Podcast Transcripts Are Here!

February 8, 2013 10:58 AM

We'd like to say a big thanks to the volunteers who have transcribed the MetaFilter podcast for your reading enjoyment. At this moment, they have transcribed 31 of the 77 episodes. To celebrate, we're adding a visual indicator on Podcast posts to let everyone know a transcript is available.

When a transcript is available for a podcast, you'll see a yellow (or plain theme blue) transcript link that looks similar to the staff icons in MetaTalk. Just click the link to get the transcript. To see the new indicators in action, take a look at the Podcast site.

We hope this helps make the podcast more accessible, and we want to say thanks again to the volunteers. You've done great work!

posted by pb to Feature Requests at 10:58 AM (24 comments total)

And if you feel like joining the transcribin' club, it's pretty darned easy; give this a read and go from there.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:08 AM on February 8 [1 favorite]

And a great thing to do with your snowpocalypse time, northeaterners! There are a few recentish podcasts where the transcripts are only partially done. In the future we'll find some way to make sure we're notified about completed transcripts and we'll add the links as soon as we see them. We're so stoked to be able to have this available to people.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:10 AM on February 8

So I was just searching the transcripts for my username going through the transcripts for no reason whatsoever and I noticed this:

jessamyn
Like, I... what was it, griphus? You know, it's like, you never know who's not tall by looking at this stuff. But what was he saying? He's 5'6", and he's the tallest member of his family by *six inches*.

mathowie
Wow!

jessamyn
Like, I would love to go to a griphus family reunion.

I have the next best thing: an old photo of me and my now-departed (and very small) paternal grandparents.
posted by griphus at 11:19 AM on February 8 [14 favorites]

Griphus, your grandma's hair is totally making my morning.
posted by mollymayhem at 11:47 AM on February 8 [9 favorites]

I love how the hair matches the shirts. With both of them. Rockin' grandparents there.
posted by deezil at 12:01 PM on February 8 [5 favorites]

On that note, you and your grandfather have awesome facial hair.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 12:01 PM on February 8

That mollymahem's day was made by hair that reminds me of Mrs. Slocombe played by Mollie Sugden has made MCMikeNamara's day.

(also an admirer of attempts at alliteration)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:05 PM on February 8

Mrs. Slocombe played by Mollie Sugden

Oh man the memory of that show has made my day!

"Animals are very psychic; the least sign of danger and my pussy's hair stands on end."
posted by Rodrigo Lamaitre at 12:32 PM on February 8 [4 favorites]

Yes! God love y'all, and god love the podcast, but what takes y'all an hour to say takes me 15 minutes to read. That's one of the reasons I love MeFi to begin with — I'm a reader over a listener.
posted by klangklangston at 12:52 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]

Yay for transcripts!

And I can vouch that helping out with the transcripts is super easy and you can do just a tiny bite-sized piece if you want.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 12:54 PM on February 8

I also find it inexplicably fun though I have no idea why.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:33 PM on February 8

Thank you MeFi team for going the extra mile to make the availability of the transcripts more conspicuous on the site!
Currently working on #55 from 2010.
It IS fun to transcribe! I learn so much in that 2nd tab I have open to research what in the world they are talking about for spelling, accuracy ...

So yeah if you are snowed in (and still have power) JUMP IN!
posted by TangerineGurl at 1:59 PM on February 8

Oh hai!

Here are some newer notes on transcription. It's easier than the older software and notes, which cortex linked above. And which are linked more prominently and often in the wiki. Which I should fix.

Please let me know if there are any problems. There was a report of the audio dropping out midway through a segment, but we haven't yet worked out if the server or a browser is misbehaving.
posted by Pronoiac at 3:28 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]

Yay, this is lovely! Thank you!
posted by beryllium at 4:58 PM on February 8 [1 favorite]

Another thank you from me! My hearing gets worse as time goes on and I've had issues with the podcast and, mostly, quit listening to it. I'm looking forward to going back (ha!) and catching up on the older podcasts.
posted by deborah at 6:01 PM on February 8 [2 favorites]

Will there be, like, an index to all these? So I can just click to it and see if I'm mentioned?
posted by octobersurprise at 7:19 PM on February 8

So I was just searching the transcripts for my username

*searches for [grouse podcast]*

There were no results matching the query.

:(
posted by grouse at 7:20 PM on February 8

Please let me know if there are any problems.

A few of the podcast transcript wiki pages had links that said they went to one MeFi page but actually went to another. Like maybe someone had copied and pasted the header over but forgot to change the link. I fixed the few that I saw. You can see the diff here to see what I am talking about. Small potatoes, but some of the newer ones were the messed up ones so just FYIing this here.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:34 PM on February 8

Episode 70 was special, because it wasn't on my server. It's fully reviewed - another first, I think, and thanks for doing that, beryllium! I built a tool to wikify it, and it's on the wiki now.


octobersurprise, you can search the wiki, but I didn't spot your name.


jessamyn, my bad. Building those pages is tricky. I'm always juggling too many browser tabs.
posted by Pronoiac at 9:14 PM on February 8

Thanks jessamyn for fixing the wiki pages--I checked through and they are all going to the proper places now! On the MeTa end #68 links to #67's transcript and #74 links to #77's transcript but otherwise it looks like all is good.

And yay for getting the full transcript of #70 on the wiki, Pronoiac! I just reviewed the last ~15%, though--others did other parts of the reviewing.
posted by beryllium at 9:38 PM on February 8

More thanks from another hearing impaired person! People that volunteer to do stuff like this are the best.
posted by lwb at 6:16 AM on February 9 [2 favorites]

And another hearing impaired bod with a BIIIIIG thank you!
posted by humph at 7:22 AM on February 9 [2 favorites]

On the MeTa end #68 links to #67's transcript and #74 links to #77's transcript but otherwise it looks like all is good.

Cool, this is now fixed.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:24 AM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Big thanks to the transcribers from someone who strongly prefers reading to listening, mostly because when I get distracted reading*, I can easily return to where I left off, and rewinding on a podcast requires actual effort.

* which happens all the time
posted by saveyoursanity at 9:37 AM on February 9