AskMe is not for Help Wanted ads. February 8, 2005 1:01 PM Subscribe
Ask Metafilter is not a volunteers wanted noticeboard.
You're advertising work for money. How is that not a situations vacant ad?
posted by biffa at 1:15 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by biffa at 1:15 PM on February 8, 2005
Agreed. I fail to see the difference between this and any other help wanted classified.
posted by mervin_shnegwood at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by mervin_shnegwood at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2005
yoga, I hear where you're coming from, but that absolutely reads like an ad.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by FlamingBore at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2005
It would have been more site-politically correct to ask for help and offer payment privately to whoever responded.
Perhaps the eventual HireA.MeFi (or whatever it's to be called) will be a better location for this.
posted by me3dia at 1:18 PM on February 8, 2005
Perhaps the eventual HireA.MeFi (or whatever it's to be called) will be a better location for this.
posted by me3dia at 1:18 PM on February 8, 2005
request for tapping into a network of qualified people
It's an ad. You said: Anyone interested, please email me and we can talk about a fit, rates, timeline, etc etc etc.
fvw got it slightly wrong - you're not looking for volunteers, you're willing to pay. Willingness to pay does not make this any less an ad. Lots of ads are posted with the intent to find someone to pay for services.
If this type of question is permitted, MetaFilter would become craigslist.
posted by WestCoaster at 1:20 PM on February 8, 2005
It's an ad. You said: Anyone interested, please email me and we can talk about a fit, rates, timeline, etc etc etc.
fvw got it slightly wrong - you're not looking for volunteers, you're willing to pay. Willingness to pay does not make this any less an ad. Lots of ads are posted with the intent to find someone to pay for services.
If this type of question is permitted, MetaFilter would become craigslist.
posted by WestCoaster at 1:20 PM on February 8, 2005
I removed it. Nothing personal yoga, and maybe the guidelines need to be more clear but the post wasn't really a question, it was a request for off-the-site help. Follow-ups to your post wouldn't add to the site, though they might help you with your search. Textads are perfect places for these sorts of requests. I know mathowie is coding a jobs/announce/something part of the MeFi Universe, but for now, AskMe isn't the right place for looking for workers.
posted by jessamyn at 1:24 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by jessamyn at 1:24 PM on February 8, 2005
The post is already gone so yeah, everyone, I got the message. It might be helpful if some of the invisible guidelines were more visible. The AskMe wiki didn't really address it. As an aside, the offering of payment private would've fallen under the "volunteers wanted" offense, but I hear you me3dia.
posted by yoga at 1:25 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by yoga at 1:25 PM on February 8, 2005
I'm building JobsFilter/MeFi Jobs for this specific thing. Got an opening or a contract you'd like to shop around here looking for help? You'll be able to post it there soon.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:33 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:33 PM on February 8, 2005
Matt's great.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 1:37 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by Pretty_Generic at 1:37 PM on February 8, 2005
The AskMe wiki didn't really address it.
Fixed it: "Due to AskMetaFilter's youth, there is still much discussion about how threads should be organised, and what sort of topics are acceptable. It has already been agreed that any type of politics are not suitable for AskMetaFilter (MattHaughey established a precedent by deleting a politics-related thread within a day of the category's founding). Questions that are really thinly veiled classified ads (i.e., "Know anyone who could help me do some work on my website?") are out of place.
posted by me3dia at 3:09 PM on February 8, 2005
Fixed it: "Due to AskMetaFilter's youth, there is still much discussion about how threads should be organised, and what sort of topics are acceptable. It has already been agreed that any type of politics are not suitable for AskMetaFilter (MattHaughey established a precedent by deleting a politics-related thread within a day of the category's founding). Questions that are really thinly veiled classified ads (i.e., "Know anyone who could help me do some work on my website?") are out of place.
posted by me3dia at 3:09 PM on February 8, 2005
Given that I've recently used ask for the purpose of eliciting the email services of a "switch mentor", and I've also been tempted to ask for some paid css work, I'm ambivalant about this issue. On the one hand, I understand Matts desire to use ask as an internet enabled repository of knowledge. However, given the degree of talent shown by MeFites on a daily basis it would be really good if we can ask stuff like "I need to pay someone for an hour or so's css work. Anyone interested."
I guess that how the question is asked could get around most of the rules, and I'm also really glad that JobsFilter is coming.
posted by seanyboy at 3:15 PM on February 8, 2005
I guess that how the question is asked could get around most of the rules, and I'm also really glad that JobsFilter is coming.
posted by seanyboy at 3:15 PM on February 8, 2005
"I need to pay someone for an hour or so's css work. Anyone interested."
This is what I was after. I guess I shot myself in the foot by providing details, and having it sound too ad-like. My search continues elsewhere. Nothing to see here, move along.
posted by yoga at 3:31 PM on February 8, 2005
This is what I was after. I guess I shot myself in the foot by providing details, and having it sound too ad-like. My search continues elsewhere. Nothing to see here, move along.
posted by yoga at 3:31 PM on February 8, 2005
You should have asked. "I need to hire somebody for about an hours worth of css work." What reputable sites are available on the internet where I can find people for this kind of work? Alternatively, do you know anyone trustworthy who provides this sort of work?"
This is useful for the site, and would also (probably) fulfill your requirements.
posted by seanyboy at 3:39 PM on February 8, 2005
This is useful for the site, and would also (probably) fulfill your requirements.
posted by seanyboy at 3:39 PM on February 8, 2005
Oops, yes, not a search for volunteers. I wanted to include a previous "who'll do some volunteer work for me" post in the gripe, but somehow forgot that this was a work-for-hire ad halfway through writing it.
posted by fvw at 5:39 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by fvw at 5:39 PM on February 8, 2005
Yeah...
It could be a fine line between an "ad" as the second commenter states, or a request for tapping into a network of qualified people. I'm not a corporation or a resume troller; I'm an individual looking for some help. Since there are several technically knowledgeable folks here, it was a starting place.
No harm, no foul, yoga, but these "fine-lines" are no such thing. "Tapping a qualified network" really is just so much marketing speak for advertising. There's that competitor to the Golden Rule which goes something like "Don't do anything that would suck really bad if everyone did it." We all have our project/business needs to fulfill. Which is why Matt is creating a place for them, no doubt.
No biggie, so don't get too defensive, but it is something for all of us to be aware of, and also the reasons why. Sometimes you wind up being the example everyone uses to discuss the principle, but don't take it too personally.
posted by scarabic at 5:41 PM on February 8, 2005
It could be a fine line between an "ad" as the second commenter states, or a request for tapping into a network of qualified people. I'm not a corporation or a resume troller; I'm an individual looking for some help. Since there are several technically knowledgeable folks here, it was a starting place.
No harm, no foul, yoga, but these "fine-lines" are no such thing. "Tapping a qualified network" really is just so much marketing speak for advertising. There's that competitor to the Golden Rule which goes something like "Don't do anything that would suck really bad if everyone did it." We all have our project/business needs to fulfill. Which is why Matt is creating a place for them, no doubt.
No biggie, so don't get too defensive, but it is something for all of us to be aware of, and also the reasons why. Sometimes you wind up being the example everyone uses to discuss the principle, but don't take it too personally.
posted by scarabic at 5:41 PM on February 8, 2005
Are your pants implicitly offering me employment?
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:58 PM on February 8, 2005
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:58 PM on February 8, 2005
Seanyboy thanks for honing in on the real questions. This place is wonderful for drilling down to clarity. I can't post in AskMe for a week, so feel free! ;)
And Scarabic, that rule of thumb is helpful.
posted by yoga at 11:20 PM on February 8, 2005
And Scarabic, that rule of thumb is helpful.
posted by yoga at 11:20 PM on February 8, 2005
Irrelevant language derail:
thanks for honing in on the real questions
'Honing' is a process of removing material by abrasion; a subset of 'grinding'. You can hone something down. You can hone something out. You can hone something flat. You can hone an edge onto something.
You cannot hone in on anything. That's homing in.
I will now put my machinist hat back in the closet, and apologize for boring you all. (No, not that kind of boring.)
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:43 AM on February 9, 2005
thanks for honing in on the real questions
'Honing' is a process of removing material by abrasion; a subset of 'grinding'. You can hone something down. You can hone something out. You can hone something flat. You can hone an edge onto something.
You cannot hone in on anything. That's homing in.
I will now put my machinist hat back in the closet, and apologize for boring you all. (No, not that kind of boring.)
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:43 AM on February 9, 2005
me3dia: Questions that are really thinly veiled classified ads (i.e., "Know anyone who could help me do some work on my website?") are out of place.
To be forever known as the yoga clause, which should confuse the heck out of new newbies and those who weren't paying attention. "What the heck do classified ads have to do with stretching?"
posted by Mitheral at 6:33 AM on February 9, 2005
To be forever known as the yoga clause, which should confuse the heck out of new newbies and those who weren't paying attention. "What the heck do classified ads have to do with stretching?"
posted by Mitheral at 6:33 AM on February 9, 2005
Could the FPP and [MI] bit in this question represent the line which is fine?
posted by danOstuporStar at 8:25 AM on February 9, 2005
posted by danOstuporStar at 8:25 AM on February 9, 2005
To be forever known as the yoga clause
Why, I'm honored! [beaming proudly]
posted by yoga at 1:25 PM on February 9, 2005
Why, I'm honored! [beaming proudly]
posted by yoga at 1:25 PM on February 9, 2005
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It could be a fine line between an "ad" as the second commenter states, or a request for tapping into a network of qualified people. I'm not a corporation or a resume troller; I'm an individual looking for some help. Since there are several technically knowledgeable folks here, it was a starting place.
posted by yoga at 1:07 PM on February 8, 2005