Gosh, it's been 20 years November 18, 2024 1:05 AM Subscribe
Two decades ago, a fine young web developer flipped a switch on a certain website and suddenly anyone in the world could sign up to be a MeFite!
Metafilter was launched back in the late 1900s, but signups were an on again, off again thing. That is until November 18, 2004, when they were switched on permanently and have stayed on ever since.
Metafilter was launched back in the late 1900s, but signups were an on again, off again thing. That is until November 18, 2004, when they were switched on permanently and have stayed on ever since.
I remember being really excited about being able to spend that $5 and join! Tried to explain to the wife and she was like "That's nice dear, but you have to take me to work, so can we go?"
Having the ability to share stuff with like minded people and then talk with them about stuff was priceless. It still is and it's great to get that feeling again of being excited to share or see what others are sharing.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 3:08 AM on November 18 [2 favorites]
Having the ability to share stuff with like minded people and then talk with them about stuff was priceless. It still is and it's great to get that feeling again of being excited to share or see what others are sharing.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 3:08 AM on November 18 [2 favorites]
Oh hai.
posted by Captaintripps at 4:44 AM on November 18 [2 favorites]
posted by Captaintripps at 4:44 AM on November 18 [2 favorites]
I guess since you got the 18th and the 20th, you may as well have the 19th.
posted by The Bellman at 9:10 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
posted by The Bellman at 9:10 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
Five dollar n0obs represent! 20 years.
*cackles, waves cane in air, disappears in cloud of ancient dust*
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:59 AM on November 18
*cackles, waves cane in air, disappears in cloud of ancient dust*
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:59 AM on November 18
I had an account somehow back in the pre $5 signup days, promptly lost both my password and access to the email I set it up under, and then went on to simply lurk for a half dozen years before eventually making this account in 2010.
So even if you are lurking today, you may yet one day start commenting/posting and then find that many years later, you still cannot manage to stop.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:40 AM on November 18
So even if you are lurking today, you may yet one day start commenting/posting and then find that many years later, you still cannot manage to stop.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:40 AM on November 18
Hi, I'm RichardP and I'm a $5 noob. My first exposure to MetaFilter was the 9/11 thread in 2001. I lurked for years, somehow always missing the infrequent periods when signups were open. Occasionally I would e-mail a thread participant and ask them to post a comment for me (here is jessamyn posting a comment for me in 2003). I signed up the same day mathowie made that announcement.
posted by RichardP at 11:43 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
posted by RichardP at 11:43 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
This is my anniversary too. My longtime friend lelilo,Richard, alerted me to the opportunity to join the site I'd been lurking on for a while. Richard's gone, but I'm still here, sometimes. Thanks Mathowie, Jessamyn, Cortex, for all the good, hard work. Thanks Quonsar, for being you. Over.
posted by Hobgoblin at 11:52 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
posted by Hobgoblin at 11:52 AM on November 18 [1 favorite]
I stumbled into MetaFilter (from MemePool) and started lurking sometime in 2000, missed the account creation backdoor, and got in as soon as I could after $5 sign-ups were opened. So I guess I've been here for 20 years. MetaFilter has been a welcome stable element in a chaotic existence! Thank you, everyone, for being here!
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 12:45 PM on November 18
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 12:45 PM on November 18
I don't remember how I found this place, but nearly 20 years on, I remain, every single day, glad I did.
posted by pdb at 1:52 PM on November 18
posted by pdb at 1:52 PM on November 18
7k on the way
turn off the tap
close the gap
"let the people in" I said.
ok, this shan't be a sea Shanty.
I do believe that whether you're here for 20 plus years or two days, all can have the equal opportunity to just knock that ball right out of the park even from day one.
I've seen it, it's divine.
does anybody remember when a few people put their accounts on eBay for sale during the closed period.
posted by clavdivs at 2:07 PM on November 18
turn off the tap
close the gap
"let the people in" I said.
ok, this shan't be a sea Shanty.
I do believe that whether you're here for 20 plus years or two days, all can have the equal opportunity to just knock that ball right out of the park even from day one.
I've seen it, it's divine.
does anybody remember when a few people put their accounts on eBay for sale during the closed period.
posted by clavdivs at 2:07 PM on November 18
speaking of time, I can't find the link right now but Brandon Blatcher and a few other brilliant mefis put together a few issues of a magazine, it was quite good, good as it could get better over time like distribution good.
I'll assume this is a free spot to voice an observation or what I'd like to see.
I'd really like a sort of call to letters of members of metafilter or beyond and have them contribute an article perhaps art or fiction/ poetry...
but mainly an article or an opinion/ observation or what not. Also in the future, I would like to see metafilter have a poet Laureate/ house writer which would be a paid position and could help facilitate this Journal. I have 4 suggestion for a postion of Laureate, as too the journal, I can think of about six or 8 people, most of them at one time were a member of metafilter but it's just a matter of who's going to ask them.
ideally, issue 1# whould have contributions from Matt (howey), Cortex and Jessamyn to start.
anywho.
posted by clavdivs at 2:22 PM on November 18
I'll assume this is a free spot to voice an observation or what I'd like to see.
I'd really like a sort of call to letters of members of metafilter or beyond and have them contribute an article perhaps art or fiction/ poetry...
but mainly an article or an opinion/ observation or what not. Also in the future, I would like to see metafilter have a poet Laureate/ house writer which would be a paid position and could help facilitate this Journal. I have 4 suggestion for a postion of Laureate, as too the journal, I can think of about six or 8 people, most of them at one time were a member of metafilter but it's just a matter of who's going to ask them.
ideally, issue 1# whould have contributions from Matt (howey), Cortex and Jessamyn to start.
anywho.
posted by clavdivs at 2:22 PM on November 18
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posted by infini at 2:52 AM on November 18 [3 favorites]