positive feedback

September 7, 2023 1:42 PM

this is your opportunity to share what you appreciate about the people who comment at metafilter as well as the people who work at metafilter.

ready set go

posted by aniola to MetaFilter-Related at 1:42 PM (38 comments total)

I massively appreciate the mods!!!

I feel like there are fewer and fewer places on the web where people can share as a community, without toxic elements leaking in and spoiling things. this is not only due to the mods, but they do heroic work. I try to be mindful when I interact on here: am I being a burden on mod resources? am I being a good community member? (yes, despite my near constant compulsion to be jokey, but I know that Greg_Ace has claimed that spot!)
posted by supermedusa at 1:45 PM on September 7, 2023 [12 favorites]

I appreciate everyone who contributes here. Every single person who comments here adds something to my knowledge bank. There are, of course, negative comments and even harmful ones and I wish there weren't. But I still learn something even if it's 'remember to not be like that guy'.
posted by dg at 3:42 PM on September 7, 2023 [5 favorites]

I read an eye-opening post recently about how even small-time web extension developers are often solicited by predatory spammers looking to "monetize" their tools in invasive and harmful ways. It would be*so easy* for the folks in charge here to say "fuck it" and sell out to somebody like that, turning AskMe into a referral farm and opening up MeFi to paid blogspam and selling off user info to the highest bidder. As Xitter goes full fash and Reddit contemptuously screws over its most dedicated users and seemingly every web platform is crawling with trackers and bots and cynical exploitative dark patterns, I'm grateful there's at least one sizeable independent community left run by and for regular people, one that doesn't depend on the whims of Silicon Valley techbros to exist. It may be imperfect (I like to think of it as a work in progress), but there's nothing else quite like it, and it wouldn't be possible without the contributions of time, money, effort, and care from everybody here. Thanks, y'all.
posted by Rhaomi at 4:26 PM on September 7, 2023 [27 favorites]

Better a mensch than a meshugannah.
posted by y2karl at 7:34 PM on September 7, 2023 [2 favorites]

Here’s to fizz and hippybear and everyone c whose usernames I’ve overlooked who have kept posting to the front page on the reg. Posting is work, and I’m grateful to all of y’all for keeping it up!
posted by Going To Maine at 11:42 PM on September 7, 2023 [13 favorites]

I am not real big on singling out people publicly, not because I don't have people to acknowledge, but because I do not want to risk leaving someone out. So, having said that, thank you to the entire staff, mods, programmers, volunteers, etc. and thank you to all who contribute their knowledge, expertise, comments, observations, enthusiasm, passionate opinions and do so with good intentions and dignity.

However, I do want to single out one person, jessamyn, for her willingness to step into the void, potentially a lot of liability, and certainly a lot of responsibility. It is only a thankless job if you expect thanks, but jessamyn is not in it for the thanks. It appears to me that she is in it because she thinks it is the right thing to do to help out the community. I have never seen her ask for anything in return. Thank you jessaymn.

Peace and love,

JG
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:32 AM on September 8, 2023 [46 favorites]

loup is so thorough and conscientious, they send me a MeMail every time I make a post.

(But seriously, the mods are excellent, and I'm very grateful for their work and the work of everyone that contributes to the site.)
posted by box at 5:08 AM on September 8, 2023 [5 favorites]

I'd like to give a shoutout to people who manage to have hope and vision for the future of MeFi. We have a lot of history here, and it's easy to spend all available energy ruminating on that. But dang, I really hope this place lasts, and I salute the people working to make that happen.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:27 AM on September 8, 2023 [19 favorites]

This is a nice idea. I appreciate the variety of links and questions. Those are ultimately what keep me returning.
posted by michaelh at 7:37 AM on September 8, 2023

I am grateful for the people making FPPs, and then for the folks who comment in a way that keeps the thread moving. (Tangents are great -- some of the best comments come during tangents -- but I just hate when someone drops a road-block!)

Posts and comments are the raw materials that we use to make conversations, which is what this place is all about.

If you're even reading this, know that y'all are awesome.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:10 AM on September 8, 2023 [3 favorites]

Seconding hippybear's music posts because they're awesome and also the critter posts by chariot pulled by cassowaries. There are other awesome posters and I'll probably come back and add more folks later; these two are the folks on my mind right this minute.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:34 AM on September 8, 2023 [5 favorites]

I'd like to shout out Bottlecap for rolling the ball with Disability Pride Month posts, and others who also contributed during that time. I feel like I got a solid education about a lot of things I simply had not considered before, and that I'm moving through the world as a more aware and better person now.

It's things like that which keep me coming back here year after year.
posted by hippybear at 9:49 AM on September 8, 2023 [11 favorites]

also shoutout to DirtyOldTown for keeping FanFare weird and wonderful!
posted by supermedusa at 10:51 AM on September 8, 2023 [18 favorites]

I hope I will manage to post several times to this thread - there are SO MANY people I appreciate here! (and I'm resisting the impulse to cancel this post and make it later, because later sometimes slips away from me)

so just for starters:

brainwane, whose astounding series of posts about wonderful fiction just filled me (and lots and lots of people) with delight, and especially for introducing me to Tomorrow is Waiting,

chariot pulled by cassowaries, whose amazing series of front-page posts has just been delightful and awe-inspiring,

sciatrix, who is so smart and has such useful things to say about everything they post about,

and biogeo and jedicus and corb, whose comments are always thoughtful and enlightening.

Many more to come.

And I am a huge fan of all the mods, and in awe of all the hard work they do ... and especial appreciation of jessamyn, not only for her astonishly patient (and funny and thoughtful and helpful and interesting) presence here, but also for her blog, her list of books she's read and her writings about lemons and about visiting libraries and about being part of Vermont civic life, which are not strictly speaking part of MetaFilter, but also are, because I learned about them from here.


And thank you, aniola, for this great post! It's a wonderful idea, and I'm glad you invited us all to chime in.
posted by kristi at 11:06 AM on September 8, 2023 [11 favorites]

(yes, despite my near constant compulsion to be jokey, but I know that Greg_Ace has claimed that spot!)

I ain't claimin' nothin' and you can't make me, ya hear!? *shakes fist*

I enjoy laughing at other people's jokes (and there are some very funny folks on here) even more than at my own, so the more the merrier!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:13 PM on September 8, 2023 [3 favorites]

I know the mods and staff come in for a ton of opprobrium here, and maybe do make mistakes now and again, as we all do at our jobs. But this is one of the only enjoyable spaces on the Internet in 2023, and MetaFilter staff have much to do with it.

As do, of course, all the members posting and responding. Whenever I'm lost with something, I find myself coming to MetaFilter. Thank you.
posted by kensington314 at 2:39 PM on September 8, 2023 [2 favorites]

I would like to thank every person who has written an AskMe about naming a pet and linked to a picture. Best! Of the Web!
posted by Mizu at 7:08 PM on September 8, 2023 [6 favorites]

I've learned so. many. things. from Frowner's comments and answers. I really am in awe and in tremendous debt to them - I'm a better person because of their writing.

They are an absolute gem.
posted by lalochezia at 7:25 PM on September 8, 2023 [27 favorites]

I always hate responding to stuff like this because I know I'm missing a ton of amazing people but I'd like to second Frowner and say that I think wenestvedt seems like a very nice person.

I also want to shout out my trans/non-binary/figuring it all out MeFites for their patience and resilience and other wonderful qualities and, finally, there are lots of lovely people I don't see or don't see much anymore but I'd like to give a quiet thought to them too.
posted by an octopus IRL at 7:08 AM on September 9, 2023 [10 favorites]

Frowners contributions are indeed amazing, especially re political and social commentary. Incredibly well thought out and written, so insightful.
posted by supermedusa at 8:39 AM on September 9, 2023 [7 favorites]

my deepest love for the mighty few who post and comment on Music. I'm listening even when I don't comment, and I want you to keep posting!
posted by wellifyouinsist at 11:09 AM on September 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

Whether you lurk, comment, post, or moderate, know that I appreciate this space and the community that is fostered around it. Cheers.
posted by Fizz at 12:20 PM on September 9, 2023 [3 favorites]

I appreciate this thread! What a great idea.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:26 PM on September 9, 2023

Nthing appreciation for mods, for jessamyn, for all posters and commenters generally. Although there are so many others as well, I want single out chavenet for being such a dedicated poster, and for posting a lot of interesting stuff I would otherwise miss.
posted by blue shadows at 11:09 PM on September 9, 2023 [3 favorites]

I think queenofbithynia's answers in AskMe are always well thought out, well expressed, and very helpful. Other comments are also occasionally hilarious.
posted by JanetLand at 6:07 AM on September 10, 2023 [5 favorites]

I am just so grateful to chariot pulled by cassowaries for the steady stream of cute Australian animal stories. It’s about the only thing I can have an uncomplicated positive reaction to online!
posted by pulposus at 10:41 AM on September 10, 2023 [6 favorites]

The quality of the comments on AskMeFi. I asked, a few days ago, about things to do in Wisconsin during the winter months. Even though the person hosting me is a local and has some ideas, and it doesn't look like we'll be leaving the house much*, some of the often detailed suggestions on the comment thread have already led to more ideas for things to do on getting out.

I doubt I'd find a better quality of comments anywhere else online. I looked on reddit, tripadvisor, a few other places, and the quality of unbiased information was ... very variable.

(*It's winter in Wisconsin. Get your mind out of the gutter.)
posted by Wordshore at 11:05 AM on September 10, 2023 [2 favorites]

I, for one, appreciate the jokiness, even, or especially, the ones that everyone else is sick of. That being said, I would like to say it's very nice to drop by every now and again and see familiar names, as well as get to "know" some new names and what they tend to post and comment on. I'm famously standoffish so I won't call out anyone by name, but hey. Everyone keep up the good work.
posted by scratch at 3:20 PM on September 10, 2023 [1 favorite]

Metafilter: The jokes everyone is sick of
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:35 PM on September 10, 2023 [14 favorites]

It's hard to qualify (or quantify) why I continue to hang out here. I guess I like it.

Thanks to everyone who makes it all happen, however that works, whatever you're doing (just keeping doing it!). Or as an old roommate once put it, "Everybody brings something different to the party. That's the point."

When it's clicking, this place is a great fucking party.
posted by philip-random at 9:42 PM on September 10, 2023 [5 favorites]

I have different favorite mefites I can remember over the years but lately man, I am so glad Atreides is in the Star Wars threads on Fanfare for all the many Star Wars things that are constantly coming out! That guy really KNOWS his Star Wars.
posted by potrzebie at 8:05 AM on September 11, 2023

Thank you to Kattullus and chavenet for the recent literary articles. I used to subscribe to things like Paris Review via RSS, but I could not keep up with the volume. I appreciate having someone point out articles worth my attention.
posted by tofu_crouton at 9:43 AM on September 11, 2023 [4 favorites]

This is probably the only space left on the Internet that is a) still a pretty broad community b) where I can post questions and comments in safety without worrying about being trolled by ignoramuses (or bots pretending to be ignoramuses). I'm on a couple of Slacks where that is also the case, but those communities are far smaller and less diverse.

Thank you God for this community and the folks who serve it as mods.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 11:00 PM on September 11, 2023 [3 favorites]

Apart from everything else I'm really digging the recent bee posts. Bees are awesome.
posted by rjs at 1:28 AM on September 12, 2023 [5 favorites]

Many thanks to the regulars on Fanfare who watch weird and terrible but somehow good shows with me!
posted by mmoncur at 5:32 AM on September 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

I'd like to thank everyone who is cool about it when I do things like briefly take over the front page of FF to post a bunch of movies about bees.

Thank you to all the FF people in general.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:45 AM on September 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

DirtyOldTown, you are always posting about B movies. What’s changed?
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:53 AM on September 13, 2023 [6 favorites]

I would like to express my appreciation for members of marginalized communities who have shared their experiences and fought for better treatment here. In particular, I feel like I have learned so much from posts by members of the trans, autist, disabled, and BIPOC communities here. Thank you for your patience and your impatience, and, if you're reading this, for sticking around as the site and people here make slow and lurching progress toward Doing Better.
posted by slappy_pinchbottom at 10:54 AM on September 14, 2023 [5 favorites]