The Dark Fortnight of the Soul August 16, 2011 5:30 AM Subscribe
This week in MetaFilter History
Ten years ago, when mathowie was the sole moderator, he wanted to take a vacation, but was worried about the site while he was gone. So he did something then that would seem unthinkable today. He turned MetaFilter off for two weeks.
Ten years ago, when mathowie was the sole moderator, he wanted to take a vacation, but was worried about the site while he was gone. So he did something then that would seem unthinkable today. He turned MetaFilter off for two weeks.
It's really a wonder that we managed to survive without it.
posted by crunchland at 6:02 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by crunchland at 6:02 AM on August 16, 2011
How do you know that was really Matt that came back?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:08 AM on August 16, 2011 [15 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:08 AM on August 16, 2011 [15 favorites]
He's the Manchurian Mod!
posted by arcticseal at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by arcticseal at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2011
It would be interesting if MetaFilter did go on a vacation. I think I'd quite like the idea.
When we'd all come back it would be the internet equivalent of that scene in movies when students return to college after the summer.
posted by Kattullus at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2011
When we'd all come back it would be the internet equivalent of that scene in movies when students return to college after the summer.
posted by Kattullus at 6:11 AM on August 16, 2011
Wow. The times they have a-changed: 97 comments, and not a single whiff of "how dare you do this without consulting us" grar. Or any other kind of grar.
posted by rtha at 6:14 AM on August 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by rtha at 6:14 AM on August 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
where we all brag about how awesome our summer vacation was and lie about how many members of the appropriate sex we shagged?
posted by rmd1023 at 6:15 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by rmd1023 at 6:15 AM on August 16, 2011
not a single whiff of "how dare you do this without consulting us" grar. --- That's because it happened before the Age of Entitlement.
posted by crunchland at 6:18 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by crunchland at 6:18 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
Mostly I masturbated a lot and played Dreamcast.
Hahaha! Dreamcast.
posted by dirtdirt at 6:21 AM on August 16, 2011 [10 favorites]
Hahaha! Dreamcast.
posted by dirtdirt at 6:21 AM on August 16, 2011 [10 favorites]
So he did something then that would seem unthinkable today.
Unthinkable? More like trendsetting, I'd say.
Remember the recent FPP: "Bay Area Rapid Transit subway system asked Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to suspend service last night in four downtown San Francisco stations, to prevent a protest over the shooting death of Charles Blair Hill to occur."
We all know what happened there. The cops starting thinking "social media" and "riot" and then, of course, the next thought would be "what would matthowie do?" SHUT IT DOWN.
posted by three blind mice at 6:25 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Unthinkable? More like trendsetting, I'd say.
Remember the recent FPP: "Bay Area Rapid Transit subway system asked Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile to suspend service last night in four downtown San Francisco stations, to prevent a protest over the shooting death of Charles Blair Hill to occur."
We all know what happened there. The cops starting thinking "social media" and "riot" and then, of course, the next thought would be "what would matthowie do?" SHUT IT DOWN.
posted by three blind mice at 6:25 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Wasn't Wally World closed by the time Matt finally got there?
posted by octobersurprise at 6:27 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by octobersurprise at 6:27 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
A lot of the bars around here seem to have "gone to the beach for a week" signs on their doors around this time of year.
posted by octothorpe at 6:31 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by octothorpe at 6:31 AM on August 16, 2011
It's sad how many usernames I recognize in that thread that aren't around any more.
posted by Curious Artificer at 6:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 6:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Isn't he on vacation right now?
I figured while Matt is gone on vacation for a while lets do some funny things in here, take pictures, and post them online. It'll be fun, and everyone will get a good laugh out of it.
posted by cashman at 6:44 AM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
I figured while Matt is gone on vacation for a while lets do some funny things in here, take pictures, and post them online. It'll be fun, and everyone will get a good laugh out of it.
posted by cashman at 6:44 AM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
Matt just got back from vacation, actually, and he said he had a very relaxing time.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:50 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:50 AM on August 16, 2011
and I mean the closing, not the Matt having a nice vacation, which I'm glad was relaxing.
posted by theora55 at 7:00 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 7:00 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
"how dare you do this without consulting us" grar
I wasn't a member in 2001, I didn't join until a year later, but I do remember being a bit cowed by Matt and would never have dreamed of arguing with him regarding the site. For one thing he often made it clear he could just walk away and turn it off forever.
The vacation thing was planned, but there were always the unplanned JRun errors that were unplanned. I always hated those because I was never really sure when or if the site would be back.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:08 AM on August 16, 2011
I wasn't a member in 2001, I didn't join until a year later, but I do remember being a bit cowed by Matt and would never have dreamed of arguing with him regarding the site. For one thing he often made it clear he could just walk away and turn it off forever.
The vacation thing was planned, but there were always the unplanned JRun errors that were unplanned. I always hated those because I was never really sure when or if the site would be back.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:08 AM on August 16, 2011
"For two weeks ten years ago, workplace productivity increased 200%, a phenomenon that puzzles economists to this day."
posted by desjardins at 7:15 AM on August 16, 2011 [21 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 7:15 AM on August 16, 2011 [21 favorites]
it would be the internet equivalent of that scene in movies when students return to college after the summer
I picture it more as all of us running toward each other across a lovely flower-strewn meadow in slow motion. The camera is in soft focus, cutting back and forth between mefites eager to renew relationships. As the many posters collide, people hug, laugh, take exception to things said, shout, wave their arms, banhammers are deployed, the Mods discuss the advisability of tear gas, chaos reigns, and eventually it all ends up in a scene, which they say, is not convenient to describe.
That's what I like to imagine, anyway.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:16 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
I picture it more as all of us running toward each other across a lovely flower-strewn meadow in slow motion. The camera is in soft focus, cutting back and forth between mefites eager to renew relationships. As the many posters collide, people hug, laugh, take exception to things said, shout, wave their arms, banhammers are deployed, the Mods discuss the advisability of tear gas, chaos reigns, and eventually it all ends up in a scene, which they say, is not convenient to describe.
That's what I like to imagine, anyway.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:16 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
Indeed. Back then, we were happy just to have the site in the few periods that it was up.
posted by Eideteker at 7:17 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by Eideteker at 7:17 AM on August 16, 2011
It would be interesting if MetaFilter did go on a vacation. I think I'd quite like the idea.
Me too.
posted by Meta Filter at 7:18 AM on August 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
Me too.
posted by Meta Filter at 7:18 AM on August 16, 2011 [6 favorites]
Back to the salt mines, Meta Filter!
posted by shakespeherian at 7:23 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by shakespeherian at 7:23 AM on August 16, 2011
I like the idea of MetaFilter Bank Holiday. Or Ferragosto.
Of course, no doubt that would be the same day some major world event happened and we'd all sit obsessively pounding the refresh button.
posted by Miko at 7:26 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Of course, no doubt that would be the same day some major world event happened and we'd all sit obsessively pounding the refresh button.
posted by Miko at 7:26 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
it would be the internet equivalent of that scene in movies when students return to college after the summer
I was thinking more of that scene from Trainspotting with the baby crawling across the ceiling.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:34 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
I was thinking more of that scene from Trainspotting with the baby crawling across the ceiling.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:34 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
4 ink pens
I have one in my hand right now. I love those things.
Sigh. I just realized another reason why I never ran with the cool crowd.
Gulp.
posted by cashman at 7:38 AM on August 16, 2011
I have one in my hand right now. I love those things.
Sigh. I just realized another reason why I never ran with the cool crowd.
Gulp.
posted by cashman at 7:38 AM on August 16, 2011
Oh man, what was I even doing in august 2001? I must have been still pin school but not for long-
Ah okay that was " ameture RPG and Adventure game period" with lots of mIRC and Spinnwebe and having sex in cars in the parking lot of Regal Cinema. Gotcha.
posted by The Whelk at 7:42 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Ah okay that was " ameture RPG and Adventure game period" with lots of mIRC and Spinnwebe and having sex in cars in the parking lot of Regal Cinema. Gotcha.
posted by The Whelk at 7:42 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
but there were always the unplanned JRun errors
I remember those! It was like every day was a gamble as to whether or not I'd be forced into a state of unwanted and unwelcome productivity.
posted by quin at 7:45 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
I remember those! It was like every day was a gamble as to whether or not I'd be forced into a state of unwanted and unwelcome productivity.
posted by quin at 7:45 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
It would be interesting if MetaFilter did go on a vacation.
Just so long as the list of sites to check out in metafilter's absence is more useful than the one here.
Although it's certainly interesting to see how many community sites Metafilter has outived.
posted by dersins at 8:09 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just so long as the list of sites to check out in metafilter's absence is more useful than the one here.
Although it's certainly interesting to see how many community sites Metafilter has outived.
posted by dersins at 8:09 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Who wants to volunteer to clean out the sea chest while she's in dry dock?
posted by Rhomboid at 8:28 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by Rhomboid at 8:28 AM on August 16, 2011
I gotta log off.
What? Right when I'm jacking in?
posted by NoMich at 8:28 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
What? Right when I'm jacking in?
posted by NoMich at 8:28 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
crunchland: "It's really a wonder that we managed to survive without it."
Maybe... maybe we didn't...
*dramatic chord*
posted by brundlefly at 8:32 AM on August 16, 2011
Maybe... maybe we didn't...
*dramatic chord*
posted by brundlefly at 8:32 AM on August 16, 2011
Coach, I don't think we survived that downtime.
posted by The Whelk at 8:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 8:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [7 favorites]
For one thing he often made it clear he could just walk away and turn it off forever.
I'm sure he could still do this. And it'd be a lot more exciting now too!
But mathowie has the patience of a saint. I'd have shut this motherfucker down right after the first request for threaded comments.
posted by mullacc at 8:38 AM on August 16, 2011
I'm sure he could still do this. And it'd be a lot more exciting now too!
But mathowie has the patience of a saint. I'd have shut this motherfucker down right after the first request for threaded comments.
posted by mullacc at 8:38 AM on August 16, 2011
Matt will only walk away from MetaFilter if it's exploding behind him, in slow motion.
It's in his contract.
posted by Zozo at 8:51 AM on August 16, 2011 [15 favorites]
It's in his contract.
posted by Zozo at 8:51 AM on August 16, 2011 [15 favorites]
But one thing we are allowed to do is work on our profiles. But we can't see other's profiles. Only when school opens do we get to show off our new Trapper Keepers, chandler's, 4 ink pens, and cigar stationary box.
I really really love this idea.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:54 AM on August 16, 2011
I really really love this idea.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:54 AM on August 16, 2011
I miss Tamim.
posted by clavdivs at 8:56 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 8:56 AM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
I guess Metafilter was worse back then. Nobody got any favorites.
posted by philip-random at 9:22 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by philip-random at 9:22 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Isn't he on vacation right now?
Wait, Matt's gone? Hey everybody! Let's go hang out in his profile and stage elaborate pictures of ourselves dancing and washing dogs in it! Quick, before he gets back!
posted by phunniemee at 9:24 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
Wait, Matt's gone? Hey everybody! Let's go hang out in his profile and stage elaborate pictures of ourselves dancing and washing dogs in it! Quick, before he gets back!
posted by phunniemee at 9:24 AM on August 16, 2011 [5 favorites]
Dammit, cashman, I swear I read through the comments before I posted! You win all the cookies.
posted by phunniemee at 9:28 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by phunniemee at 9:28 AM on August 16, 2011
I looked at the thread wondering if I made a comment in it. Then I realized that I joined the site six days later!
I must have been waiting for Matt to come back from vacation.
posted by vacapinta at 9:29 AM on August 16, 2011
I must have been waiting for Matt to come back from vacation.
posted by vacapinta at 9:29 AM on August 16, 2011
He turned MetaFilter off for two weeks
What is the problem here? Whenever I go on vacation I turn my whole COMPUTER off! So he logged off Metafilter, who fucking cares. God, you people understand NOTHING.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:30 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
What is the problem here? Whenever I go on vacation I turn my whole COMPUTER off! So he logged off Metafilter, who fucking cares. God, you people understand NOTHING.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:30 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I liked this comment from that thread:
MetaFilter: more fun than watching paint peel off the wall
posted by mathowie at 9:41 PM on August 20, 2001 [+] [!]
posted by dubitable at 9:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
MetaFilter: more fun than watching paint peel off the wall
posted by mathowie at 9:41 PM on August 20, 2001 [+] [!]
posted by dubitable at 9:32 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Mods are on vacation. Post pictures of bread!
posted by Ad hominem at 9:51 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by Ad hominem at 9:51 AM on August 16, 2011
Give me a break.
He wasn't on vacation.
He was attending the top secret invitation only conference for elite business leaders hosted by the Bush administration and titled "Profiting From the Coming Terrorist Attacks."
posted by jamjam at 9:52 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
He wasn't on vacation.
He was attending the top secret invitation only conference for elite business leaders hosted by the Bush administration and titled "Profiting From the Coming Terrorist Attacks."
posted by jamjam at 9:52 AM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
MetaFilter went on vacation and all I got was this lousy t-shirt
posted by Sailormom at 10:07 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by Sailormom at 10:07 AM on August 16, 2011
Wow, I remember this happening shortly after I joined, and it totally endeared this place to me.
Miko: "I like the idea of MetaFilter Bank Holiday. Or Ferragosto."
Yes! I don't know where the brass stands in terms of needing to be online to fulfill ad orders, but I'd totally get behind it.
You could do a full-on global meetup day (like the 10th). If you wanted to get really fancy, people could coordinate local do-gooderism on that day- after all, one thing MeFi has been able to do exceptionally well is bridge the divide between online and IRL.
posted by mkultra at 10:32 AM on August 16, 2011
Miko: "I like the idea of MetaFilter Bank Holiday. Or Ferragosto."
Yes! I don't know where the brass stands in terms of needing to be online to fulfill ad orders, but I'd totally get behind it.
You could do a full-on global meetup day (like the 10th). If you wanted to get really fancy, people could coordinate local do-gooderism on that day- after all, one thing MeFi has been able to do exceptionally well is bridge the divide between online and IRL.
posted by mkultra at 10:32 AM on August 16, 2011
That was a long two weeks, all the unwashed masses invading Red Cricket.
I miss you RC...
posted by Mick at 10:43 AM on August 16, 2011
I miss you RC...
posted by Mick at 10:43 AM on August 16, 2011
FOUND IT!!!
I remember getting email that came close as I've ever gotten to death threats, saying how could I be so selfish, how the community was larger than me, how dare I feel I control it enough to turn it off, etc.
Of course everyone just hung out in the meta threads of the5k.org.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:51 AM on August 16, 2011
I remember getting email that came close as I've ever gotten to death threats, saying how could I be so selfish, how the community was larger than me, how dare I feel I control it enough to turn it off, etc.
Of course everyone just hung out in the meta threads of the5k.org.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:51 AM on August 16, 2011
FOUND IT!!!
Found what? The thing I linked three hours ago in this very thread?
I kid, I kid.
Please don't ban me.
posted by dersins at 10:57 AM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
Found what? The thing I linked three hours ago in this very thread?
I kid, I kid.
Please don't ban me.
posted by dersins at 10:57 AM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
"Captain, we are picking up a void on short-range sensors"
"Mr. Kim, check the memory files, start with 10 years ago"
"Nothing Captain"
"Long range sensors Mr. Kim."
"Captain, I am picking up a sub-space vortex, scanning...it appears to be a human on a bicycle"
"Mr. Tuvok, any weapons?"
"Negative"
"Mr Paris, lay in an intercept course, transporter room, stand by for emergency beam out"
"Doctor to the bridge"
"Go ahead doctor"
"Tachyon partical decay analysis indicates this is a human from the 21st century"
" What is he doing here doctor"
"How should I know. I am a doctor, not a blogger."
posted by clavdivs at 11:05 AM on August 16, 2011 [11 favorites]
"Mr. Kim, check the memory files, start with 10 years ago"
"Nothing Captain"
"Long range sensors Mr. Kim."
"Captain, I am picking up a sub-space vortex, scanning...it appears to be a human on a bicycle"
"Mr. Tuvok, any weapons?"
"Negative"
"Mr Paris, lay in an intercept course, transporter room, stand by for emergency beam out"
"Doctor to the bridge"
"Go ahead doctor"
"Tachyon partical decay analysis indicates this is a human from the 21st century"
" What is he doing here doctor"
"How should I know. I am a doctor, not a blogger."
posted by clavdivs at 11:05 AM on August 16, 2011 [11 favorites]
Everybody's so excited about the fact that mathowie turned Metafilter off for two weeks once, but oddly enough nobody's talking about the fact that I've been turning Metafilter on for almost seven years now.
posted by koeselitz at 11:10 AM on August 16, 2011 [8 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 11:10 AM on August 16, 2011 [8 favorites]
So I'm reading that link wondering what the hell everyone is talking about. I'm thinking, "WTF is this? Matt's been away and the site was down? No it wasn't. Hmm... this must be some devious in-joke amongst the in-crowd. The goddamned clique. The chosen ones. Damn, I feel so excluded! Curse those smug Inner Circle bastards. I'm going to put my rioting trousers on!
And then I saw a post from davidmsc. And the date. And then I went back and actually read the title of this post.
I've had a hard day. That's my excuse.
Oh, and during that period in 2001 I hadn't even heard of Metafilter and I was very, very depressed. Those things were not connected, by the way.
posted by Decani at 11:17 AM on August 16, 2011
And then I saw a post from davidmsc. And the date. And then I went back and actually read the title of this post.
I've had a hard day. That's my excuse.
Oh, and during that period in 2001 I hadn't even heard of Metafilter and I was very, very depressed. Those things were not connected, by the way.
posted by Decani at 11:17 AM on August 16, 2011
Good crikey, I see davidmsc is still here and posting. I hadn't noticed. No offence, mate!
posted by Decani at 11:19 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by Decani at 11:19 AM on August 16, 2011
nobody's talking about the fact that I've been turning Metafilter on for almost seven years now.
Reminds me of an ELP song
posted by philip-random at 11:21 AM on August 16, 2011
Reminds me of an ELP song
posted by philip-random at 11:21 AM on August 16, 2011
so wait, what was the number of active users at that time? can someone with numbery cunning figure that out?
posted by elizardbits at 11:23 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 11:23 AM on August 16, 2011
figure it out and then tell us, I mean. don't figure it out and then cruelly keep it a seekrit until your dying day.
posted by elizardbits at 11:24 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 11:24 AM on August 16, 2011
We were right around userid 10000 at the time, though that's not a very useful number by itself. Someone willing to parse the infodump for posting/commenting activity over the previous month or two could make a decent estimate that way.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:27 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:27 AM on August 16, 2011
I joined the day after that post and my user # is 10352. (In my first comment, I defended blogging about pointless junk. "are the works of anais nin or james boswell eternally damaged by the existance of journals with teddy bears on the cover?" Discuss.)
posted by epersonae at 11:34 AM on August 16, 2011
posted by epersonae at 11:34 AM on August 16, 2011
mathowie: " Of course everyone just hung out in the meta threads of the5k.org."
A number of the sites listed on that page are still active, but Metafilter's outlived a few. Fray.com has had a second makeover. plastic.com, citystories.com and edgecase.org are gone for good. 'Stating the obvious' hasn't been updated since 2003.
posted by zarq at 11:39 AM on August 16, 2011
A number of the sites listed on that page are still active, but Metafilter's outlived a few. Fray.com has had a second makeover. plastic.com, citystories.com and edgecase.org are gone for good. 'Stating the obvious' hasn't been updated since 2003.
posted by zarq at 11:39 AM on August 16, 2011
that's because you're a pervy numerophile though.
posted by elizardbits at 11:50 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 11:50 AM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Well I looked at the community listed at the top of Matt's other communities list (k5) for the first time in years.
localroger's diary announces that Nash Roberts is dead (6 entries ago in December).
My initial reaction was I had no idea Nash was still alive in November 2010.
However it is a fine piece he has there. I shall link it:
Link
posted by bukvich at 11:57 AM on August 16, 2011
localroger's diary announces that Nash Roberts is dead (6 entries ago in December).
My initial reaction was I had no idea Nash was still alive in November 2010.
However it is a fine piece he has there. I shall link it:
Link
posted by bukvich at 11:57 AM on August 16, 2011
Secret Life of Gravy: I wasn't a member in 2001, I didn't join until a year later, but I do remember being a bit cowed by Matt and would never have dreamed of arguing with him regarding the site.
That's interesting. I'd bet the increase in uppity grar is related to the appearance of the Demi-Mods. Who are you more likely to curse: Saint Cortex or Mod the Father?
posted by troll at 12:16 PM on August 16, 2011
That's interesting. I'd bet the increase in uppity grar is related to the appearance of the Demi-Mods. Who are you more likely to curse: Saint Cortex or Mod the Father?
posted by troll at 12:16 PM on August 16, 2011
How about rolling blackouts of posting? Divide the user base up into weeks, and one week per year, no posting or commenting for that group of users.
posted by davejay at 12:38 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by davejay at 12:38 PM on August 16, 2011
Greg Nog: "I cannot for the life of me parse this phrase as anything other than Hella Vulgar"
Which, in turn, sounds like a Bond villainess.
posted by brundlefly at 12:49 PM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
Which, in turn, sounds like a Bond villainess.
posted by brundlefly at 12:49 PM on August 16, 2011 [4 favorites]
Whenever I read old threads like that my time vanishes down a hole following the profiles of the four-digit-user-ID set, seeing who still shows up in comments regularly...
posted by nanojath at 12:54 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by nanojath at 12:54 PM on August 16, 2011
I just wanted to say, after spending so much time on this thread as one could on TVtropes, and for posterity
Tarumba was here, on this very silly thread.
posted by Tarumba at 1:08 PM on August 16, 2011
Tarumba was here, on this very silly thread.
posted by Tarumba at 1:08 PM on August 16, 2011
I actually was a tiny bit afraid of Matt. Witness this exchange:
Me: Heh, I wasn't going to respond to this, because I figured it was a trap invented by Matt to catch all the "chatty" noobs-- but then I read the comments and found out that most of the respondents were old hands.
Quansar: oh, hell no! it was a trap to catch paranoids.
Matt did seem to grumble a lot about too much chat AND he didn't seem to like jokey responses much either.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:14 PM on August 16, 2011
Me: Heh, I wasn't going to respond to this, because I figured it was a trap invented by Matt to catch all the "chatty" noobs-- but then I read the comments and found out that most of the respondents were old hands.
Quansar: oh, hell no! it was a trap to catch paranoids.
Matt did seem to grumble a lot about too much chat AND he didn't seem to like jokey responses much either.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:14 PM on August 16, 2011
And while he was gone, we snuck in and rearranged Metafilter and took a bunch of hilarious pictures of ourselves doing hilarious things. Then we put it all back.
posted by padraigin at 1:27 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by padraigin at 1:27 PM on August 16, 2011
President Metafilter! A man is chocking on a bucket of cocks in Brazil!
SHUT.
DOWN.
EVERYTHING.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:27 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
SHUT.
DOWN.
EVERYTHING.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:27 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
That's interesting. I'd bet the increase in uppity grar is related to the appearance of the Demi-Mods. Who are you more likely to curse: Saint Cortex or Mod the Father?
My impression is that Matt used to get a LOT more flak and self important whining before the Ascension of our Lady. The rules of the site were always up for questioning as opposed to today when people seem to mostly accept the words of mods as The Way of the Site.
posted by Catfry at 1:56 PM on August 16, 2011
My impression is that Matt used to get a LOT more flak and self important whining before the Ascension of our Lady. The rules of the site were always up for questioning as opposed to today when people seem to mostly accept the words of mods as The Way of the Site.
posted by Catfry at 1:56 PM on August 16, 2011
today when people seem to mostly accept the words of mods as The Way of the Site.
You should visit more often.
posted by longsleeves at 1:59 PM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
You should visit more often.
posted by longsleeves at 1:59 PM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Wow, how times have changed. Of course, change isn't always good.
posted by dg at 2:00 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by dg at 2:00 PM on August 16, 2011
This is just my impression. Naturally today the site is much more busy so there will be a lot more of everything, be it bad and good things, but I have the impression, as a proportion of all posts on metatalk, a bigger share was about how exactly the rules should be and with a lot of anti authoritarianism against Matt.
posted by Catfry at 2:13 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by Catfry at 2:13 PM on August 16, 2011
Well, there were a lot more things back then that were unsettled doctrine, now we all pretty much agree on the big things and debate the marginal issues. Of course, some of these marginal issue debates end up very heated. I can't think of an old site-issue discussion that got as heated as the November-favorites-experiment thread of 2009. Some day that will make for an interesting academic paper.
posted by Kattullus at 2:20 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 2:20 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think a break would be refreshing in this ubiquitously connected socially networked "I"m in the supermarket, and the mayor of the leafy vegetable section" era of ours.
posted by infini at 2:23 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by infini at 2:23 PM on August 16, 2011
On a totally unrelated note, did anybody see Woody Allen's new film "Midnight in Paris?" The theme is the "golden age fallacy."
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:23 PM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:23 PM on August 16, 2011 [3 favorites]
Like hell anybody is taking the organic produce section mayorship from me. That's where the asparagus is, and Louis XIV declared asparagus to be the king of vegetables, and I'll goddam well be mayor of the king's king or so help whoever tries to sneak in fraudulent checkins in the mean time.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:28 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:28 PM on August 16, 2011
I can't think of an old site-issue discussion that got as heated as the November-favorites-experiment thread of 2009.
Certainly, we agree. I think I had in mind more personal, individual attacks on Matt as a person. I Don't think I will go look for examples though..
posted by Catfry at 2:28 PM on August 16, 2011
Certainly, we agree. I think I had in mind more personal, individual attacks on Matt as a person. I Don't think I will go look for examples though..
posted by Catfry at 2:28 PM on August 16, 2011
I think Matt should do this again.
posted by cjorgensen at 2:36 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 2:36 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Like hell anybody is taking the organic produce section mayorship from me.
*Launches invasion from the Dairy case*
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:48 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
*Launches invasion from the Dairy case*
posted by never used baby shoes at 2:48 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
that was before I had an account, but I was arseing around on /. anyway. Also probably on E2. I love metafilter.
posted by Divine_Wino at 2:49 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Divine_Wino at 2:49 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
cjorgensen writes "I think Matt should do this again."
Please not while I'm still looking for work.
posted by Mitheral at 2:55 PM on August 16, 2011
Please not while I'm still looking for work.
posted by Mitheral at 2:55 PM on August 16, 2011
back then the site was billed as "self-policing," iirc.
posted by entropicamericana at 3:42 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by entropicamericana at 3:42 PM on August 16, 2011
It's not "mayor," it' "duke," from the Latin "pro-dux."
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:08 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:08 PM on August 16, 2011
Like hell anybody is taking the organic produce section mayorship from me. That's where the asparagus is, and Louis XIV declared asparagus to be the king of vegetables, and I'll goddam well be mayor of the king's king or so help whoever tries to sneak in fraudulent checkins in the mean time.
Translation: Sure hope you like asparagus
posted by Mick at 4:13 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Translation: Sure hope you like asparagus
posted by Mick at 4:13 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
The theme is the "golden age fallacy."
I prefer "golden age phallacy" myself.
posted by davejay at 4:32 PM on August 16, 2011
I prefer "golden age phallacy" myself.
posted by davejay at 4:32 PM on August 16, 2011
I prefer "golden age phallacy" myself.
i.e. Superman is a Dick
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:38 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
i.e. Superman is a Dick
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:38 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Aww. That was right when I started reading Metafilter, although I didn't pony up the five bucks until much later. I remember being slightly confused and slightly amused by the message.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:49 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:49 PM on August 16, 2011
It's Joe Albertson's supermarket, but the bakery department is mine.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:05 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Meatbomb at 6:05 PM on August 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Isn't he on vacation right now?
Yes, he was and there are pictures to prove it.
posted by unliteral at 6:40 PM on August 16, 2011
Yes, he was and there are pictures to prove it.
posted by unliteral at 6:40 PM on August 16, 2011
Gotta hand it to him. That's one helluva long way to go for a meetup.
posted by crunchland at 6:47 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by crunchland at 6:47 PM on August 16, 2011
I still read just as much celebrity gossip. So that's a great snapshot of how I wasted my last ten years.
posted by sugarfish at 7:19 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by sugarfish at 7:19 PM on August 16, 2011
how many members of the appropriate sex we shagged?
There's an inappropriate sex?
posted by crossoverman at 7:35 PM on August 16, 2011
There's an inappropriate sex?
posted by crossoverman at 7:35 PM on August 16, 2011
There's an inappropriate sex?
Not when it's Arcturian, baby.
posted by never used baby shoes at 8:02 PM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Not when it's Arcturian, baby.
posted by never used baby shoes at 8:02 PM on August 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
JRun. I had forgot all about those. The original fail whale as it were.
posted by chunking express at 8:06 PM on August 16, 2011
posted by chunking express at 8:06 PM on August 16, 2011
This should be a yearly tradition. The site goes away for 2 weeks, and all you jerks* have to go some place else.
*Cabal excepted naturally. TINC.
posted by !Jim at 8:11 PM on August 16, 2011
*Cabal excepted naturally. TINC.
posted by !Jim at 8:11 PM on August 16, 2011
The tagline on the vacation page kills me "now wasting 12% more work hours".
I guess MeFi is not immune from the recession either, because I'm certainly wasting more than 12% of my time on here.
posted by arcticseal at 8:35 PM on August 16, 2011
I guess MeFi is not immune from the recession either, because I'm certainly wasting more than 12% of my time on here.
posted by arcticseal at 8:35 PM on August 16, 2011
Also: Matt will only walk away from MetaFilter if it's exploding behind him, in slow motion.
Yippeekiyay!
posted by arcticseal at 8:37 PM on August 16, 2011
Yippeekiyay!
posted by arcticseal at 8:37 PM on August 16, 2011
I'm incensed that the short-lived adjacent MeTa thread was closed before I could indulge in the 12% time-wastier addition of this relevant bunny video, in which hippybear is the rabbit and Safari is the turtle. Figuratively.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:26 AM on August 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:26 AM on August 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
FelliniBlank: "I'm incensed that the short-lived adjacent MeTa thread was closed before I could indulge in the 12% time-wastier addition of this relevant bunny video, in which hippybear is the rabbit and Safari is the turtle. Figuratively."
It's missing a "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
posted by zarq at 9:36 AM on August 17, 2011
It's missing a "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
posted by zarq at 9:36 AM on August 17, 2011
I'm incensed that the short-lived adjacent MeTa thread was closed
I'm just impressed that cortex closed it while simultaneously winning at bar trivia / pub quiz.
posted by dersins at 10:40 AM on August 17, 2011
I'm just impressed that cortex closed it while simultaneously winning at bar trivia / pub quiz.
posted by dersins at 10:40 AM on August 17, 2011
More importantly no creaky old timer got to regale us with tales from the old days where every comment let alone posts was composed off line in the text editor of one's choice (probably edlin or sed/awk) lest one's carefully crafted words be eaten by the JRUN.
posted by Mitheral at 12:42 PM on August 17, 2011
posted by Mitheral at 12:42 PM on August 17, 2011
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posted by Think_Long at 5:34 AM on August 16, 2011