Time to let go

February 18, 2011 8:07 AM

This is either a pony, or it exists and I can't see it -- is there a way to remove disabled accounts from your contacts?....I just wanted to do some cleaning up. This is low priority, though, so I can deal if it's just not possible. Thanks.
posted by EmpressCallipygos to MetaFilter-Related at 8:07 AM (67 comments total)

Just go to their profile page (presumably by clicking on their username on your "links to" contacts page) and click the remove link on "[username] is a contact (remove)".

You can't cause their account to uncontact yours, though, no.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:10 AM on February 18, 2011

What the -- are you a contact black widow? To people contact you only to then become disabled!?
*orchestra swells*
posted by cavalier at 8:10 AM on February 18, 2011

I admit nothing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:19 AM on February 18, 2011

People who associate with people who are banned should be banned. Purge the whole lot.
posted by DU at 8:27 AM on February 18, 2011 [3 favorites]

Somtimes I like to look at the blacked out contacts and hold my hand aloft and wisper...." these were once users. ..... But Not Anymore!" and then there is a thunder crack and cackling.
posted by The Whelk at 8:41 AM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

I use a greasemonkey script that changes all their names to Robert Paulson.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:43 AM on February 18, 2011 [8 favorites]

Sometimes, when the site creaks at night, i worry jf the gone and forgotten users might one day return to wreck terrible venegence on the living.
posted by The Whelk at 8:47 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

While we're here, anyone know what happened to Houyhnhnm?

I miss my buddy.
posted by hermitosis at 9:05 AM on February 18, 2011

He's dealing with real life right now, not gone forever.
posted by The Whelk at 9:05 AM on February 18, 2011

I hope everything's OK in shakespeherian-land.
posted by catlet at 9:07 AM on February 18, 2011 [3 favorites]

Its always a pang when soemone on my Seekrit Postcard Mailing List goes dark, but hope springs eternal

I miss tkchrist.
posted by The Whelk at 9:09 AM on February 18, 2011

It can be a bummer. Often, suddenly noticing the name highlighting is the first time I became aware those folks were gone. It's a little moment of sad.
posted by Miko at 9:16 AM on February 18, 2011

I have heard second-hand that things are mostly OK in shakespeherian-land.
posted by SpiffyRob at 9:31 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Don't know if I could bring myself to ride this pony. I'm with Greg Nog -- ever hopeful people will return.
posted by bearwife at 9:37 AM on February 18, 2011 [3 favorites]

Glad to hear it, SpiffyRob.
posted by catlet at 9:37 AM on February 18, 2011

Shakesperian's email conversations are directly responsible for my short story being late to publish.
posted by The Whelk at 9:47 AM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

Mercifully, the Chicago Cabal would be full of natural pryers, if it existed.
posted by SpiffyRob at 10:09 AM on February 18, 2011

Yes, I'm sure it's not the combination of the unseasonably lovely weather plus all those festive umbrellas in your drinks.
posted by elizardbits at 10:09 AM on February 18, 2011

I know firsthand that shakespeherian disabled his account to take a break due to a period that started near the end of January where it seemed that every thread was littered with people arguing and sarcastically belittling the opinions and choices of others. This is so out of character for Metafilter. Anyone can do sarcasm, arrogance, or myopia. But the mark of intelligence is tolerance, respect, and genuine interest in learning others' opinions. The prevailing intelligence and respect on Metafilter is its phenomenon. It's the reason I think most people join Metafilter and stay.
posted by camera lucida at 11:19 AM on February 18, 2011

cl's input trumps mine!
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:30 AM on February 18, 2011

You can't link to disabled accounts

Yes, you can.

http://www.metafilter.com/contribute/xfnlinkbuilder.mefi?to_user=XXXXX

where XXXXX is the usernumber of your intended contact. Works for any account, even disabled ones.
posted by maqsarian at 11:39 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

yeah things were really angry and flighty for no reason around Jan. I ducked out for a while myself - tho things seem to be back on an evil keel.
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on February 18, 2011

anyway here is a blurry photo of me wearing the new Meta T-shirt.
posted by The Whelk at 11:44 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Oh man, I was two days away from making the same basic comment two years in a row. So close.
posted by maqsarian at 11:45 AM on February 18, 2011

Kicking them when they're down? (aka disabled)

Aren't their laws against doing things like that to the disabled among us?
posted by blue_beetle at 11:51 AM on February 18, 2011

Wow, now I have a face to go with a Whelk!
posted by tzikeh at 11:52 AM on February 18, 2011

Wow, now I have a face to go with a Whelk!

this is probably more ..representative
posted by The Whelk at 12:00 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

What happened to shmeggege and wfrgms?
posted by klangklangston at 12:01 PM on February 18, 2011

Is this were I come in to spontaneously remember, sigh over and exclaim "Amberglow, wherefore art thou?"



*scowls at screen*


I liked reading shakespeherian adn tkchrist too. I also keep all disabled ones as embers of hope. I miss 2006, it was perhaps one of the best vintages of the web2.0 era
posted by infini at 12:08 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Kill them all; God will know his own.
posted by Justinian at 12:16 PM on February 18, 2011

wfrgms got the hammer here.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:24 PM on February 18, 2011

I like having the dead accounts on my page. I would like a pony pale horse of my own: Can you make a little tombstone appear next to the dead accounts, or a little black ribbon or something?
posted by Mister_A at 12:38 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Oh, man, that's embarrassing. I remember that Walf Riggums thing.

Well, here's to hoping shmeggege comes back.
posted by klangklangston at 12:52 PM on February 18, 2011

*turns on the Migs signal*

someday
posted by The Whelk at 1:12 PM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

What happened to the Straightener?
posted by cashman at 1:22 PM on February 18, 2011

What happened to paphnuty?
posted by SpiffyRob at 1:32 PM on February 18, 2011

I first noticed shmeggege had disabled his account in October 2010. Don't know why and it would be nice if he returned.
posted by mlis at 1:33 PM on February 18, 2011

Kill them all; God will know his own.

True story: I did just that and it turns out that He really wasn't keeping nearly the track he thought he was, so we kind of hit-the-reset button and are trying this again.

Fun fact: this is, apparently, where déjà vu comes from.
posted by quin at 1:42 PM on February 18, 2011 [7 favorites]

Is this were I come in to spontaneously remember, sigh over and exclaim "Amberglow, wherefore art thou?"

Years have passed since Amberglow was last on MeFi, but yeah, I still really miss him too.
posted by marsha56 at 1:56 PM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

I always hope people will come back.

Although I did take my dad's number off my speed-dial last week.
posted by Sidhedevil at 2:28 PM on February 18, 2011

Years have passed since Amberglow was last on MeFi, but yeah, I still really miss him too.

Amberglow waits under Metafilter, a dreaming, waiting for when he is needed again.
posted by The Whelk at 4:30 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wow that's too bad that The Straightener is gone. First I heard of it.
posted by Mister_A at 5:30 PM on February 18, 2011

Yeah, there's lots of folks I miss and hope will come back someday.
posted by ocherdraco at 5:34 PM on February 18, 2011

We are all Paphnuty
posted by The Whelk at 5:39 PM on February 18, 2011

You guys, srsly

Ixnay on the aphnutyphay

The mods will hear you
posted by maqsarian at 6:08 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

His name was Robert Paphnuty.
posted by The Whelk at 6:21 PM on February 18, 2011

Pahynuty Was Here
posted by Mister_A at 6:29 PM on February 18, 2011

We really shouldn't be talking about paphnuty during the GRARing hour.
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:39 PM on February 18, 2011

Most people, I hope they never come back, because I've read Monkey's Claw and know that most of 'em only return as zombies that you've gotta kill.

But some folks, I think, "Why couldn't they be tame zombies that we kept like pets?"
posted by klangklangston at 6:39 PM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

klang, have you ever read this?
posted by Mister_A at 7:01 PM on February 18, 2011

"Why couldn't they be tame zombies that we kept like pets?"
posted by The Whelk at 7:06 PM on February 18, 2011

We really shouldn't be talking about paphnuty during the GRARing hour.

We really shouldn't be talking about paphnuty period. Unless we want to *shudder* join him
posted by dersins at 7:21 PM on February 18, 2011

If you look into the mirror at the GRARing hour and say "Paphnuty" thrice, you will turn into an idiot.
posted by Mister_A at 7:30 PM on February 18, 2011

I heard if you say Paphnuty's name backward 3 times at midnight, yo find out which of your favorites are spite-driven.
posted by The Whelk at 8:17 PM on February 18, 2011

They say when to go to disable your account, Paphnuty appears to weigh your comment history against a feather.
posted by The Whelk at 8:18 PM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

In Soviet Metafilter, paphnuty asks what happend to you.
posted by SpiffyRob at 8:19 AM on February 19, 2011

Пафнуты.
posted by languagehat at 10:58 AM on February 19, 2011 [3 favorites]

This reminds me of the scene in A Fish called Wanda where the woman begs Kevin Kline to continue speaking in French.
posted by infini at 11:46 AM on February 19, 2011

Well, what they really don't want you to know is that Paphnuty build this site. Built if from scratch. From his hospital bed, where he was in full traction, after saving an orphanage full of children from a giant unconstrained flame war. Oh, but you never hear about that, do you? Because the conquerers write the history, isn't that right, Cortex, Jess....and the evilist of evil overlords....Matt. Some of us remember...and we tremble a bit in our beds...lest we share the fate of poor, lost, unsung Paphnuty.

That said; damn I miss Migs and Amber...and so many others.
posted by dejah420 at 11:52 AM on February 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

*shakes head dolefully and sighs*

p00r his nibs, p00r p00r his nibs
posted by infini at 12:11 PM on February 22, 2011

confidential to item
posted by Kattullus at 10:24 AM on February 23, 2011

I know firsthand that shakespeherian disabled his account to take a break due to a period that started near the end of January where it seemed that every thread was littered with people arguing and sarcastically belittling the opinions and choices of others. This is so out of character for Metafilter. Anyone can do sarcasm, arrogance, or myopia. But the mark of intelligence is tolerance, respect, and genuine interest in learning others' opinions. The prevailing intelligence and respect on Metafilter is its phenomenon. It's the reason I think most people join Metafilter and stay.

QFT.
posted by shakespeherian at 9:42 AM on February 24, 2011 [2 favorites]

and that's how you make an entrance.
posted by The Whelk at 9:45 AM on February 24, 2011

What The Whelk said

and class!
posted by infini at 10:43 AM on February 24, 2011

HEY BUDDY WELCOME BACK I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU SIDEHUG.
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:17 AM on February 24, 2011

*awkward*
posted by shakespeherian at 12:06 PM on February 24, 2011

HAPPY FAMILY! HAPPY FAMILY!
posted by The Whelk at 5:40 PM on February 24, 2011