[MeFi Site Update] December 2024 December 20, 2024 5:15 AM Subscribe
Hello and welcome to this month’s Site Update! We your things are going your way as the year winds down.
You can find the last update here.
Profit & Loss
This month's P&L report can be found here. The previous P&L reports are located at this link.
Admin
- MetaFilter LLC has been formally donated to MetaFilter Community Foundation. We are working with them to have a smooth transition and the Foundation will make an official announcement in the coming days.
- We are using brook horse’s feedback document to start a feedback tracker that we’ll be using ongoingly. Out of the items listed in the document we agree with them and have been working on the Moderation related ones.
- The MeFi Cookbook is roughly at 80%, waiting on the final edits to be completed.
Tech
- Changes to contact form email to better highlight mails that definitely aren't spam
- Fixes to internal analytics tracking
- Lengthened sidebar on front page.
- Compiled the data from four years of deletions as requested by the community
- Frimble is working on a simple moderation log for the current site
New Site Status
- Internal testing by the mods will start in early January and be open to all members by the end of February
- This will include a way to track bugs and feature requests; details TBD
- People can help with coding starting in early January. If you’d like to contribute, please MeMail kirkaracha with your Github username, your timezone, and if you prefer Teams or Zoom
The codebase is in Laravel PHP, MySQL, Alpine JavaScript, Livewire and SCSS/CSS.The backend uses Filament.
Things being developed:
- Improvements to flagging
- Replies and quotes in comments similar to this demo (log into see functionality)
- Hiding or deemphasizing specified user’s comments
- Revisions to signup form
BIPOC Advisory Board
The BIPOC Board is meeting this Saturday, December 21st 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM (PST)
Thyme has finished edits to all pending board minutes. Pending minutes for meetings #23-27 will be finalized and approved for publishing this Saturday at the Board meeting. They should be posted within the next week or so once the request is sent over to frimble.
If you have any questions or feedback not related to this particular update, please Contact Us instead. If you want to discuss a particular subject not covered here with the community, you’re welcome to open a separate MetaTalk thread for it.
See you next month. Happy holidays!
Woohoo! MeFi officially a non-profit! Congrats, and thank you to all those who have worked so hard over the past few years!
posted by umber vowel at 5:49 AM on December 20
posted by umber vowel at 5:49 AM on December 20
"MetaFilter LLC has been formally donated to MetaFilter Community Foundation" - that's great news - I'm very glad to see progress here. Congratulations!
Brandon, in the last site update thread, after we discovered that account wipes don't actually remove 'wiped' comments from the database, which means that they could be made public in future (which isn't, I think, what most users expect), I asked whether every IP address that a comment is posted from is likewise kept in the database for perpetuity, even after a so-called account wipe (which has obvious privacy implications). Do you have an update on this, please?
posted by siskin at 5:51 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
Brandon, in the last site update thread, after we discovered that account wipes don't actually remove 'wiped' comments from the database, which means that they could be made public in future (which isn't, I think, what most users expect), I asked whether every IP address that a comment is posted from is likewise kept in the database for perpetuity, even after a so-called account wipe (which has obvious privacy implications). Do you have an update on this, please?
posted by siskin at 5:51 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
Whoa, congrats everyone!
I don't think we ever got a chance to see bylaws, etc., and it might have been prudent to get some of that hammered out with community input before handing over the bank account, but I guess pressure was building to just get this done with, and that seems fine.
Thanks for shepherding this, founding Foundation board! (Don't go stripping the site for parts, pls.)
posted by nobody at 6:34 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
I don't think we ever got a chance to see bylaws, etc., and it might have been prudent to get some of that hammered out with community input before handing over the bank account, but I guess pressure was building to just get this done with, and that seems fine.
Thanks for shepherding this, founding Foundation board! (Don't go stripping the site for parts, pls.)
posted by nobody at 6:34 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
This is a solid update and congratulations everyone.
posted by warriorqueen at 6:36 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
posted by warriorqueen at 6:36 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
Interesting to see the demo. I'm relieved to not see downvotes, that would drive me straight outta there, we don't need more Reddit like features.
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:46 AM on December 20
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:46 AM on December 20
MetaFilter LLC has been formally donated to MetaFilter Community Foundation
So, theoretically, resignations could be demanded now, if persons were inclined to demand such?
posted by snofoam at 6:55 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
So, theoretically, resignations could be demanded now, if persons were inclined to demand such?
posted by snofoam at 6:55 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
MetaFilter LLC has been formally donated to MetaFilter Community Foundation
Yay! A treat!
Seriously, I’m glad to see it.
posted by nat at 7:01 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
Yay! A treat!
Seriously, I’m glad to see it.
posted by nat at 7:01 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
I suppose this is as eventful a moment in MeFi history as the re-opening of registrations.
I’m glad I was here to see it. And I hope I will be able to reflect on it for as long.
posted by Lemkin at 7:11 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
I’m glad I was here to see it. And I hope I will be able to reflect on it for as long.
posted by Lemkin at 7:11 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
I'm delighted by the updates and all the progress made -- I know getting here was not easy. A great way to wrap up the year for sure. :)
Thank you!
posted by mochapickle at 7:18 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
Thank you!
posted by mochapickle at 7:18 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
can the financial updates also include the current cash balance? i asked for that and got it a few months back but it doesn't seem to have made it into the recurring reports.
posted by mullacc at 7:31 AM on December 20 [4 favorites]
posted by mullacc at 7:31 AM on December 20 [4 favorites]
So, theoretically, resignations could be demanded now, if persons were inclined to demand such?
Speaking for myself here:
Management, you can feel free to cut me loose right now if you see fit, seriously and politely.
To be clear, I don't want to go, but there's no point in beating around the bush, so if changes need to be made, let's proceed what needs to done. 'Cause while I enjoy the work and like the overall community, the constant calls, demands, or jokes to be let go do get old.
It never encourages or inspires staff members to do better, it just become a crappy part of the job that you have to ignore or navigate around.
But yeah, if changes need to be made, let me know or just lock me out of the backend.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:39 AM on December 20 [14 favorites]
Speaking for myself here:
Management, you can feel free to cut me loose right now if you see fit, seriously and politely.
To be clear, I don't want to go, but there's no point in beating around the bush, so if changes need to be made, let's proceed what needs to done. 'Cause while I enjoy the work and like the overall community, the constant calls, demands, or jokes to be let go do get old.
It never encourages or inspires staff members to do better, it just become a crappy part of the job that you have to ignore or navigate around.
But yeah, if changes need to be made, let me know or just lock me out of the backend.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:39 AM on December 20 [14 favorites]
So, theoretically, resignations could be demanded now, if persons were inclined to demand such?
We all know nothing on that end will change.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 7:41 AM on December 20
We all know nothing on that end will change.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 7:41 AM on December 20
Excellent, lots of good news here about the new site and transition.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 7:49 AM on December 20
posted by TheophileEscargot at 7:49 AM on December 20
(•_•) Looks like this community
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■) got owned.
YEAAAAAAHHHHHH–
posted by lucidium at 7:53 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■) got owned.
YEAAAAAAHHHHHH–
posted by lucidium at 7:53 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
Now that the transition has happened, let's immediately reduce our moderation costs so we can have the funds to hire/contract an ED or manager to do the rest of the transition and hopefully get the site back on track. We should do this ASAP while there's still a little money in the bank and coming in. I agree that there's no reason to drag this out. It has to happen and we should do it.
posted by snofoam at 8:09 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
posted by snofoam at 8:09 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
Some things in this update that sound very good. Thank you.
Frimble is working on a simple moderation log for the current site
Will this be the log users requested or just a compilation of the comments mods already leave across the site?
Can we get an ETA?
posted by trig at 8:13 AM on December 20
Frimble is working on a simple moderation log for the current site
Will this be the log users requested or just a compilation of the comments mods already leave across the site?
Can we get an ETA?
posted by trig at 8:13 AM on December 20
But yeah, if changes need to be made, let me know or just lock me out of the backend.
I can't speak for the board, but I would hope that even if that happens down the line that it would be handled much better than that. I don't think that's the only outcome from everything that's going on.
To be clear personally I agree with the idea that no one knows what current staff is capable of because it's been a leadership mess for a few years.
It also occurred to me that all the current mods were probably trained by, or trained by someone who was trained by, cortex at a time that cortex was already feeling underwater. I've observed in various environments that if you tell someone on their first week "your job is to hold the water back from this hole in the dam, see, put your finger here" they often won't go looking for a cement patching kit.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:18 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
I can't speak for the board, but I would hope that even if that happens down the line that it would be handled much better than that. I don't think that's the only outcome from everything that's going on.
To be clear personally I agree with the idea that no one knows what current staff is capable of because it's been a leadership mess for a few years.
It also occurred to me that all the current mods were probably trained by, or trained by someone who was trained by, cortex at a time that cortex was already feeling underwater. I've observed in various environments that if you tell someone on their first week "your job is to hold the water back from this hole in the dam, see, put your finger here" they often won't go looking for a cement patching kit.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:18 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
Mod note: There is currently no eta on the moderation log and members are advised that the initial feature set will be small.
When there's more details, we'll be happy to share them, but please be patient in the meantime. Do you have an update on this, please? There is not an update yet, the link to the question has been posted in the mod Slack.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 8:20 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
When there's more details, we'll be happy to share them, but please be patient in the meantime. Do you have an update on this, please? There is not an update yet, the link to the question has been posted in the mod Slack.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 8:20 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
It never encourages or inspires staff members to do better, it just become a crappy part of the job that you have to ignore or navigate around.
FWIW, as someone who has repeatedly said I think the site is not in the right hands and that this needs to change sooner rather than later: I haven't been saying that with an intention to harass any of the staff, or make life unpleasant or help burn them out.
I made them because I feel there is a real need for change and accountability for the site to even survive, let alone thrive. And because there doesn't seem to be a manager in charge able or willing to (a) implement changes in effective and timely ways, and (b) hold staff accountable, with consequences, for inadequate performance over time.
I've said these things publicly because MetaTalk is currently the only avenue for even trying to hold staff accountable, whether for individual actions or for long-standing patterns of performance. Because it has been made clear there is no effective internal structure for accountability.
I know it's got to be deeply unpleasant to read as a mod. (And I know that for users who haven't really been following along, it probably feels unwarranted, mean-spirited, and off-putting to read.)
Still: taking this kind of feedback seriously, rather than ignoring or navigating around it, would go a long way towards eliminating my perceived need for it. I would be happy with an outcome where mods' stewardship of this site becomes good enough that it makes sense for the current staffing to continue.
But I think this absolutely requires a setup where there is a manager, or managers, actually ensuring good performance. With consequences if that fails to happen over time. I hope that the nonprofit team is thinking about this requirement, and its urgency, seriously. Recognizing how deep frustration around this is. And that we see discussion of it in the upcoming nonprofit update thread.
posted by trig at 8:33 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
FWIW, as someone who has repeatedly said I think the site is not in the right hands and that this needs to change sooner rather than later: I haven't been saying that with an intention to harass any of the staff, or make life unpleasant or help burn them out.
I made them because I feel there is a real need for change and accountability for the site to even survive, let alone thrive. And because there doesn't seem to be a manager in charge able or willing to (a) implement changes in effective and timely ways, and (b) hold staff accountable, with consequences, for inadequate performance over time.
I've said these things publicly because MetaTalk is currently the only avenue for even trying to hold staff accountable, whether for individual actions or for long-standing patterns of performance. Because it has been made clear there is no effective internal structure for accountability.
I know it's got to be deeply unpleasant to read as a mod. (And I know that for users who haven't really been following along, it probably feels unwarranted, mean-spirited, and off-putting to read.)
Still: taking this kind of feedback seriously, rather than ignoring or navigating around it, would go a long way towards eliminating my perceived need for it. I would be happy with an outcome where mods' stewardship of this site becomes good enough that it makes sense for the current staffing to continue.
But I think this absolutely requires a setup where there is a manager, or managers, actually ensuring good performance. With consequences if that fails to happen over time. I hope that the nonprofit team is thinking about this requirement, and its urgency, seriously. Recognizing how deep frustration around this is. And that we see discussion of it in the upcoming nonprofit update thread.
posted by trig at 8:33 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
(by which I mean, recognition and discussion of this as a central issue in the post, by the nonprofit team.)
posted by trig at 8:42 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 8:42 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
Hurrah! Thank you for this update, and congratulations to everyone who's been working to make this transfer happen.
posted by cupcakeninja at 9:06 AM on December 20
posted by cupcakeninja at 9:06 AM on December 20
So, theoretically, resignations could be demanded now, if persons were inclined to demand such?
Maybe you could wait a few days and do it on Christmas Eve to really turn the knife.
posted by kbanas at 9:07 AM on December 20 [8 favorites]
Maybe you could wait a few days and do it on Christmas Eve to really turn the knife.
posted by kbanas at 9:07 AM on December 20 [8 favorites]
Gentle reminder that not everyone celebrates Christmas. Please be more culturally aware when deciding when to twist your knives. Thank you.
posted by phunniemee at 9:15 AM on December 20 [9 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 9:15 AM on December 20 [9 favorites]
Great news on the handover! Looking forward to positive change from the Foundation.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 9:29 AM on December 20
posted by Sparky Buttons at 9:29 AM on December 20
[Running to window, opening it, putting out head]
"What's to-day, my fine fellow?"
posted by snofoam at 9:35 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
"What's to-day, my fine fellow?"
posted by snofoam at 9:35 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
I guess pressure was building to just get this done with, and that seems fine.
Yep, for various business-and-taxes reasons, trying to wrap up before the end of the year was the goal. And, as the person who was doing legal-and-paperwork (with the help of the SC in the first part of it--my eternal gratitude to them--and then not) since 2022, it was past time. It would be a grace and a kindness to the incoming board to give them a little bit of time to get up to speed.
We're still doing a lot of transferring of the 15-20 accounts on the back end (a job that can range from a few clicks to actually-impossible) that make up the MeFi extended universe after signing paperwork on the 14th. Hoping for no major bumps but last time through this transition took six months and so far it's been less than a week.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:05 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
Yep, for various business-and-taxes reasons, trying to wrap up before the end of the year was the goal. And, as the person who was doing legal-and-paperwork (with the help of the SC in the first part of it--my eternal gratitude to them--and then not) since 2022, it was past time. It would be a grace and a kindness to the incoming board to give them a little bit of time to get up to speed.
We're still doing a lot of transferring of the 15-20 accounts on the back end (a job that can range from a few clicks to actually-impossible) that make up the MeFi extended universe after signing paperwork on the 14th. Hoping for no major bumps but last time through this transition took six months and so far it's been less than a week.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:05 AM on December 20 [7 favorites]
I'm on the board of a nonprofit that got up and running as a 501(c)(3) in the last year, and another that is in the middle of 501(c)(3) paperwork right now. I can't take on another board role lest my partner stage an intervention, but if the incoming board wants to bounce ideas or questions off me I'm happy to support as I can.
posted by brook horse at 10:33 AM on December 20
posted by brook horse at 10:33 AM on December 20
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posted by NotLost at 5:37 AM on December 20 [5 favorites]