Gmail Invites

June 15, 2004 10:01 AM

While this AskMe thread regarding gmail accounts for MeFites is still going strong, I thought the wiki would be a good place to keep track of who is offering accounts and who would like to receive an invitation.
posted by monju_bosatsu to MetaFilter-Related at 10:01 AM (81 comments total)

Great idea.

I'm lording over mine.
posted by The God Complex at 10:04 AM on June 15, 2004

I agree. Great idea.
posted by BlueTrain at 10:05 AM on June 15, 2004

'Tis a good idea. There seem to be more invitations than demand on the list, though... do most people have Gmail now?

Oh, and is someone going to add jacquilynne's list to that wiki, or at least the people who have stars by their names?
posted by reklaw at 10:15 AM on June 15, 2004

On preview: what reklaw said.

Through her efforts, I received my gmail invite this morning. Thanks jacquilynne!
posted by karmaville at 10:18 AM on June 15, 2004

woah - That's cool.
Just placed my invite link (which I email to myself) on the Wiki, and 20 seconds later....
Congrats: [e-mail]
posted by seanyboy at 10:18 AM on June 15, 2004

Well, I still am sans-gmail, but I never exactly made a formal request. Here it is: Would anyone have a gmail invite to send me? ([e-mail])

I also added myself to the wiki (after 3 edit conficts).
posted by quasistoic at 10:22 AM on June 15, 2004

Hmmm...wouldn't it be better if the people who want invites just email the wiki-listed people who have them directly, instead of listing themselves on the wiki? Two people might end up sending someone an invite at the same time, as it is...
posted by reklaw at 10:25 AM on June 15, 2004

I got mine a few days ago, so jacquilynne, you can take me off your list.

Seems like everyone I try to send an invite to has already been hooked up. Let's try this: e-mail me at ari.brown at gmail.com if you want an invite. ok? ok. I have 4 invites, first come, first serve.
posted by whatnot at 10:27 AM on June 15, 2004

Yes, thanks jacquilynne and monju (and kenko)! You folks are real nice.
posted by loquax at 10:29 AM on June 15, 2004

Thanks Seanyboy!! Guess I just refreshed the page at the right moment!
posted by john_son at 10:40 AM on June 15, 2004

Got mine a few hours ago. Thanks again, jacquilynne.
posted by grateful at 10:42 AM on June 15, 2004

I would like one, as well.
posted by Gyan at 10:48 AM on June 15, 2004

Ahh! You guys are awesome. Thank you so much tracy. Ari, I forwarded yours to prentiz. When/if I get invites of my own, I'll post them on the wiki.
posted by quasistoic at 10:50 AM on June 15, 2004

Based on what I've learned by managing the list in my user profile, I'd suggest this method for the wiki list. It puts some of the work on the people with the invites, but I think it may be the best choice.

People put themselves on the list, as requiring invites. People with invites send the invitations and mark those people as having pending invitations, that way, they shouldn't get multiples, while people with invites won't get bombarded. Once you receive an invitation, you can take yourself off the list entirely.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:53 AM on June 15, 2004

yay! thanks twalker! Another proof positive of the greatness of metafilter!

By the way, this article says the market for gmail accounts is starting to crash!
posted by jasper411 at 10:58 AM on June 15, 2004

That worked! All my invites are gone. Glad to help.
posted by whatnot at 10:59 AM on June 15, 2004

thanks whatnot! your generosity made my day!
posted by fatbaq at 11:00 AM on June 15, 2004

Thanks, whatnot, that was quick.
posted by Gyan at 11:01 AM on June 15, 2004

I'd like to note that Google has now made it impossible to tell whether or not a username is taken unless you have an invite. For about a week now, I had been disturbed by the idea that my username had been registered on gmail, but with an invite, I checked the availability and found that it was available.

The MO I was using to determine this was to click the "Forgot my password" link and see if there was a security question. At one point in time, this worked. Then a few days ago, I tried a couple usernames that can't exist (i.e. usernames shorter than the six character minimum) and found that they all used the "Father's middle name" security question. My desired username (I'm sure you can guess it) had the "first phone number" security question, so I figured that it must have been registered.

I was wrong. Apparently Google assigns a random security question (from the defaults) to each unregistered username the first time that someone tries to access the "Forgot my password" feature, and then statically maintains that question-username association until the name is actually registered.

So keep up hope!
posted by quasistoic at 11:15 AM on June 15, 2004

cheers for malpractice & onlyconnect, the kind (and no doubt attractive) souls who invited me. I do so love the mefi mafia.
posted by leotrotsky at 12:24 PM on June 15, 2004

Great idea and thanks to all you folks for organasizing this!
posted by carter at 12:34 PM on June 15, 2004

Yes, that Wiki thing is kewl. I just added myself to the needs invite list.

/crosses toes and eyes
posted by haqspan at 12:39 PM on June 15, 2004

I'm still looking for an invitation, if anyone has an extra -- I've got my name up on the wiki.
posted by TurkishGolds at 12:40 PM on June 15, 2004

Thanks to ttrendel for my invite and to everyone involved in running the wiki for a great resource.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 12:40 PM on June 15, 2004

Thanks also to ttrendel. In an "Ask and Ye Shall Receive" kind of way, this has been great.
posted by lassie at 12:47 PM on June 15, 2004

Just added myself to the needs wiki -- here's hoping someone will deliver me from Yahoo! Thanks!
posted by redshoes3 at 1:16 PM on June 15, 2004

It seems like supply has finally met demand, so there's no need to demean myself to get invited. That's nice.

Thanks for setting up the wiki.

The edit conflicts at the moment are unpleasant. Wikis need replication conflict documents - like Lotus Notes.
posted by smackfu at 1:28 PM on June 15, 2004

shouts to sweet sophia as well. oh, and if anyone happens to have a pony...
posted by leotrotsky at 1:42 PM on June 15, 2004

Just offered a couple out to Trillion and Mhaw. Check your inboxes, peeps.
posted by humuhumu at 1:46 PM on June 15, 2004

Many thanks to onlyconnect for being absolutely splendid ^_^
posted by Mossy at 1:49 PM on June 15, 2004

Many, many thanks to the awesome pomegranate! DAMN that was fast.
posted by redshoes3 at 1:56 PM on June 15, 2004

I was the last one to get picked at school for football, too. *sniff*
posted by toby\flat2 at 2:15 PM on June 15, 2004

I pick... ummm... toby/flat2. You're on my side, boy!
posted by humuhumu at 2:19 PM on June 15, 2004

That was quite efficient. Thanks onlyconnect!
posted by smackfu at 2:20 PM on June 15, 2004

Much thanks for putting this together. I haven't really been out hunting a gmail invite, but it would certainly be a special little present in my inbox.
posted by shinynewnick at 2:21 PM on June 15, 2004

BTW, are people creating all those username links by hand?
posted by smackfu at 2:29 PM on June 15, 2004

humuhumu is my new best friend. I'll bring over a pizza later.
posted by shinynewnick at 2:33 PM on June 15, 2004

First, thank you very much monju_bosatsu.

Second, the wiki thing is fun. Is the MeFi Wiki frequently active?

Lastly, and most off topic, is there a different wiki that handles conflicts better? This one is certainly nicer than the ones that simply ignore conflicts. On the other hand I had to submit most of my changes more than three times because of conflicts, which got annoying.
posted by sequential at 2:40 PM on June 15, 2004

Hey, by the way, is that AskMe thread going to set any records? Last time I checked it was up to 377 comments. Anyone have that link to the MeFi stats page handy?
posted by loquax at 3:12 PM on June 15, 2004

I pick... ummm... toby/flat2. You're on my side, boy!

My guru!
posted by toby\flat2 at 3:18 PM on June 15, 2004

ajr is my hero. Faster than a speeding bullet, that one. I can't wait to see him take on tall buildings. I hear a single bound may be involved.
posted by amery at 4:02 PM on June 15, 2004

You people are the bestest in the whole wide world. Thanks to ryanozawa, I now have an account. Huzzah and Kudos. And that Wiki thing is great.
posted by haqspan at 4:11 PM on June 15, 2004

I'd be grateful for an invite if anyone feels so inclined!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 4:19 PM on June 15, 2004

Oh boy oh boy oh boy would I like an invitation. I can offer a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies for the wonderful person who will send me one.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 4:26 PM on June 15, 2004

This is a customer announcement: will LittleLMisCranky please check her inbox. That's Little Miss Cranky, to her inbox. Thank you.
posted by dash_slot- at 4:41 PM on June 15, 2004

That Monju. He is the shining light of our Houston group.
posted by rudyfink at 4:43 PM on June 15, 2004

Got mine thanks to MeFi, and will be "paying forward" any invites I get.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 4:45 PM on June 15, 2004

Holy cow -- that was very, very fast. Thank you!
posted by LittleMissCranky at 4:50 PM on June 15, 2004

Got it--thanks squealy and t r a c y!
posted by Turtles all the way down at 4:51 PM on June 15, 2004

Still got one left if anyone wants it. Email in profile.

Sorry, but I'm too stupid to work that wiki thing.
posted by squealy at 5:00 PM on June 15, 2004

I sent out some invites to some mefites & they were invalid. Is anyone else having this problem?
posted by palegirl at 5:09 PM on June 15, 2004

I've got three more. Email me if you want them.
posted by interrobang at 5:11 PM on June 15, 2004

No palegirl. I've sent out all but one of my invites to mefites and they all worked fine.
posted by squealy at 5:20 PM on June 15, 2004

I now have a metric assload of gmail invites to give out.

Folks, send me an email at my gmail account, and I'll give you one as long as I have them. (my username at gmail).
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:30 PM on June 15, 2004

I now have two left.
posted by interrobang at 5:32 PM on June 15, 2004

I've given away two, I've got one more. First come.
posted by majcher at 5:35 PM on June 15, 2004

I've got one to give.
posted by anathema at 5:39 PM on June 15, 2004

Just a reminder for people with Yahoo accounts to look for the invite in their Bulkmail folder!
posted by vacapinta at 5:47 PM on June 15, 2004

I've got a bunch to give out too. Email in profile.
posted by .kobayashi. at 5:47 PM on June 15, 2004

I now have a metric assload of gmail invites to give out.

nice turn of phrase haha.

they keep giving us more invitations to give out...! and boy my gmail pages are slow to load today...
posted by t r a c y at 6:18 PM on June 15, 2004

go Pomegranate, it's your birthday (or within 365 days thereof)...

thanks for the account, it's a wonderful thing you've done!
posted by moonbird at 6:38 PM on June 15, 2004

i've got a bunch too - find me if you want one.
posted by judith at 6:54 PM on June 15, 2004

they're giving them out like candy! i got 3 yesterday, and 5 more today to give out (still have 4 left, if anyone wants)
posted by amberglow at 7:19 PM on June 15, 2004

It sounds like they're now making sure all the active (and semi-active) mefites are joining the posse, and they're doing it by osmosis instead of blanket-inboxing. If that's the case, it's hella clever.

I have one invite left to give. Who wants who ain't got?
posted by chicobangs at 7:26 PM on June 15, 2004

All mine are gone now.

(Took a long time, too. Guess the market's flooded.)
posted by interrobang at 7:27 PM on June 15, 2004

Scratch that. I too now have a metric demi-assload of invites. I'm at MisterT at gmail.

They're all yours while supplies last.

My homies. My people.
posted by chicobangs at 7:28 PM on June 15, 2004

Well, I have a googleplex of invites. So there. Just email me if you want one.
posted by anathema at 9:02 PM on June 15, 2004

...As my little motherlode runs out.

Jeezus, people. I paid eight forward in an hour and a half. I hope you use them well, and remember me in this little social contact rating system to come.

(*tags anathema, steps out of the ring*)
posted by chicobangs at 9:40 PM on June 15, 2004

i paid 5 since my last post..i'm all out til they issue me more.
posted by amberglow at 9:51 PM on June 15, 2004

thanks everbody!
posted by blasdelf at 10:14 PM on June 15, 2004

I think I'm up to around ten invites given out now, but I have a feeling that most of the last four weren't actually Metafilter members... I guess the Wiki is open to everyone and word is now out that there are free Gmail invites to one and all.
posted by humuhumu at 1:45 AM on June 16, 2004

what a brilliant bit of free, viral marketing on Google's part.

These people continue to impress me.
posted by Dagobert at 2:13 AM on June 16, 2004

I suspect that the majority of Mefiers who really want Gmail account now have them - a few hundred must have been given away in the last few days and weeks. In any case if you want to ensure that only Mefiers receive your invitation you could always ask for their username.
posted by adrianhon at 2:26 AM on June 16, 2004

monju: an excellently generous idea for a thread, and personal thanks for the invite.
posted by biffa at 2:27 AM on June 16, 2004

Anyone know what triggers additional invites from google? Actually using your gmail, or merely the passage of time? Or actually giving out the accounts?
posted by onlyconnect at 3:25 AM on June 16, 2004

Not sure, I think it's a combination of all three. I originally had 3 invites, and then no sooner had I given one out than I got another 3, bringing me up to 5. This is without using Gmail much at all.
posted by adrianhon at 4:03 AM on June 16, 2004

I'm a bit late to this, but I'd love a Gmail invite if anyone's got one...

Ta very much!
posted by ninthart at 5:22 AM on June 16, 2004

same here. if anyone has an extra invite, i would really appreciate a gmail account. please send me an email if you can. thanks.
posted by chrisroberts at 9:41 AM on June 16, 2004

Hey, anyone maybe wants to give up an invite to me? Please? I'll stop saying things about you behind your back. You know who I'm talking about. Yeah. You know.

Thanks.
posted by billybunny at 9:42 AM on June 16, 2004

I would appreciate a gmail invite as well. Please email me at kookywon at hotmail (do t) com. Thanks!
posted by kookywon at 9:48 AM on June 16, 2004

I have several more invites to give away. If you want one, e-mail me at the address in my profile before I leave work today (4 p.m. EST) or before I run out, whichever comes first.
posted by Prospero at 10:28 AM on June 16, 2004