Notify when you MeTa, kids

July 25, 2001 1:21 PM

So I mentioned this here, but I'll ask here as well:

How about a way to remind people when they create a MetaTalk thread that they should invite/inform interested parties? I don't know how you'd do it -- maybe a popup the first time someone hits the site after the thread has been created (like the joke popup the other day).
posted by briank to Feature Requests at 1:21 PM (10 comments total)

I think it's better to leave MetaTalk to those of us who are so wonky about MetaFilter that we show up here.
posted by rcade at 1:27 PM on July 25, 2001

So you'd question the relevance of their post here, and leave them out of any discussion that ensues? Just wondering.. I mean, if you're going to complain about a post, but let people know what they're doing wrong so they can correct whatever you see as a problem, rock on. If you complain, but only to other wonky people, whats the point?
posted by djc at 1:36 PM on July 25, 2001

I think the community standards of MetaFilter are established by the 50-100 people who post the most links and comments. Those folks are reading MetaTalk and are likely to care about things like posting etiquette.

As for the rest, would you want to learn about MetaTalk by being dragged here with a target on your stomach?
posted by rcade at 1:39 PM on July 25, 2001

Sure it'd be great if there was a non-invasive way to alert people to the fact that their thread or behavior is being discussed, but how? I think popups are fairly annoying and who knows if the person will catch it the first time (should it popup until they respond?)

I can't think of a non-invasive way to do it, so I would say stick with the current unwritten rule of emailing the person when you start a thread about them or their thread.

djc, I think rcade is saying that the people that worry about the site will come here and see that people are debating their contributions, and if they don't visit metatalk, that might be fine. No one is saying that this part of the site should be considered a closed door meeting where a secret society gathers to badmouth others without their knowledge.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:19 PM on July 25, 2001

How 'bout just adding a comment to the thread along the lines of this thread is being discussed in MetaTalk? Then, anybody that's interested is free to follow the link.
posted by willnot at 2:34 PM on July 25, 2001

hmmm......


>> better to leave MetaTalk to those of us who are so wonky

>> So you'd question the relevance of their post here, and leave them out of any discussion that ensues?



There has been alot of talk as of late on MT regarding software solutions with regards to community. I think both of your points are valid, but I would suggest this: let us find a human solution to this. Board populations in general are a strange lot to begin with, but infusing them with too many rules can be the death knell.

MF and MT are, relative to the world of boarding, are adolescents if you will. There is some seriously wacky shit going on out there. And this is a very good thing. What is not cool is the simple fact that many users expect MF/MT to conform to all the rules that have been established previously to other boards. In other words, this board community is living by other board's rules. Those "other boards", by the way, are in no way like this one.

And therin lies the problem.

Someday, yes, a backend filtering solution will work. For now, maybe it is just best to make an email group.

Maybe, someday, there will be a software solution to all of these ills. In the meantime, enjoy the rawcus nature that exists here. That nature is evaportating from our internet world. And I am going to miss it when it is gone.
posted by sardines at 2:41 PM on July 25, 2001

I can't think of a non-invasive way to do it, so I would say stick with the current unwritten rule of emailing the person when you start a thread about them or their thread.


I would vote against the idea; you lose a degree of the accidental discovery experience lost when card catalogs were replaced by computers (or the book stacks ceased being open)

Nonetheless, what about searching a sample of recent Mefi text for member names, and then sending IMs to those members. Make any technical sense?

posted by ParisParamus at 6:19 PM on July 25, 2001

mathowie: i think briank meant a popup to alert the person posting the MeTa thread that they should tell the offender they're being discussed.

a popup to alert the offender is just waiting to be abused :)
posted by pnevares at 11:12 PM on July 25, 2001

mathowie: i think briank meant a popup to alert the person posting the MeTa thread that they should tell the offender they're being discussed.

Mais oui.

Frankly, even just some text on the "Create A Topic" page for MetaTalk that says "Please take a moment to notify involved/interested parties that a MetaTalk thread has been created" would be sufficient, IMHO.

Self-policing is fine, but even the best-intentioned person needs to be reminded occasionally.
posted by briank at 7:39 AM on July 26, 2001

How about listing recent MetaTalk threads in a section of the right sidebar?

One more thing: Could you use dates instead of days for right sidebar posts (7/27/01 instead of Friday)? It's hard to tell how stale the news is with just days...
posted by timothompson at 9:43 AM on July 27, 2001