The Guardian had a short article on Metafilter

August 22, 2002 4:40 AM

The Guardian had a short article on Metafilter today, saying "The good news is that memberships are open again, at a price. Pay at least $10 via PayPal or Amazon's Honor system and you can get posting rights." Full marks for effort, zero for accuracy.
posted by adrianhon to MetaFilter-Related at 4:40 AM (16 comments total)

Yes, that's the Guardian. No fact ever checked.
posted by Summer at 4:43 AM on August 22, 2002

According to the new user signup page there are 20 free signups per day, and it only costs $5 to pay to join.

The article was written by Neil McIntosh who you can also see at Onlineblog.com. I feel a bit bad about calling him out because he once mentioned one of my sites on the Guardian, but we're talking about the reputation of Metafilter here, after all...
posted by adrianhon at 4:44 AM on August 22, 2002

Oh GREAT. More Guardian readers as members, just what the MetaFilter needs. You know, for balance.

Kidding!
posted by insomnyuk at 5:11 AM on August 22, 2002

Oh GREAT. More Guardian readers as members

I, for one, welcome our new crypto-marxist overlords.
posted by MrBaliHai at 5:21 AM on August 22, 2002

No, it's OK. Most Guardian readers buy it for the jobs section.
posted by Summer at 5:34 AM on August 22, 2002

I, for one, welcome our new crypto-marxist overlords.

Heh.

posted by ColdChef at 6:14 AM on August 22, 2002

Heh. I'm a Guardian reader, but I found MeFi independently. When did Matt start accepting donations for signups then?
posted by salmacis at 8:31 AM on August 22, 2002

salmacis, it's only recently been formally posted on the membership page but it's been in effect for months. Matt first mentioned it here.
posted by timeistight at 8:47 AM on August 22, 2002

A few weeks ago, I figured out an automated way to do signups via paypal, so I instituted that. Previously, I had to allow people in by hand. So many people asked to donate their way in that I had to do it. That, coupled with Beth's thread in metatalk claiming unfairness at allowing donations for signups some of the time meant I had to make it across the board fair.

I still get emails everyday from people trying to get in on the 20 signups per day, saying that they are gone in a matter of seconds and that I'm not really allowing people in, so demand is still quite high for a signup here. The paid signup is instant, and works everytime, you signup, you pay, and you're enabled.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:09 AM on August 22, 2002

Woah. I have to admit that's pretty cool. It does also explain our recent population problems on the front page though. If anyone can get in automated without having to tap Matt on the shoulder, all they need is money and they're in. So we could have albino stalkers monopolizing things around here and no one would know. Riff raff and all that.

But now that I have a job again, does this mean I'm overdue for sending Matt money? I mean damn! I just renewed my membership with public radio. I'm spent! Maybe in a couple few paychecks. Or maybe since I'm a three digit participant, I'm grandfathered and off the hook? Or maybe since I used to be really obnoxious and on occasion still am, that cancels out the grandfathering thing and by simple karmic mathematics I owe Matt anyway? Can someone help me out here cuz I've lost track. That reminds me, I think my paypal account is out of date. My credit card's expiration thingy just changed. Maybe I should do something about that.

Could be worse either way, at least Matt managed to avoid annoying banner or pop ads. (not counting the textad thingy cuz that was a pretty damn cool idea too).
posted by ZachsMind at 12:26 PM on August 22, 2002

Donating $5 is a pretty low bar, though, isn't it? It makes the 20-person limit/day seem kind of meaningless.
posted by mediareport at 2:09 PM on August 22, 2002

What 20-person limit/day?
posted by yhbc at 2:34 PM on August 22, 2002

What 20-person limit/day?

It was popular that first week.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:12 PM on August 22, 2002

Here's an idea: change MetaFilter to .Matt. $99USD per year, $49USD per year for existing members (first year only). Extra services to be provided once the money starts rolling in.
posted by timeistight at 3:31 PM on August 22, 2002

timeistight, hilarious.
posted by rhyax at 4:15 PM on August 22, 2002

Actually, all the new members are MiguelCardoso. You don't think he has really cut back on his posting do you?
posted by dg at 4:52 PM on August 22, 2002