Whatever happened to monkeyfilter? November 10, 2006 10:41 PM Subscribe
Whatever happened to monkeyfilter? [more inside]
Metachat is the new hotness.
posted by bob sarabia at 10:58 PM on November 10, 2006
posted by bob sarabia at 10:58 PM on November 10, 2006
I'm far from an authority on the issue, but having been a lurker on both metafilter and monkeyfilter for years, I can tell you that mefi signups definitely had an effect, AFAICT. A part of monkeyfilter's culture was definitely the "mefi lurker" identification, which effectively became a non-issue once mefi opened its doors (not to mention that, as you noted, it had by this point developed its own community/culture/vibe).
Currently, however, mofi really exemplifies the 99-1-0.1 rule where just a handful of people (like 10 or so) post and comment everyday, and thrive on this incredibly insular "Cheers"-type culture ("Norm! Cliff!"), which is truly fantastic for the 10, amusing for most of the rest, not terribly engaging for some. I've posted there a few times (under a different user id) and basically received "meh" responses (nothing against the community--I'm sure my posts sucked--but just sayin' I tried to do my part as a 1 percenter).
As I'm not active in MeCha, I have no idea how that affects anything.
posted by war wrath of wraith at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2006
Currently, however, mofi really exemplifies the 99-1-0.1 rule where just a handful of people (like 10 or so) post and comment everyday, and thrive on this incredibly insular "Cheers"-type culture ("Norm! Cliff!"), which is truly fantastic for the 10, amusing for most of the rest, not terribly engaging for some. I've posted there a few times (under a different user id) and basically received "meh" responses (nothing against the community--I'm sure my posts sucked--but just sayin' I tried to do my part as a 1 percenter).
As I'm not active in MeCha, I have no idea how that affects anything.
posted by war wrath of wraith at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2006
Well it's going through a change right now techie-wise, so there have been quite a few 500 server errors. So maybe it's been a case of people dropping by and it's been offline and they carry on to other things and forget to come back for a bit.
I know #1 & #2 have been working really hard on making the server as stable as possible and on the next new improved MoFi.
On the other hand the irc channel is usually pretty busy and with the radio free #mofirc project going on a lot of regular posters have been otherwise occupied.
posted by gomichild at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2006
I know #1 & #2 have been working really hard on making the server as stable as possible and on the next new improved MoFi.
On the other hand the irc channel is usually pretty busy and with the radio free #mofirc project going on a lot of regular posters have been otherwise occupied.
posted by gomichild at 11:12 PM on November 10, 2006
You don't hear about MonkeyFilter any more because we're in the middle of a top secret project that no one is allowed to know about, and all the readers are sworn to secrecy.
It's partly what WWoW and gomichild said. I think MoFi is somewhere halfway between Mefi and MeCha, and there is some cliqueyness -- which the lower membership causes to stand out more than it might over here -- that probably puts some newer members off posting. But, you know, still trucking along. You're right, though, reopening Mefi signups made a difference to MoFi, but that was sort of the intention at the outset, that MonkeyFilter would be the place to wait around for stuff to happen here. I remember thinking that we'd never make it to 500 members.
The new code is Django/Python-based and I'm looking forward to chucking in a bunch of features that should have been there all along but weren't feasible due to what really was unwieldy code with Metaphilter. Right now we're having fun trying to keep the server stable with all the CPU-suckage that Metaphilter causes.
posted by tracicle at 12:50 AM on November 11, 2006
It's partly what WWoW and gomichild said. I think MoFi is somewhere halfway between Mefi and MeCha, and there is some cliqueyness -- which the lower membership causes to stand out more than it might over here -- that probably puts some newer members off posting. But, you know, still trucking along. You're right, though, reopening Mefi signups made a difference to MoFi, but that was sort of the intention at the outset, that MonkeyFilter would be the place to wait around for stuff to happen here. I remember thinking that we'd never make it to 500 members.
The new code is Django/Python-based and I'm looking forward to chucking in a bunch of features that should have been there all along but weren't feasible due to what really was unwieldy code with Metaphilter. Right now we're having fun trying to keep the server stable with all the CPU-suckage that Metaphilter causes.
posted by tracicle at 12:50 AM on November 11, 2006
I still lurk at MoFi, and have been doing so pretty much since I started lurking here on MeFi. I don't think I've ever submitted a post there. I've totally poached a post from there for here at least once. I do comment occasionally, and I check it probably at least once a day for fresh links.
MeCha is just going crazy. The thread and comment count there is just getting bewildering, and new names keep popping up left and right. It's been a strange, cool trip from the getgo.
I used to be - if briefly - rather active on linkfilter, too, but I drifted away, probably after I got my account here.
There's just so much stuff, so much density and complexity. If you're the sort that likes to just randomly flit between pages, topics and tangents, we're in very nutrient-rich fields and we have been for a while. Almost too rich.
It's like the world's largest buffet or something. One has to pick and choose carefully and pace themselves otherwise you end up exploding from cream puffs.
Cream puffs probably represent YouTube in this metaphor.
posted by loquacious at 1:02 AM on November 11, 2006
MeCha is just going crazy. The thread and comment count there is just getting bewildering, and new names keep popping up left and right. It's been a strange, cool trip from the getgo.
I used to be - if briefly - rather active on linkfilter, too, but I drifted away, probably after I got my account here.
There's just so much stuff, so much density and complexity. If you're the sort that likes to just randomly flit between pages, topics and tangents, we're in very nutrient-rich fields and we have been for a while. Almost too rich.
It's like the world's largest buffet or something. One has to pick and choose carefully and pace themselves otherwise you end up exploding from cream puffs.
Cream puffs probably represent YouTube in this metaphor.
posted by loquacious at 1:02 AM on November 11, 2006
I really think it was mefi opening membership, since metachat is... well, chat - as opposed to discovering new and different stuff on the tubes.
When MeFi was closed, there was a source of new members that doesn't exist any more, even in terms of people who might want to paticipate at both sites, since they are now much less likely to hear about it. Before membership opened up here, anyone talking about metafilter being closed would be directed to MoFi, so what was lost through normal attrition was constantly being replaced.
posted by taz at 2:06 AM on November 11, 2006
When MeFi was closed, there was a source of new members that doesn't exist any more, even in terms of people who might want to paticipate at both sites, since they are now much less likely to hear about it. Before membership opened up here, anyone talking about metafilter being closed would be directed to MoFi, so what was lost through normal attrition was constantly being replaced.
posted by taz at 2:06 AM on November 11, 2006
I used to love MoFi. But I'm pretty sure I had a flame-out. I don't remember what it was about, and I was pretty drunk, and the MoFi archives are totally unhelpful for that kind of thing, so I'm not sure what happened exactly. But I hope that someday I can have the same sort of barely-remembered flame-out here. (But archived.)
posted by maryh at 4:23 AM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by maryh at 4:23 AM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
I shopped reading there shortly after I realized MoneyJane wasn't making any new posts.
posted by Space Coyote at 5:04 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by Space Coyote at 5:04 AM on November 11, 2006
I'm about the same as loquacious: cruise MoFi sometime in a 24hr period. Mostly a fly-through. I occasionally comment.
I almost never go to MeCha anymore. It became difficult to know who was about when I didn't really recognize names much and it really got to be toooooooo much damn pixels screaming past, not to mention the NYCfilter side of things - nothing against that per se, just that it's a bit easier to sidestep clique conversations here.
But everything is a pace-the-info-overload decision ultimately.
posted by peacay at 5:21 AM on November 11, 2006
I almost never go to MeCha anymore. It became difficult to know who was about when I didn't really recognize names much and it really got to be toooooooo much damn pixels screaming past, not to mention the NYCfilter side of things - nothing against that per se, just that it's a bit easier to sidestep clique conversations here.
But everything is a pace-the-info-overload decision ultimately.
posted by peacay at 5:21 AM on November 11, 2006
I hadn't even thought about MoFi in at least a year when someone e-mailed me asking me a question that had come up there and saying "I know you don't come to MonkeyFilter anymore, so..." I felt a little guilty—I really did enjoy that place for a couple of years—but I guess it's a combination of the cliquishness and the "so much stuff" aspect loquacious mentions. I dropped by and saw the same old crew (hi petebest! hi grumblebee!) making the same jokes, and it was nostalgically heartwarming, but I didn't feel the impulse to reimmerse myself. I guess I visit MeFi with the expectation, surprisingly often fulfilled, of seeing something new and interesting; I just don't feel the urge to drop by the bar and say hi to Norm and Cliff any more.
posted by languagehat at 6:19 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by languagehat at 6:19 AM on November 11, 2006
hi grumblebee!
Must have been a coincidence. I can count the times I've read/posted to Monkeyfilter on about one and a half hands. (Same with Metachat). Nothing against those sites. I've just never gotten into them.
posted by grumblebee at 6:54 AM on November 11, 2006
Must have been a coincidence. I can count the times I've read/posted to Monkeyfilter on about one and a half hands. (Same with Metachat). Nothing against those sites. I've just never gotten into them.
posted by grumblebee at 6:54 AM on November 11, 2006
I don't use MoFi because of the insularity of the place. The monkey jokes/posts got tiring, even as a casual reader, and the commenters are definitely too cliquish.
I say that as an outsider, I'm certain it's deeply satisfying for them.
As for MeCha, I go there about once a week, ignore the stupid "OMG BUNNY" posts, and generally enjoy a few odd links or some light conversation. I've gotten and given help and advice there, which is still my favorite filtered activity, and by far where and how I spend the most time.
posted by fake at 10:23 AM on November 11, 2006
I say that as an outsider, I'm certain it's deeply satisfying for them.
As for MeCha, I go there about once a week, ignore the stupid "OMG BUNNY" posts, and generally enjoy a few odd links or some light conversation. I've gotten and given help and advice there, which is still my favorite filtered activity, and by far where and how I spend the most time.
posted by fake at 10:23 AM on November 11, 2006
When I couldn't get into MeFi, I was on MoFi. I always wanted MoFi to be about great links, and I still swoop by there every now and then and find something neat that hasn't been discussed here.
But, y'know, I've never really dug theme parties, and the enforcment of the Monkeys over there or the Bunnies over at MeCha (which is much more pernicious at MoFi) kinda got on my nerves. I mean, I like a lot of the people there, but I always thought they were interesting enough to have a conversation without the cuddle-puddle bullshit, and found it obnoxious when an otherwise interesting conversation would suddenly devolve into "ZOMG BANANAS."
Of course, I'm somebody who just doesn't get the reputation for bittterness or viciousness that MeFi seems to have (with people "afraid" of making posts). I realize that there will be folks who shit in threads here, but they can usually be swept aside (or flagged and removed).
I also don't care for the micro-drama of a cliquish community. I remember when Chryen changed to his current login and there was a whole bunch of will-he/won't-he-stick-around bullshit, and declamatory posts to the front page about everyone being bestest buddies ever, and I felt both alienated and annoyed, like reading the gushy livejournal of someone who has friended you without being friended back.
I was also always amazed at the chip on the shoulder that the community has as a whole about MeFi. I mean, yeah, they had a great thing going on on their own there, but the constant harping on how much better it was than MeFi, especially once the signups opened up for MeFi, just felt really insecure and needy. Instead of giving a reason to stay around, it was just this loud clamor that people NEEDED to stay because MeFi sucked.
As for MeCha, I guess I just find the people there generally smarter than the ones on MoFi. And they've certainly been more helpful to me over time, so if I've got time to chat, I go there. (MeFi stays my primary place because it helps me waste time so much more efficiently...)
posted by klangklangston at 10:38 AM on November 11, 2006 [2 favorites]
But, y'know, I've never really dug theme parties, and the enforcment of the Monkeys over there or the Bunnies over at MeCha (which is much more pernicious at MoFi) kinda got on my nerves. I mean, I like a lot of the people there, but I always thought they were interesting enough to have a conversation without the cuddle-puddle bullshit, and found it obnoxious when an otherwise interesting conversation would suddenly devolve into "ZOMG BANANAS."
Of course, I'm somebody who just doesn't get the reputation for bittterness or viciousness that MeFi seems to have (with people "afraid" of making posts). I realize that there will be folks who shit in threads here, but they can usually be swept aside (or flagged and removed).
I also don't care for the micro-drama of a cliquish community. I remember when Chryen changed to his current login and there was a whole bunch of will-he/won't-he-stick-around bullshit, and declamatory posts to the front page about everyone being bestest buddies ever, and I felt both alienated and annoyed, like reading the gushy livejournal of someone who has friended you without being friended back.
I was also always amazed at the chip on the shoulder that the community has as a whole about MeFi. I mean, yeah, they had a great thing going on on their own there, but the constant harping on how much better it was than MeFi, especially once the signups opened up for MeFi, just felt really insecure and needy. Instead of giving a reason to stay around, it was just this loud clamor that people NEEDED to stay because MeFi sucked.
As for MeCha, I guess I just find the people there generally smarter than the ones on MoFi. And they've certainly been more helpful to me over time, so if I've got time to chat, I go there. (MeFi stays my primary place because it helps me waste time so much more efficiently...)
posted by klangklangston at 10:38 AM on November 11, 2006 [2 favorites]
(Though I will say that MoFi is the first place that Alex Reynolds told me he had written me off and hated me for life. Which was OK.)
posted by klangklangston at 10:41 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by klangklangston at 10:41 AM on November 11, 2006
Must have been a coincidence.
Dammit, I meant beeswacky, not grumblebee. You bees all look alike...
posted by languagehat at 10:48 AM on November 11, 2006
Dammit, I meant beeswacky, not grumblebee. You bees all look alike...
posted by languagehat at 10:48 AM on November 11, 2006
Funny, I forgot all about MoFi. I read SpoFi, MeFi (obviously) and MeCha everyday. Maybe I just got 'Fied out.
posted by fenriq at 11:03 AM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by fenriq at 11:03 AM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
Speaking of monkeys, I just found out Lancelot Link Secret Chimp is out on DVD! OMFG! That is all.
posted by terrapin at 11:22 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by terrapin at 11:22 AM on November 11, 2006
I went to MoFi once, vanity-searched myself and found that a few people there hate me with the passion of a thousand suns, and I have better things to do with my time than deal with that.
posted by jonmc at 11:42 AM on November 11, 2006
posted by jonmc at 11:42 AM on November 11, 2006
In the course of a day, I visit MeFi a lot (Far too much, probably) and MeCha not at all (A rabbit bit me once when I was 10, I've never liked the fuzzy fuckers since. And if I wanted chat, I'd call my grandma. Gimme links, or give me death.).
I go to MoFi at least once a day; despite the smaller population and therefore far smaller number of regular posters, every day there's always at least one really good - if not great - FPP worth checking out, and Tracicle does an awesome job of running things. She is a great example of how to mod a community, finding the perfect balance between admin and participant.
However, I rarely comment there these days (I was an active member of MoFi before I registered here) and am not sure why I gravitated from that community to this one.
I can kind of see klangklangston's point of view, but I think most of the things he is saying comes down to the smaller population. If MetaFilter is the United States, MonkeyFilter is Canada. There are a lot of similarities, a lot of overlaps, but the smaller community is a little more insular and a little more aware of the elephant (Just to bring more animals into this thread) next door, and have a lot invested in preserving their distinct identity. It can get a little claustrophobic for some people, but it's not a fault of either party, it's just that people want different things, and some personalities don't always fit.
And plus there are far fewer fights at MonkeyFilter than there are here.
For jerkfaces and asshats like myself, that place is a real desert when it comes to grudge-filled animosity, petty sniping, and snark. :)
MonkeyFilter is a great place with some great people(Like Canada!), and I'm sure it'll continue to do its thing for a long time to come (Like Canada... hopefully.).
Can't wait to see the new site, tracicle!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:59 AM on November 11, 2006
I go to MoFi at least once a day; despite the smaller population and therefore far smaller number of regular posters, every day there's always at least one really good - if not great - FPP worth checking out, and Tracicle does an awesome job of running things. She is a great example of how to mod a community, finding the perfect balance between admin and participant.
However, I rarely comment there these days (I was an active member of MoFi before I registered here) and am not sure why I gravitated from that community to this one.
I can kind of see klangklangston's point of view, but I think most of the things he is saying comes down to the smaller population. If MetaFilter is the United States, MonkeyFilter is Canada. There are a lot of similarities, a lot of overlaps, but the smaller community is a little more insular and a little more aware of the elephant (Just to bring more animals into this thread) next door, and have a lot invested in preserving their distinct identity. It can get a little claustrophobic for some people, but it's not a fault of either party, it's just that people want different things, and some personalities don't always fit.
And plus there are far fewer fights at MonkeyFilter than there are here.
For jerkfaces and asshats like myself, that place is a real desert when it comes to grudge-filled animosity, petty sniping, and snark. :)
MonkeyFilter is a great place with some great people(Like Canada!), and I'm sure it'll continue to do its thing for a long time to come (Like Canada... hopefully.).
Can't wait to see the new site, tracicle!
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:59 AM on November 11, 2006
Alvy loses points for using the Canada analogy instead of the obvious New Zealand one. :)
posted by Space Coyote at 12:05 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by Space Coyote at 12:05 PM on November 11, 2006
I vanity-searched for myself there, did not find anybody that hated me with the fire of even one sun, was saddened by the fact and never returned.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 1:05 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 1:05 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
K5 is still up!?
I have an locally stored oldschool "homepage" that's just a whole crapload of links I've collected over the years. On it there's K5, as well as stuff like Plastic and the defunct Suck and stuff like that.
Anyway, I almost clicked on the K5 link in a fit of boredom. But I didn't. I just wanted to share that.
posted by loquacious at 1:07 PM on November 11, 2006
I have an locally stored oldschool "homepage" that's just a whole crapload of links I've collected over the years. On it there's K5, as well as stuff like Plastic and the defunct Suck and stuff like that.
Anyway, I almost clicked on the K5 link in a fit of boredom. But I didn't. I just wanted to share that.
posted by loquacious at 1:07 PM on November 11, 2006
I haven't read the word "monkeyfilter" here for a year or so. Did metachat steal all its thunder?
I think it's unfair to compare monkeyfilter with metachat, they're so different. Monkeyfilter is in many ways almost a clone of metafilter, and the ties with metafilter have mostly vanished. It lives on it's own, and the fact that it doesn't get mentioned as a sister site of metafilter is probably a good thing. It certainly doesn't mean it's dying. Metachat seems like a sister site for metafilter (and I know some will object to that). You can post as many times as you want about what you ate for breakfast and omg bunnies!!!1. Each to his own. But it seems it would be a much easier thing to be a member of metafilter and metachat than metafilter and monkeyfilter. The second seems redundant.
MeCha is just going crazy. The thread and comment count there is just getting bewildering, and new names keep popping up left and right.
I know alexa is flawed, but metachat is more noise coming from fewer people. Monkeyfilter does much more traffic that metachat.
posted by justgary at 2:29 PM on November 11, 2006
I think it's unfair to compare monkeyfilter with metachat, they're so different. Monkeyfilter is in many ways almost a clone of metafilter, and the ties with metafilter have mostly vanished. It lives on it's own, and the fact that it doesn't get mentioned as a sister site of metafilter is probably a good thing. It certainly doesn't mean it's dying. Metachat seems like a sister site for metafilter (and I know some will object to that). You can post as many times as you want about what you ate for breakfast and omg bunnies!!!1. Each to his own. But it seems it would be a much easier thing to be a member of metafilter and metachat than metafilter and monkeyfilter. The second seems redundant.
MeCha is just going crazy. The thread and comment count there is just getting bewildering, and new names keep popping up left and right.
I know alexa is flawed, but metachat is more noise coming from fewer people. Monkeyfilter does much more traffic that metachat.
posted by justgary at 2:29 PM on November 11, 2006
The last post I read there said something like "Metafilter has now opened its registration to the public" or something like that. Never returned. Nice place, but not into cliques and it seemed like most of the conversation was the same 10 (very nice) people.
posted by ernie at 2:43 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by ernie at 2:43 PM on November 11, 2006
As others have said, it's the monkeyness of it. I got beat up last time I stopped by and had to defend myself for logging in. Apparently I had a flame-out that I wasn't aware was a flame-out and pissed people off. Who knew?
posted by FlamingBore at 3:01 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by FlamingBore at 3:01 PM on November 11, 2006
I was a MoFi member for a while and got tired of the cliques pretty quickly. The day I left for good was when a member FPP'd her wedding photos, and I entered the thread expecting a huge backlash. No, it was all hugs and kisses and monkey this and that, and I knew I'd had enough. I checked back there recently and it doesn't look like much has changed.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 3:52 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 3:52 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
Merelyglib's link is a prime example of why I don't post or comment there any longer.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 4:00 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 4:00 PM on November 11, 2006
Mofi is a Mefi clone in terms of basic site structure and focus (decent links + non-farkish discussion) and well, Mefi's got the inertia and reputation. If tracicle changed content & focus towards Oceania et al. (opposed to the North American focus here), it may still build & maintain a vibrant larger community.
posted by Gyan at 4:04 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by Gyan at 4:04 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
Monkeyfilter isn't mentioned here because, increasingly, we have our own thing going on. We have our own meetups. Mefi people are welcome, but they are different sites and different people. It makes sense in some places to have joint meetups, but in places like London or New York it would probably just get out of hand (size-wise).
As for all the people who have felt monkeyfilter is too cliquey, well, I don't go for weeks sometimes because of my work, and I have never felt unwelcome. Perhaps your welcome is partly what you make it. In the end, it's just a discussion website (albeit a fun and extremely well-designed/run one).
posted by jb at 4:50 PM on November 11, 2006
As for all the people who have felt monkeyfilter is too cliquey, well, I don't go for weeks sometimes because of my work, and I have never felt unwelcome. Perhaps your welcome is partly what you make it. In the end, it's just a discussion website (albeit a fun and extremely well-designed/run one).
posted by jb at 4:50 PM on November 11, 2006
It's not so much cliqueyness, it's more the "OMG Mefi sucks, we're so much better because we're nice!" vibe. Having said that, when Metafilter hasn't given good FPP on a given day, I often head to Monkeyfilter to see if they're doing any better.
posted by Jimbob at 5:06 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by Jimbob at 5:06 PM on November 11, 2006
I guess the next question would be: What happened to Viewropa?
posted by Olli at 5:32 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by Olli at 5:32 PM on November 11, 2006
Never had any kinda cliquey vibe chez mofi; mecha just never connected with me. still read mofi daily; rip viewropa. fyi, moneyjane is a current MeFite, but as silent here as there, sadly. Betcha she reads this. Post, woman!
posted by mwhybark at 5:51 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by mwhybark at 5:51 PM on November 11, 2006
I stopped participating actively in MoFi for a while simply because I just didn't have time to actively read either MoFi or MeFi regularly for quite a long while. When I checked back in with both, MoFi seemed to have become purely chatty, with most of the links seemingly directed towards getting a running joke going. Might be an unfair impression, but there was nothing that particularly motivated me to dive back in - even the chattiness didn't seem to be going anywhere particularly fun.
By which I mean, of course, I didn't see any posts from Quidnunc.
posted by flashboy at 6:00 PM on November 11, 2006
By which I mean, of course, I didn't see any posts from Quidnunc.
posted by flashboy at 6:00 PM on November 11, 2006
Thanks for all the answers. I guess I never thought monkeyfilter was a competitor for the same kind of thing (links, discussion) and I can see why metachat might get mentioned more because it fits better as a companion site. Traffic or popularity aside, I could see why one site gets mentioned more often than the other here.
I'm kind of surprised to hear people say monkeyfilter is "cliquish" since from my casual reading I don't see any of that on the site and I've always heard it described as friendly, which cliques rarely are.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:13 PM on November 11, 2006
I'm kind of surprised to hear people say monkeyfilter is "cliquish" since from my casual reading I don't see any of that on the site and I've always heard it described as friendly, which cliques rarely are.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:13 PM on November 11, 2006
Maybe clique is the wrong word to describe it, as it does make it sound as though they exclude people or are unfriendly. The MoFis are certainly welcoming (at least they have been to me and other people I know). I think it's more the issue of inside jokes and many of the threads turning into chat filter and general silliness relatively quickly. Nothing wrong with that, certainly; it just doesn't appeal to everyone.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 7:28 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 7:28 PM on November 11, 2006
mofite are ok. they've been celebrating my birthday for several years, in the same thread.
posted by quonsar at 7:54 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by quonsar at 7:54 PM on November 11, 2006
Yeah, I've been waiting for my Free Quonsar for 2 years, man.
posted by loquacious at 8:19 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by loquacious at 8:19 PM on November 11, 2006
Hey, why isn't anybody heaping snark on mathowie for the [more inside] only eight hours later? Is it because he's using it responsibly and not as a joke at AskMe? Is it because we're too timid to criticize without that image of Matt As Mao? Why? Why oh why?
posted by cgc373 at 8:20 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by cgc373 at 8:20 PM on November 11, 2006
Yeah, I've been waiting for my Free Quonsar for 2 years, man.
You still have to pay shipping.
And they're harder to flush than gators.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:26 PM on November 11, 2006
You still have to pay shipping.
And they're harder to flush than gators.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:26 PM on November 11, 2006
When I got a MeFi account, I frequented both MoFi and MeFi for quite a while. The difference became that there was virtually NEVER any serious dialog on MonkeyFilter. All the comments are jokes or snarks. I eventually quit even visiting MonkeyFilter. MeFi is going that direction too, but there are enough exceptions to keep me around, for the moment.
posted by spock at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by spock at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2006
ohh, you can still post images on monkeyfilter. *digs up mofi account*
posted by bob sarabia at 9:30 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by bob sarabia at 9:30 PM on November 11, 2006
Hey, why isn't anybody heaping snark on mathowie for the [more inside] only eight hours later?
I don't think anyone had a problem with someone marking a FPP or metatalk thread as having [more inside] if, indeed, it does have some more inside. It's the joking half sentences built around the automatic [more inside] that's annoying and they're purely an ask phenomena, worse for those of us using the RSS.
posted by shelleycat at 9:48 PM on November 11, 2006
I don't think anyone had a problem with someone marking a FPP or metatalk thread as having [more inside] if, indeed, it does have some more inside. It's the joking half sentences built around the automatic [more inside] that's annoying and they're purely an ask phenomena, worse for those of us using the RSS.
posted by shelleycat at 9:48 PM on November 11, 2006
and they're purely an ask phenomena
I may have mixed my somethings then (tense? numbers? case? eh, something)
posted by shelleycat at 9:51 PM on November 11, 2006
I may have mixed my somethings then (tense? numbers? case? eh, something)
posted by shelleycat at 9:51 PM on November 11, 2006
A couple of years ago I visited a synagogue in Havana. An elderly Jewish Cuban man told us how a vibrant Jewish community came to be in Havana at a time when the U.S. only allowed a limited number of Jews to enter. European Jews turned away at Ellis Island settled in Havana until something opened up. They called it "hotel Havana." Once immigration to the US opened up the community died.
posted by LarryC at 10:02 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by LarryC at 10:02 PM on November 11, 2006 [1 favorite]
I visit occasionally but gave up posting and commenting once I got an account here. Maintaining a blog, making posts and commenting on MetaFilter are enough. There is only so much time in the day. I do have the t-shirt though, and wear it a lot.
they've been celebrating my birthday for several years, in the same thread.
posted by quonsar
I like that very much (threads remaining open).
posted by tellurian at 10:02 PM on November 11, 2006
they've been celebrating my birthday for several years, in the same thread.
posted by quonsar
I like that very much (threads remaining open).
posted by tellurian at 10:02 PM on November 11, 2006
Why? Why oh why?
shelleycat has it. Try and keep up, will ya?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:50 PM on November 11, 2006
shelleycat has it. Try and keep up, will ya?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:50 PM on November 11, 2006
Mefi makes fun of little kids, just 'cuz their dad's a dickweed.
MoFi doesn't.
I do read and post to MeFi more often, and I wish MoFi would have more serious conversations at times. But I tell ya, I would so much rather hang out with them, because they're not a bunch of petty little dickweeds who make fun of some guy's kids.
posted by dirigibleman at 11:21 PM on November 11, 2006
MoFi doesn't.
I do read and post to MeFi more often, and I wish MoFi would have more serious conversations at times. But I tell ya, I would so much rather hang out with them, because they're not a bunch of petty little dickweeds who make fun of some guy's kids.
posted by dirigibleman at 11:21 PM on November 11, 2006
Wow. I'd never seen Metachat before. But I think it just damaged my brain.
posted by washburn at 11:37 PM on November 11, 2006
posted by washburn at 11:37 PM on November 11, 2006
jonmc: I went to MoFi once, vanity-searched myself...
I just can't imagine that scenario. WTF?
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 12:01 AM on November 12, 2006
I just can't imagine that scenario. WTF?
posted by Brave New Meatbomb at 12:01 AM on November 12, 2006
I used to frequent MoFi quite a bit, when ever MeFi was down or having a slow day. Neither has been a problem lately and no one has written a metafilthy clone for it.
posted by Mitheral at 12:15 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by Mitheral at 12:15 AM on November 12, 2006
jonmc: I went to MoFi once, vanity-searched myself...
At least they said something about you! I never vanity searched myself because I just knew those fucking no good sons of bitches didn't have a mean thing to say about me. Bullshit!
posted by The God Complex at 3:04 AM on November 12, 2006
At least they said something about you! I never vanity searched myself because I just knew those fucking no good sons of bitches didn't have a mean thing to say about me. Bullshit!
posted by The God Complex at 3:04 AM on November 12, 2006
I frequented both MoFi and MeFi for quite a while. The difference became that there was virtually NEVER any serious dialog on MonkeyFilter. All the comments are jokes or snarks.
Exact same damn thing with me. (different username)
That and I got tired of defending MeFi against the insurmountable inferiority complex that was raging over there.
posted by dreamsign at 4:28 AM on November 12, 2006
Exact same damn thing with me. (different username)
That and I got tired of defending MeFi against the insurmountable inferiority complex that was raging over there.
posted by dreamsign at 4:28 AM on November 12, 2006
I have an account at MoFi, but I very rarely visit anymore. If I want serious conversation and links, I come to MeFi. If I want to just hang out and have fun with the MeFi crowd, I go to MeCha. MoFi doesn't really fulfill a need for me, and I don't care all that much for the catch-all style of their page. After MeCha was up and running, I also stopped visiting #tapes. My "hanging out and having fun" urges are soon satisfied, I guess.
posted by orange swan at 5:52 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by orange swan at 5:52 AM on November 12, 2006
Didn't Flashboy and Quidnunc both come here? I'd go back to reading the comments (as opposed to the front page) there if I thought I might see more from them.
I never got the cult of moneyjane though.
posted by klangklangston at 6:00 AM on November 12, 2006
I never got the cult of moneyjane though.
posted by klangklangston at 6:00 AM on November 12, 2006
there was virtually NEVER any serious dialog on MonkeyFilter
Yeah, I think that's what it comes down to. I enjoy the hijinks here, but what keeps me coming back is the links and discussion. MoFi used to be more satisfying that way (I remember a spirited discussion of Islam a few years ago, for instance), but now it's all monkeyshines. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but as orange swan says, My "hanging out and having fun" urges are soon satisfied.
I love the quonsar's-birthday thread, though.
posted by languagehat at 7:12 AM on November 12, 2006
Yeah, I think that's what it comes down to. I enjoy the hijinks here, but what keeps me coming back is the links and discussion. MoFi used to be more satisfying that way (I remember a spirited discussion of Islam a few years ago, for instance), but now it's all monkeyshines. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but as orange swan says, My "hanging out and having fun" urges are soon satisfied.
I love the quonsar's-birthday thread, though.
posted by languagehat at 7:12 AM on November 12, 2006
The thing is, "Monkeyfilter" was never actually a website - oh, my word no. It's actually a Web2.0site, with increased interactivationability, and great new features like Smell-O-Commentary and Lick-My-Post.
Sure - metafilter's great, wiith a rich ensemble of content - not to mention a whole host of intelligent and well-educated members. But sometimes you get tired of using your eyeballs, and you just want to put your nose up to the ol' monitor and inhale the best of the web - or slide your tongue over someone's FPP and savour the true taste of their political flavours.
I've lost count of the times that I've come up from the den and my wife Barbara has wrinkled her cute little nose and said to me, "Larry, have you been on MoFi again? I can smell it on your shirt. And my word, it smells good."
So I want to give a big "Hip-Hip-Hooray" to Monkeyfilter, and I look forward to the day when MetaTalk has similar technology and each thread here can be identified by its own powerful aroma.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:16 AM on November 12, 2006
Sure - metafilter's great, wiith a rich ensemble of content - not to mention a whole host of intelligent and well-educated members. But sometimes you get tired of using your eyeballs, and you just want to put your nose up to the ol' monitor and inhale the best of the web - or slide your tongue over someone's FPP and savour the true taste of their political flavours.
I've lost count of the times that I've come up from the den and my wife Barbara has wrinkled her cute little nose and said to me, "Larry, have you been on MoFi again? I can smell it on your shirt. And my word, it smells good."
So I want to give a big "Hip-Hip-Hooray" to Monkeyfilter, and I look forward to the day when MetaTalk has similar technology and each thread here can be identified by its own powerful aroma.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:16 AM on November 12, 2006
I set up an account on mofi, to respond to a thread about some now-likely-badly-neglected web project, but I never got confirmation of my account. Sigh.
posted by cortex at 7:27 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by cortex at 7:27 AM on November 12, 2006
Pretty much what others have said: I used to be a Mofi regular and I like Mofi but nowadays I rarely find myself there and I just about never post. But it isn't that I don't like Mofi - I've always thought it was great.
Before Mecha, Mofi functioned as my smaller more community oriented site to hang out and talk to people. I mean, I love Mefi for the links and the discussion, but it's easy to get lost here. That's fine; that's the nature of the beast, but it's also why I gravitated so quickly to Mecha, because I need some community in my life. Mecha is the place I go just to joke & talk, partly because I was in more or less at the beginning and so I understood the in jokes, as opposed to Mofi, where even after a year or two there was stuff I never really quite got and partly because it's even more just talking than Mofi - and I like that.
I've never understood the "You Shall Pick One Site and Give It All Your Loyalty, Slanging All Others" mentality. I like Mefi, Mecha, Mofi - hell, I like the Goons & Badcandy & B3TA & others & lurk (I do have limited time for posting; occasionally I must leave my house) at those places a lot too. Each is unique; each is cool; I don't see why I have to pick or proclaim one site's supremacy over the intartubes. Sure, there are things I don't like about all these places - I'm not really a cutesy cutesy OMG kittie person myself - but I can skip that and focus on what and who I do like.
posted by mygothlaundry at 8:33 AM on November 12, 2006
Before Mecha, Mofi functioned as my smaller more community oriented site to hang out and talk to people. I mean, I love Mefi for the links and the discussion, but it's easy to get lost here. That's fine; that's the nature of the beast, but it's also why I gravitated so quickly to Mecha, because I need some community in my life. Mecha is the place I go just to joke & talk, partly because I was in more or less at the beginning and so I understood the in jokes, as opposed to Mofi, where even after a year or two there was stuff I never really quite got and partly because it's even more just talking than Mofi - and I like that.
I've never understood the "You Shall Pick One Site and Give It All Your Loyalty, Slanging All Others" mentality. I like Mefi, Mecha, Mofi - hell, I like the Goons & Badcandy & B3TA & others & lurk (I do have limited time for posting; occasionally I must leave my house) at those places a lot too. Each is unique; each is cool; I don't see why I have to pick or proclaim one site's supremacy over the intartubes. Sure, there are things I don't like about all these places - I'm not really a cutesy cutesy OMG kittie person myself - but I can skip that and focus on what and who I do like.
posted by mygothlaundry at 8:33 AM on November 12, 2006
Of course you just knew this was going to happen.
posted by clevershark at 8:47 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by clevershark at 8:47 AM on November 12, 2006
*considers typing some form of "flings poo", decides against it due to crankiness*
posted by ernie at 9:43 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by ernie at 9:43 AM on November 12, 2006
Of course you just knew this was going to happen.
And mefites are "petty little dickweeds"? pot. kettle. etc.
posted by bob sarabia at 10:15 AM on November 12, 2006
And mefites are "petty little dickweeds"? pot. kettle. etc.
posted by bob sarabia at 10:15 AM on November 12, 2006
You just can't win a poo-flinging contest with a monkey, you know.
posted by clevershark at 10:21 AM on November 12, 2006
posted by clevershark at 10:21 AM on November 12, 2006
I went to MonkeyFilter at one time too. I never seemed to click for me. Seems a nice enough place though.
I do think that MetaChat is a refreshingly happy place though (MiFi, not so much), and used to interact frequently, but that was then. I still lurk and, to be honest, can't get enough of the bunns, but I don't feel the whole "in crowd" thing is easy to break into or very welcoming. (Just my 2 cents FWIW)
posted by johnj at 12:47 PM on November 12, 2006
I do think that MetaChat is a refreshingly happy place though (MiFi, not so much), and used to interact frequently, but that was then. I still lurk and, to be honest, can't get enough of the bunns, but I don't feel the whole "in crowd" thing is easy to break into or very welcoming. (Just my 2 cents FWIW)
posted by johnj at 12:47 PM on November 12, 2006
Hey, cortex, you won't get email confirmation of your account's activation, so if you tried logging in and commenting I should hope it would work. If not, email me.
The whole hating-on-$filter is so pointless. If Mefi suits your taste, then great. If MoFi or MeCha suit better, fine. This is not meant to be "your favourite website sucks". Is it?
posted by tracicle at 2:52 PM on November 12, 2006
The whole hating-on-$filter is so pointless. If Mefi suits your taste, then great. If MoFi or MeCha suit better, fine. This is not meant to be "your favourite website sucks". Is it?
posted by tracicle at 2:52 PM on November 12, 2006
Good to know, tracicle. I'll check back.
And, yeah—I didn't intend to lend any weight to the intersite snarkery. Go where you like, and leave it at that, you big weiners.
posted by cortex at 5:37 PM on November 12, 2006
And, yeah—I didn't intend to lend any weight to the intersite snarkery. Go where you like, and leave it at that, you big weiners.
posted by cortex at 5:37 PM on November 12, 2006
The whole hating-on-$filter is so pointless.
Agreed!! Truce?
posted by ernie at 5:38 PM on November 12, 2006
Agreed!! Truce?
posted by ernie at 5:38 PM on November 12, 2006
Some people have an instinctive desire to hate anything they're not a part of.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:00 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:00 PM on November 12, 2006
I hate this thread.
posted by brain_drain at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by brain_drain at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2006
Wait -- now I like it!
posted by brain_drain at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by brain_drain at 7:31 PM on November 12, 2006
The "MoFi/MeFi sucks" ethos is the community weblog equivalent of the "PS2/X-Box sucks" you see on video game discussion boards if you've spent even a few minutes looking at them. A lot of Apple (or Linux) fans exhibit the same behavior. That is to say, it's a bunch of people trying to validate themselves through the people and the things they've chosen to associate with, and through these associations, built a part of their own identities.
posted by smorange at 8:01 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by smorange at 8:01 PM on November 12, 2006
Shorter version: humans are tribal.
For better or worse.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:31 PM on November 12, 2006
For better or worse.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:31 PM on November 12, 2006
So what you are saying is that each forum has its own strengths and weaknesses, and that we should respect the differences and adopt the sort of live/let live philosophy that encourages a peaceful coexistence where neither party should feel either inferior or superior? That to do otherwise is to appeal to a sort of base, nay, primitive destructive tribalism that thwarts the synergistic non-zero sum game that could make the multiverse of $filter websites stronger than the sum of their parts?
posted by ernie at 8:32 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by ernie at 8:32 PM on November 12, 2006
Ayup.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:43 PM on November 12, 2006
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:43 PM on November 12, 2006
A lot of Apple (or Linux) fans exhibit the same behavior.
You need to add 'or windows' fans to your list. Any digg thread on mac/windows would be more than enough proof. Mac fanboys aren't arguing with themselves.
Unless you're one of those who gains identity through bashing mac/linux fans. If so, continue on.
posted by justgary at 12:05 AM on November 13, 2006
You need to add 'or windows' fans to your list. Any digg thread on mac/windows would be more than enough proof. Mac fanboys aren't arguing with themselves.
Unless you're one of those who gains identity through bashing mac/linux fans. If so, continue on.
posted by justgary at 12:05 AM on November 13, 2006
I maintain that there are no "windows fans", just people who begrudgingly accept that there's no way an operating system as flashy/alternative as OSX or as complex/inaccessible as Linux will ever achieve lowest common denominator status, and thus stick with the system that can run their favorite programs. I, for one, like to stick with the least confusing of many evils.
posted by tehloki at 1:56 AM on November 13, 2006
posted by tehloki at 1:56 AM on November 13, 2006
You all can Fuck off telling me not to go to moneyfilter.!
posted by dayvin at 7:25 AM on November 13, 2006
posted by dayvin at 7:25 AM on November 13, 2006
The "MoFi/MeFi sucks" ethos is the community weblog equivalent of the "PS2/X-Box sucks" you see on video game discussion boards if you've spent even a few minutes looking at them.
Really? Those forums are full of people who have spent a good while with both and picked a favourite? I kinda don't think so.
MoFi was full of people who couldn't be a part of MeFi and were bitter. Then they could be a part of MeFi and were still bitter. Mefi meanwhile had a bunch of people who were on both and couldn't understand the bitterness, and got tired of it. I did.
posted by dreamsign at 7:43 AM on November 16, 2006
Really? Those forums are full of people who have spent a good while with both and picked a favourite? I kinda don't think so.
MoFi was full of people who couldn't be a part of MeFi and were bitter. Then they could be a part of MeFi and were still bitter. Mefi meanwhile had a bunch of people who were on both and couldn't understand the bitterness, and got tired of it. I did.
posted by dreamsign at 7:43 AM on November 16, 2006
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
At one time I remember mefi/monkey meetups and now they're always MeCha/MeFi meetups (often with mefi members in the minority). Did people just spontaneously stop using it? I don't want to slag them and this isn't meant to be a cross-blog war or something I'm just honestly curious: why don't people talk about monkeyfilter anymore? Did they suffer extended downtime and people bailed or something in the past year or so? Did the site change hands? Did signups at mefi opening up reduce the pull of an offsite alternative?
They used to have their own crowd and their own culture, and it appears to still be chugging along so I'm curious if there's some part of the story I missed.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:42 PM on November 10, 2006