgraded to the new profile layout.
I know that when I signed up to use the site nearly ten years ago, I was motivated to figure out how everything worked because I had a specific purpose in signing up. I get the idea that a lot of people register for a similar reason these days, but the site has grown out so much that the motivation only goes so far as posting a question or commenting in one thread. There's a lot of stuff to do around MeFi, but there's no coherent map of the entire site anywhere, is there?
Upon a bit of poking around, the Orientation page on the wiki looks like a great resource.... any chance of getting that linked from the newuser.cfm page or whatever landing page is shown when a registration is completed?
posted by carsonb at 3:46 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
I know that when I signed up to use the site nearly ten years ago, I was motivated to figure out how everything worked because I had a specific purpose in signing up. I get the idea that a lot of people register for a similar reason these days, but the site has grown out so much that the motivation only goes so far as posting a question or commenting in one thread. There's a lot of stuff to do around MeFi, but there's no coherent map of the entire site anywhere, is there?
Upon a bit of poking around, the Orientation page on the wiki looks like a great resource.... any chance of getting that linked from the newuser.cfm page or whatever landing page is shown when a registration is completed?
posted by carsonb at 3:46 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
That's a good point, carsonb. Whenever somebody I know joins Mefi, I send them a mini-guide outlining the subsites, the posting guidelines, who the moderators are, etc. I originally figured it out myself by reading the Mefi wiki, but that isn't very prominent in the sign-up process.
posted by Rhaomi at 3:52 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Rhaomi at 3:52 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
OK Cupid encourages profile completion by reporting to users the 'percent complete' their profile is (and includes things like interacting with other users)
Your MetaFilter experience is 70% complete. Get your AskMe question deleted to get 75%.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 3:58 PM on December 10, 2010 [23 favorites]
Your MetaFilter experience is 70% complete. Get your AskMe question deleted to get 75%.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 3:58 PM on December 10, 2010 [23 favorites]
The Whelk: "You will know me by the trail mix of dead." #fatindiebands
posted by boo_radley at 3:58 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by boo_radley at 3:58 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm a newb, only been here a few years now. My profile is empty. If you really cared about me you'ld memail me. You heartless fucker.
posted by Elmore at 3:59 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Elmore at 3:59 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seconding carsonb-a tour at sign up would be very useful. I am a relatively new user and have filled out the obvious stuff but that's it. The site is actually way more than it appears at first glance. I started in Askmefi, took about three months to figure out how Metatalk works, finally actually went to regular metafilter in the last month or so and honestly don't know where to begin with all the greasemonkey scripts people are always talking about. I'm above average technology wise in the general population, but around here, I'm like a caveman. I'm not even 100% on how some people have done what they've done to their profile, and I don't just mean the gators and others who date back to when you could really personalize it. I was thrilled to read pb's explanation on the latitude/longitude thing. So yeah, a tour or a set of links for "required reading" sorta speak would be good.
Having said all that, you've inspired me. I'll go try and figure some of it out. I've been here almost a year, it's about time for me to show some damn initiative.
posted by supercapitalist at 4:01 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Having said all that, you've inspired me. I'll go try and figure some of it out. I've been here almost a year, it's about time for me to show some damn initiative.
posted by supercapitalist at 4:01 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best profile contest.
posted by Eideteker at 4:07 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Eideteker at 4:07 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dead is not how I would describe the trail of most whelks. Slippery maybe.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 4:10 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by kuujjuarapik at 4:10 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
IDK, I think I reveal enough random shit about myself when drunkenly responding to AskMes. Anything I wrote on my profile would feel too much like a personal ad.
posted by elizardbits at 4:12 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 4:12 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
Go read my profile! There's tons of crap in it that you probably couldn't care less about.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:14 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:14 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
The bloody-jawed alligator one.
But seriously, a video tour would be a fun little thing. It could include all the subsites, subtly encouraging people not to just hang out on Ask all the time but to join in discussions on the Blue, add their Flickr and Twitter gizmos to their profiles, pop in to MetaTalk once in a while to eyeball the policy discussions, and so forth.
posted by Gator at 4:15 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
But seriously, a video tour would be a fun little thing. It could include all the subsites, subtly encouraging people not to just hang out on Ask all the time but to join in discussions on the Blue, add their Flickr and Twitter gizmos to their profiles, pop in to MetaTalk once in a while to eyeball the policy discussions, and so forth.
posted by Gator at 4:15 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
The more people get to know me, the less they like me, so I've kept things deliberately vague.
posted by Abiezer at 4:25 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 4:25 PM on December 10, 2010
From Sidhedevil's profile:
Sidhedevil rhymes with "she-devil", and I think that says it all.
Isn't this sort of like saying "there" rhymes with "their"? It's not a rhyme, it's basically the same pronunciation.
posted by Justinian at 4:31 PM on December 10, 2010
Sidhedevil rhymes with "she-devil", and I think that says it all.
Isn't this sort of like saying "there" rhymes with "their"? It's not a rhyme, it's basically the same pronunciation.
posted by Justinian at 4:31 PM on December 10, 2010
I feel like an idiot. I've been pronouncing it "Throat Warbler Mangrove" this whole time.
posted by Gator at 4:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by Gator at 4:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [7 favorites]
I don't really want my identity getting out any more than it already is. I'm an online recluse at this point. A google search of my real name comes up with a measly two genuine hits, most hits are of the evil twin Mister Fabulous (only other person on earth with my first and last name). I deleted my zuckerbook page months ago. I don't really want to add more detail to my profile, other than I took my name from a movie I like, and that I can be found somewhere around Lolo Pass a few times each year.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 4:44 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by Mister Fabulous at 4:44 PM on December 10, 2010
You seem to be missing the fact that so much information is available about each user beyond their profile. If you look through my contributions on the site (or the contributions of any other user) you'll learn more about me than you would ever actually care to know. I am an editor. I have a dog. I immigrated to Canada from the US, I have lived in China, my husband left me for another woman and I was devastated. Seriously, what else do you need to know? I am five foot four and I take a size 9 shoe.
posted by kate blank at 4:46 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by kate blank at 4:46 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
I've worked up a short video which I think provides most of the information new members need to know about Metafilter. If you can think of anything I missed, please let me know.
posted by ND¢ at 4:54 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by ND¢ at 4:54 PM on December 10, 2010
Isn't this sort of like saying "there" rhymes with "their"? It's not a rhyme, it's basically the same pronunciation.
Only if you don't speak Irish.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:59 PM on December 10, 2010
Only if you don't speak Irish.
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:59 PM on December 10, 2010
::goes to change it::
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:59 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:59 PM on December 10, 2010
Seriously, what else do you need to know?
Coke or Pepsi? Smooth or chunky? Eat the Oreo whole, or split it?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2010
Coke or Pepsi? Smooth or chunky? Eat the Oreo whole, or split it?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2010
kate blank, I am sorry to hear about all this husband stuff. Your husband is clearly deficient in the appreciation of AWESOME because you are AWESOME. Sometimes people just don't know what's good, I guess.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
FlamingBore: “It bums me right out that it seems so few newer members take the time, or wish to, fill out anything in their profile.”
Easy there, Zuckerberg.
posted by koeselitz at 5:09 PM on December 10, 2010 [17 favorites]
Easy there, Zuckerberg.
posted by koeselitz at 5:09 PM on December 10, 2010 [17 favorites]
I don't want you knowing anything about me.
Even in saying so, I'm already betraying my own privacy.
posted by darksasami at 5:12 PM on December 10, 2010
Even in saying so, I'm already betraying my own privacy.
posted by darksasami at 5:12 PM on December 10, 2010
Seriously, what else do you need to know?
Coke or Pepsi? Smooth or chunky? Eat the Oreo whole, or split it?
Plain or peanut? Ginger or Mary Ann? Gideon or Rossi?
posted by jgirl at 5:14 PM on December 10, 2010
I got the chicken pox when I was nineteen. Diagramming sentences makes me angry. I believe in a healthy dose of chilvary. Geez, what more do you want to know?
posted by litnerd at 5:20 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by litnerd at 5:20 PM on December 10, 2010
Coke (Dr Pepper). Chunky (but I don't actually like peanut butter). Whole (but split the mint ones). Peanut (the almond m&ms are better). Ginger (superior dress sense). Who or who?
I thought reading through slightly out of context in-thread comments was part of the fun of figuring out people on MeFi. Do other people not do that?
posted by Mizu at 5:25 PM on December 10, 2010
I thought reading through slightly out of context in-thread comments was part of the fun of figuring out people on MeFi. Do other people not do that?
posted by Mizu at 5:25 PM on December 10, 2010
After many episodes where people pull profile info into threads, I decided that it's just about googlable. I'm almost certainly uniquely identified from my postings, but there's no need to make it easy. I don't necessarily mind that a few people can connect my real life to online discussion, but it would be no fun for eg students or potential employers to do so with 10 minutes.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:25 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:25 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
not only is chivalry dead, it's misspelled... punchline from one of my favorite jokes.
I'm with the people that don't want *too* much information out there for anyone to see. I have a crazy ex I'd rather not know where I am.
posted by patheral at 5:28 PM on December 10, 2010
I'm with the people that don't want *too* much information out there for anyone to see. I have a crazy ex I'd rather not know where I am.
posted by patheral at 5:28 PM on December 10, 2010
What do you want to know? I'll tell you anything about anyone.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:35 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 5:35 PM on December 10, 2010
a/s/l? my AOL account is older than yours
posted by Mister Fabulous at 5:56 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by Mister Fabulous at 5:56 PM on December 10, 2010
Collect all moderator action figures to get to 85%
posted by special-k at 5:59 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by special-k at 5:59 PM on December 10, 2010
I am The Misfits. My songs are better.
posted by mintcake! at 6:00 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by mintcake! at 6:00 PM on December 10, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yeah. Basically, I'm exposing far too much about myself already through my posts and comments, frankly. If you want to know me better you have to work for it (not very hard, but...). I used to have more on my profile but decided in the last six months I didn't really want to expose that much about myself. Everyone has a different take on it, but I'm rather deliberate about what I show on my profile page (which, for the record, still has a fair amount of crap on it, just not really anything specifically about me). Contrast me (or, hell, most folks on this site) with John Cohen, for example...he has very specific ideas about how and why to expose yourself on the web. I respect that a lot, but it's not for me.
Anyways, I'm just trying to say everyone has a different way of approaching this.
posted by dubitable at 6:11 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Anyways, I'm just trying to say everyone has a different way of approaching this.
posted by dubitable at 6:11 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
You used to be able to throw a username or number into the MarkovFilter and find out everything you need to know.
Those were the days.
posted by Sailormom at 7:01 PM on December 10, 2010
Those were the days.
posted by Sailormom at 7:01 PM on December 10, 2010
trust me, philip-random (the online persona) is far more interesting, dangerous, fabulous, absurd, adventurous than the sad, overwhelmed drones who write most of his copy.
that's my story and I'm sticking to it
posted by philip-random at 7:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
that's my story and I'm sticking to it
posted by philip-random at 7:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, since you ask, I was born on a dirt farm in the most Southwestern part of the U.S. in the year 1900 and 68. What is a dirt farm, you ask? Well it's a farm that makes very special dirt using worms. Earth worms. That was a good year. The worms produced enough dirt that year that my folks had enough to sell to the local orchards and tomato farms for the next two years. You might say that it was a banner year, except that Pa chopped off a toe while building a fence and so my Ma had to tend the dirt field and well, that's how I was born. Right there in the dirt field.
There was a Mexican family that lived about a half-mile south of us, horse ranchers, that would sometimes come up and trade some fresh eggs or lemons for some worm-dirt. When I was born a couple of those fellas was coming up the road with eggs and heard my Ma grunting and whatnot, and realized she was giving birth to me. They dropped the eggs ran inside our casita and grabbed blankets and wrapped my Ma up like a mummy.
Even though there were only four ranches, three horse ranches and our dirt farm, between Otay Mesa and the Pacific Ocean, somehow our county fathers had decided to install a trolley system running from the Mesa to the ocean. Mid way between the Mesa and the ocean was the great 101 interstate highway. At that time it looked like a four-way stop, but it was the one way to get into Mexico from California. On one of the corners of that four-way stop was South San Diego's very first fire station.
So, after having been dropped in the dirt, wrapped in woolen blankets by caballeros, hauled onto and carried by a primitive electric trolley to a firestation outpost, I was finally unveiled by the Fire Chief who exclaimed, "It's a BOY!!!"
Sorry, is that too much? Should I go on?
posted by snsranch at 7:39 PM on December 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
There was a Mexican family that lived about a half-mile south of us, horse ranchers, that would sometimes come up and trade some fresh eggs or lemons for some worm-dirt. When I was born a couple of those fellas was coming up the road with eggs and heard my Ma grunting and whatnot, and realized she was giving birth to me. They dropped the eggs ran inside our casita and grabbed blankets and wrapped my Ma up like a mummy.
Even though there were only four ranches, three horse ranches and our dirt farm, between Otay Mesa and the Pacific Ocean, somehow our county fathers had decided to install a trolley system running from the Mesa to the ocean. Mid way between the Mesa and the ocean was the great 101 interstate highway. At that time it looked like a four-way stop, but it was the one way to get into Mexico from California. On one of the corners of that four-way stop was South San Diego's very first fire station.
So, after having been dropped in the dirt, wrapped in woolen blankets by caballeros, hauled onto and carried by a primitive electric trolley to a firestation outpost, I was finally unveiled by the Fire Chief who exclaimed, "It's a BOY!!!"
Sorry, is that too much? Should I go on?
posted by snsranch at 7:39 PM on December 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
I prefer when people put at least gender, rough geographic location, and occupation in the profile, just so I can make a bit of sense out of certain comments when they don't specify. Other than that, I like finding out organically bit by bit just by reading the site.
posted by ctmf at 7:44 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by ctmf at 7:44 PM on December 10, 2010
40, male, Iowa, smooth.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:58 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by cjorgensen at 7:58 PM on December 10, 2010
My data is just a memory implant from Tyrell Corporation.
posted by effluvia at 8:36 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by effluvia at 8:36 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
My brother Esau is an chunky man, but I am a smooth man.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:37 PM on December 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:37 PM on December 10, 2010 [4 favorites]
John Cohen, for example...he has very specific ideas about how and why to expose yourself on the web.
Not what I expected.
posted by erikgrande at 8:37 PM on December 10, 2010
Not what I expected.
posted by erikgrande at 8:37 PM on December 10, 2010
I like finding out organically bit by bit just by reading the site
Me too. It's fun watching unfamiliar usernames gradually resolve over time into people you kind of know.
I like parsnips, but not as much as my co-worker Brian likes parsnips, so today I took in some spare parsnips for Brian.
When I got home from work I found a slug on my kitchen faucet. I don't know how it got there, but I put it out on the geraniums. I hope it's happy there.
I haven't had dinner yet and it's getting late.
posted by tangerine at 8:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Me too. It's fun watching unfamiliar usernames gradually resolve over time into people you kind of know.
I like parsnips, but not as much as my co-worker Brian likes parsnips, so today I took in some spare parsnips for Brian.
When I got home from work I found a slug on my kitchen faucet. I don't know how it got there, but I put it out on the geraniums. I hope it's happy there.
I haven't had dinner yet and it's getting late.
posted by tangerine at 8:42 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best profile contest.
The only way to win is not to play.
posted by ryoshu at 8:47 PM on December 10, 2010
The only way to win is not to play.
posted by ryoshu at 8:47 PM on December 10, 2010
When I signed up I was still trying to keep my online and IRL identities a little bit separate -- going back to a time when I was working as an investigative journo and really had to do this as a condition of my employment. But since then I've gotten a lot looser about the whole thing and decided to be pretty much an open book. So it's not hard to figure out my IRL at all.
Anyway, born mid '60s in England. Grammar School, Oxford Uni for a year of math and three of English, a year in the US working as a photographer, ten years in England workins as a resarcher, producer and director of documentaries, ten years in Canada working as a Hollywood screenwriter. Wife, three kids, fifty acres, tractor, nice big office in the attic. Still write music and take photos.
Online since, I dunno, '93 or so?
posted by unSane at 9:03 PM on December 10, 2010
Anyway, born mid '60s in England. Grammar School, Oxford Uni for a year of math and three of English, a year in the US working as a photographer, ten years in England workins as a resarcher, producer and director of documentaries, ten years in Canada working as a Hollywood screenwriter. Wife, three kids, fifty acres, tractor, nice big office in the attic. Still write music and take photos.
Online since, I dunno, '93 or so?
posted by unSane at 9:03 PM on December 10, 2010
Incidentally I totally agree that a bit more info on the profile page would be smashing. Right now it is all 'tell us about your username', which is kind of dated and limited, and has some stuff about 'when did you start using the internet?' which is frankly passing out of living memory for an increasing segment of the population.
posted by unSane at 9:07 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by unSane at 9:07 PM on December 10, 2010 [2 favorites]
Everything on my profile is a lie.
posted by .kobayashi. at 9:11 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by .kobayashi. at 9:11 PM on December 10, 2010
Fine, you've twisted my arm, so I've filled out my profile with absolutely true facts. Happy now?
posted by kmz at 9:17 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by kmz at 9:17 PM on December 10, 2010
I want to know nothing about any of you.
That which has been seen cannot be unseen.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:25 PM on December 10, 2010
That which has been seen cannot be unseen.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:25 PM on December 10, 2010
But what we really want to know is whether you have ever taken photos of your dog and we have no way of finding that out.
I laughed out loud. You are clearly right on that one.
Your husband is clearly deficient in the appreciation of AWESOME because you are AWESOME.
That's a really lovely thing to say. Thank you.
posted by kate blank at 9:32 PM on December 10, 2010
I laughed out loud. You are clearly right on that one.
Your husband is clearly deficient in the appreciation of AWESOME because you are AWESOME.
That's a really lovely thing to say. Thank you.
posted by kate blank at 9:32 PM on December 10, 2010
I like it when people have pictures in their profiles. Pictures of themselves.
Generally I find it easier to trust users who have more information in their profiles, and so, for myself, I try to be as complete as I would like others to be.
posted by fake at 11:01 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Generally I find it easier to trust users who have more information in their profiles, and so, for myself, I try to be as complete as I would like others to be.
posted by fake at 11:01 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
I deleted most of the stuff in my profile after having a nightmare that someone assumed my identity using information from it. It was a pretty stupid freakout, considering that nothing in there was all that private, and my identify isn't really the sort of thing anyone would covet, but I just haven't bothered putting things back up on the page.
I am somewhat paranoid and lazy.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
I am somewhat paranoid and lazy.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:02 PM on December 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
You want to know me? Take a look at my popular favorites, or at what I've favorited.
posted by orthogonality at 11:04 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by orthogonality at 11:04 PM on December 10, 2010
how can anyone be expected to capture their true essence within a small profile? i, for one, would rather you suffer my online existence within multiple contexts. the reward for doing so is a finely granulated and richer understanding of my online identity.
posted by the aloha at 11:07 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by the aloha at 11:07 PM on December 10, 2010
But seriously, a video tour would be a fun little thing.
Can the video tour be a lip dub instead?
My profile photo is a lie. I don't really have a glorious mustache. Also, it's a wig.
posted by mewithoutyou at 12:23 AM on December 11, 2010
Can the video tour be a lip dub instead?
My profile photo is a lie. I don't really have a glorious mustache. Also, it's a wig.
posted by mewithoutyou at 12:23 AM on December 11, 2010
So many have come to dwell behind a panarchy mask
Lost between the delusive dimensions of identity
Unable to perceive that which is deemed real
They dare not throw aside the caparison that veils the real
Lest those that wish to deceive and to mask
Would reveal the abstersive truth of their own identity
Yet if all would but don the verisimilitude of their identity
Then the shadows cast would corrivate into the real
And no longer would there lie merit within a mask
Are you the mask of your identity or are you real?
-- Sheri WaltersHockman
posted by DreamerFi at 1:06 AM on December 11, 2010
Lost between the delusive dimensions of identity
Unable to perceive that which is deemed real
They dare not throw aside the caparison that veils the real
Lest those that wish to deceive and to mask
Would reveal the abstersive truth of their own identity
Yet if all would but don the verisimilitude of their identity
Then the shadows cast would corrivate into the real
And no longer would there lie merit within a mask
Are you the mask of your identity or are you real?
-- Sheri WaltersHockman
posted by DreamerFi at 1:06 AM on December 11, 2010
If you look at my profile, you will learn almost nothing about me; if you look at my posting history, you will know way too much about me. Way more than you ever wanted to know. Like, creepy amounts of stuff.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:13 AM on December 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by louche mustachio at 1:13 AM on December 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
My
at least not on my face.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:14 AM on December 11, 2010
If you knew me in "real life" and made the assumption I was a member here, there's no way in the world you wouldn't figure out my member ID within minutes.
I think my comment history makes clear that I'm a fairly boring middle-aged guy.
posted by maxwelton at 2:08 AM on December 11, 2010
I think my comment history makes clear that I'm a fairly boring middle-aged guy.
posted by maxwelton at 2:08 AM on December 11, 2010
My profile pic is a bit misleading as well - I'm not really entitled to wear a crown.
posted by Abiezer at 2:39 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 2:39 AM on December 11, 2010
Wait a minute ... there is an orientation page? I thought we were *required* to bump around in the dark making mistakes.
posted by Surfurrus at 3:28 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Surfurrus at 3:28 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Two cents:
Cent 1: "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---" are some of the wisest greatest words ever put to paper. It is not true that everyone on this site has had as interesting a life as Dee Extrovert, but it is true that many have a lot of interesting things to say. If I had absorbed Emily Dickinson's wisdom a little earlier, I could have signed up with my real name and degree of internet cloaking would not ever have been an issue for me.
Cent 2: I concur with the mis-take on the "How did you choose your user name" question on the user page. When I joined and for years after, I thought that was a question for literal answering. It only gradually dawned on me that other people would be inclined to just go ape inside that box.
posted by bukvich at 6:15 AM on December 11, 2010
Cent 1: "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant---" are some of the wisest greatest words ever put to paper. It is not true that everyone on this site has had as interesting a life as Dee Extrovert, but it is true that many have a lot of interesting things to say. If I had absorbed Emily Dickinson's wisdom a little earlier, I could have signed up with my real name and degree of internet cloaking would not ever have been an issue for me.
Cent 2: I concur with the mis-take on the "How did you choose your user name" question on the user page. When I joined and for years after, I thought that was a question for literal answering. It only gradually dawned on me that other people would be inclined to just go ape inside that box.
posted by bukvich at 6:15 AM on December 11, 2010
My data is just a memory implant from Tyrell Corporation.
You mean Google Corp don't you?
posted by sammyo at 6:18 AM on December 11, 2010
You mean Google Corp don't you?
posted by sammyo at 6:18 AM on December 11, 2010
I think there's a lot of reasons why people might prefer not to divulge personal information and photos on an essentially public forum. Speaking for myself, I am uncomfortable with giving out personal information on-line because I am a high school teacher and would much rather that my students not have access to my private life. I am also generally uneasy about giving strangers too much access to my intimate minutiae. Maybe that makes me sound like a Luddite, but I prefer the small shelter of quasi-anonymity when I'm on the interwebz.
posted by Go Banana at 6:30 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Go Banana at 6:30 AM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Maybe we should make our profiles more like the bios from high school drama productions (I'm guessing MetaFilter is a place where this will be a familiar concept), in which case I would have:
Mrs. Pterodactyl is brought to you by the letters N and S and by the number 6.
and
Most people determine probability using math. Mrs. Pterodactyl determines probability by doing things an infinite number of times.
I sort of think the two of those tell you everything you need to know about me.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 7:00 AM on December 11, 2010
Mrs. Pterodactyl is brought to you by the letters N and S and by the number 6.
and
Most people determine probability using math. Mrs. Pterodactyl determines probability by doing things an infinite number of times.
I sort of think the two of those tell you everything you need to know about me.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 7:00 AM on December 11, 2010
If you knew me in "real life" and made the assumption I was a member here, there's no way in the world you wouldn't figure out my member ID within minutes.
I think my comment history makes clear that I'm a fairly boring middle-aged guy.
posted by maxwelton at 5:08 AM on December 11 [+] [!]
What I know about you is that you incite jealousy in me every single time I see your username. I'm a bit Whidbey-ist!
posted by Jazz Hands at 7:03 AM on December 11, 2010
I think my comment history makes clear that I'm a fairly boring middle-aged guy.
posted by maxwelton at 5:08 AM on December 11 [+] [!]
What I know about you is that you incite jealousy in me every single time I see your username. I'm a bit Whidbey-ist!
posted by Jazz Hands at 7:03 AM on December 11, 2010
Ok, ok. I don't actually live in CAT TOWN. I just wanted you guys to like me.
posted by everichon at 8:04 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by everichon at 8:04 AM on December 11, 2010
Don't spend lots of time on hookup sites eh Hal_ c_on?
posted by The Whelk at 8:25 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by The Whelk at 8:25 AM on December 11, 2010
carrion,
caput mortuum,
orts,
pelf,
fenks,
sordes,
gurry dumped from hospital trashcans.
Lieutenant!
This corpse will not stop burning!
posted by clavdivs at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2010
caput mortuum,
orts,
pelf,
fenks,
sordes,
gurry dumped from hospital trashcans.
Lieutenant!
This corpse will not stop burning!
posted by clavdivs at 9:27 AM on December 11, 2010
Everything I say on the internet is a lie.
posted by Decani
Hmmm? If everything you say online is a lie, then what you just said here is a lie, which makes everything you say ... not a lie?
and thus he was consumed by this strange loop of language, and never hear from ever again
posted by philip-random at 11:11 AM on December 11, 2010
posted by Decani
Hmmm? If everything you say online is a lie, then what you just said here is a lie, which makes everything you say ... not a lie?
and thus he was consumed by this strange loop of language, and never hear from ever again
posted by philip-random at 11:11 AM on December 11, 2010
nthing the idea of a tour when you join. What a great idea! I can't believe no one thought of it before (or, if they did, didn't post the idea). Just a simple video (or even a video of stills of each subsite, with a voice-over briefly explaining their purpose and a few dos and don'ts).
Okay - my first foray into projects. If someone far more knowledgeable and level-headed than I would care to co-script the audio, I am willing and eager to make a video tour and post it to the YouTube channel.
Takers? Should I post this to the projects subsite? Perhaps we can collab on the script?
posted by tzikeh at 11:42 AM on December 11, 2010
Okay - my first foray into projects. If someone far more knowledgeable and level-headed than I would care to co-script the audio, I am willing and eager to make a video tour and post it to the YouTube channel.
Takers? Should I post this to the projects subsite? Perhaps we can collab on the script?
posted by tzikeh at 11:42 AM on December 11, 2010
I prefer to outsource my profile to other pages. Just as MetaFilter is a place to find things from all around my web, so too does my profile function as a MetaProfile, which says nothing but takes you to sources of wisdom.
No clue why but I have a particular obsession with the display of information online. I get really fidgety when people link to things that aren't active, or not particularly informative. Which is why I don't use Flickr or Last.fm anymore: I don't like photos that aren't meaningfully organized, and I don't really think that you can learn a lot about somebody by the music they listen to. (If it's really popular music, then too many people listen for it to mean anything; if it's too obscure, then I haven't heard of it and don't know what it means.)
I also actively develop mild irritation/anger towards web sites that simultaneously make me want to use them but don't give me much of an incentive to do so. Like, I love Twitter but have no reason to use mine, so it just sort of sits there in the corner, looking sad. And I use Steam a lot, but I don't play video games enough to feel like I'm part of the "gamer community", and so my profile pretty much only has on it a recommendation for Blueberry Garden, which is maybe my favorite game, but which I don't think any other human being has ever played even though it costs five dollars and MAYBE IF I LINK TO IT ON MY STEAM PROFILE THEN EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE. But it doesn't.
Possibly it's because I grew up on small Internet forums. So my instinct is to click every link on a person's profile and see the way they portray themselves. When I click things on profiles that don't go anyway that person's soul is cheapened in my eyes and I will never forgive them. This simultaneously makes me paranoid and so I constantly jiggle with my profile in the hopes that I will not be similarly dismissed by other obsessive profile-clickers.
Therefore the logical solution is to prevent users from having profiles, other than maybe letting them link to a single cat video. And we'll further force them to link to one of Maru in case they aren't classy enough to have good taste in cute cats. And none of the really popular Maru videos because honestly how tasteless can you I think I need to lie down now
posted by Rory Marinich at 1:14 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
No clue why but I have a particular obsession with the display of information online. I get really fidgety when people link to things that aren't active, or not particularly informative. Which is why I don't use Flickr or Last.fm anymore: I don't like photos that aren't meaningfully organized, and I don't really think that you can learn a lot about somebody by the music they listen to. (If it's really popular music, then too many people listen for it to mean anything; if it's too obscure, then I haven't heard of it and don't know what it means.)
I also actively develop mild irritation/anger towards web sites that simultaneously make me want to use them but don't give me much of an incentive to do so. Like, I love Twitter but have no reason to use mine, so it just sort of sits there in the corner, looking sad. And I use Steam a lot, but I don't play video games enough to feel like I'm part of the "gamer community", and so my profile pretty much only has on it a recommendation for Blueberry Garden, which is maybe my favorite game, but which I don't think any other human being has ever played even though it costs five dollars and MAYBE IF I LINK TO IT ON MY STEAM PROFILE THEN EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE. But it doesn't.
Possibly it's because I grew up on small Internet forums. So my instinct is to click every link on a person's profile and see the way they portray themselves. When I click things on profiles that don't go anyway that person's soul is cheapened in my eyes and I will never forgive them. This simultaneously makes me paranoid and so I constantly jiggle with my profile in the hopes that I will not be similarly dismissed by other obsessive profile-clickers.
Therefore the logical solution is to prevent users from having profiles, other than maybe letting them link to a single cat video. And we'll further force them to link to one of Maru in case they aren't classy enough to have good taste in cute cats. And none of the really popular Maru videos because honestly how tasteless can you I think I need to lie down now
posted by Rory Marinich at 1:14 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
If somebody really is going to work on a tour of some sort, please be sure to include an interlude on the flagging mechanism, with an emphasis on the fact that flagging problematic stuff is NOT censorship or a Serious Thing only to be used in the most extreme emergencies, but a tool that would probably work better if a few more people actually used it.
posted by Gator at 4:45 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by Gator at 4:45 PM on December 11, 2010
Eh, I have info in my profile, but I also have one of them blogs that's big with the kids these days. So, if you really want too much info, it's right there for your perusal.
Also: it gives you my name, location, and voice part. What more info do you need?
posted by sonika at 5:37 PM on December 11, 2010
Also: it gives you my name, location, and voice part. What more info do you need?
posted by sonika at 5:37 PM on December 11, 2010
I don't have much in my profile because I am a flaming bo-- well what I mean really is uh you see
posted by synaesthetichaze at 6:48 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by synaesthetichaze at 6:48 PM on December 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Speaking as a new (new! new! signed up last week after lurking for literally years; paypal now owns my soul despite my best efforts!) member, I had some serious cognitive dissonance when the time came to fill out my very own profile. It's not that I didn't know of profiles, or know that I should fill mine out (see: previously mentioned years of lurking); it's just that it's different when it's MY privacy instead of someone else's.
On one hand, I tend to look askance at posters here who have bare profiles when I check them out, automatically assigning them slightly less likelihood of being real, live people and slightly more of being a [spammer|troll|dog in a Gary Larson cartoon].
On the other hand, when I was staring at those empty boxes just waiting to be filled with my information on my profile, it seemed far safer to not narrow down anything enough that people could use it to identify me. I know of at least one co-worker who has been a member here; I know of at least one person here who hangs out on another site that I devote many hours to. Frankly, I'm super-hesitant to let the information streams cross. I deliberately chose a username here different than the one I go by most other places, with the assumption that in asking questions and discussing links here, I'll probably be revealing things I'd rather not the other compartments of my life know about.
I'm still trying to figure out how much information I can include in a profile here without upsetting the balance between not letting anyone who happens to stumble on it zero in on "hey, I know who this is!" if they've encountered me elsewhere, and being "that mysterious girl who won't give up any information and thus can't really become part of the community here".
There, see? I admitted to being a girl, look what you've made me do!
posted by badgermushroomSNAKE at 6:55 PM on December 11, 2010
On one hand, I tend to look askance at posters here who have bare profiles when I check them out, automatically assigning them slightly less likelihood of being real, live people and slightly more of being a [spammer|troll|dog in a Gary Larson cartoon].
On the other hand, when I was staring at those empty boxes just waiting to be filled with my information on my profile, it seemed far safer to not narrow down anything enough that people could use it to identify me. I know of at least one co-worker who has been a member here; I know of at least one person here who hangs out on another site that I devote many hours to. Frankly, I'm super-hesitant to let the information streams cross. I deliberately chose a username here different than the one I go by most other places, with the assumption that in asking questions and discussing links here, I'll probably be revealing things I'd rather not the other compartments of my life know about.
I'm still trying to figure out how much information I can include in a profile here without upsetting the balance between not letting anyone who happens to stumble on it zero in on "hey, I know who this is!" if they've encountered me elsewhere, and being "that mysterious girl who won't give up any information and thus can't really become part of the community here".
There, see? I admitted to being a girl, look what you've made me do!
posted by badgermushroomSNAKE at 6:55 PM on December 11, 2010
I thought I'd done enough by revealing my full name, my actual geographical position, and my real face.
posted by flabdablet at 7:20 PM on December 11, 2010
posted by flabdablet at 7:20 PM on December 11, 2010
Mine is, but I'm wearing a clever disguise; nobody knows it's me.
posted by flabdablet's sock puppet at 6:56 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet's sock puppet at 6:56 AM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, me next! Look at me, look at me!
posted by santaslittlehelper at 6:41 PM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by santaslittlehelper at 6:41 PM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm shy and lazy but I have dootifully filled in a few more of the profile blanks. I dedicate all this new info to my spouses whom I love very much.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 8:48 PM on December 12, 2010
posted by a humble nudibranch at 8:48 PM on December 12, 2010
I'm wearing two pairs of boots!
posted by special-k at 8:53 PM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by special-k at 8:53 PM on December 12, 2010 [1 favorite]
I was once literally thrown into the gutter after an intense argument in a piano bar.
That should tell you enough.
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 PM on December 12, 2010
That should tell you enough.
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 PM on December 12, 2010
1 When I had come into being in the being of the Being One who came into being on the First Occasion,
2 when I had come into being in the being of the Being One,
3 it meant that my coming into being was the coming into being of beings,
4 for I am more primeval than the Primeval Ones whom I have created.
5 (Because) I have been primeval among the Primeval Ones,
6 my name is more primeval than they.
7 (And when) I had made the primevalness of the Primeval Ones,
8 I did my every wish in this land in which I had become broad.
9 I had clenched my fist,
10 when I was alone, before they were born:
11 I had not spat out Shu,
12 I had not sputtered out Tefnut
13 I had brought my own mouth,
14 my name was Magic:
15 it was I, who had come into being in being,
16 when I had come into being in the being of the Being One.
17 When I had come into being as the Primeval Ones,
18 a multitude of beings came into being at once, before any being came into being in this land.
19 I had made every created thing,
20 when I was alone, before any other came into being who might act with me in that place.
21 I made beings there through that "soul" (ba) of mine.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:58 AM on December 13, 2010
2 when I had come into being in the being of the Being One,
3 it meant that my coming into being was the coming into being of beings,
4 for I am more primeval than the Primeval Ones whom I have created.
5 (Because) I have been primeval among the Primeval Ones,
6 my name is more primeval than they.
7 (And when) I had made the primevalness of the Primeval Ones,
8 I did my every wish in this land in which I had become broad.
9 I had clenched my fist,
10 when I was alone, before they were born:
11 I had not spat out Shu,
12 I had not sputtered out Tefnut
13 I had brought my own mouth,
14 my name was Magic:
15 it was I, who had come into being in being,
16 when I had come into being in the being of the Being One.
17 When I had come into being as the Primeval Ones,
18 a multitude of beings came into being at once, before any being came into being in this land.
19 I had made every created thing,
20 when I was alone, before any other came into being who might act with me in that place.
21 I made beings there through that "soul" (ba) of mine.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:58 AM on December 13, 2010
The Whelk, in a piano bar,
took an argument far, far too far.
So provoked, his rebutter
threw him in the gutter;
to this day, he carries the scar.
posted by flabdablet at 6:18 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
took an argument far, far too far.
So provoked, his rebutter
threw him in the gutter;
to this day, he carries the scar.
posted by flabdablet at 6:18 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by Polyhymnia at 3:39 PM on December 10, 2010 [4 favorites]