MetaTalk Queue Redux

June 11, 2012 4:14 PM

Summer approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means it's time for camping, barbecues, and the MetaTalk queue.

This coming weekend, June 15-17th, we're kicking off summer with a MetaTalk queue. That means new MetaTalk posts will need to be approved by a moderator before they show up on the site. The last time we did this was toward the end of last year, and it gave the site admins a chance to be with their families. We'll do it again this weekend. That means if a MetaTalk post can be handled via email the mods can go that route. If the post requires community input, it will be approved when at least a moderator or two can be around to respond.

posted by pb (staff) to Uptime at 4:14 PM (70 comments total)

But I wanna talk about a facististic rash of deletions nowwwww.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 4:22 PM on June 11, 2012 [3 favorites]

Well luckily now is when you get a chance to talk about them! Friday night through Sunday is not.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:23 PM on June 11, 2012 [5 favorites]

Try a little Calamine lotion on that rash.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:24 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

Have fun being not online, guys.
posted by SMPA at 4:24 PM on June 11, 2012

Stop scratching at it.
posted by iamabot at 4:24 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

.
posted by Stynxno at 4:25 PM on June 11, 2012

Hey! This may finally cut down on the spate of "my comment was deleted and I demand an explanation for that nonsense" threads.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:28 PM on June 11, 2012

Please pre-delete all of my comments for the rest of the summer, so that I can complain about them now. thx.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:42 PM on June 11, 2012 [7 favorites]

I think the real problem here is that the admins have been allowed to have families. Talk about lack of dedication and focus.
posted by Chekhovian at 4:46 PM on June 11, 2012

Yay, verily, pb saith unto you: the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is [not] heard in our land.
posted by likeso at 4:46 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

Well luckily now is when you get a chance to talk about them! Friday night through Sunday is not.

Okay fine.

That stuff I'm planning to post this weekend that will certainly be deleted immediately shouldn't be deleted! Totally unfair!
posted by aubilenon at 4:51 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

Is your name Turtle, aubilenon? Well then.
posted by likeso at 4:54 PM on June 11, 2012

Okay - I'm not going to complain about the deletion of the comment I was going to make Sunday, at 09:46, PST. That was a righteous deletion. I would like to know which one of the mods to "thank" for that one, though.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:55 PM on June 11, 2012

I would like to talk about several deeply insightful comments of mine that were not deleted because I never posted them.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:55 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

Ah. The pre-emptive cranial deletion of intuited future Tell Me No Lies comments by the astral mod. I'm surprised you can even speak of this.
posted by likeso at 5:03 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

Can we all come over for cookouts? Or you guys could come here, I guess, if that's easier.
posted by rtha at 5:28 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

YAY SLACK TIME FOR MODS!
posted by rmd1023 at 5:32 PM on June 11, 2012

a sudden increase in the number of rage blogs out there.

If it keeps it off MeFi, that's a yay.
posted by Gator at 5:33 PM on June 11, 2012

Summer is icumen in,
Lhude sing goddamn!
Meta stop, deletions drop,
And all the mods wilt scram!
posted by octobersurprise at 5:34 PM on June 11, 2012 [8 favorites]

a MetaTalk queue. That means new MetaTalk posts will need to be approved by a moderator before they show up on the site. ... if a MetaTalk post can be handled via email the mods can go that route. If the post requires community input, it will be approved when at least a moderator or two can be around to respond.

How about we do this, like, always?
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 5:39 PM on June 11, 2012 [10 favorites]

#OCCUPYMETATALK
posted by y2karl at 5:49 PM on June 11, 2012

My little pony is that we do this ALL the time.

Notice how I snuck my pony request in before the mods leave.
posted by bearwife at 5:51 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

How about we do this, like, always?

We've definitely thought about it, but it really seems to put a weird "You can use this part of the site for talking about the site but only if we say so" spin on things which is just not great. Using the queue sparingly and when it's sort of necessary I think helps drive home the point that it is a shared resource and it would be good if people would be thoughtful about its use.

But, realistically even though the whole mod/dev team sort of has to work here--being responsive to MetaTalk is part of our jobs--we want to strike a balance between our needs and the needs of the community so we've chosen to do it this way. I'd personally feel weird about there being an always-on approval queue instead of the way we do it now.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:52 PM on June 11, 2012 [7 favorites]

This Is Just To Say

I have predrafted
the WCW parody
that would have gone in
your MetaTalk thread

and which
you were probably
planning
to flag as noise

Forgive me
but there's a queue, now
and my snark
is so generic
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 5:56 PM on June 11, 2012 [19 favorites]

I'd personally feel weird about there being an always-on approval queue instead of the way we do it now.

Granted, I was only half-serious, but at the same time, there have been a wave of MeTa posts that could be easily resolved via emailing the mods. I recall someone suggesting some kind of "BEFORE YOU POST: Could your issue be resolved by contacting a mod? If you have a question about site moderation, considering talking to us first, and we'll be happy to give you feedback." message that could appear at the top of the page when folks click that "New Post" link. I don't think this is a bad idea, at all, really. A queue might be a tad much, but maybe a nudge towards the contact form - considering how many MeTas are moderation related, and also considering there are similar pre-post caveats on other parts of the site - would be a good idea.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 6:07 PM on June 11, 2012

Wikipedia: Queue (hairstyle), a Chinese pigtail (or ponytail), is also known as a queue.
Guess this all refers to cortex
posted by Cranberry at 6:07 PM on June 11, 2012

You know cortex got a haircut, right? taz is now the longest-haired mod.

And yeah we've been thinking a little about the "post a thread" process for both AskMe and Meta. I'd love to have some sort of checkbox that says

[ ] I am aware that emailing the mods will result in a speedy and non-judgmental response. The same may not be true for Metatalk.

posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:12 PM on June 11, 2012 [29 favorites]

Do you want me to just cover for you? I will zero tolerance the shit out of haters. For free.
posted by Brocktoon at 6:43 PM on June 11, 2012

It is good for everyone to have a lighter load afrom time to time. Y'all should do this a little more often.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:02 PM on June 11, 2012

This feels like an internet version of when they make a downtown street pedestrian-only for a few Sundays in the summer.
posted by chococat at 7:15 PM on June 11, 2012 [5 favorites]

Baggsies I man the lemonade stand.
posted by arcticseal at 7:16 PM on June 11, 2012

Granted, I was only half-serious, but at the same time, there have been a wave of MeTa posts that could be easily resolved via emailing the mods.

I don't know; it's certainly not true for all of them, but a decent chunk seem to be more about pointing out how horrible the mods are and creating drama rather than just getting an explanation.
posted by LionIndex at 7:18 PM on June 11, 2012

In MetaTalk, your deletion reasons/site questions/ponies/random snark will be judged with extreme prejudice.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 7:23 PM on June 11, 2012

I did not know cortex got a haircut. I demand photographic evidence.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:04 PM on June 11, 2012

evidence.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:08 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]

How about that? Compared to that, I'm a long-haired hippie.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:32 PM on June 11, 2012

Get a haircut, crash!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:49 PM on June 11, 2012

It's more accurate to say that I shaved my head and then declined to continue shaving it.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:05 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

My comment was deleted and I demand an explanation for th... Ah, fuckit, have a great weekend!

And remember-- day hikes can get tricky. If you're not careful how you pack the rucksack, the beer can squish the donuts. Good luck!
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:26 PM on June 11, 2012

This feels like an internet version of when they make a downtown street pedestrian-only for a few Sundays in the summer.

Great, now how am I supposed to get to Trader Joe's? Friggin' rollerbladers.
posted by maryr at 9:45 PM on June 11, 2012

the beer can squish the donuts

Easy fix: eat the donuts at the trailhead

Other easy fix: drink the beer at the trailhead

Easiest fix: stay home, eat donuts, drink beer
posted by rtha at 9:45 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

the beer can squish the donuts

I read this as "the bear can squish the donuts". The solution to this is to make the bear carry the beer while you carry the donuts.
posted by arcticseal at 9:49 PM on June 11, 2012 [2 favorites]

A guy at the office shaved his head. We thought for sure he'd grow waery of the Heisenberg jokes until he did it again.
posted by Brocktoon at 9:55 PM on June 11, 2012

So many quotes and no mention of how hemisphere-centric this decision is?

Does no one care about we southrons, trapped in our houses by lashing wind and rain and cyclones?
Not for us the jovial pursuits of camping and barbecues! No.

(But seriously, enjoy your weekend.)
posted by Mezentian at 12:28 AM on June 12, 2012

Have a good weekend Mods. Sing cuckoo, merry sing cuckoo.
posted by Elmore at 12:39 AM on June 12, 2012

Please don't post your rage filled screed about the evil mods on June 14th at 23:59 server time. OK? Not that you were planning to do that...
posted by Meatbomb at 1:13 AM on June 12, 2012

. We thought for sure he'd grow waery of the Heisenberg jokes until he did it again.
posted by Brocktoon

I am uncertain what you did there.
posted by spitbull at 2:12 AM on June 12, 2012 [6 favorites]

I'd personally feel weird about there being an always-on approval queue instead of the way we do it now.

I suggest a middle ground - a fifteen minute delay confirmation system:

• member submits MetaTalk post. On the confirmation page are the further instructions: Thank you, blah blah blah. You will receive a MeMail in fifteen minutes asking you to confirm this post. You may be contacted by a mod about this post.
• mods still get immediate notification of MetaTalk
• mods possibly step in and solve the problem directly via email/MeMail
• alternately, mods get fifteen minute warning and chance to collaborate on subject, read a thread, etc.
• after fifteen minutes, member gets email/MeMail "Your MetaTalk post is ready to go! Click this link to post"
  • member clicks link, post appears, things carry on as normal
  • or member's problem is solved already by mods; member decides no further need for post
  • or member's problem is solved, confirms post and starts talking about solution in first comment
  • or member has simply cooled down about whatever the topic is and has moved on, decides to abandon post

posted by mikepop at 6:06 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Do you want me to just cover for you? I will zero tolerance the shit out of haters. For free.

One week later:

When Jessamyn returned with the golden apples, she told Brocktoon she would take them to Eurystheus herself, and asked Brocktoon to stay there and hold the heavy load of MetaTalk for the rest of time. Brocktoon slyly agreed, but asked Jessamyn whether she could take back the job again, just for a moment, while the hero put some soft padding on his shoulders to help him bear the weight of the sky and the earth. Jessamyn put the apples on the ground, and lifted the burden onto her own shoulders. And so Brocktoon picked up the apples and quickly ran off, carrying them back, uneventfully, to Eurystheus.*
posted by Honorable John at 7:27 AM on June 12, 2012

MetaTalk Queue Redux sounds like a band Pitchfork would really, really like.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:47 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

The friggin Director's Cut podcast is, like, 5 hours long, though.
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:58 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

I HEARTILY ENDORSE THIS "QUEUE" AND RAISE MY MUG IN A TOAST! HIP HIP ... HOORAY!
posted by not_on_display at 10:56 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

MetaTalk Queue Redux sounds like a band Pitchfork would really, really like.

I think some Prilosec will clear it right up, though.
posted by maryr at 2:57 PM on June 12, 2012

I was hoping this meant there was going to be another All-Continents Party.
posted by theora55 at 3:05 PM on June 12, 2012

LionIndex writes "I don't know; it's certainly not true for all of them, but a decent chunk seem to be more about pointing out how horrible the mods are and creating drama rather than just getting an explanation."

Well that can be good too. Better all in one place than spread across the site.
posted by Mitheral at 9:31 PM on June 12, 2012

The last time we did this was toward the end of last year, and it gave the site admins a chance to be with their families. We'll do it again this weekend.

And if you look at the threads posted during that time, the mods seemed to have spent no time with their families.

So the only logical conclusion is that its really an attempt to introduce this queue by the backdoor "hey ! lets make it all the time !!".
posted by sgt.serenity at 9:10 AM on June 13, 2012

We don't have any plans to do this more often than a few times a year when site admins need some extra time. It's true that we still end up posting in MetaTalk even with the queue, but it allows moderators to post threads when they know they're going to be at the keyboard for a while. It's not about eliminating work in MetaTalk over this time, it's about improving the timing a bit over this time.

This post doesn't have any secret motives. We just wanted to let everyone know that we're using the queue this weekend.
posted by pb (staff) at 9:17 AM on June 13, 2012

So the only logical conclusion is that its really an attempt to introduce this queue by the backdoor "hey ! lets make it all the time !!".

No, it's really not. Honestly, the amount of energy you spend suspecting/assuming ulterior motives by people who run a frickin' website is kind of amazing.
posted by rtha at 9:38 AM on June 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

And if you look at the threads posted during that time, the mods seemed to have spent no time with their families.

WHAAAA- ?!?!?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:03 AM on June 13, 2012

So the only logical conclusion is that its really an attempt to introduce this queue by the backdoor "hey ! lets make it all the time !!".

If we felt like the queue needed to be a full-time thing, it would be a full-time thing. There would be no need to be sneaky about it, and it'd have happened a long time ago; it's certainly something that we've discussed a bunch of times and pointedly decided not to do.

Calling using the queue, with advanced warning, once every six months an attempt to backdoor it in as fulltime is about as far from logical as could be. Your weird hobbyhorsing about this and apparent inability to read what we've actually had to say in discussions about this remains your problem, not ours. I do not know why you are being so crappy about it.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:06 AM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think it's the chemtrails.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:23 AM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Down by the sea swallowed by evil.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:34 AM on June 13, 2012

So the only logical conclusion is that its really an attempt to introduce this queue by the backdoor "hey ! lets make it all the time !!".

Really, this is something we've talked about doing and specifically decided not to do for reasons we've explained frequently. The fact that issues in MeTa and our desire to be responsive to them mean that it sometimes bites into our recreational time is just a balancing act we play with having otherwise terrific jobs. Sometimes we feel like there are going to be too many people away for us to do a decent job here in MeTa and so we try to set expectations accurately and let people know, in advance, that we'll be a little less around and why.

We could make this an all-the-time thing, by fiat, just because we felt like it and tell people to suck it up. We don't. There's a lot of back and forth trust in the whole Meta ecosystem to begin with and we appreciate that people are understanding of the compromises that we make and that we expect you to make on an infrequent basis.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:40 AM on June 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

STOP BEING SO REASONABLE. YOU'RE MAKING THE PERPETUALLY CANTANKEROUS FOLKS LOOK BAD.

jk jk they do that themselves
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:41 PM on June 13, 2012

You're supposed to snort them? Damn, that explains the pretty interesting baths I've been having lately.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:28 PM on June 13, 2012

Now that cortex no longer resembles Jesus, I move that he must relinquish his Flickr username to me, on the grounds that it is totally the best username ever.
posted by adamdschneider at 5:00 PM on June 13, 2012

man, i am way too tipsy to be reading metatalk - i swear there's a link to a guy who looks like cortex except with short hair.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:23 PM on June 13, 2012

BUT THAT WOULD BE UNPOSSIBLE.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:23 PM on June 13, 2012

I still don't know what to make of this short-hair thing. I finally got a haircut after five months of unfettered growth, which was probably the right decision because that shit was getting pretty shaggy, but I don't entirely like the shorter look either. The bangs aren't great, it gets pretty crazy after a night in bed, my cowlicks are acting up again now that there's not enough hair to weigh them down, etc.

My theory right now is that I need a haircut/style that will respond well to being absentmindedly finger-raked back from my forehead, because that's apparently what I do to it constantly anyway.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:31 PM on June 13, 2012

Sounds like it's time to bring back The Boz.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:35 PM on June 13, 2012