Comments on: I want to delete my account

I want to delete my account

patricking — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:25:33 -0800

in most communities, you can leave when you're ready to move on.

By: patricking

patricking — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:25:58 -0800

however, not so on MeFi. i'd like a way to retire my user ID since i'm not a participating member any more. i've just outgrown the place.

matt, this would give a more realistic look at how many members there really are.

By: Stan Chin

Stan Chin — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:29:34 -0800

Dibs on his #!

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:30:28 -0800

" i'd like a way to retire my user ID "

Do you want us to hang it in the rafters, too?

By: quonsar

quonsar — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:30:38 -0800

At least one other member has been trying to get matt to delete her without success.

By: RunsWithBandageScissors

RunsWithBandageScissors — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:35:42 -0800

Thanks for not mentioning my name, Quonsar. That's very polite! That would be me, I am having the same problem patricking. I don't want to be here. I don't like it here any more. Yes, I comment once in awhile, but feel it's best if my user account was deleted. I have sent messages to Matt without success.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:36:51 -0800

I haven't done it in the past because people frequently change their minds. The first time I got a request like that, I was looking into it for a few days, figuring out how best to do it, when I noticed the person started posting again.

What would your ideal "retire" feature look like and do?

Big button on your customize page saying "I'd like to retire my membership" then a "are you sure" then you are effectively stopped from ever posting again.

Is a "I've changed my mind" button important? How about what the user page looks like? Should it be gray at the edges for the retired folk?

By: willnot

willnot — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:39:25 -0800

I doubt Matt cares very much about how many members the really are (although I see he did respond to this request seriously). You can quit MeFi the same way I quit that bar I used to go to when I was younger. You just stop going, and before long anybody who knew you were a regular (assuming that anybody knew you were a regular) will forget about you.

When I left my home town, I didn't go to the city council to see if they would spend the money and time to change all the population signs. I just left.

(by the way, I think from now on all of my metatalk comments will have some kind of bar reference as it will make it more fun and interesting for me -- thank you for your understanding)

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:41:14 -0800

but feel it's best if my user account was deleted.

What do you mean by "delete"? If you don't want to post ever again, that's fine and I can put a block in place for that. If you want every contribution you've ever made deleted from the site, that's kind of unfair to the site as a whole, as many threads will be gone and discussions rendered meaningless when all your comments have suddenly vanished (and is every comment made in reference to your comments needing to be removed too?).

I know some people want to bail on the site, but I'd prefer if the history wasn't rewritten or blacked out.

By: coelecanth

coelecanth — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:45:29 -0800

You just stop going, and before long anybody who knew you were a regular [...] will forget about you.

Sigh.

By: Stan Chin

Stan Chin — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:45:58 -0800

I told you shouldn't have forged the fucking river.

By: kindall

kindall — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:50:58 -0800

Matt, if you put in a password-changing facility, then people could just change their password to something they'll never remember and effectively lock themselves out of their accounts.

It would be handy for actually changing one's password, too.

By: thirteen

thirteen — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:55:27 -0800

Maybe you could just wipe the user information, and globally change the user name to something innocuous like "retired 1, retired 2". The history would still be cohesive, and there would be nothing to tie the comments to the person.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:56:09 -0800

I think willnot's bar analogy is especially apt here. Sunday morning: "Barkeep, don't ever let me in this place again." Saturday night: "For God's sake, I was only kidding."

By: mischief

mischief — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:58:19 -0800

discussions rendered meaningless when all your comments have suddenly vanished

I am sure we can think of a few exceptions to this. ;-P

By: riffola

riffola — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:11:19 -0800

Many great contributors have left this site. Some have left a little note in their profiles, and some haven't even done that. If you want to leave, just hit the logout link to delete the cookies, and and remove the bookmark(s). It's that simple.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:16:51 -0800

Yeah, I'm finding this very hard to understand. patricking, RunsWithBandageScissors, if you don't want to be here, go away! Is the mere presence of your user page somehow forcing you to come and post? Sheesh. Yet another non-issue Matt has to waste time dealing with.

By: keswick

keswick — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:19:38 -0800

Well, since we keep discussing how to limit the community yet still maintain a vibrant discussion, how about if we arbitrary decided on an ideal amount of members, and don't let any new ones in unless people "retire" or "resign" or whatever... If somebody changes their mind, they have queue up like everyone else. This will discourage frivolous resignations, etc.

aside: mathowie, how many of the members here are even remotely active?

By: riffola

riffola — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:27:57 -0800

For those who came in late: I am going to let you all in on a secret. The original owner of this site, Matt Haughey has already quit this site, he handed over the reigns to his trusted mate Neale Talbot, who was the second mathowie. The second mathowie got tired of this site too, so he handed the reigns over to his trusted mate jkottke. The third mathowie's reign was short and best left unmentioned, luckily for us he got bored and he gave the site to skippy, who took over the role of mathowie, and is currently the 4th mathowie. It's all very much like the Phantom or the Dread Pirate Roberts. Inconceivable, but true!

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:28:21 -0800

Seriously, if we had a legit "retirement" without the option of "I've changed my mind", we could put an end to one of the uglier & more embarassing phenomena to grace our pages...

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:28:57 -0800

"Inconceivable..."

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

By: eyeballkid

eyeballkid — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:29:09 -0800

I KNEW IT! I KNEW HAUGHEY WAS GONE!

Now which old user am i?

By: interrobang

interrobang — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:30:47 -0800

Why don't those who don't post here anymore sell their user-accounts to all the eager, desparate lurkers?

By: Stynxno

Stynxno — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:30:59 -0800

The first rule about being Matt Haughey is that you do not talk about Matt Haughey.

By: beth

beth — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:31:15 -0800

how many of the members here are even remotely active?

I have been thinking that this would be a useful thing to know, especially for when Matt opens up new memberships - we could compare values before and after and see what the impact was.

Perhaps a statistic of number of logged-in readers in the past week would be good to look at, as well as number of unique posters within a week.

Just an idea. I'm curious how many readers there are out there.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:32:21 -0800

"oh matt haughey, oh won't you delete me!
for i come from plasticana with a trollbox on my knee!"

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:32:56 -0800

jonson, what are you referring to?

By: Steve_at_Linnwood

Steve_at_Linnwood — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:39:17 -0800

/me mourns sir walsingham

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:39:23 -0800

"Why don't those who don't post here anymore sell their user-accounts to all the eager, desparate lurkers?"

By: beth

beth — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:39:51 -0800

I think jonson is talking about people who make a big to-do about leaving, and then come back. Sometimes within minutes.

By: UKnowForKids

UKnowForKids — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:41:42 -0800

Stan Chin needs his gold star back

By: crunchland

crunchland — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:42:04 -0800

Oh. I thought jonson was implying that he'd leave, too.

By: signal

signal — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:43:10 -0800

jonson did leave

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:54:21 -0800

Oh sweet holy lord Jesus. Stan, that's the funniest thing I've ever read on this site.

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 17:57:48 -0800

Yeah Matt, I'm sick of your piece of shit site too. I quit. But that's not enough, you owe me more. I'm embarrassed that my association with your site and with you people in general is even on record. Please delete my username and every thread I've ever commented on. Furthermore, please search out all references to me, be they indirect or explicit, in threads where I am absent, and delete those threads too.

. . . hmm, but that could get a little subjective. How about instead you just delete the whole site + the archives? Seems fair.

By: anathema

anathema — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:06:11 -0800

Something like the Creative Commons "Are you sure?" 5-click license set-up. Or something.

By: RunsWithBandageScissors

RunsWithBandageScissors — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:22:03 -0800

Well, it's just *wonderful* some of you are making assumptions as to why I want to leave. I am not asking that comments/links be removed from the history, just somehow inactivate the account from Matt's end. BTW, it was suggested I pick a fight with Quonsar, and get removed that way, (seriously!). I chose not to do it, but it's sounding tempting after some of the comments I have just read.

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:30:09 -0800

I think old chap Jonson is referring to the melodramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance of a person whose username rhymes with "FLUSH-em-CEE".

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:33:17 -0800

"after some of the comments I have just read."

I think I'm pretty much the only one that was ugly, but seriously:

"I don't want to be here. I don't like it here any more. Yes, I comment once in awhile, but feel it's best if my user account was deleted."

[???!!!!] Do you need help fighting some sort of debilitating Internet addiction? What reasonable need could you possibly be trying to communicate with this?

Why can't people just walk away without this sort of ParisParsmus need to ostentatiously flip-off the community as they walk out the door?

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:40:11 -0800

ParisParamus rather. Seriously what's the excuse for shit like this?:

"I don't come here very much any more [no time; the Chomsky crowd nauseates me trop] but could someone please offer a possible explanation for why Metafilter no longer looks the way it used to on my IE5.0 for Mac?"

[!!!!???]

By: thirteen

thirteen — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:46:52 -0800

I can understand this. I would like to get my name removed from the record of the Catholic church.

By: ashbury

ashbury — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 18:51:48 -0800

As was said before, log out and never come back. If that doesn't work, email matt and beg on your hands and knees to ban you from the site. Curse you if you change your mind!

I have to agree with some of the things people have said up above. If you don't have the discipline to stay away, perhaps you don't really want to leave. . .

Runswithetcetera, I don't think most of the comments were directed towards yourself in particular.

By: Tarrama

Tarrama — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:00:29 -0800

I don't understand why either of you need Matt to delete your account. In what way would it be beneficial to you?

By: jpburns

jpburns — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:02:00 -0800

..."You can check out any time you like...
... but you can never leave..."

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:11:12 -0800

Ok RunsWithBandageScissors, your problems are solved, I banned your account.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:17:56 -0800

Memo to self: do not fuck with Matt.

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:36:28 -0800

Hey crunchland, dhoyt, signal, etc, beth's right. I'm not just referring to rushmc or any one particular user, I just mean when people do the dramatic "I'm leaving! Yes, this is it, and don't beg me, no matter what you say I'm leaving!" and then come back a couple days later. It's so sad...

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:45:09 -0800

Memo to self: do not fuck with Matt.

No yhbc, Matt wasn't being a hard-ass, he was being helpful. RWBS wanted to be banned; ostensibly because she couldn't stop herself from contributing to this website which she was "done" with:

"I don't want to be here. I don't like it here any more. Yes, I comment once in awhile, but feel it's best if my user account was deleted."

&

"I am not asking that comments/links be removed from the history, just somehow inactivate the account from Matt's end."

O.K. *makes whirly motion with finger around ear*

By: yhbc

yhbc — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:51:39 -0800

Recognized, dgaicun - I spoke in jest. In all seriousness, though, it does now seem that "MefiCide by Matt" just became a viable option for those wishing to partake.

By: poopy

poopy — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 19:52:02 -0800

patricking and anyone else who feels the same way.... i've been there also. i wanted nothing to do with the site, it's personalities or politics, etc... after some thought i realized what riffola has already said:

If you want to leave, just hit the logout link to delete the cookies, and remove the bookmark(s). It's that simple.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:13:11 -0800

Ok RunsWithBandageScissors, your problems are solved, I banned your account.

Wow, RunsWithBandageScissors, what do you think of that? Eh, RunsWithBandageScissors? What do say, RunsWithBandageScissors? Hello?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:19:16 -0800

1. Stan Chin gets patricking's number.
2. WolfDaddy gets Stan Chin's number (I wanna be closer to the 15K crowd. I'm too close to the way-too-cheery-for-me-dreary 13K crowd and you 14Ks smell).
3. Both have to get new jerseys. Or is it jersies?
~~4. ?????????~~
5. PROFIT!!!!!!

By: timeistight

timeistight — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:28:56 -0800

Stan Chin already has a low user number. What he's missing is a gold star.

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:29:18 -0800

14Ks don't smell! 14Ks are, without a doubt, the most interesting group of 1K in the entire 17K bunch.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:31:05 -0800

Hear, hear!

*grips jonson and timeistight by the shoulders, starts swaying and singing*

We are the world ... we are the people ...

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:42:30 -0800

Sheesh, not that Stan Chin, this Stan Chin. I totally pronounced it correctly timeistight, I can't believe you mis-heard me because they sound totally different and if you keep this up, I shall presently become vexed. Gleesh.

Also, I didn't say 14Ks smelled bad. Just like, you know, too much pot and stuff.

This was a fun post to compose whilst our number one guy was changing things behind the scenes *giggle*

By: skallas

skallas — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:49:03 -0800

Please add a "delete this account" option. WHen people do decide to quit, the lack of this option is a good reason for them to go and piss on the site. I spent the last few days cleaning up insomnyuk's attacks on my blog and he managed to piss all over one metafilter thread and one metalk thread. Maybe he could have just deleted himself and taken off.

Also the less "Im leaving and dont try to stop me" posts the better.

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:06:31 -0800

Maybe he could have just deleted himself and taken off.

We could only hope that people would be so rational--in the heat of the moment (whatever that moment might be) I doubt that a self-delete option would help.

On the other hand, I inadvertently created two mefi accounts by registering during a time when it actually stated on the site that registrations were closed. To my suprise, it was sitting there when registrations opened up again, 4K users later. Deleting that account would be fine with me, though it's nice to have a 10K number. Or maybe I should just start using it? Can't decide. MefiBay might be an option...

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:07:15 -0800

Whoops. I meant 2K users later. For some reason I thought I was a 14000 instead of a 12000. Must be all the second hand pot smoke drifting over from those guys...

By: konolia

konolia — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:36:28 -0800

I don't understand what it is these people want to do, unless they want their userpage deleted as well.

By: jonson

jonson — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:42:53 -0800

For some reason I thought I was a 14000 instead of a 12000

Yeah, you wish you were a 14000!!! Keep dreaming, as if!

By: The God Complex

The God Complex — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:48:23 -0800

I'm very confused and a little thirsty.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:57:11 -0800

I think you are being too harsh with RunsWithScissors.

I had an account at the site that cannot be discussed, and when I was browsing the site on a public machine, I happened to use that same machine to image an entire lab of computers. So my password was in the cookies on 25 machines.

Also, I liked most of the site, and was mildly addicted, but everyone once in a while there'd be some sort of goat.csx picture that would crop up and ruin my day. So I asked the webmaster to delete my account.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 22:47:26 -0800

So I asked the webmaster to delete my account.

If that's the site I'm thinking of, then you can't view anything without being logged in. Here, that's not a problem. Issue resolved.

By: Ignatius J. Reilly

Ignatius J. Reilly — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 22:49:52 -0800

I don't understand what it is these people want to do, unless they want their userpage deleted as well.

I'm with you. I think they want to be "banned." One can ban one's self, though?

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 23:14:15 -0800

For what it is worth, I can't delete or unsubscribe my Slashdot account that aside from one comment hasn't been used since 1999.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 23:17:22 -0800

Doesn't look like Plastic offers the option either.

If you want to "unsub" from the site, it seems like logging out and not logging in again solves the problem, does it not?

By: taz

taz — Thu, 31 Jul 2003 23:20:48 -0800

the only reasons that I can imagine for this kind of request are:

1. I'm leaving and I'm never looking back, but I'm afraid that while I'm not looking back someone will figure out my password and start posting as me.

2. I don't want anyone to have the ability to look up my history of posts and comments via my user page.

In the latter case, if there is some compelling reason (such as a member who hasn't been anonymous is suddenly faced with a new, conservative employer and regrets certain comments, etc.), it seems to me highly unlikely that Matt wouldn't respond to an explanation.

If, on the other hand, the reasons are symbolic and dramatic, I think they should be treated with all the respect they deserve.

By: skallas

skallas — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 00:26:22 -0800

1. Click "delete me"

2. Set password to something random

3. Put "This user has retired from Metafilter, he or she cannot post again" on their userpage.

4. Profit?

Fifty bucks for those who have changed their minds and want to come back.*

*more addictive than crack aint just a cute tagline.

By: adamgreenfield

adamgreenfield — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 00:51:26 -0800

14Ks are, without a doubt, the most interesting group of 1K in the entire 17K bunch.

I agree, clearly. And for the record, of all the things I've been accused of smelling like - money, funk, Waterloo sunset, napalm in the morning - pot has never and shall never be among them.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 01:08:57 -0800

While you're in mood to do favours, mathowie, here's what I'd like:

Create a new user account named "Time Is Tight".
Transfer a selection of my links and comments to the new account. (I'll provide a list.)
Expunge everything that's left.

That shouldn't be too much work, should it? Maybe you could automate it.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 01:14:26 -0800

I'm very confused and a little thirsty.

While I - if only to remain in character - am a little confused and very thirsty.

By: Opus Dark

Opus Dark — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 01:49:59 -0800

i've just outgrown the place.

Another elegant, unexplained absence sprays itself with graffiti.

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 01:54:18 -0800

I can't delete or unsubscribe my Slashdot account that aside from one comment hasn't been used since 1999

Matt, you could e-mail the password to all the MeFites and trust me, hilarity will ensue. (And that account will be closed within 36 hours, guaranteed).

By: Witty

Witty — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 02:33:55 -0800

I know some people want to bail on the site, but I'd prefer if the history wasn't rewritten or blacked out.

Seriously... does a user have any right to expect that their posting history be "wiped from the record"? I mean, once a comment or thread or whatever is posted, does it become the property of the community as a whole (or something along those lines)? Just curious.

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 02:36:34 -0800

riffola: For those who came in late: I am going to let you all in on a secret. The original owner of this site, Matt Haughey has already quit this site, he handed over the reigns to his trusted mate Neale Talbot, who was the second mathowie. The second mathowie got tired of this site too, so he handed the reigns over to his trusted mate jkottke. The third mathowie's reign was short and best left unmentioned, luckily for us he got bored and he gave the site to skippy, who took over the role of mathowie, and is currently the 4th mathowie. It's all very much like the Phantom or the Dread Pirate Roberts. Inconceivable, but true!

A minor bit of disinformation there, riffy; true insiders know that jkottke was not the third mathowie, but matt was, for a brief period, the sixth kottke. Rather, the "best left unmentioned" third mathowie was James Lileks, followed by Rogers Cadenhead and Anil Dash, who recently got too busy with his other job and passed it on to Stan Chin.

Now, as for the rumors that Miguel Cardoso has retired and is now allowing his friend Carlos to use his account...

By: bargle

bargle — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:25:34 -0800

Meow?

By: crunchland

crunchland — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 04:48:08 -0800

For what it's worth, I've run online communities since the mid 80's .. both dial-up bbses and on the net. In all that time, I've never, ever had anyone ask me to delete their login. Sure, people have moved on, or been gone for a long time and come back. But never have I been asked to delete them.

This whole drama is either an effort to sock mefi in the eye, or else it has more to do with some kind of lack of self-control.

I mean, once a comment or thread or whatever is posted, does it become the property of the community as a whole (or something along those lines)?

Well, it does say "All posts are © their original authors."

By: riffola

riffola — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 05:11:15 -0800

wendell, I was just trying to protect the secret identities of the current batch behind the scenes. You and I know that Eric Costello and Stewart Butterfield were two of the eight skippies we've worn out thus far, and we all know how horribly the other skippies were worn to the bone due to the constant server maintenance.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 06:38:51 -0800

I think old chap Jonson is referring to the melodramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance of a person whose username rhymes with "FLUSH-em-CEE".

Ah, the false meme that keeps on ticking...

:::adds dhoyt to his userpage list of gullible sheeple:::

*******
Hey, everybody! I'm leaving Mefi forever and never coming back! You all suck!

[beat]

Hey, everybody! I'm baaaack!
*******

There...happy now? Your fantasy has been realized. Repeat as necessary.

Rubes...

By: briank

briank — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 07:00:41 -0800

I have actually seen an instance on another forum where the user who decided to leave went through every thread she'd ever posted in and painstakingly deleted all her own comments. George Orwell would be proud.

I don't post there anymore either, but my login is still active even after five years away from it (I just checked). I do recall having a brief withdrawal period where I had to fight the temptation to keep going back, but I have yet to meet the website that could not just be walked away from (even "The Site Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken").

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 07:06:36 -0800

To be honest, the whole thing about some users deciding to leave and then eventually returning doesn't matter a whit to me. I like to see people come back, and I miss some people who have left, but the occasional public announcements of leave-taking have never stirred me to any sort of anger.

Compared to some of the crash-and-burn stuff that happens here, and then passes away, and is usually mostly forgotten, the announced exits are really small cheese, and I'm always kind of surprised at the memory cache that exists on this. The issue of some sort of "formal divorce", though, is interesting, and I am curious about the driving force behind it.

By: twine42

twine42 — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 07:20:59 -0800

I can see the merits to being able to delete your account, but there are plroblems...

What happens to your username? Can someone 'steal' your username?

What happens to all your archived comments? They still need to be associated to a user ID.

What about just having a timeout? If you don't post for six months then you become 'retired' and you have to prove your email address still exists to get it back. Maybe add a livejournal style delete too... *shrug*

Personally I've no idea what the fuss is about, although it would allow more users (maybe) if the database ran faster (possibly).

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 07:25:04 -0800

in most communities, you can leave when you're ready to move on.

Aside from the fact that this is no truer for any other online community than it is for Metafilter, you can leave real communities whenever, but you can't erase the memory of your presence in the community. You can choose to move to another town and not come back, but you can't stop Tom, Dick or Harry from saying "remember the time they said this stupid thing? Whatta riot!"

So why would you expect that to happen on MetaFilter? If you're ready to move on, move on. If you change your mind (again, just because you left town doesn't mean they put up a border guard dedicated to stopping you from revisiting), come back. It's so simple. I don't understand what the point of the request was, and frankly, I find it a little.. well... crybaby-ish.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:03:43 -0800

Nobody asked to have all their comments deleted, did they? I thought this was just a wild "Is that what they want?" speculation, an attempt to explain the inexplicable. (I mean really, this is wacko stuff here. *imitates dgaicun's gesture*) So discussing it seriously is making a red herring out of a dead fish. Or something.

14Ks are, without a doubt, the most interesting group of 1K in the entire 17K bunch.

I couldn't agree with you more.

By: dash_slot-

dash_slot- — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:15:19 -0800

MetaFilter: making a red herring out of a dead fish.

By: th3ph17

th3ph17 — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:15:31 -0800

as you leave, don't look back or you will turn into a pillar of salt. [only using a Lynx browser.]

"Is that what they want?" speculation
well languagehat,

*jumps into thread wearing a mini skirt*

i'll tell you what they want
what they really really want.
they wanna, they wanna, they wanna, they wanna, they wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha.

If you want my future forget my post,
If you wanna post like me better make it fast,
Now don't go wasting my precious time,
Get your metafilter act together we could be just fine

If you wanna be a good poster, you gotta post like my friends,
Make it last forever your posts will never end,
If you wanna be like a stan chin, you have got to give,
talking smack is too easy, but that's the way it is.

What do you think about that now you know how I feel,
Say you can handle my love are you for real,
I won't be hasty, I'll give you a try
If you really bug me then I'll say goodbye.

So here's a story from A to Z, you wanna leave
you gotta listen carefully,
We got Em in the place who likes it in your face,
we got G like MC who likes it on an
Easy V doesn't come for free, she's a real lady,
and as for me you'll see,
Slam your body down and wind it all around
Slam your body down and wind it all around

If you wanna leave, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta,
you gotta, you gotta, slam, slam, slam, slam
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down and wind it all around.
Slam your body down zigazig ah
If you wanna leave just LEAVE.

By: dg

dg — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:33:29 -0800

14Ks are, without a doubt, the most interesting group of 1K in the entire 17K bunch.
Never was a truth more self-evident ...

RunsWithBandageScissors, I am sorry that you have decided to leave MeFi, as I am sure that others are.

Having said that, my mind boggles at the thought of anyone asking that their account be deleted. If you are truly sick and tired of being here, how can it be so hard to just not visit? Is anyone that addicted?

*mental image of RunsWithBandageScissors whimpering and scratching at the screen like a cat wanting to be let back in the house*

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:47:14 -0800

I think old chap Jonson is referring to the melodramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance of a person whose username rhymes with "FLUSH-em-CEE".

Ah, the false meme that keeps on ticking...

:::adds dhoyt to his userpage list of gullible sheeple:::

Maybe dhoyt means me, man. I left in a huff, cause I couldn't find a taxi. And it rhymes...kinda.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 08:58:36 -0800

I actually leave several times a day, but I'm smart enough not to announce it.

By: DBAPaul

DBAPaul — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 09:17:17 -0800

Perhaps Matt should post RWBS' picture on her user page with customary black stripe in the corner. I'll supply the pic.

/Troll

By: Perigee

Perigee — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:09:56 -0800

14Ks are, without a doubt, the most interesting group of 1K in the entire 17K bunch.

Uh-huh. Talk to the hand, Newbies. Us 3ks are exclusive, abusive, reclusive and elusive. We are the Barchettas of the MeFi crew.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:18:00 -0800

how effusive!

By: jazon

jazon — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:23:58 -0800

th3ph17 - that's the best thing I've read all day. That was so funny, I had to go up and get a fresh cup of coffee, so that I could have something to spray on the keyboard when I reread your post.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:24:18 -0800

I've actually noticed that a lot of early-Kers are defensive, retentive and occasionally offensive. Whereas, really, who can deny that the 14 k bunch are delightful, insightful... and can be divided by seven?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:29:43 -0800

okay, th3ph17 needs a gold star, or maybe the word "spice" inserted randomly into every post.

And okay 14Kers, I give in. I'm scheduling a 14K pride march. T-shirts will be made available, and Bravo will cover the event, canvassing for those interested in signing up for a 14K eye for the 3K guy type of tv show.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:33:56 -0800

Honestly, you know who sucks? 8Kers. I'm hard pressed to think of a single decent one in the bunch.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 10:56:43 -0800

jonson, we don't mention the 8Kers because Matt's not really the father... jfyi

By: widdershins

widdershins — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:00:27 -0800

*seethes with envy*

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:10:15 -0800

the only reasons that I can imagine for this kind of request are: [...] 2. I don't want anyone to have the ability to look up my history of posts and comments via my user page.

Uh, in all seriousness, if members don't realize at this point that everything one ever says online will exist, somewhere, forever, then you may need the Interwebnet Refresher Course 101. If you don't want it staring you in the face in 10 years, don't post it. I have a rule on my blog that I never post anything which I would be uncomfortable with the head of my department reading for this very reason. Not that I think he ever does, but, you know.

And I'm sick and tired of the marginalizing, OtherKphobic attitude around here, and the general 14K hegemony and general overlordism that is so sadly evident in this thread, and, no doubt, casting a pall over Mefi in general! It's K-ist, and I'm not gonna stand for it!
*shuffles off, muttering, to make protest signs*

By: jokeefe

jokeefe — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:13:18 -0800

(I am of course not referring to taz in the above post, but users in general)

I support 12K pride!

We're here! We're an even dozen thousand! And... uh... yeah.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:17:35 -0800

...but jokeefe, even you will have to admit you can't be divided by seven, yes?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:24:32 -0800

If you don't want it staring you in the face in 10 years, don't post it.

True dat. I had my current employer scope my e-mail address out for Usenet postings before she hired me (this was about 5 years ago) where she discovered that I was gay, liked gossiping about celebrities who might be gay, who liked to bitch and moan about stupid people calling for tech support, and a rather interesting side of my personality revealed during a flamewar.

It really bugged me then, as she outed me to the company before ever saying I was hired. She wanted to make sure it was "okay" with everyone else. Really bugged me then, as I felt she'd taken control of an aspect of my life that she really didn't have any right to. Doesn't bug me anymore, because, hey, if I'm gonna tell millions of strangers about my life I'd better be saying the same things to people I know or am working for. Keeps me honest, I guess.

I tend to doubt that whatever we post will be around "forever" there. There's a big EMP somewhere in our future, I'm sure of it.

By: picopebbles

picopebbles — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:40:52 -0800

14K: pure gold.

By: dabitch

dabitch — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:46:04 -0800

If I get another digit at the end I can join you hip 14kers ... does anyone have a 0? I'd like to buy a 0.. naah. ;)

By: cedar

cedar — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:47:12 -0800

I want to be a 14k'er.

I hear they get the girls and good dope.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 11:54:32 -0800

Goodness, WolfDaddy. And NOW she also knows about the effect silk boxers have on you.

I've made posts I regret now, or am plain embarrassed about, but I recognize that there's no way to take them back. It's not reasonable to expect to - we can't take things back in "real life", and what we do on a web log is just as real, even though it may not feel as personal and immediate. I like your "keeps [one] honest" conclusion - it's easy to blame the technology and have unreasonable expectations of it, but it's far better to take more care with what we post and to realize that we must have integrity in our online lives, as well as in our "real" ones. It's all real, we're still dealing with real people, and it's only a matter of medium and venue.

By: JoanArkham

JoanArkham — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:04:59 -0800

Well, the girls at least...

My mother always told me to never write down anything you wouldn't want read in a court of law, and that goes double for the internet.

By: wendell

wendell — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:11:29 -0800

ZeroK.
'Nuff said.

I relate the phenomenon of making a big goodbye to MetaFilter to writing a suicide note, and as was mentioned a bunch of times on the alt.suicide group that there was a recent thread about, you don't write a note if you REALLY want to kill yourself... Now, why I was snooping around alt.suicide is none of anybody's business, but I must say that right now, at least 40% of my Will To Live is thanks to the Legendary Acronym Thread.
'Nuff said.
No, too much said. Add this to my long list of embarrassing posts.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:14:39 -0800

I hear they get the girls and good dope.

We also get French truffles, but you didn't hear it from me.

OT: I figured out very early how clear and lasting our footsteps in the electronic sand are, and for a long, long time I did nothing but lurk, but once I came out of the shadows, I had to decide if I was going to have an online "persona", or just pretty much stick with the same old me. Same old me seemed easier.

And, as lupine papa notes, it keeps me pretty honest, though I have to admit that in real life, I'm actually more outspoken. I depend a lot of visual and physical cues to evaluate situations, so on the internet, I'm just a dog.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:32:51 -0800

on the internet, I'm just a dog.

But taz, on the internet, nobody knows.

By: The God Complex

The God Complex — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:35:29 -0800

I think 14k can also be divided by two, which would put make it the only group of users eligible for the exclusive 2 & 7 rotary club, where our motto is, as always, peace by subversion and feather boa.

I'll do some more research and see if this is in fact true. In the meantime, hopefully Stavros keeps control of himself vis a vis the wobbly pops--the 2k crowd lacks all self control.

As my first subversive act, I'll be printing up thousands of Miguel is 111 stickers and placing them strategically on various objects.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:40:39 -0800

Are there 14kers here? I could have sworn we were still on 10k or so...ah, well. I'm sure they'll pipe up soon. :)

I have actually seen an instance on another forum where the user who decided to leave went through every thread she'd ever posted in and painstakingly deleted all her own comments.

This happened on a bulletin board I ran in the early 90s. It made a real mess of things.

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:47:18 -0800

And NOW she also knows about the effect silk boxers have on you.

Of course she does. She gave 'em to me as a present.

Over on Everything2, where you can edit your contributions after inital posting to your heart's content, we call the withdrawal of everything you've written "pulling an Asamoth," so named for the first member who did such a thing.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:48:01 -0800

I'm probably about the same in real life too - mischievious, a little malicious, tenacious on some points, unfortunately too likely to put my foot in my mouth and occasionally capable of a good rim shot.

I'm musing over the original topic of this thread - why it would be important for someone to have their username deleted. The best explanation I can think of is that it has more to do with their experience of MetaFilter than with their effect on MetaFilter. We all know that except for Mathowie none of us are important here. Sure, we have our first string MeFiers like Miguel. We have prolific ones that contribute a lot and whom everyone knows and likes. We even have ones whom everyone loves to hate. But even the most prolific user will be initially missed but forgotten in a year's time. It doesn't matter to the rest of us whether they're blocked or not, and from our perspective there's no reason why they can't just stop posting and perhaps put an explanation on the user page for anyone who misses them.

So, it's really the exiting user to whom this matters. Maybe the departing MeFier likes to make a dramatic exit. Maybe she or he thinks of himself or herself as more important than she or he was. Or maybe the ex-Mefier is the sort of person who just likes things ended in a tidy and definitive way. Whatever. It's just a very personal preference with no real bearing on the rest of us. I guess they should get their "resign" button if it doesn't make too much work for Matt. But of course they shouldn't be able to delete their posts - it's revisionist and makes a mess that the rest of us would have to deal with.

By: patricking

patricking — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:49:54 -0800

oh my. a shitstorm. sorry. i haven't been online since posting this last night.

bit o'clarification:

i haven't been angrily festering over this or anything; it's just an idea that popped into my head last night. it's not like i suddenly decided to pipe up and say "fuck all 'yall." that's not what i mean at all. for those of you who've decided to assign that meaning, don't be so defensive.

the reason i asked is that matt has—and is—looking for ways to extend the site...and it's pretty close to being a true community. i simply think it would be smart to have a history associated with one's profile (no deletion of links made by the user; that'd be unfair) to give a true indication of one's participation. and i don't think an account going dormant is a true reflection of the user's involvement.

as for simply logging out and deleting cookies, well yeah. but that's only a one-sided reflection of the truth; nobpody else will know that a user's logged out and never come back.

it's just always bothered me that people simply disappear online without a trace...if this is such a community, how come there's no forwarding address or anything?

also, i think it would show how many people actually live in MeFi. the currently displayed membership number is bullshit—it shows how many member accounts exist, not how many members are actually active and participating. everyone knows many of those accounts are inactive and have been for some time.

I haven't done it in the past because people frequently change their minds. The first time I got a request like that, I was looking into it for a few days, figuring out how best to do it, when I noticed the person started posting again.

that probably wouldn't happen in my case. i haven't posted in a really really long time, and i really don't feel the urge. i was thinking it might be good for the user page to show the user's history, and then a closure of the account with a reason. even in a one-traffic-light town, there's a forwarding address or some indication that "alice don't live here no mo'." shuttered windows and suchlike.

By: matteo

matteo — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 12:55:25 -0800

taz, perigee

3k's are also intrusive

and now if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving my computer to go to the bathroom -- I'll have to post a MetaTalk thread about that, too

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:02:46 -0800

I suppose a user that wanted to be blocked could just post large Jpegs to every thread.

By: taz

taz — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:20:20 -0800

matteo, let us know how it all comes out.

THE early childhood joke that I just can't put behind me. sorry.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:35:50 -0800

patricking, I gotta confess, I still don't get it.

i was thinking it might be good for the user page to show the user's history,

which it does,

and then a closure of the account with a reason.

which you can easily add yourself before leaving. You can put ACCOUNT CLOSED or GONE FOR GOOD or whatever the hell you want. So what's the problem, again?

By: patricking

patricking — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:38:26 -0800

3k's are also intrusive

this points to something else i forgot to address: the quality-of-member-versus-member-number question. if accounts could be closed, possibly the system could recycle numbers so that it no longer really matters what your user number is. maybe a retired user could be de-associated from its account number and re-assigned to a graveyard pool or something.

(keeping in mind i'm a front-end designer and have no clue how complex something like that would be to actually create)

By: contessa

contessa — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:47:21 -0800

You can put ACCOUNT CLOSED or GONE FOR GOOD or whatever the hell you want. So what's the problem, again?

I think what patricking is getting at (and I could be wrong) is that to make it really "official" as well as presenting a true(-er) picture of the number of active members, any so-called retired accounts would also be subtracted from the number of users displayed on the front page. At least, I think that's part of it.

wooo go 14k

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:54:41 -0800

By: dabitch

dabitch — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 13:57:17 -0800

that sounds like a nightmare to create, unique numbers are neat, recycling them a headache.

I'm with soyjoy, anyone who wishes to leave, and wants to leave a 'forwarding adress' could do so on their userpage. write your buh-byes there and leave Matt out of it.

I have dusty slashdot account somewhere (forgot my pass) and various other memberships at websites and BBSs I no longer use. This isn't a mailinglist where you unsubscribe - you can just stop coming here.

By: GeekAnimator

GeekAnimator — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:04:50 -0800

This is the latest in a long line of threads that mention how people are curious about current user statistics. Were my name Matt Haughey, I think my next project would be a simple page that counts up some basic user statistics, like...

Number of unique posters in the past 6 months... XXXXX
Number of unique posters in the past month... XXXX
Number of unique posters this week... XXX

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:28:29 -0800

…or remove the number of members from the front page and let it be a mystery.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:35:42 -0800

"it's just always bothered me that people simply disappear online without a trace...if this is such a community, how come there's no forwarding address or anything?"

My neighbors moved out a few months ago. I never really noticed them when they were here, and I only know they left because I saw the moving truck pulling away. I'm quite unconcerned about it, because when the people I do know and care for leave, they'll be sure to let me know where they're going.

By: JanetLand

JanetLand — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:36:05 -0800

I suddenly feel kind of proud that I have no idea what my user number is. And don't you tell me!

By: Perigee

Perigee — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:36:53 -0800

Hey, if somebody wants to switch a 17000 number with me, git on with it; as far as I can tell, the whole # thing is just friendly trash talk anyway.

I'm sorry, Pat, but every post you put in here makes this sound like a desperate bid for attention. If you want gone, shut the heck up and don't let the door hit you in the ass. Stop whining to us about going, OK? I promise we won't have the slightest rememberance of your name, number, religious or political viewpoints at all in a year or two.

Hie thee hence, and stop with the curtain calls.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 14:46:08 -0800

And don't you tell me!

It's 17350.

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 15:13:10 -0800

well said, orange swan. When I see people doing dramatic exits, I always think it is more about them than MeFi, more about issues they are working out than anything else.

I can remember the first time I ever quit a job and wondered how they would ever get along without me. Well much to my chagrin, they got along just fine. Since then, life has been a continuous sequence of events conspiring to remind me that I have the global significance one notch up from your average gnat.

A man said to the universe, "Sir, i exist!" "However," replied the universe, "the fact has not created in me a sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

...on another note, taz, that's a dirty crack that ought to be wiped out. (groanworthy, indeed)

...oh, and as for the 14kers? Ya, you guys are an ok crew, but the 15kers and beyond sauntered in fashionably late rather than rush the doors when they opened, talk about coolness.

By: amberglow

amberglow — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 15:51:15 -0800

Runs, i'm sad you don't like it here anymore...is it the political stuff? the gay stuff? what? my breath?

juju, don't burst our delusions of greatness, ok?
and you're just jealous anyway!

I want to be a 14k'er.
I hear they get the girls and good dope.
We get all the hot boys too ; >

I would like to remind everyone of all the meTa discussions about newbies and stuff when we 14kers got in last year, and that we weren't exactly made to feel welcome for the most part--I would hope that when Matt opens up membership again people can try to be a little more supportive and encouraging of newbies instead of the assholes some people were. I know those of us who have been there will take a different approach to new members.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:00:09 -0800

That might have been the case when you joined in July, amberglow, but when I joined – way, way back in May – people were as nice as can be. They even threw me a little party.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:02:54 -0800

Ha, amberglow, it never works that way. Those who were kicked kick the hardest. And thus, the cycle continues....

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:25:24 -0800

I remember rushmc as being particularly welcoming. "I don't care how you got here," he said, "it's just great that you're here." Made me feel warm all over, he did.

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:35:06 -0800

I've never been in a gang before. Woo Me. Bagsy the role of the misunderstood loser who's part of the 14K club, but isn't appreciated until some minor technical knowledge saves the plot and get's him the geeky looking girl at the end of the film.

Hmm no. This is Metafilter. We ALL want that part.

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:37:19 -0800

Although the "minor technical knowledge" shouldn't be anything to do with apostophes's's's.

By: scarabic

scarabic — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:40:17 -0800

Wouldn't that require adding a new database table for "retired" members plus some kind of application to transfer retirees to the graveyard table? I don't know that much about it either, but it sounds like a lot of work.

Yep. And don't forget it's Matt that has to cut down the trees and mill the lumber to make that table. An incredible amount of work, indeed. lol

I'm sure an additional column in the user table would be no biggie to add. It's not a giant structural issue to add one flag to a database.

The real pain would be in checking all the existing queries against that table to make sure they don't break. Any arrays that would get shifted improperly, etc? Hard to say from the user end how complicated this would be, since it depends a lot on how the current code is designed and implemented.

Still, I'd have to be a prick to hypothesize that it should be easy enough for Matt to get done soon. I can barely get my housework done on a regular schedule.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 16:54:28 -0800

Okay, I'm heading even farther out on the limb of my ignorance, but I'd like to try to understand this. If usernumber is a key field and patrcking wants to recycle his usernumber but still be able to find his posts and comments, how is adding one flag going to achieve that? How's the database going to know whether it's the old number 1129 or the new one?

By: inpHilltr8r

inpHilltr8r — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 17:04:52 -0800

"Who are you?"
"The new Number 2."
"Who is Number 1?"
"You are Number 6."
"I am not a number! I am a free man!"

Hey, Leo McKern came back...

"Who are you?"
"One of the old Number 2's."

By: patricking

patricking — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 18:09:26 -0800

I think what patricking is getting at (and I could be wrong) is that to make it really "official" as well as presenting a true(-er) picture of the number of active members

yup. exactly what i meant.

If usernumber is a key field and patrcking wants to recycle his usernumber but still be able to find his posts and comments, how is adding one flag going to achieve that? How's the database going to know whether it's the old number 1129 or the new one?

i was just kind of musing at this. it seemed like an interesting notion.

I'm sorry, Pat, but every post you put in here makes this sound like a desperate bid for attention.

fuckez vous, dude. if i was desperate for attention i'd be posting to the front page every single day—not questioning what to do with retired members.

By: skallas

skallas — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 18:41:19 -0800

I thnk patricking makes a great point about the supposed 17K members. Most of these people are gone and that number is meaningless. Well it does mean that there are 17k accounts which potentially could post on the site. The actual membership is unknown and the readership can be figured out by the number of repeating unique IPs hitting the site with a little statistical analysis.

The posting community is pretty small, I rarely see new faces posting or when I do they don't seem to repeat.

By: clavdivs

clavdivs — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 18:58:35 -0800

In the spirit of the times, i will be on Sabbatical for a month or so...quonsars gonna get my mail and watch the house.

ah HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHH
ha ha
AHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 19:16:22 -0800

Made me feel warm all over, he did.

Umm...that was the boiling oil...

By: amberglow

amberglow — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 19:40:02 -0800

quonsar, i ordered the strippers (both kinds) and the kegs...you bring the drugs...party at clav's house!

By: JanetLand

JanetLand — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 19:42:33 -0800

That meany timeistight says: It's 17350.

I will now go off and learn to accept my new identity as New Oxford, Pennsylvania.

By: modofo

modofo — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 19:59:18 -0800

JanetLand - try Rouses Point, New York.

By: ewagoner

ewagoner — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 20:03:17 -0800

The posting community is pretty small, I rarely see new faces posting or when I do they don't seem to repeat.

True, skallas. Why, I remember when yours was a new face around here. I was the young kid on the corner, trying to act all cool like I knew what I was doing. Just like those plural-K'ers are today.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 20:10:32 -0800

Rouses Point was named after my ancestors - I demand royalties for anyone who appropriates the name!

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 20:11:21 -0800

Nice to see the 14kers taking over - I used to feel so reviled. (Though of course now I'm very pro bar-the-doors-to-riff-raff. Consistency and hobgoblins and yadda yadda.)
But I don't care about numbers, I just wish I could change my stupid username. It seemed so devilishly clever - for oh, about 35 seconds. And now I'm saddled with it. Dopey me.

Hmmm....."hobgoblin" would be cool.

Also, I can't think how many boards and groups I used to be part of that I got bored of and wandered away from. It never even crossed my mind to have my membership canceled. I still don't get why anyone would care.

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 21:03:10 -0800

I don't know nuttin' about ColdFusion or really how the Intarweb works (that's why I have made my career in hosting your websites, folks!) but it seems to me if you can 'splain why this and this get you the same thing, there might be a way to divorce one's self from one's usernumber yet still be uniquely identifiable, thus making the data that represents "you" on MeFi more easily manipulated to approach what some members seem to be requesting.

By: dg

dg — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 22:48:34 -0800

I know very little about database programming (says he, jumping in to offer advice on that very subject), but i cannot see how you can change what must be the key index for the whole system, tying users to comments and threads. Unless you created a query to move all references to user numbers except those who already below the user in question down one every time someone left, which seems like a completely pointless waste of time. If there was really a need to see if a user was active at any point in time, surely the simplest way would be to add a line to the user page saying "[user] has posted [x] threads and [x] comments in the past three months" or something similar. That way, it would only have to be calculated when a user page was viewed. Not that I think it is necessary, just saying. Actually, I would be interested to see that. being a bit anal about statistics and such, but don't see any pressing need or anything.

Is it just me, or are the 14k crowd the most prolific in MeTa? It seems so and I assume that this is because we care more than the proletariat do.

By: katieinshoes

katieinshoes — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 23:04:14 -0800

Instead of a gold star, you could put a dead fish next to retired member's names. You know, because their account is dead and they made a big enough stink that everyone knows about it.

Really, as far as knowing (or at least estimating) how many people still stick around, most good web stats programs can tell you how many unique visitors you have in a day...and there are always people analyzing Mefi stats...but there's no way to get the people who quit coming 3 or 4 years ago to come back and mark themselves retired. So...can we just let the True Number of Active Members simply be one of the universe's great mysteries?

And, hey, can I join the 14K party? I'll bring pie. I know I'm like the cousin who you only see every 4 years, but I can do this cool trick with my...uh, nevermind.

By: i_cola

i_cola — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 00:23:28 -0800

To follow on from soyjoy's suggestion re: amending your user page, just do it like Dan (Hartung). Altho' a 'User page last amended on MM/DD/YY' field would make it work better. [Actually, I'd prefer DD/MM/YY but I s'pose you left ponders have your quirky ways...].

As for the 14K thing [*shouts out to the homes*]...for some reason [*koff*] I keep banging on about this.

katie: What is it with you & dead fish?!? Ah well, you've reminded me of the only thing I didn't like about my Grandma - her (dead) fish pie. *shudder*

By: picopebbles

picopebbles — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 02:59:35 -0800

The posting community is pretty small, I rarely see new faces posting or when I do they don't seem to repeat.

Oh man. I love being a 14k, but if the earlier numbers get to see faces on all the posts I can't help being a tad jealous despite all these complementary French truffles and hot boys.

By: i_cola

i_cola — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 05:08:19 -0800

Well, well. yhbc and myself predicted the rise of the 14Kers back in the day. We should get to be Honoury Life Presidents or something...well, engraved tankards at the very least. Or maybe embroidered cummerbunds. Look, just gimme stuff.

By: taz

taz — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 07:13:06 -0800

i_cola, look for a package in the mail. (just, um, try not to open it while anybody else is around, 'kay?)

By: mcsweetie

mcsweetie — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 08:06:54 -0800

I reckon if you're so disgusted by the level of discourse here to demand erasure, then you're not worth being owed a favor to.

in other words, don't let the door hit you where your buttocks are.

By: signal

signal — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 08:25:26 -0800

Prime-# Kers is where it's at, obviously.

By: bonaldi

bonaldi — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 08:38:19 -0800

What was the big thing that happened between 13K and 14K? Is that when signups were closed? I guess those of us that got 14Ks had to try for weeks to get here at 12pm PST to get the damn daily signin. Took me a month, easy, to get in.

And perhaps needing that determination to get in is what makes all my 14k comrades so wonderful. But I got lazy, and coast on their coat-tails. I'll be in the bar at the 14K party, thanks.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 08:39:26 -0800

OK, we 14Kers are clearly a majority in this thread. What say we throw the others overboard and take command of the vessel? Mr. Cummerbund, set sail for Tahiti!

By: ginz

ginz — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 08:49:07 -0800

*grabs life jacket*

By: taz

taz — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 09:22:10 -0800

Hmmm...

14 ADDICTION, freedom, passion Number 14 is associated with the constructive use of freedom. Since it focuses on each one of the five senses, there is a tendency to over-eat, over-drink, and cross the "normal" boundaries of sexual exploration. This number learns how to be in the earthly, sensual world without losing touch with the spiritual connection. It learns to enjoy life and the challenges of freedom of choice without getting stuck in overindulgence and wastefulness. It learns to follow through on promises without feeling it is giving away its time or power. There is much passion, conflict, and resistance to control.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 09:33:38 -0800

i cannot see how you can change what must be the key index for the whole system, tying users to comments and threads. Unless you created a query to move all references to user numbers except those who already below the user in question down one every time someone left

That's what I thought too, dg. Maybe scarabic will stop LOLing long enough to explain where we're going wrong.

My 14k theory is that we care more because it was harder for us to get in.

By: dhoyt

dhoyt — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 11:01:15 -0800

Any sub-#1000ers still post?

*adjusts truss and toupee*

By: riffola

riffola — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 11:02:04 -0800

Just a few dhoyt, but let the kidlets think they run the show. ;)

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 12:27:15 -0800

Just sitting back watching the show mostly, these days, dhoyt and riffy. Damn kids, think they 0wnz0r the place....

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 12:28:04 -0800

*belchz0rs*

By: rushmc

rushmc — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 12:38:12 -0800

Just wait till you see the 20k kids...they are SO gonna rock.

By: poopy

poopy — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 13:00:29 -0800

FOOD FIGHT!!!!

*slings watermelon at timeistight and the 1krs *

By: cedar

cedar — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 15:19:00 -0800

"Any sub-#1000ers still post?"

Sure, but I went out for ice cream a couple of years ago and haven't made it back. Give the kids my best and the checks in the mail.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 15:19:56 -0800

The real elite will be the friends-of-mathowie with numbers higher than 17322. They're just biding their time until they can seize power.

By: DBAPaul

DBAPaul — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 20:26:20 -0800

How about changing the names of members who officially left MeFi to "Traitorous Former User #n" (where n is incremented each time a member officially ~~defects~~ leaves.)

By: wendell

wendell — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 22:04:31 -0800

"Any sub-#1000ers still post?"

ZeroK here. ZeroK.

What do I have to say to show somebody here I exist?
Oh, yeah, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Oh, shit, I just discovered two personal e-mails sent by MeFites two weeks ago that fell through the massive cracks of my Outlook Express... You tolerate me! You really tolerate me!!

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 22:59:06 -0800

FWIW, I think the dead-fish idea is perfect.

patricking, would that satisfy your needs? Cause if not I stilll don't get what it is you want that you can't get now.

By: hincandenza

hincandenza — Sat, 02 Aug 2003 23:48:44 -0800

jonson: Honestly, you know who sucks? 8Kers. I'm hard pressed to think of a single decent one in the bunch.

I've contributed nothing but greatness and wit, I'll have you know!

By: arto

arto — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 00:07:21 -0800

I've contributed nothing *of* greatness and wit. Beat that, sucka!

16k'ers: The 14k'ers it's okay not to like.

By: skallas

skallas — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 01:57:21 -0800

This guy beats everyone by a long shot.

By: arto

arto — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 04:06:14 -0800

But does he have his own subdomain?

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 07:24:16 -0800

And where are all the other -999999Kers?

Dammit, I went to bed and missed Mig's meltdown.

By: adamgreenfield

adamgreenfield — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 07:50:05 -0800

Ooh! What happened? Last time I popped into that thread, it hadn't yet built up a full head of steam.

By: mdn

mdn — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 08:24:53 -0800

the best user numbers transcend arbitrary clumps of 10^3: like 13000 or 12345 or 11111...

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 10:13:07 -0800

Ain't it great to be so easily amused?

By: Opus Dark

Opus Dark — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 15:57:09 -0800

Ooh! What happened? Last time I popped into that thread, it hadn't yet built up a full head of steam.

It never became interesting. I was disappointed. It was like being in an old woman's underwear drawer.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 16:16:44 -0800

I missed the whole thing. What was it?

By: jonson

jonson — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 17:21:59 -0800

Yeah, I don't know what you guys are even referring to... splain?

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 17:50:22 -0800

it was great. someone used the word 'autofellatic'.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 18:01:37 -0800

Surely you must have it cached, quonsar.

By: Opus Dark

Opus Dark — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 18:42:45 -0800

Well, OK, 'autofellatic' was worthwhile...still, the thread never achieved critical tumescence; Matt bobbited it and fed it, still squirming, to the MetaDustbunnies.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 18:57:39 -0800

Splanation: A post by Miguel asking for help fleshing out a minor character in the book he's currently writing - the character in question being a member of metafilter. The ensuing thread was filled with lots of people pointing out that the post was not really suited for metatalk. They were right, apparently.

By: wendell

wendell — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 19:05:39 -0800

A fine demonstration to patricking what he needs to do to acheive the status of EX-MeFite... Miguel lost more karma points than Bill Bennett on an Atlantic City weekender...

Opus D, your lurid imagery made me do a spit-take that steam-cleaned my keyboard...

By: dg

dg — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 19:10:21 -0800

OK, so who was the character?

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 19:17:09 -0800

MetaFilter: critical tumescence

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 19:31:58 -0800

That sounds interesting. I'm sorry I missed it.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 19:46:33 -0800

Lately I've been thinking a lot about that other MetaTalk thread. What are your opinions on it? Let's discuss! etc.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 20:09:11 -0800

Well, shoot - now I'm interested, too. Who was it, anyway? It wasn't me, was it? Oh, and if it has anything to do with the auto-fellatio thing, I swear it was just a joke.

By: crunchland

crunchland — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 20:18:53 -0800

that's just it. it wasn't anyone. it was just miguel, begging for attention.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 20:50:57 -0800

OK, so who was the character?

It wasn't anyone in particular - he was asking for help in creating a fictitious amalgamation. I definitely did not splain that part very well. The only part of the post I recall is the "reassuringly gay" part. Miguel wants this fictitious metafilter character he's creating to be reassuringly gay. Whatever that means.

By: filmgoerjuan

filmgoerjuan — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:23:10 -0800

Reassuringly gay = gay in a way that doesn't make Miguel question his sexuality ;)

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:27:30 -0800

reassuringly gay. Whatever that means.

*quonsar leers salaciously over his shoulder at iconomy etc etc etc*

By: graventy

graventy — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 21:34:31 -0800

dangit! why is it when metatalk posts are killed they are completely obliterated? or...is the post somewhere i can't find...

By: angry modem

angry modem — Sun, 03 Aug 2003 22:35:48 -0800

It's 12:34 AM on a Sunday night. Having listened to the calming melodies of Mogwai for a couple of hours now, I stumbled upon this thread, and upon reading the comments, I found this.

This is the single greatest thing to ever be posted on anything starting with "meta".

Goodnight. My neighbors are surely awake because of my unending laughter.

By: dg

dg — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 00:24:26 -0800

reassuringly gay. Whatever that means.
Well, it wasn't me then. I am not sure which would be worse - being selected as a character in a novel by Miguel or not being interesting enough to be selected as a character in a novel by Miguel.

By: dmt

dmt — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 03:33:07 -0800

What the hell is the website which must not be named? Is it that one named after diminutive, unusually coloured sporting goods?

By: crunchland

crunchland — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 05:36:22 -0800

By: graventy

graventy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 05:54:13 -0800

Does it rhyme with dark?

By: GeekAnimator

GeekAnimator — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 06:26:48 -0800

Does it rhyme with spastic?

By: crunchland

crunchland — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 06:41:31 -0800

not even close.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 07:15:03 -0800

I think it rhymes with filepile.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 07:28:58 -0800

No, I think it rhymes with "snubgirl."

By: signal

signal — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 07:44:18 -0800

No, it rhymes with "cubgirl".

By: Joeforking

Joeforking — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 07:46:43 -0800

One possible solution for people wishing to quit.

By: dg

dg — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 15:00:00 -0800

It doesn't rhyme with anything.

By: iconomy

iconomy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 16:13:40 -0800

Sure it does, dg. It rhymes with ero5hin.

Incidentally, the fact that soyjoy rhymes with boytoy has not escaped my notice.

By: dg

dg — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 17:18:45 -0800

Ah, we must be thinking of a different site that must not be named, then.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 21:28:52 -0800

Memo to Self:
ionomy
on'a me

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Mon, 04 Aug 2003 21:31:41 -0800

"iconomy
- on'a me"

that should be.

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