Pony for 10th?

May 7, 2009 10:33 PM

Can we post maybes for more than one location? I haven't decided yet.
posted by brujita to MetaFilter Gatherings at 10:33 PM (32 comments total)

Naw, it seemed kind of goofy to do that. Either pick the most likely, or none at all. You don't HAVE to put yourself on a list to any one location until you are sure. You can always pick one spot and later on change your mind, but we didn't see much utility in everyone on the site putting New Orleans as a "maybe" because really, flights aren't that expensive and there's a remote chance anyone here could go, but if ColdChef is trying to book a location, he might as well base it off the real attending and maybe lists.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:38 PM on May 7, 2009

Yeah, people are trying to plan events here. This is difficult when most locations are showing more maybes than yeses. Hopefully this firms up over the next month.
posted by ryanrs at 11:11 PM on May 7, 2009

I suppose favorites for ten.metafilter.com are out of the question, then.
posted by grouse at 11:28 PM on May 7, 2009

Second pony request: can maybes get a nag-mail shortly/periodically before the date reminding them to make up their minds?
posted by potch at 11:31 PM on May 7, 2009

Second pony request: can maybes get a nag-mail shortly/periodically before the date reminding them to make up their minds?

Maybe.
posted by maxwelton at 3:48 AM on May 8, 2009

Then again, maybe I won't.
posted by not_on_display at 4:37 AM on May 8, 2009

mathowie: "Naw, it seemed kind of goofy to do that."

It doesn't seem goofy to me. There are rumblings of a Providence meetup, and if it's on a different day than the Boston one, I'd really love to go to both. I'm sure I'm not alone. Can I say yes to both? Can I say yes to Boston and maybe to Providence, pending date decision?
posted by Plutor at 5:00 AM on May 8, 2009

Once we have said "maybe" can we change it to a "yes"? I just see the option to say "no" - but I am likely missing something.
posted by pointystick at 5:46 AM on May 8, 2009

pointystick, just mark "no", after which you will see both original options again, and then mark "yes".
posted by Henrik at 5:48 AM on May 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

I'm surprised there are any yes's given that barely any of the meetups has chosen a date yet.
posted by smackfu at 5:59 AM on May 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you've got something more important planned ten weeks out, you're not a real Mefite.
posted by Plutor at 6:54 AM on May 8, 2009 [3 favorites]

When I was in high school I had a buddy who was cooler than me, and was always getting with the ladies. He would never give me a concrete answer as to whether we were going to hang out together, and left me waiting around many evenings because something better came up.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:59 AM on May 8, 2009

Wait, tenth anniversary, what?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:12 AM on May 8, 2009

Can I say yes to Boston and maybe to Providence, pending date decision?

Same here, substituting Milwaukee and Chicago.
posted by desjardins at 7:25 AM on May 8, 2009

What I meant was "I'm in the same situation as Plutor, except with different cities." Whatever, I just want to crawl back into bed.
posted by desjardins at 7:26 AM on May 8, 2009

Honestly, I'm not sure what the point of the "maybe" column is. Other than to give the "likely not to show up" a column that's better than "attending", so that the organizers can better ignore them in their counts.
posted by smackfu at 7:37 AM on May 8, 2009

I'd like to vote for being able to turn "maybe" into "yes". I've maybe-d the New Orleans gathering, and I'd like to turn it to a definite yes once I've paid for the hotel room so the organizers know for sure. But right now the only option once you've maybe-d is just to check "No."
posted by middleclasstool at 8:35 AM on May 8, 2009

Other than to give the "likely not to show up" a column that's better than "attending", so that the organizers can better ignore them in their counts.

That's a pretty good reason right there.
posted by ook at 9:19 AM on May 8, 2009

middleclasstool, just mark "no", after which you will see both original options again, and then mark "yes".
posted by pb (staff) at 9:23 AM on May 8, 2009

Ah, thankee. I thought of trying that but worried that the "no" was a permanent option.
posted by middleclasstool at 9:39 AM on May 8, 2009

I do think there's something to being able to say a definite yes to more than one location, given that there are three evenings (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and quite a few are within driving distance from each other.
posted by misha at 10:10 AM on May 8, 2009

Hmm. Just thinking out loud here, but what if you could say 'yes' to more than one location, but could only say 'maybe' to one?
posted by box at 10:12 AM on May 8, 2009

Also, and maybe this is too hard to implement, but it might help the organizers if there was an "already booked" option. That way, once we get down to the last week they'll have a much better indication of who will actually show up.
posted by misha at 10:12 AM on May 8, 2009

Wow, I think I used every tense in that paragraph.
posted by misha at 10:13 AM on May 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

what about the option to mark it "interested but holding out for a more fun option within traveling distance to take shape"?
posted by jouke at 10:33 AM on May 8, 2009

How about "keeping y'all as plan B if I can't hook up with Meatbomb's hot friend from high school"?
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:39 AM on May 8, 2009

Why the need for a PayPal address on the organizer signup?
posted by Thorzdad at 11:05 AM on May 8, 2009

Thorzdad, PayPal is for helping with the bar tab. mathowie: "We're asking for paypal addreses so that we can send some money your way after the meetup takes place ($50-100 in most cases for well-attended meetups)."
posted by pb (staff) at 11:11 AM on May 8, 2009

I updated the site so that "Yes" is an option if you've already replied "Maybe", I agree that the click shuffle required was confusing. Kind of like clicking "Start" to shut down your computer.
posted by pb (staff) at 11:47 AM on May 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

Q: Why do you have to click "Start" to shutdown your computer?
A: Because the user testers looked there first when asked to do it.
posted by Plutor at 11:57 AM on May 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

Another vote for being allowed to do more than one "maybe". I'm hoping to make it to NOLA, but I may have to settle for Portland. As it is, I may not be able to talk the mister into either one.
posted by deborah at 10:15 PM on May 8, 2009

smackfu: "I'm surprised there are any yes's given that barely any of the meetups has chosen a date yet."

The general time is set (July 17th - 19th) - I think most people who say "yes" think this is important enough to keep the weekend clear at this point. In the case of New Orleans, we are pretty sure the big event will be on the 18th but we may have smaller events on the 17th and 19th.

You can only "finalize" an event if you have the exact location and time (i.e. 6pm at ABC Lounge)
posted by radioamy at 2:34 PM on May 9, 2009