The blue and the green - the twain shall meet, or no? June 3, 2011 1:19 PM Subscribe
Is there any way to find out what kind of membership overlap there is between people who post/comment on the blue, and people who read/answer questions at AskMe?
I want to ask a serious and involved question at AskMe, but I "know" far more people from the blue, and I'd be more comfortable knowing that familiar names might be looking at my question. Can the infodump generate that kind of information? Otherwise, can you blue users give me a sense of if/when/how often you check out AskMe?
I want to ask a serious and involved question at AskMe, but I "know" far more people from the blue, and I'd be more comfortable knowing that familiar names might be looking at my question. Can the infodump generate that kind of information? Otherwise, can you blue users give me a sense of if/when/how often you check out AskMe?
aaaa! it's green? what is this?!
posted by not_on_display at 1:23 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by not_on_display at 1:23 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm about 50/50 honestly. Every once in a while I remember about IRL and Talk (which is probably why I've never made a meet-up).
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:24 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:24 PM on June 3, 2011
I have to wonder if the "Ask Only" crowd are one-time users in some way? By which I mean, regular users that created a new account just for Ask (to get around the limit or for anonymous questions) OR people who use Ask on a one-time basis and never stick around?
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:30 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:30 PM on June 3, 2011
I am the reverse of the demographic you're looking for.
I mainly hang around on Ask, but not on the blue. I'm a writer and find Ask a goldmine of insight into the human condition.
I do read the blue, but not as much, and basically never comment because straight-up MeFi seems much more intimidating and overwhelming to me.
posted by Andrhia at 1:36 PM on June 3, 2011 [40 favorites]
I mainly hang around on Ask, but not on the blue. I'm a writer and find Ask a goldmine of insight into the human condition.
I do read the blue, but not as much, and basically never comment because straight-up MeFi seems much more intimidating and overwhelming to me.
posted by Andrhia at 1:36 PM on June 3, 2011 [40 favorites]
I'm around 50/50 on the blue and the green as well, and I definitely see other users who are fairly prolific on both. There are also some Ask-only names that I recognize, especially when it comes to certain subjects.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:39 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by burnmp3s at 1:39 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm about 50/50 as well in terms of reading, but there are times when I answer AskMe questions more than I comment on the blue.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:42 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:42 PM on June 3, 2011
I participate more on the green than I do the blue, which I more or less only lurk.
...because y'all scare me.
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 1:46 PM on June 3, 2011 [13 favorites]
...because y'all scare me.
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 1:46 PM on June 3, 2011 [13 favorites]
We greens were perfectly willing to read and respond to your blue question, but now that made it all bluey vs. greeny, I'm not so sure.
posted by misterbrandt at 1:49 PM on June 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
posted by misterbrandt at 1:49 PM on June 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
oh - it's not a blue question; it's just that I know so many more names on the blue that I'm a little wary of posting a question without the--I guess "safety net" of knowing that people who have seen me around a lot would be reading it.
posted by tzikeh at 1:50 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by tzikeh at 1:50 PM on June 3, 2011
what are you wary of?
posted by lakersfan1222 at 1:52 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by lakersfan1222 at 1:52 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ha! What I meant was: we of the green read and respond to questions from all comers. It feels a bit "cliquey" and dismissive of Ask folk to say "hey, all my buddies from blue: come over here and play in the green with me for a bit, cuz I don't trust those folks"
posted by misterbrandt at 1:55 PM on June 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by misterbrandt at 1:55 PM on June 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
I'm blue bop a dee dah dah daaaaaah
posted by blue_beetle at 1:57 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 1:57 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
ah - msterbrandt - I didn't mean it that way, really. It's not "I don't trust *those* folks" so much as "I hope to hear from folks who know me, as well."
posted by tzikeh at 1:58 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by tzikeh at 1:58 PM on June 3, 2011
I love that there are several users who visited only MetaTalk, and not the blue or green, in a 30 day period.
posted by grouse at 1:58 PM on June 3, 2011 [12 favorites]
posted by grouse at 1:58 PM on June 3, 2011 [12 favorites]
I read the green much less than I read the blue, but I still read the green. It's just that I feel like there's a lot more volume on the green, so I miss a lot of stuff.
posted by klangklangston at 2:00 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by klangklangston at 2:00 PM on June 3, 2011
If people have made you a contact/spoused you, and they have their contact activity sidebar activated, they'll see that you posted a question. And will either run over to help, or....not, I guess!
posted by rtha at 2:06 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by rtha at 2:06 PM on June 3, 2011
According to my user profile, I have made 2037 comments on the blue and 2106 comments on the green, although I feel like I spend more time on the blue. Of course it is also skewed a bit by the fact that I was a member before there was an AskMe. So in my case it is reasonably close to 50-50.
posted by TedW at 2:16 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by TedW at 2:16 PM on June 3, 2011
tzikeh: "oh - it's not a blue question; it's just that I know so many more names on the blue that I'm a little wary of posting a question without the--I guess "safety net" of knowing that people who have seen me around a lot would be reading it."
Consider asking those you know and trust via memail if they'd look at your question and offer assistance if they can. A friend of mine does that every once in a while, and I believe she's had good results.
posted by zarq at 2:19 PM on June 3, 2011
Consider asking those you know and trust via memail if they'd look at your question and offer assistance if they can. A friend of mine does that every once in a while, and I believe she's had good results.
posted by zarq at 2:19 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm blue bop a dee dah dah daaaaaah
Actually, it's Blue (Da Ba Dee), not "Bop a dee". Christ, I expect that kind of misinformation on the green. But the grey? MY grey?
posted by Think_Long at 2:20 PM on June 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
Actually, it's Blue (Da Ba Dee), not "Bop a dee". Christ, I expect that kind of misinformation on the green. But the grey? MY grey?
posted by Think_Long at 2:20 PM on June 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
I'm almost never on Ask unless I am looking for something very specific On the main page too much to be considered healthy.
posted by The Whelk at 2:26 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 2:26 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm amazed that there are even a couple dozen out of 12,000 who only visited MetaTalk. Who just reads MetaTalk?
posted by John Cohen at 2:26 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 2:26 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Soap opera fans.
posted by The Whelk at 2:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 2:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
Who just reads MetaTalk?
Me, back in the day, mostly for the drama; for about three months before the "drama queen" thread, after which I stopped reading mefi for two years or so.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 2:37 PM on June 3, 2011
Me, back in the day, mostly for the drama; for about three months before the "drama queen" thread, after which I stopped reading mefi for two years or so.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 2:37 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm about eight or nine times more likely to comment on the blue and apparently twice as likely to comment here on the grey than the green.
Which is completely weird to me because I feel like I never go into askme. I can't for the life of me figure out when I would have taken the time to put together a thousand or so comments reasonable enough to not get deleted from people's questions.
posted by quin at 2:38 PM on June 3, 2011
Which is completely weird to me because I feel like I never go into askme. I can't for the life of me figure out when I would have taken the time to put together a thousand or so comments reasonable enough to not get deleted from people's questions.
posted by quin at 2:38 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm amazed that there are even a couple dozen out of 12,000 who only visited MetaTalk. Who just reads MetaTalk?
There have been periods--finals weeks, cross country road trips, new jobs--when I haven't had time to really delve into Metafilter. So, I'll read MeTa (which I generally hit first in any case) to see what's going on with the site. It's more a reflection of my interest in the community; when I don't have time to enjoy all the nifty links that the community puts together, then I check in to see how the community is doing through MeTa and what's going on with the site.
Which meant, for my road trip last August, that my general impression of the site was soured for weeks (it was a particularly noxious MeTa period). So, maybe not the best move but again, it's more of a 'check the pulse of Metafilter' than anything else.
posted by librarylis at 2:48 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
There have been periods--finals weeks, cross country road trips, new jobs--when I haven't had time to really delve into Metafilter. So, I'll read MeTa (which I generally hit first in any case) to see what's going on with the site. It's more a reflection of my interest in the community; when I don't have time to enjoy all the nifty links that the community puts together, then I check in to see how the community is doing through MeTa and what's going on with the site.
Which meant, for my road trip last August, that my general impression of the site was soured for weeks (it was a particularly noxious MeTa period). So, maybe not the best move but again, it's more of a 'check the pulse of Metafilter' than anything else.
posted by librarylis at 2:48 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
1. Follow a bunch of mefites on Twitter
2. Post your question
3. Announce your question on Twitter
4. People you know are now aware of your question
posted by desjardins at 2:54 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
2. Post your question
3. Announce your question on Twitter
4. People you know are now aware of your question
posted by desjardins at 2:54 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Male Answer Syndrome only kicks in with me once every three weeks or so. I rarely know anything, anyway.
If I had to choose one subsite, it'd be metatalk - sad but true.
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:59 PM on June 3, 2011
If I had to choose one subsite, it'd be metatalk - sad but true.
posted by Devils Rancher at 2:59 PM on June 3, 2011
A friend of mine does that every once in a while, and I believe she's had good results.
I do this also. Or the Twittter-endrun that desjardins describes.
Who just reads MetaTalk?
I am very curious about that myself. Possibly sock puppets.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:17 PM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
I do this also. Or the Twittter-endrun that desjardins describes.
Who just reads MetaTalk?
I am very curious about that myself. Possibly sock puppets.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:17 PM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
Oh give me a break. You want to ask a question but you only trust your "blue" friends to be able to answer? You may be delighted to find that a lurker who avoids participating on the blue might have the answer to your question. Or maybe not a lurker? Perhaps a newbie who joined just to answer your question? Do you only want people who echo you or recognize your username to answer your question? I am confounded.
posted by futz at 3:19 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by futz at 3:19 PM on June 3, 2011
Possibly sock puppets
I am now imagining MetaTalk as a bunch of literal sock puppets behind a soapbox theatre, arguing and hitting each other with foam hammers.
This pleases me.
posted by The Whelk at 3:26 PM on June 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
I am now imagining MetaTalk as a bunch of literal sock puppets behind a soapbox theatre, arguing and hitting each other with foam hammers.
This pleases me.
posted by The Whelk at 3:26 PM on June 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
Who just reads MetaTalk?
Grad students who are trying to turn their hobbies into careers.
posted by lewistate at 3:33 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Grad students who are trying to turn their hobbies into careers.
posted by lewistate at 3:33 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I am now imagining MetaTalk as a bunch of literal sock puppets behind a soapbox theatre, arguing and hitting each other with foam hammers.
I was imagining it more like Ed the Sock.
posted by FishBike at 3:35 PM on June 3, 2011
I was imagining it more like Ed the Sock.
posted by FishBike at 3:35 PM on June 3, 2011
I joined metafilter to ask a question after lurking for several months. For a long time, I really just stuck to the green. It's only been the last year or so that I've really started participating on the blue. I think I read both pretty equally, though I definitely participate more on Ask. I like to (try to) be helpful.
posted by phunniemee at 3:44 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 3:44 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
futz: Oh give me a break. You want to ask a question but you only trust your "blue" friends to be able to answer? You may be delighted to find that a lurker who avoids participating on the blue might have the answer to your question. Or maybe not a lurker? Perhaps a newbie who joined just to answer your question? Do you only want people who echo you or recognize your username to answer your question? I am confounded.
I NEVER said a single thing like any of this. The kind of answers to the question I'm going to ask would have *nothing to do* with agreeing with me; it's not the kind of question where answers can be "on my side" or not.
YES, there might be lurkers who have great answers. YES, newbies might have the answer. But this is a very difficult question for me to ask, because it will require me admitting to some massive failure on my part, and I wanted to know if people who know me from around the blue might be there *as well as people who don't*.
Jesus fucking Christ.
posted by tzikeh at 3:49 PM on June 3, 2011
I NEVER said a single thing like any of this. The kind of answers to the question I'm going to ask would have *nothing to do* with agreeing with me; it's not the kind of question where answers can be "on my side" or not.
YES, there might be lurkers who have great answers. YES, newbies might have the answer. But this is a very difficult question for me to ask, because it will require me admitting to some massive failure on my part, and I wanted to know if people who know me from around the blue might be there *as well as people who don't*.
Jesus fucking Christ.
posted by tzikeh at 3:49 PM on June 3, 2011
You rang?
posted by carsonb at 3:54 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by carsonb at 3:54 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Anon is always an option.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:59 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 3:59 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Here's a breakdown of subsite visits
Sweet. I've been absent-mindedly wanting to ask for that for some time.
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:00 PM on June 3, 2011
Sweet. I've been absent-mindedly wanting to ask for that for some time.
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:00 PM on June 3, 2011
jessamyn - yeah, I thought about anon, but it's going to be a long, detailed explanation, and I'll probably have to respond to several comments. Also, for some folks anyway, it'd be pretty clear that it's me. Plus, I figure, what the hell, get it out there and have done with it.
posted by tzikeh at 4:07 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by tzikeh at 4:07 PM on June 3, 2011
This is one heck of a build-up for an AskMe. I can't wait to find out what it is!
posted by Houstonian at 4:12 PM on June 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by Houstonian at 4:12 PM on June 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
Metafilter: like to (try to) be helpful.
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:14 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by herbplarfegan at 4:14 PM on June 3, 2011
Houstonian - I fear you're going to be disappointed. It's pathetic and kind of sad and, well, shameful and there's no magical solution.
Anyway, I'm going to go compose this, and work hard to make it clear, even though the description of my situation is going to have to be longer than I'd like. I'll try to post tomorrow or Saturday.
posted by tzikeh at 4:15 PM on June 3, 2011
Anyway, I'm going to go compose this, and work hard to make it clear, even though the description of my situation is going to have to be longer than I'd like. I'll try to post tomorrow or Saturday.
posted by tzikeh at 4:15 PM on June 3, 2011
I'm nosy.
50% on Ask
40% on MetaTalk
10 on the blue.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 4:22 PM on June 3, 2011
50% on Ask
40% on MetaTalk
10 on the blue.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 4:22 PM on June 3, 2011
I haven't had months where I've been only to Metatalk, but I've definitely had weeks.
posted by Kwine at 4:22 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kwine at 4:22 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I tend to look at the blue more thoroughly, i.e. I have a greater awareness of posts on the blue and the things they link to than I do of all the questions on AskMeFi, and I always glance at the gray periodically, though often just to see what sort of kerfuffle might be going on.
I do comment on AskMeFi almost as often as on the blue -- and rarely on MetaTalk.
And tzikeh, would be happy to try to help with your question, FYI.
posted by bearwife at 4:36 PM on June 3, 2011
I do comment on AskMeFi almost as often as on the blue -- and rarely on MetaTalk.
And tzikeh, would be happy to try to help with your question, FYI.
posted by bearwife at 4:36 PM on June 3, 2011
0.2% only visit MetaTalk? Those people interest me. But no so much I'd want to have a drink with them. I'd want to have several drinks with them and then get into a fist fight. Probably.
posted by Decani at 4:50 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Decani at 4:50 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Even The Bizzaro Whelk vists the blue, when he's not out saving kittens from burning buildings and fostering children.
posted by The Whelk at 5:00 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 5:00 PM on June 3, 2011
Hm. I'm slightly frightened by the fact that I've posted almost as many comments on the gray as I have on the blue. Oh well.
posted by Dumsnill at 5:02 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Dumsnill at 5:02 PM on June 3, 2011
I believe the visits stats posted by cortex may be skewed by people like me of religiously read MeFi via RSS but rarely click through to comment or read comments, but read Ask MeFi just as much, but click through at least 20 times more because the entire point of Ask MeFi is the comments, which one does not see in RSS.
posted by Brian Puccio at 5:20 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Brian Puccio at 5:20 PM on June 3, 2011
Hm. I'm slightly frightened by the fact that I've posted almost as many comments on the gray as I have on the blue. Oh well.
Don't view my posting stats, then. You might find them downright terrifying in that regard.
posted by FishBike at 5:22 PM on June 3, 2011
Don't view my posting stats, then. You might find them downright terrifying in that regard.
posted by FishBike at 5:22 PM on June 3, 2011
Who just reads MetaTalk?
I don't get out much.
posted by Meta Filter at 5:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't get out much.
posted by Meta Filter at 5:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm a greenie, I really don't have time for all the wonderful stuff on the blue. I only check it out when I know I have time to go down that rabbit hole, which is not very often. At the recent and only meetup I attended, we very quickly established who was blue and who was green, and I felt just a teensy bit judged! (In a very nice and polite way.)
posted by raisingsand at 5:39 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by raisingsand at 5:39 PM on June 3, 2011
I felt just a teensy bit judged!
Well, that sucks. I'm not judging greenies - I'm just saying that seeing familiar names adds a level of comfort when it comes to discussing something that I've caused in my own life that is flat-out failure that could have a detrimental impact on the rest of my life.
posted by tzikeh at 5:46 PM on June 3, 2011
Well, that sucks. I'm not judging greenies - I'm just saying that seeing familiar names adds a level of comfort when it comes to discussing something that I've caused in my own life that is flat-out failure that could have a detrimental impact on the rest of my life.
posted by tzikeh at 5:46 PM on June 3, 2011
I check blue and green equally, I think. If I can contribute a helpful answer to your question, I'll be there.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 6:19 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 6:19 PM on June 3, 2011
Even The Bizzaro Whelk vists the blue, when he's not out saving kittens from burning buildings and fostering children.
My first read of this was "frosting children"...
posted by ersatzkat at 6:22 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
My first read of this was "frosting children"...
posted by ersatzkat at 6:22 PM on June 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
God, please tell me you don't use fondant.
posted by pecanpies at 6:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by pecanpies at 6:29 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm sure The Whelk wouldn't use something as vile as fondant; me, I'd go with a lovely buttercream.
posted by rtha at 6:34 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rtha at 6:34 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
As long as we're on the topic of cake toppings, marshmallow fondant is easy to make and quite tasty. ...And it's to be applied on top of an already buttercream-frosted cake, of course!
posted by phunniemee at 6:39 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 6:39 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I am the reverse of the demographic you're looking for.
I mainly hang around on Ask, but not on the blue. I'm a writer and find Ask a goldmine of insight into the human condition.
I do read the blue, but not as much, and basically never comment because straight-up MeFi seems much more intimidating and overwhelming to me.
Put me down as another periodic Blue-lurker, open Greenie, for the same reasons. Well, and add that I love to offer advice/support. By the time I have anything to type on the Blue, somebody's already said it better than I could manage. (This is also frequently the case on the Green, but the temptation to help even more is just too much sometimes.)
posted by moira at 6:58 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I mainly hang around on Ask, but not on the blue. I'm a writer and find Ask a goldmine of insight into the human condition.
I do read the blue, but not as much, and basically never comment because straight-up MeFi seems much more intimidating and overwhelming to me.
Put me down as another periodic Blue-lurker, open Greenie, for the same reasons. Well, and add that I love to offer advice/support. By the time I have anything to type on the Blue, somebody's already said it better than I could manage. (This is also frequently the case on the Green, but the temptation to help even more is just too much sometimes.)
posted by moira at 6:58 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm somewhat surprised by the number of people who feel comfortable on the green but not the blue. The green is much more scary to me. I feel that if I say something dubious there, it might actually affect someone's life, whereas on the blue it's at worst a bad joke.
posted by Dumsnill at 7:06 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Dumsnill at 7:06 PM on June 3, 2011
I hang out on both, but comment much more on the green, because the blue tends to be where I go to find cool stuff on the internet, and I generally have little to say beyond, "I like this!" or "I didn't find this interesting" all that often.
I do like to research and/or offer my opinion on people's questions, though, so I comment more on the green.
posted by xingcat at 7:28 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I do like to research and/or offer my opinion on people's questions, though, so I comment more on the green.
posted by xingcat at 7:28 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
What's all this talk about blue and green pages? I only see white pages. Very professional looking white pages.
posted by octothorpe at 8:19 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 8:19 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ask people are sort of weird. Smell odd, too,
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:27 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:27 PM on June 3, 2011
...discussing something that I've caused in my own life that is flat-out failure that could have a detrimental impact on the rest of my life.
Welcome. Join the club!
posted by hapax_legomenon at 8:53 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Welcome. Join the club!
posted by hapax_legomenon at 8:53 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
All the cool kids hang out at Music talk.
posted by babbyʼ); Drop table users; -- at 9:13 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by babbyʼ); Drop table users; -- at 9:13 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
...discussing something that I've caused in my own life that is flat-out failure that could have a detrimental impact on the rest of my life.
Welcome. Join the club!
No kidding, this sounds like most of my life.
posted by desjardins at 9:14 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Welcome. Join the club!
No kidding, this sounds like most of my life.
posted by desjardins at 9:14 PM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I mostly hang out on ask, I find it so compelling, and I love to try and help. I do browse the blue when I have time, but I prefer not to comment. Blue devolves into flamewars so quickly and easily, whereas the green is kept in check with rules about sticking to the question, and not attacking each other. The green is so genteel, like a tea shop. The blue is more like the wild west.
posted by Joh at 9:20 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Joh at 9:20 PM on June 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
A tea shop where random strangers are constantly explaining to one another why they should break up with their significant others, go into therapy, and not get a graduate degree in law or the humanities.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 10:37 PM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by strangely stunted trees at 10:37 PM on June 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
I love that there are several users who visited only MetaTalk, and not the blue or green, in a 30 day period.
I've gone through significant periods where I don't read MeFi directly but just follow MeTa, the deleted thread blog (R.I.P.), and the batshitinsane and wtf feeds from the blue. It's like a worst of the best of the web.
posted by russm at 12:12 AM on June 4, 2011
I've gone through significant periods where I don't read MeFi directly but just follow MeTa, the deleted thread blog (R.I.P.), and the batshitinsane and wtf feeds from the blue. It's like a worst of the best of the web.
posted by russm at 12:12 AM on June 4, 2011
All the cool kids hang out at Music talk.
Well, that is a thing that exists. How about that.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:21 AM on June 4, 2011
Well, that is a thing that exists. How about that.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:21 AM on June 4, 2011
MetaTalk is my first stop on MetaFilter and sometimes I am too busy to read anything else. I've probably gone through periods in which I've only read/commented on MetaTalk, but I don't know if any of those periods were longer than a month.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:58 AM on June 4, 2011
posted by Jacqueline at 12:58 AM on June 4, 2011
"But this is a very difficult question for me to ask, because it will require me admitting to some massive failure on my part..."
So, it turns out that the iPhone is even worse than the LG Cosmos?
posted by Jacqueline at 1:02 AM on June 4, 2011
So, it turns out that the iPhone is even worse than the LG Cosmos?
posted by Jacqueline at 1:02 AM on June 4, 2011
I've noticed the divide between the green and blue as well.
I do wish that the people mainly on the green would feel confident to wade into the fray on the blue more often because there's a lot of information and answering that people do there, too, when we discuss everything from the arts and sciences to politics and current events. Expertise is often rewarded, there if you can suffer the odd slung stone.
I've more or less had to cut myself off from Ask because I could spend 48 hours a day flapping my fat piehole answering questions with wildly varying expertise and results, because I like questions and the make me think about different things and thinking about different things makes me feel smart.
And that's not the best way to answer questions, really. So I answer them when my contacts post something I might actually know something about, or someone points me to a question, or I happen to see a valid question while I'm posting a question. So if you want me to see your questions do feel free to add me as a contact, people don't have to ask permission to do that. That's part of MetaFilter's living room furniture.
posted by loquacious at 1:06 AM on June 4, 2011
I do wish that the people mainly on the green would feel confident to wade into the fray on the blue more often because there's a lot of information and answering that people do there, too, when we discuss everything from the arts and sciences to politics and current events. Expertise is often rewarded, there if you can suffer the odd slung stone.
I've more or less had to cut myself off from Ask because I could spend 48 hours a day flapping my fat piehole answering questions with wildly varying expertise and results, because I like questions and the make me think about different things and thinking about different things makes me feel smart.
And that's not the best way to answer questions, really. So I answer them when my contacts post something I might actually know something about, or someone points me to a question, or I happen to see a valid question while I'm posting a question. So if you want me to see your questions do feel free to add me as a contact, people don't have to ask permission to do that. That's part of MetaFilter's living room furniture.
posted by loquacious at 1:06 AM on June 4, 2011
There are subsites?
All I can see is a professional white background.
posted by flabdablet at 1:59 AM on June 4, 2011
All I can see is a professional white background.
posted by flabdablet at 1:59 AM on June 4, 2011
I'm mostly a lurker. My posts are primarily on the green, but I spend a lot more time reading the blue. I just rarely comment on the blue because I'm usually too late the to the discussion to feel that I have anything new to add (do you people have day jobs??). Also, it seems like there's an implied obligation to stick with a thread once you've entered it. I only answer Ask questions if I feel I have something unique to offer that hasn't already been said, and yet, that's where most of my comments are. I enjoy reading the gray regularly too. Though I may look like a 'greenie', I ascribe myself to being more of a 'bluey'.
posted by amusebuche at 6:06 AM on June 4, 2011
posted by amusebuche at 6:06 AM on June 4, 2011
I do wish that the people mainly on the green would feel confident to wade into the fray on the blue more often because there's a lot of information and answering that people do there, too, when we discuss everything from the arts and sciences to politics and current events. Expertise is often rewarded, there if you can suffer the odd slung stone.
I'd say it's more than just the odd slung stone, depending on the topic. There are a few people who have really perfected their techniques for shutting down discussion of opposing points of view without actually engaging in a discussion of them. Condescension, derision, and flat-out dismissal of other people's comments are effective ways to control the conversation, but not at all good for creating a healthy and welcoming discussion.
There's very little tolerance for that sort of thing in AskMe, so I'm not at all surprised a lot of people are more comfortable participating there than on the front page.
posted by FishBike at 6:17 AM on June 4, 2011 [12 favorites]
I'd say it's more than just the odd slung stone, depending on the topic. There are a few people who have really perfected their techniques for shutting down discussion of opposing points of view without actually engaging in a discussion of them. Condescension, derision, and flat-out dismissal of other people's comments are effective ways to control the conversation, but not at all good for creating a healthy and welcoming discussion.
There's very little tolerance for that sort of thing in AskMe, so I'm not at all surprised a lot of people are more comfortable participating there than on the front page.
posted by FishBike at 6:17 AM on June 4, 2011 [12 favorites]
I lurked for years and since I've joined up I haven't posted (answered, commented, etc.) too much because I try to only hit post when I actually have something to add. I read the Blue, Green and Grey about evenly.
And I'd like to add that "Plus, I figure, what the hell, get it out there and have done with it." was the greatest thing I've done with my life in recent years. My internal dialog is now out there and can be discussed with those close to me and the anxiety of my life is melting away. I do understand Anon questions and I have no issue with them, but this is an excellent attitude to have for many reasons. I recommend it from my experience on both sides.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 7:30 AM on June 4, 2011
And I'd like to add that "Plus, I figure, what the hell, get it out there and have done with it." was the greatest thing I've done with my life in recent years. My internal dialog is now out there and can be discussed with those close to me and the anxiety of my life is melting away. I do understand Anon questions and I have no issue with them, but this is an excellent attitude to have for many reasons. I recommend it from my experience on both sides.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 7:30 AM on June 4, 2011
Who only reads/posts in IRL?
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:17 AM on June 4, 2011
posted by Obscure Reference at 8:17 AM on June 4, 2011
Still have most comments in Ask, but Meta and Talk are catching up the longer I've been on MeFi.
posted by arcticseal at 8:24 AM on June 4, 2011
posted by arcticseal at 8:24 AM on June 4, 2011
I spend more time in Ask because there it's easy to decide whether to comment/answer or not. Do I have anything to add here? Can I answer this question? Conversely, I find most of the truly interesting FPPs on the Blue are massive time sucks. I lurk a lot on the Blue, but once I start participating? If it's a work day, I can say goodbye to doing my job. If it's a weekend, good luck actually showering and leaving the house today...
posted by Sara C. at 10:16 AM on June 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 10:16 AM on June 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
The Blue doesn't intimidate me, but I don't care about cute videos, obscure bands, and most of the other links (with the exceptions of really well-thought-out posts with multiple links), I've seen elsewhere. And I have other outlets for my outrage at political shenanigans.
AskMe questions are almost always new and interesting, with the exception of "what to do in NYC?".
posted by Ideefixe at 10:24 AM on June 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
AskMe questions are almost always new and interesting, with the exception of "what to do in NYC?".
posted by Ideefixe at 10:24 AM on June 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
John Cohen: "I'm amazed that there are even a couple dozen out of 12,000 who only visited MetaTalk. Who just reads MetaTalk?"
The grey is where it's at!
posted by deborah at 10:26 AM on June 4, 2011
The grey is where it's at!
posted by deborah at 10:26 AM on June 4, 2011
By the time I finish reading the 300+ comments on most blue pages, it's kinda like, why bother commenting? So mostly I'm on green.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:08 PM on June 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:08 PM on June 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm a 10-to-1 Green-to-Blue type, and if anything, I read (instead of commenting) on a 20-to-1 basis favoring AskMe. It's full of nice people who want help, and I like helping, and I moreover enjoy reading about problems I've never even imagined having. Plus I feel like I have to be original when commenting on the main site. I haven't checked lately, but I think I might have as many Meta comments as FPP comments.
posted by SMPA at 2:49 PM on June 4, 2011
posted by SMPA at 2:49 PM on June 4, 2011
I'm easily a 10 - 1 blue to green reader. I read the front page pretty constantly but only scan Ask once or twice a day and since I'm not really very bright, I don't usually have much in the way of usable advise to give anyone. Plus the general ban on snark in the green makes it much less fun to comment on. I understand and agree with the reasoning but I just don't have much to say other than snark.
posted by octothorpe at 8:23 PM on June 4, 2011
posted by octothorpe at 8:23 PM on June 4, 2011
I used to read Ask, but it just kinda dropped out for me at some point. Don't know why. I'm guessing I'm about 60/40 Metatalk/Metafilter-proper, and have been for a long time, in terms of time spent. Other subsites only occasionally. I really need to develop my MefiMusic habit.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:50 AM on June 5, 2011
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:50 AM on June 5, 2011
It varies: I suffer a higher burnout rate by looking at ask metafilter where threads can become particularly ick or stressful. And as # says,
Plus the general ban on snark in the green makes it much less fun to comment on. I understand and agree with the reasoning but I just don't have much to say other than snark.
I think that contributes to the burnout I feel.
posted by oxford blue at 10:30 PM on June 5, 2011
Plus the general ban on snark in the green makes it much less fun to comment on. I understand and agree with the reasoning but I just don't have much to say other than snark.
I think that contributes to the burnout I feel.
posted by oxford blue at 10:30 PM on June 5, 2011
MetaTalk and IRL are the only two places that hit my RSS feed - as was mentioned upthread, it's a good way to check up on the pulse of the community when I'm really busy.
I used to read the Green almost exclusively because I liked being able to help out in the Green as opposed to feeling like I was shouting nonsensical inanities into the abyss on the Blue. Plus, reading an AskMe was quick, wheras with the Blue it always seemed like a much bigger time commitment, both to dive into the original content being posted and to keep up with the discussion. Since I've gotten a smartphone, however, I've been reading the Blue much more, because it's easier to read a couple of interesting discussions on the Blue while I'm waiting for the bus than to click into 15 different AskMes to read the 'more inside' on the off-chance that I can help or that someone else has already come up with the answer to the question being asked. So lately it's been a much more even split between the two.
I also find that the smaller screen of a smartphone makes it easier for me to focus on FPPs since I can't skim as quickly and I actually read the text of each one before deciding whether or not to click in or to move on. I've found this with Twitter as well; it's much easier to get caught up in Twitter when I'm checking my Blackberry than when I'm on the Twitter app or in the web interface. I think this says bad things about my attention span.
posted by Phire at 1:57 AM on June 6, 2011
I used to read the Green almost exclusively because I liked being able to help out in the Green as opposed to feeling like I was shouting nonsensical inanities into the abyss on the Blue. Plus, reading an AskMe was quick, wheras with the Blue it always seemed like a much bigger time commitment, both to dive into the original content being posted and to keep up with the discussion. Since I've gotten a smartphone, however, I've been reading the Blue much more, because it's easier to read a couple of interesting discussions on the Blue while I'm waiting for the bus than to click into 15 different AskMes to read the 'more inside' on the off-chance that I can help or that someone else has already come up with the answer to the question being asked. So lately it's been a much more even split between the two.
I also find that the smaller screen of a smartphone makes it easier for me to focus on FPPs since I can't skim as quickly and I actually read the text of each one before deciding whether or not to click in or to move on. I've found this with Twitter as well; it's much easier to get caught up in Twitter when I'm checking my Blackberry than when I'm on the Twitter app or in the web interface. I think this says bad things about my attention span.
posted by Phire at 1:57 AM on June 6, 2011
I'm strictly a "professional white background" kind of guy.
Oh, that wasn't the quesiton? Well, I pretty much only read the green and the grey. I get my interesting internets from my friends on greader instead.
posted by Grither at 4:35 AM on June 6, 2011
Oh, that wasn't the quesiton? Well, I pretty much only read the green and the grey. I get my interesting internets from my friends on greader instead.
posted by Grither at 4:35 AM on June 6, 2011
I hang out in GameFilter and sometimes answer music questions on the Green.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 5:28 PM on June 6, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 5:28 PM on June 6, 2011
Just to be clear, Gamefilter is not a part of the Metafilter network. It's part of the greater extended family of *filter sites in terms of being inspired by Metafilter, and shares many members with Metafilter, of course, but it's an entirely separate Wonderchicken Industries™ thing.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:02 PM on June 6, 2011
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:02 PM on June 6, 2011
I'm certain there are periods of 30 days or more where I've only visited the grey. I've been visiting the blue a lot more lately, , but there were long periods where I've never read anything but the yuks & lulz found here in the basement.
Actually, yeah, it's all white. But whatever.
posted by slogger at 9:20 AM on June 7, 2011
Actually, yeah, it's all white. But whatever.
posted by slogger at 9:20 AM on June 7, 2011
there were long periods where I've never read anything but the yuks & lulz found here in the basement.
You didn't even look at the threads that were called out or referred to here?
posted by grouse at 9:59 AM on June 7, 2011
You didn't even look at the threads that were called out or referred to here?
posted by grouse at 9:59 AM on June 7, 2011
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posted by cortex (staff) at 1:23 PM on June 3, 2011 [11 favorites]