February 2006 Archives (all archives)
February 28
Stumping AskMe
AskMeFi stumped. It would be nice to see other examples, do you remember any?
MeFi post contest?
How about a contest where candidate posts are judged on quality, the winner of which gets to be posted as item 50000? This would avoid the contention and possible server disruption likely to occur in the coming days, which will only be distracting, anyway. We could pre-emptively make this energy positive. Unless there are plans already, in which case, hurry up and delete this thread. (inspired by this comment)
Unclosed tags in Recent Comments
In My Recent Comments, one of the long comments was truncated in the middle of an < i>italicized section< /i>. Consequently, the italics weren't closed for the rest of My Recent Comments.>>
Formatting alert
In this post the formatting of the "posted by..." message is weird.
Using Firefox 1.5 on a Windows XP SP2 machine.
Using Firefox 1.5 on a Windows XP SP2 machine.
Cleveland Meetup
Cleveland Meetup this Thrusday, 3/2 @ 8:00: Several of us are already going and MeFi/MoFi/MeCha, lurkers, non-member readers and paparazzi are all welcome at Edison's Pub in Tremont. Details inside.
Can we post commercial sites in Projects?
projects - is it acceptable to submit blatant commercial projects with less than universal appeal? more inside.
February 27
I screwed up. Can you fix it?
I screwed up. Can you fix it? Thanks!
Website using stolen AskMe content
This website is using Ask.Metafilter content. I ran a search on my username and it turned up a slew of MeFi returns as it should, but also a few other items that were amusing. But it turned up this site that "launched" last month. Something that should be looked into? Followed up on? Simply ignored?
Invites to Newsvine
Newsvine. It was posted to the front page before, but it's still in beta and is pretty much invite-only. I have the ability to invite 20 of my nearest, dearest friends to join in. I realize that excludes the vast majority of you all, but I just thought I'd throw it out there. If you'd like an invitation, send e-mail to emelenjr at gmail dot com.
What is going on with all the FPP doubles the last couple of days?
What is going on with all the FPP doubles the last couple of days? [here, here, and here] How scary does the posting page need to be?
Slightly spammy answer on AskMe.
In this AskMe, I am in agreement with the post that follows mine, as well as of course my own, though I didn't word it as bluntly as Rhomboid did, as I was sort of "typing as thinking". That said, the first response seems vaguely spammy. Full disclosure: I provide web hosting myself, and I still think the response is borderline inappropriate.
You might post my project to MeFi, but can I add related info?
At some point down the road I will release a project to Projects. I think it's cool and interesting enough that a MeFi post could well be deserved, not just linking to my project but to a number of related sites and documentation. I'm very close to this project, so I can handily write up what I think is a good and wide view of the issue to do more than promote my project. However, I don't want to be accused of self-linking and instead would rather post it to Projects with enough info for someone else to post on MeFi about it. Would suggesting someone do this in the writeup in Projects be going too far?
PS. Additional suggestion for the form I'm currently filling in: "Projects related"
PS. Additional suggestion for the form I'm currently filling in: "Projects related"
MeFi on Counterstrike?
Can we have a Metafilter Counterstrike 1.6 server? I think that would be pretty sweet.
he said-she said
I found these two AskMe threads interesting in a "he said-she said" sort of way and thought others might as well. One is about a person wanting to leave her husband, the other is about a husband whose wife just left him.
I'm in no way implying that I think the events are related, but thought they provided an interesting perspective on how people respond in relationship threads.
I'm in no way implying that I think the events are related, but thought they provided an interesting perspective on how people respond in relationship threads.
Dumb Pro-Choice Thread Callout
Speaking as a pro-choice person, this thread has to be the dumbest collection of arguments in favor of abortion rights that I've read anywhere in a long time, currently topped off with an attempt to draw an analogy between aborting fetuses and shredding paper. Am I missing a giant troll tag here, or is MeFi really getting as stupid as it appears?
February 26
Does anyone know if any mefites were victims of 9/11?
Does anyone know if any mefites were victims of 9/11? [MI]
Help viewing metafilter on a blackberry
Help - options for viewing MeFi/MeTa/AskMe on Blackberry [mi]
Where is the Jabber server?
Any news about the MeFi Jabber server? Are we ever going to get it back?
Shoutout: matthewr's MeFi comment navigator
This script is awesome, and makes MetaFilter a better place.
Just wanted to say thank you, matthewr.
Just wanted to say thank you, matthewr.
February 25
How does the "Metafilter users near me" thing work?
Question about the "Metafilter Users Near..." thing.
I show a user named mdevore within 4 miles of me. He in turn shows a huge slug of users at the 23 mile mark from him.
Given our relatively close proximity, shouldn't more of those being showing up on my listing as well? What's the outer threshold of that listing?
I show a user named mdevore within 4 miles of me. He in turn shows a huge slug of users at the 23 mile mark from him.
Given our relatively close proximity, shouldn't more of those being showing up on my listing as well? What's the outer threshold of that listing?
More broken.
Matt. More broken.
I logged in from another machine - OSX 3.9, safari 1.3.2
I get that goofy code that I have to type...and it doesn't redirect correctly. You'll see it when you logout and back in.
I logged in from another machine - OSX 3.9, safari 1.3.2
I get that goofy code that I have to type...and it doesn't redirect correctly. You'll see it when you logout and back in.
inter-media collaboration
Artists in every media, I'm thinking about the creative process, generating ideas for inter-media (is there such a word?) collaboration, and where abstract art originates.
Nip in the BuD
Prolific poster posts 17 posts per hour for 3.5 hours
This has got to be some kind of record. Setting aside the merits of Glider's argument, you have to admire his persistence. By my back-of-the-envelope calculations, the guy made roughly 17 posts per hour for 3.5 hours, took a three hour break, then jumped back into the fray for a total of 70 posts over 13 hours. Wow.
February 24
Its a trap? Interloquition regarding the inner workings of a perceived scam
They want someone with an American bank account.
So how does this scam work?
So how does this scam work?
Antarctic rower update
An update on the mad Antarctic rower – I did put a fairly
unenlightening update in the thread to let people know he had failed again, but those of you who enjoyed the Pythonesque aspects of the original thread or missed the update might enjoy what’s inside here.
unenlightening update in the thread to let people know he had failed again, but those of you who enjoyed the Pythonesque aspects of the original thread or missed the update might enjoy what’s inside here.
Minor problem with ordering posts in MeFi.
Minor problem with ordering posts in MeFi.
not ready to swim in the adult pool
Yet another specific example from the same user that they're not ready to swim in the adult pool. Is this harsh lambasting of every less-than-perfect-in-thine-own-eyes answer really proper AskMe decorum?
Toronto meetup.
Toronto meetup reminder: it's tomorrow night (Saturday, the 25th) at 8 p.m. And I have a proposition for you all — a change of venue. Joelf is leaving Toronto to move back to Victoria, B.C. next week. His goodbye party is at the Madison. So, perhaps we could have our meetup there and deign to mingle with his punk ass friends in order to say our farewells.
February 23
PBS links to MeFi's own mcwetboy's dfl site.
Our own mcwetboy's DFL has made it into the (blog)sights of The US's PBS. The PBS MediaShift blog took notice of M. Crowe's site today in a posting entitled
Giving Props to Last-Place Finishers at Olympics. So let's give "props" to mcwetboy!
Giving Props to Last-Place Finishers at Olympics. So let's give "props" to mcwetboy!
Long-time User Reaches Ten Thousand Comments
How many questions is too many for posting on MeFi?
How many questions is too many for posting on MeFi?
Hi, my name is x, and I'm a MeFi Addict ('hi x!').
yes, it's come to the point in my life where I turn to this site because I know it'll have links/commentary on a variety of issues. I know if I post a question someone will inevitably have a good answer... the question is, what's the ratio of questions I should ask to questions I should answer? If I ask a question, is there some sort of karmic payback I should perform - i.e. try answering a few questions in return? I certainly don't want to seem like I'm a lazy person here. I honestly come after I've done a bit of research - honest!
Just curious - or is this too meta perhaps? I don't want to outstay my $5 welcome... although if a certain site owner had a donation button that might help me sort out my karm ;)
Hi, my name is x, and I'm a MeFi Addict ('hi x!').
yes, it's come to the point in my life where I turn to this site because I know it'll have links/commentary on a variety of issues. I know if I post a question someone will inevitably have a good answer... the question is, what's the ratio of questions I should ask to questions I should answer? If I ask a question, is there some sort of karmic payback I should perform - i.e. try answering a few questions in return? I certainly don't want to seem like I'm a lazy person here. I honestly come after I've done a bit of research - honest!
Just curious - or is this too meta perhaps? I don't want to outstay my $5 welcome... although if a certain site owner had a donation button that might help me sort out my karm ;)
the metageist strikes again
February 22
Best $5 he ever spent.
New Scientist
I know that in the past, we've developed a kind of awareness that links to op-ed pieces and links to a thin AP or Reuters notice do not make for the best of the posts. To that end, I think Science posts, such as this one, have gotten an undeserved free pass. New Scientist is, well, a rag, which posts sensationalist, unsubstantiated stories with rarely any references or contexts to back them up. Or, to be more succinct: New Scientist posts suck.
Feature Request: Handheld stylesheets.
Feature Request: Handheld stylesheets.
Close Signups, Please
Dear Matt: If enough of us bitch loudly enough, will you close signups?
robots exclusion suggestion for deleted threads
Just a followup to the Optical4Less spam and the robots exclusion suggestion for deleted threads: deleted AskMefi threads still do not have the exclusion meta tag, so that Mefi spam there can still be indexed by search engines. Anyone else spotted any other loopholes spammers might have slipped through?
Fix My FPP Links
Oops. Can someone correct one of the links in my FPP please? "Two" and "LPs" both link to the same place. One of them should go here instead. Thanks!
Post now or post later?
Post now or post later? I've come across an interesting science experiment; should I post about it now or wait until August when it kicks off properly with interactive stuff?
February 21
And all 3 of these people mention the same online eyeglass shop in their posts...
How common is the practice of putting a space before a period/question mark ? Because the person who posted this question did it, as did two people in this thread.
And all 3 of these people mention the same online eyeglass shop in their posts...
And all 3 of these people mention the same online eyeglass shop in their posts...
I still think that 304 HTTP headers should be implemented.
"304 Not Modified" redux: I still think that 304 HTTP headers should be implemented. (previous thread)
Self-links in askme posts?
Although the self-link was fixed by Jessamyn, I doubt that this was posted in the true spirit of AskMe, considering that the OP was booted from MoFi for self-linking ten days ago.
MeFi Remixed broken
Formatting changes made sometime on February 7th or 8th have broken MeFi Remixed. Just thought you might like to know.
February 20
Newsvine FPP link not as advertised
I think I just screwed up. The Newsvine FPP I just made doesn't seem to be working for people, and just takes them to a sign-in page. The site is still in beta, and may not be publicly accessible without invite. I did not know this, and I am truly sorry. Can my FPP be removed? Thanks, and many apologies.
Pony Request: Changes to super/subscript CSS
Improvements to CSS.
Self-linking for critique purposes?
Is it acceptable to post a self link in ask if you are looking for peer response to something you have done, ie ways to improve a site, suggestion on a book/article/song/video, and if not has anyone else ever suggested that a mefi peer review might be useful. Granted we enjoy flagellating each other as is, but it would be nice if we could solicit feed back. I understand that if such an option were available directly on projects it might lead to people slandering works of those they dislike, but surely some of us would like to actively seek criticism.
What would have been a better way to phrase this question?
What would have been a better way to phrase this question?
Do-over
Can we get a redo? mickeyz just screwed up his post and put the body text where the title was supposed to go. Instead of deleting it outright, can one of our benevolent overlords repair it and put it back? It's a legitimate FPP, otherwise.
February 19
Where are the Portland Meetup Pics?
So, Portlanders, I see London meetup pics, where are the PDX pics?
I just can't decide!
Being able to mark a best answer in AskMe is very useful. However, what are you supposed to do when you just can't decide which one is best?
London Meetup Photos
London meetup pictures!
February 18
What is the purpose of flagging answers as "fantastic"?
I just flagged an AskMe answer as "fantastic" for the first time, and I'm curious...and then what happens? What is the purpose of this feature?
Can anyone find that post about a guy who would write songs based on submitted lyrics?
Sometime last summer, I believe, there was an FPP about a guy who would write songs based on submitted lyrics. What was really good was that he would make fun of spelling and gramatical errors in submissions. Like the sea "anenonomie". Does anyone still have the link to that?
Spoiler about Olympic result in a FPP
Spoiler about Olympic result in a FPP
I post a link and use the little "link" box
Could someone tell me why, when - in a comment - I post a link and use the little "link" box, it doesn't work?
London Meetup
London Meetup tonight! Two MeFites gigging and - hopefully - a whole host gathering to see it at Tommy Flynn's, Chiswick High Road, 8pm(ish). Map.
February 17
Today has been quality
Today, February 17, 2006, has seen the most quality, well written posts ever, or for at least during my time here. The bar has been raised. I'll try to keep up. Thanks!
New Orleans Meetup
Anyone out there going to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year?
Are we still getting hit by DoS attacks?
Is Metafilter still getting hammered a la this thread? I notice that just about every day this week, I have been unable to reach mefi at all in the morning time (GMT, say 8am till roughly 11 or noon). I thought it might just be my net connection at work, but my home connection has the same issues whenever it appears to be down.
Are we just undergoing backups or some-such thing at this time? Or does Ireland just disconnect from MeFi every morning for some reason? :)
Are we just undergoing backups or some-such thing at this time? Or does Ireland just disconnect from MeFi every morning for some reason? :)
Connection timeout issues
still getting "connection timeout members". if it can't be fixed, perhaps just remove the line? it's not very meaningful anyway.
February 16
Update on anti-consumer movement
scroll-to-named-anchor code
The new moo.fx includes some scroll-to-named-anchor code which I'd love to see in threads here when you click on an anchor link back to another person's comment, used when quoting them inthread. At the moment, it opens a new tab (for me), and rarely actually finds the right place in the page. I realize that's a browser shortcoming, not Matt's fault, of course. Anyway, it's not a new idea but it's easy to implement now with stuff like moo. Just an idea.
I screwed up a link when revising my post
In revising my post, I screwed up the very first link in this thread. Should have been this instead of the same link I posted later in the description.
Deleted AskMe posts still add up to my tag count
Deleted AskMe posts still add up to my tag count. Bug, feature, or menace to the community? [more inside]
Reminder: Bay Area Meetup in Oakland
Bay Area meetup reminder: Saturday, February 18, Luka's TapRoom in Oakland. As announced on upcoming.org.
Girls in glasses from Los Angeles will be gracing us with their presence, yo.
Girls in glasses from Los Angeles will be gracing us with their presence, yo.
Double-posted, like, on purpose.
I hate legal posts/I love legal posts
Please don't tease me with dead gadget pr0n links.
Almost all of the external links are broken in this AskMe thread on camera bags. Please don't tease me with dead gadget pr0n links. That's not nice.
I mixed up the title and link fields in this post
I mixed up the title and link fields in this post making my FPP rather incomprehensible.
Gifting a Metafilter account
Can I give the gift that keeps on giving? Meaning, a mefi account? As it stands I could pay the five bucks and sign somebody up, but the giftee wouldn't have any control over her username or password and can't change them after the fact.
Shoulda Been Anonymous
So, has anyone who opted to AskMefi an, ahem, embarassing/humiliating/etc question been discovered by a coworker, spouse, etc, whom the original poster thought never knew what mefi was? that is, anonymous posting is great and i want horror stories of those who didn't use it, raining upon them great consequences. stories please?
12dailypro.com followup
Since 12dailypro.com has come up twice as a question on ask metafilter in the last few months I thought this blurb might be interesting as a followup. [via]
February 15
portland oregon meetup
Portland, OR1 meetup, this Satruday, the Lucky Lab...what time is this nonsense starting?
1. We're hotter than you too Maine.
1. We're hotter than you too Maine.
Can the checkmark for best answer be a link?
Can we make this a link: ? Cuz I always try to click on it whenever I see it, and it's driving me a little nuts. And it would be super convenient and save me a little scrolling when I just want to see the Best Answer. Yeah. Ponies!
Penalize Self-Linking
Metafilter is not doing enough to penalize self-links. Pile-ons are not a deterrent, as they only provide affirmation to offenders who believe there is no such thing as bad publicity. No doubt Mitchell Rose of Red Red Rose Pictures is already patting himself on the back for a jorb well done, and despite the deletion of his spam, he has still succeeded: previously deleted threads are still indexed by search engines, thus continuing to provide incentive to perpetrators even if their malice is detected and hidden from the front page. I suggest adding a robots exclusion META NOFOLLOW tag to the head of any thread which has been deleted.
User RSS
Hey! Per user RSS feeds! Keen!
cleveland meetup!!
Cleveland/NEO MeetUp! I suggest one week from today, that is, 2.22.2006 at 8pm at Edison's Pub. Yea, Nay or other suggestions?
Connection timeout members
I'm getting this on the front page of MeFi:
Connection Timeout members | You are logged in as: Godbert / logout
5 links and 88 comments posted since your last visit
Connection Timeout members | You are logged in as: Godbert / logout
5 links and 88 comments posted since your last visit
new cOLDfusion
Hey Matt: There's a new coldfusion ajax tutorial out today, if you're looking for one.
February 14
Jabber server return date?
What's the ETA for the MetaFilter Jabber Server coming back up?
I wish [username] would come back.
I wish ParisParamus would come back.
hang time while logging in
I'm getting some hang time while logging in. It's coming from dynamic.fmpub.net
It could be a porn-bot that I picked up but I'm only experiencing with Metafilter pages/sites. It's not a huge problem but it looks like I'm being routed through something else before making Metafilter contact. And sometimes it just lags forever.
It could be a porn-bot that I picked up but I'm only experiencing with Metafilter pages/sites. It's not a huge problem but it looks like I'm being routed through something else before making Metafilter contact. And sometimes it just lags forever.
Collaboratively funded movie production
(not sure this should go in AskMe. It's a bit chatty, so please pardon me if I got the wrong forum.)
Since I found the Sci-Fi thread so compelling I had a thought. Would you serious fans pony up, say, five bucks a piece, to help get a movie made if a studio was willing to match funds? And if it didn't get done, then you'd get your money back? Maybe done through an escrow account? I know that for the right production I'd pony up a lot more than that. Just wondering if you guys would.
Since I found the Sci-Fi thread so compelling I had a thought. Would you serious fans pony up, say, five bucks a piece, to help get a movie made if a studio was willing to match funds? And if it didn't get done, then you'd get your money back? Maybe done through an escrow account? I know that for the right production I'd pony up a lot more than that. Just wondering if you guys would.
I Love You All ! Will You Marry Me ?
I Love You All ! Will You Marry Me ?
Can we RSS for posts and comments?
It would be cool to have RSS feeds on a per user basis. I'm thinking mainly posts but comments would be fine too. Something like http://www.metafilter.com/username.mefi/user/posts.rss and http://www.metafilter.com/username.mefi/user/comments.rss. It'd be a great way to keep up with people whose stuff you enjoy (like everyone's favorite) w/o getting lost in the volume.
who posted this? and, favorites foreshadowed
A couple of things:
1) When people view your profile and links to answers posted on mefi and such, it looks more like you've posted the question - this seems a little odd, could the actual comments be linked instead (I know they're accessible by clicking on the date, it just seems a slightly unintuitive way of doing it).
2) Mefi and ask.mefi have some GREAT posts on there that I'd love to be able to bookmark within Metafilter (part of my profile maybe?). An example, lots of ask.mefi questions are just damned useful, and I'd like to have a place where I could go and you could see "BishopsLoveSciFi's favourite questions / answers / FPPs".
If it makes it any clearer, think of it working like memories on LJ. (See this FAQ item if you're not an LJer.)
1) When people view your profile and links to answers posted on mefi and such, it looks more like you've posted the question - this seems a little odd, could the actual comments be linked instead (I know they're accessible by clicking on the date, it just seems a slightly unintuitive way of doing it).
2) Mefi and ask.mefi have some GREAT posts on there that I'd love to be able to bookmark within Metafilter (part of my profile maybe?). An example, lots of ask.mefi questions are just damned useful, and I'd like to have a place where I could go and you could see "BishopsLoveSciFi's favourite questions / answers / FPPs".
If it makes it any clearer, think of it working like memories on LJ. (See this FAQ item if you're not an LJer.)
AskMe RSS feed isn't working.
AskMe RSS feed isn't working. It's linking to MeFi.
Why is Metafilter "taking a massage" in Firefox?
Why is Metafilter "taking a massage" when I try to view the page on Firefox, but works perfectly fine when I view it in Internet Explorer? I should add that before this morning, Metafilter always worked fine in Firefox. And, despite MeFi's problems, AskMe and MeTa are working fine in Firefox right now.
February 13
Should I write the dead guy's family a letter?
Weird update to the should I write the dead guy's family a letter AskMe. For the many who were interested.
Where did the death threat go?
Hey Matt, what happened to Alumshubby's death threat email post to The Jesse Helms? It was here, it got closed, and then it disappeared. Did you uncover some info to lead you to believe it was fake, and you removed it to keep from besmirching alumshubby's good name? Cause if so, say something, cause he still seems like a death threat issuing prick otherwise.
Metafilter RSS Feed
The metafilter rss feed is broken. It just gives a 301 redirect to itself.
Can someone post an AskMe for me?
We just got this request a bit ago, but I'm afraid I must make a similar one. Can someone post an AskMe for me? I've got a time sensitive question and AskMe tends to be the best place to get good help [more inside]
Downtime
Sorry about the downtime today, it looks like some comment spammers were DoSing the box with requests for long-dead trackback URLs. After that was cleaned up, some other weird bugs kept the server unavailable for a few hours, but things should be back to normal now.
February 12
Orkut Invite?
Would somebody invite me to Orkut? I had forgotten all about it, and saw a passing mention of it today and realized that I never did get to see what all the fuss was about.
My Gmail address is in my profile.
Check my posting history if you want to check out my "suitability" for receiving an invite from you.
My Gmail address is in my profile.
Check my posting history if you want to check out my "suitability" for receiving an invite from you.
"An attack on Iran is on"
Actually, so far, it's not. Not yet, anyway, although I readily concede it's probably coming.
I have no problem with a FPP recounting developments to date about a likely future event, but it's disingenuous to the point of trolling to use a phrase that says the event is actually taking place.
I have no problem with a FPP recounting developments to date about a likely future event, but it's disingenuous to the point of trolling to use a phrase that says the event is actually taking place.
February 11
Is there a way to get MeFi to open links in a new tab
Is there a way to get MeFi to open links in a new tab, rather than a new page or on the same tab? (mozilla) I apologize in advance for being a klewles n00b.
(even though I've been a member for five years...)
I mean, other than right-clicking. Like, automatic-like.
(even though I've been a member for five years...)
I mean, other than right-clicking. Like, automatic-like.
London Meetup Reminder
London meetup reminder: Next Saturday (18th) at Tommy Flynn's, Chiswick High Road.
How did I screw up my [more inside]?
OK, I f***ed up. I put 6 paragraphs on the front page when I only intended to put one and five on the flip. I thought I'd done everything right. What went wrong?
uppercase html bugs
Uppercase HTML TITLE text in anchor tags gets converted to lowercase (I think via previewing a post). Seen here on AskMe. Also seems to be buggy on MeFi. [MI]
February 10
Bay Area meetup
Bay Area meetup: Saturday, February 18th at Luka's Taproom in Oakland. Three short blocks from the 19th street BART. 7 p.m. onwards. Special guest appearance by ach ooo tee hot.
Sockpuppet policies?
Is there or should there be a policy concerning accounts of people that admit to being sockpuppet accounts? [mi]
making multiple links more visible
Just a style suggestion for links that include single words with multiple links.
A period ('.'), or a middle dot ('·' ·), or even a spacing cedilla ('¸' ¸) between the links would make it a lot less annoying, especially for those of us with motor control problems. I'm not suggesting this as any sort of rule, just as a nicety.
A period ('.'), or a middle dot ('·' ·), or even a spacing cedilla ('¸' ¸) between the links would make it a lot less annoying, especially for those of us with motor control problems. I'm not suggesting this as any sort of rule, just as a nicety.
Best of the web?
Minneapolis MeFi Meetup tonight
Reminder: Minneapolis MeFi Meetup tonight at the Loring Pasta Bar at 8 P. M. Please wear nametags that state your screenaame along with the word MeFi. It will be easier to ID each other. See ya there!!
Why did you delete this? Plus, you missed some.
matamyn: was it really necessary to remove mr_roboto and my little two-comment My Dinner With Andre side chat from here? Sheesh!
Besides, you missed part of it.
Besides, you missed part of it.
Yahoo firefox search plugin for askme
The current firefox search plugins for Mefi were written ages ago for the built-in site search (hence they don't work anymore). Can any of our hotshot code cowboy members look into making one that uses the yahoo search? I'm particularly looking for one to search AskMe.
February 9
NYC Meetup
NYC Meetup Reminder Thread: Saturday, February 11th, at Revival, starting at 7 p.m.
Coldfusion error message
Everytime I login to MeFi, I get the following Coldfusion error message: " Element CAPTCHATEXT is undefined in FORM". [mi]
Ads on user profiles
Has anyone ever been propositioned to put ads on their Mefi profile page? I was shocked. Well, not really. (mi)
AskMe Giant Titles
The titles of the Ask posts are appearing at the top of the posts in GIANT fonts for me. Safari.
Totally sweet detectivation
Totally sweet detectivation that makes me feel good. mr_crash_davis deserves a plate of hot wings.
MeTa Gras 2006
MeTa Gras 2006 - Going down to New Orleans for the first Mardi Gras since Katrina? Well, why the hell not? [mi]
I added more descriptive titles to metafilter
I added more descriptive titles to metafilter and ask mefi comment pages. Refresh your CSS to see them as they intended to look.
Suggested Feature: Subscribe to Posts
I would love a feature that allows you to "subscribe" to certain posts, coupled with the ability to view all "subscribed" posts. This way it would be easier to track the progress of certain threads that you do not participate in (you can obviously track those threads through the "my comments" page.
New flags?
A couple of new flagging categories that might be handy:
this is like an octuple-post.
this is like an octuple-post.
Server log retention policy?
So, Matt, what are your server log retention policies. This is not a snark, it's a serious question. I'm American, and I don't trust my government.
There was a post on Ask Mefi a couple of days ago
There was a post on Ask Mefi a couple of days ago about professional/personal sites. I know it was posted after my "online portfolios" question because I was thinking of it while reading the thread. Thing is, I can't find that thread anymore - not by searching, not by going through the archives. Anyone know what happened to that thread?
February 8
Problem with previewing
MeFi Bug: Preview posts.
Pony request: notification when a certain tag is used
PonyFilter... Would it be possible to get a notification either as email (probably hard to do) or on the my comments page when an ask.mefi or metafilter post uses a certain tag. [more inside]
anyone else getting this spam which appears to be harvested from mefi profile pages?
Just curious. I got the following in my in-box, anyone else getting this spam which appears to be harvested from mefi profile pages?
...I saw that you had art related sites, but we know that this doesn't have much to do with poker. As such, we would like to work with you for text space on your Mefi profile. We see ourselves liking Mefi traffic and think you make good posts that can attract people to your profile....
Fools!!! They must not have read my FPPs, good posts indeed, pffft.
...I saw that you had art related sites, but we know that this doesn't have much to do with poker. As such, we would like to work with you for text space on your Mefi profile. We see ourselves liking Mefi traffic and think you make good posts that can attract people to your profile....
Fools!!! They must not have read my FPPs, good posts indeed, pffft.
Toronto MeFites, let's get together
Toronto MeFites, let's get together, quaff the good ale (or, as in my case, the mediocre fruit juice), and make Stephen Harper jokes. I'm suggesting 8 p.m.-ish, Saturday, February 25th as the time and date, but you can all fight amongst yourselves about where you want to meet.
The layout has gone all odd on the main Projects page
The layout has gone all odd on the main Projects page
Any chance that coComment support could be added?
[pony] Any chance that coComment support could be added to to ?(ask.|metatalk.|projects.)metafilter.com? RSS feeds of comment responses sure would be spiffy. Instructions are here.
What happens to Metafilter in the event of mathowie's death
In another thread caddis said "Beth, is Matt going somewhere? I would guess that if a meteor dropped on his head tomorrow, MetaFilter would just fade into history." and it made me curious. Now that MetaFilter is a full-time job and presumably a corporation which Matt would leave to someone, is there some sort of "if I get hit by a bus" plan? [mi]
Proposal: Brand New Day
I'm proposing a "Brand New Day" reset on grudges, grievances, and gripes. After that, the mods will apply stronger penalties for offenders.
Computer crashed; it logged me out in AskMe but not here - error message inside
Computer crashed; it logged me out in AskMe but not here (?). Attempting to login at AskMe returns the following error:
Error Occurred While Processing Request
Element CAPTCHATEXT is undefined in FORM.
Resources:
* Enable Robust Exception Information to provide greater detail about the source of errors. In the Administrator, click Debugging & Logging > Debugging Settings, and select the Robust Exception Information option.
* Check the ColdFusion documentation to verify that you are using the correct syntax.
* Search the Knowledge Base to find a solution to your problem.
Error Occurred While Processing Request
Element CAPTCHATEXT is undefined in FORM.
Resources:
* Enable Robust Exception Information to provide greater detail about the source of errors. In the Administrator, click Debugging & Logging > Debugging Settings, and select the Robust Exception Information option.
* Check the ColdFusion documentation to verify that you are using the correct syntax.
* Search the Knowledge Base to find a solution to your problem.
Tags Page returns a "Connection Failure" error
Tags Page returns a "Connection Failure" error.
February 7
Dead project link should be deleted
dead project. The link was to the ebay sale of this thing which ebay removed for whatever reason (copyright violation, maybe)? Maybe the link should be changed or the post deleted (and perhaps the poster could be allowed to repost another URL)
mfdistilled.com domain expires soon
The MFDistilled.com domain expires in a few days. Anyone have a problem with that?
Mefi Status Blog problem
Mefi Status Blog problem: the link on the sidebar takes you to a TypePad error page.
Bug when posting an FPP
Unable to post a FPP, I had to try several times. Firefox 1.5, Windows 2000. Error message inside.
This is a pony that I can ride!
Pony Request: Dates/Times on the MetaTalk RSS feed?
Derail discussion and Brand New Day genesis
The very model of a derail: I think a whole bunch of people need a timeout (as you wish). Badly. Soon.
What's the policy on removing links?
Policy clarification question: Matt deleted a link to revisionist.org. I'm not necessarily opposed to this, but I do have a few questions: a) What is the history of link removal from FPP - not modification, like adding a NSFW, but under what circumstances are links actually removed? b) When a link is removed for political reasons, what is the rationale behind the removal? [mi]
Star Wars House Man comes into his own thread
Check it out - Gus somehow heard there was a thread about his crazy starwars filled house & he joined up to set a few things straight. That's the second time I've seen that happen in one of my threads, it's a cool testment to the visability of this place. Also, Matt, I will expect my $2.50, as we agreed.
February 6
Wall-mounted monitor that displays pictures as a slideshow
Does anyone remember a thread in AskMe, around the holidays, discussing a wall-mounted monitor-type thingie that allowed you to load it up with your pictures, say from your computer and view them as a slide show? Did I imagine that or did it really occur, and didn't Mathowie even mention a product like that that he knew about? Not knowing what such a thing is called makes it very difficult to Google for it successfully; does anyone have a clue about what I'm trying to find?
Firefox: Not playing well with AskMe?
Really not a problem, but I am curious: I click anywhere in AskMe, and Firefox doesn't ever seem to think the page is completely loaded? I get the busy signal cursor, and the Firefox load meter (bottom right-hand in Firefox) never completes, even though it seems like the whole page loads. Buh?
The metafilter.org backdoor has been closed
Once upon a time not so long ago, I could type in the FQDN http://www.metafilter.org and actually resolve that address and browse Metafilter threads from my office. Now, when I try to use that address, it automatically reverts to http://www.metafilter.com and that address is blocked by my company's "Smartfilter" as "chat/forums". I can't read threads at work anymore and I'm pretty sad about that.
Not Commenting? Leave Them Alone
I don't think users should take pot shots at other users for their assumed political views when the other users haven't commented in the thread. Most recently, Malor wrotes, "I wonder where the primary shills for the Republicans, like dios or ParisParamus, go when threads like this come up?" Neither dios nor ParisParamus made any comments in that thread. According to Google, dios, for example, has been mentioned in about 100 threads in which he has not posted, and Yahoo puts that number much higher. Political threads are contentious enough without the sniping.
Is a wikipedia article I contribued to a self-link?
I want to post some links over on the Filter about an obscure topic. However, due to its obscurity, some of the links would be Wiki articles that I previously created. Would this count as self-promotion, or would it be accetable to do such? Should I simply do my best to work around them?
This "wins" meme is stupid.
I know I'll probably get a lot of shit for this, like I do for every MeTa thread I post, but can we please please please put a moratorium on the phrase "X wins the thread" and all variants thereof?
Okay now please commence with snark and then others can quote that snark and say "[snarker] wins the thread" hooray!
Okay now please commence with snark and then others can quote that snark and say "[snarker] wins the thread" hooray!
The Leonard Peltier thread has HTML in the 'Title'
The Leonard Peltier thread has HTML in the 'Title', which looks bad.
February 5
Minneapolis Meetup Feb 2006
Minneapolis Meetup (if anybody can)
Friday, Feb. 10 at Britts at 8 P. M.
If I have to sit alone I will!!
Friday, Feb. 10 at Britts at 8 P. M.
If I have to sit alone I will!!
Why is this AskMe anonymous?
Anonymous questions in AskMe, as I understand it, are for those questions which are of a delicate nature, could cause serious embarrassment, result in legal trouble, or cause some sort of other harm.
So how is a question about what tattoo to get deemed worthy of anonymization? [MI]
So how is a question about what tattoo to get deemed worthy of anonymization? [MI]
Pictures from the February 4th meetup in Vancouver
Pictures from the February 4th meetup in Vancouver:
It's a question, of course it was asked.
The worst noise I see on AskMeFi is simple: posts that suggest that a question should NEVER be asked on AskMeFi. I keep wanting to flag them as "obnoxious" but that isn't specifically an option.
Why do people assume that if someone asks on AskMeFi that they are somehow prevented from asking a real specialist? To put it the other way, can we assume - especially when the poster SAYS so in their question - that the person knows to seek proper help, that they are just asking here for additional points of view?
People here are adults and just because someone asks something in the Green doesn't mean that they're going to let the answers they receive trump a doctor or lawyer's advice. It usually just means someone's a little worried and wants to know what this often intelligent audience has to say on a subject in addition to any other advice they might seek.
Why do people assume that if someone asks on AskMeFi that they are somehow prevented from asking a real specialist? To put it the other way, can we assume - especially when the poster SAYS so in their question - that the person knows to seek proper help, that they are just asking here for additional points of view?
People here are adults and just because someone asks something in the Green doesn't mean that they're going to let the answers they receive trump a doctor or lawyer's advice. It usually just means someone's a little worried and wants to know what this often intelligent audience has to say on a subject in addition to any other advice they might seek.
I am a horrible planner with no impulse control
OH Man this STINKS! I have an important QUESTION for AskMefi, but my big mouth used up my weekly question......Can someone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ask this for me on AskMefi??? (pretty please?)
I've been self employed for 12 years. I made a decent living in the music business and with property investments. NOW, at 39 yrs old, I want to grow up and get a REAL JOB. But over the years I kept lousy track of my TAX RECORDS and some years I was lazy and didn't make much. QUESTION IS: What would happen if I used fake tax returns to show a decade of organized self employment for the sole purpose of applying for jobs?
I've been self employed for 12 years. I made a decent living in the music business and with property investments. NOW, at 39 yrs old, I want to grow up and get a REAL JOB. But over the years I kept lousy track of my TAX RECORDS and some years I was lazy and didn't make much. QUESTION IS: What would happen if I used fake tax returns to show a decade of organized self employment for the sole purpose of applying for jobs?
Usernames Instead of Numbers
Pony: any chance of having the ability to look up a user by appending their username name to the "/user/" URL? The user number is okay, but being able to have the name as well would be really helpful.
RSS feed of someone's individual contributions
How easy would it be to have an RSS feed of someone's individual contributions across Metafilter? There are a couple of members whose work is consistently good and might be worth watching as you would an individual blog.
Can we please stop questioning the need for anonymous AskMe posters to be anonymous?
Can we please stop questioning the need for anonymous AskMe posters to be anonymous? The posters can't respond, and I find Matt does a decent job of filtering out the questions that have no possible necessity for anonymity. Maybe you can't think of a reason, but then again, it's not your life at issue.
February 4
Character limit on AskMe front page
How about a character limit on the first part of an AskMe question? I'm tired of seeing the AskMe page cluttered with questions like this one.
Link new question page to wiki?
On the ask.mefi "post a new question page," can we get a link to the What makes a good question wiki page?
Is it possible to search for users based on # of posts/comments/questions?
Is it (would it be) possible to search for users based on # of posts/comments/questions? (Based on a few earlier threads, I'm curious as to how many accounts have been set up solely to ask question(s).)
"Bullshit, and fuck you for assuming that."
"Bullshit, and fuck you for assuming that." -- I've observed that without further insight into the poster behind relationship questions, most people will naturally make their own assumptions and bring their own personal experiences to bear. If you're going to put yourself "out there" like this (and I question whether this is a good use of Ask Metafilter since these questions have no real "right" answer) then you also need to be a bit more patient with those who respond -or, don't respond at all.
Sleazy romancefilter update, please?
Might there be any way to get a follow-up to this AskMefi post?
Connection failure members
Connection Failure members | You are logged in as: solopsist / logout
no links and 12 comments posted since your last visit
I'm a connection failure member? Did I torque someone off?
no links and 12 comments posted since your last visit
I'm a connection failure member? Did I torque someone off?
February 3
User page generates ColdFusion error (now fixed)
The user page for #24053 generates a ColdFusion error.
Bad Tags
Denver Meetup
Denver Mefi Meetup!
South Denver/DTC area mefi's! I'm in town for the weekend, and have some free time tomorrow (Saturday Feb. 4) evening. Who's available for a meetup? What's a good place to meet? What time works for everybody? What will you be wearing?
Let's discuss! My email's in my profile to finalize details.
South Denver/DTC area mefi's! I'm in town for the weekend, and have some free time tomorrow (Saturday Feb. 4) evening. Who's available for a meetup? What's a good place to meet? What time works for everybody? What will you be wearing?
Let's discuss! My email's in my profile to finalize details.
Spelling errors
Speeling error on the side bar.
Pony: temporary comment editing
Temporary comment editing?
I'm sure this has been brought up before but......It would be nice to be able to edit one's comments for a short period after posting. Not for very long, obviously, but long enough to fix glaring errors or spelling mistakes.
I'm sure this has been brought up before but......It would be nice to be able to edit one's comments for a short period after posting. Not for very long, obviously, but long enough to fix glaring errors or spelling mistakes.
What happend in this thread on Spodee?
What happend in this thread on Spodee? My comment is cut off in the middle and the posting box is screwed up.
Vancouver meetup February 2006
Reminder: Vancouver meetup Saturday Feb 4th, Smiley O'neils, 7pm. [mi]
Showing clickthroughs?
I don't know how technically difficult this is but... can I ask, is there ever any intention to show clickthroughs? I think it would enhance the site because a post without many comments but many clickthroughs indicates that it was a worthwhile post. I know this could be gamed... but would anyone bother (not a tracker just a count)? [excuse me if I have used clickthrough incorrectly, I mean how may times a post/link has been clicked on]
Where can I post to find a non-responsive user?
This AskMe thread, although well intentioned, broke the guidelines and was subsequently deleted. But its subject matter still deserves attention, I think, and so here it is, being posted again, where the question can hopefully achieve some good. Where is ethylene?
February 2
Anonymous AskMe
When one submits an AskMeFi question anonymously, how long does it typically take to get posted? And if Matt rejects it, how would one know?
Tag Search Testing
I'm testing out tag search on MeFi. Here's a search for "goo" and one for "music" showing typical results. It can be reached on the search page. Post any bugs or further suggestions inside.
MetaTalk RSS: TTL tag missing
TTL tag is missing in MetaTalk RSS (and possibly other feeds) but not the main Metafilter feed.
San Francisco Meetup
San Francisco Meetup, Sunday February 5, 7 p.m.. The boss and I will be in town to attend the Evans Data Developer Relations Conference, so we thought it might be fun to see some MeFites while in town. The gathering is at 21st Amendment (563 2nd Street), and we'll probably be the only table with an accordion. Hope to see you there!
Sketchbook sent around to artists thread...
SWM looking for a thread which features a sketchbook sent around to various artists, possibly from Canada.
Would it be worthwhile to incorporate a tag search?
Would it be worthwhile to incorporate a tag search as part of the post new thread process? I'm picturing it comparing the tags chosen for a new post to previously tagged threads, and displaying a list of threads with two or more tags in common.
Tokyo meetup, February 2006
February 2006, Tokyo MeFi meetup. More inside...
February 1
US-centric MeFi bias
I just know I'm going to get beaten up for this comment, but a lot of FPPs seem to assume that the audience is entirely American, or at least North American. The level of unthinking parochialism seems to have increased recently (or maybe it's just me). The Guidelines are silent as far as I can tell on whether MeFi has a particular cultural focus or bias, is there or should there be a policy on this?
I'm not seeing the usual buttons under the comment fields.
I'm not seeing the usual buttons under the comment fields. Bold, Italic, Link, et cetera. Is there upkeep/pony-development going on?
Can I log in and out of parts of MeFi?
I'd like to stay logged out of MetaFilter and MetaTalk while staying logged in to AskMeFi. Is that too tall of an order?
What are Contacts for?
Please explain the "Contacts" section of the profile.
Where, and under what circumstances should/would I link to another MeFite? Is this something people do in posts, or elsewhere?
Viewing the Contact Info of a Profile with Contacts seems to indicate something external to MeFi -- I see a column of links to profiles, and a column of external URLs, but nothing coupling them (although some of the identities of the latter are obvious).
And what's an example of a Contribution from a Contact?
Where, and under what circumstances should/would I link to another MeFite? Is this something people do in posts, or elsewhere?
Viewing the Contact Info of a Profile with Contacts seems to indicate something external to MeFi -- I see a column of links to profiles, and a column of external URLs, but nothing coupling them (although some of the identities of the latter are obvious).
And what's an example of a Contribution from a Contact?
RSS feeds for tags on both mefi and ask mefi
New feature: RSS feeds for tags on both mefi and ask mefi (example). Tag pages have links to feeds, or just add /rss to the URL to get the feed.
Repetitions in AskMe
Is it just me, or are the AskMe topics getting more repetitive?
Even if the questions are not repeats, they're slight variations on existing questions, where a huge number of the answers are either identical or extremely similar.
I'm not sure how many more times I can rephrase my answer on what non-stick cookware to buy, or hear another question about whether some 18-year old who got married too early should explore polyamory on a trial basis, or engage in a heated discussion about how to extend the life of laptop batteries. Presumably, this happens more often than just the ones I notice.
The questions are interesting even the first few times. But it does get old and I feel like my will to be helpful is being sapped as I repeat myself. Obviously, people aren't reading the archives, or not finding the previous posts that quite obviously apply to them. Anyone else feel this way?
We've built up quite a knowledge base here, but it seems to me that the knowledge of where the knowledge is is still concentrated at the edges. The search isn't doing it, or people aren't using it. (The fact that the search results can't be ordered by date probably contributes.)
As a secondary concern, I'd also like to be able to better find those historical questions that do apply to me.
Thoughts?
Even if the questions are not repeats, they're slight variations on existing questions, where a huge number of the answers are either identical or extremely similar.
I'm not sure how many more times I can rephrase my answer on what non-stick cookware to buy, or hear another question about whether some 18-year old who got married too early should explore polyamory on a trial basis, or engage in a heated discussion about how to extend the life of laptop batteries. Presumably, this happens more often than just the ones I notice.
The questions are interesting even the first few times. But it does get old and I feel like my will to be helpful is being sapped as I repeat myself. Obviously, people aren't reading the archives, or not finding the previous posts that quite obviously apply to them. Anyone else feel this way?
We've built up quite a knowledge base here, but it seems to me that the knowledge of where the knowledge is is still concentrated at the edges. The search isn't doing it, or people aren't using it. (The fact that the search results can't be ordered by date probably contributes.)
As a secondary concern, I'd also like to be able to better find those historical questions that do apply to me.
Thoughts?
The "royal we" or the Metafilter "we?"
Warning: This is a slightly silly question.
When people say "we" on MeFi, who are they referring to? An example of this is here - sorry plep, not meaning to pick on you but your comment reminded me of a thought I have often had. A username refers to a single person, so when I see someone say "we" instead of "I", I get confused. Do couples regularly browse MeFi together? Do friends split the $5 sign up and share an account? Do businesses have an account for urgent AskMe questions? Please indulge my curiosity.
When people say "we" on MeFi, who are they referring to? An example of this is here - sorry plep, not meaning to pick on you but your comment reminded me of a thought I have often had. A username refers to a single person, so when I see someone say "we" instead of "I", I get confused. Do couples regularly browse MeFi together? Do friends split the $5 sign up and share an account? Do businesses have an account for urgent AskMe questions? Please indulge my curiosity.
"My comments": truncation causes truculence?
I'm not sure of this is a bug or a feature, but I've noticed that in "My Comments" long comments are cut off. If it's a bug: "Hey Matt, I found a bug!" If it's a feature...well I suppose I see the logic, so whatever.
Watch This Thread
A Modest Pony Proposal: There's been talk in the past of adding a "Watch this thread" feature, which would be very useful. Is this still in the works?
L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg writing in Wired
Over at Wired News, there's a new article from(our very own) Lore Sjoberg, and it just happens to touch on the topics of opinion, the internet, and posters. And color me dumb, but I catch a hint of the old Metafilter ethos reflected.
Can anyone please tell me what the requirements are for posting on MetaFilter?
Can anyone please tell me what the requirements are for posting on MetaFilter?
I mean, it looks random but I am not sure.
I mean, it looks random but I am not sure.