March 30, 2004

• I've mentioned the monkeyhouse to a couple online and another rl friend, hinting at how it needs more interesting posters. Of course, they all marveled at how I managed to get any work done, given all the boards and places I check daily on the interweb, but that's another story. Widespread promotion may bring a troop :) of new users, and its share of bozos and trolls, but I guess that, if a bigger membership is desired, it's a risk that has to be run. Every board I've ever been on had some wackos that arrive and, if not teased or feed, they just go away.
• I'm for aggressive conversion, like the Mormons or something. I'm going to start spamming everyone I'm connected to on Friendster right now!
• I would only add that there are likely more Mefite wannabee's who don't know about Monkeyfilter and, as has been mentioned before, maybe a notice should be put up at Metafilter announcing membership available at Monkeyfilter. I realize this has been done before (it's how I found out), but maybe, if Matt allows, continue putting it up every once in awhile. Considering how long people have been pounding on the door to get in, it's been very nice having another option. On a personal level, I would LOVE for people like; Crunchland (for his awesome flash games/links), Stan Chin, y2karl, MiguelCardoso (for questions within questions), stupidsexyFlanders (just 'cause I like the name), well....the list could go on, to join in. I will say, however, that I am happy that homonculus, quonset_the_hut, languagehat and all the others found their way over here. These are the very people that have helped make Metafilter such an addictive site to read and dream of becoming a member of. You are all the wind beneath my wings.
• I received a spam the other day, offering me a CD containing millions and millions of email addresses...
• Mefite wannabee... ouch, that hurt. (>_<) Well, the truth always does...
• If Matt says no, we can chip in for an ad.
• Be Best if Matt could put the notice on the "New User" link.
• I think right here would be an OK plateau to stay on for a little while. Maybe let new members come as they come, rather than aggressively solicit. Of course, if you have friends, by all means invite them.
• Flagpole, I can say that because it describes me, too. Again, though, thank goodness for Monkeyfilter!
• Our first bulk wave came from the MeTa threads, second from the MeFi blackout. Unless we post some breaking news here first or some fantastic spreads-like-wild-fire post gets attributed to MoFi or MeFi has another blackout, our pool will stagnate. There won't be a third wave. We'll have to create one. Do we start now? I say yes. Certainly before Matt reopens membership. I'm thinking it will happen around June.
• uh... sabotage MeFi's server? No, just kidding. Kinda... Well, where else can we look for new users? Can we set our sights further than MeFi? Who will our target 'demographic' be? Lots of questions, no answers. Sorry.
• I'm thinking it will happen around June. So, mathowie will incorporate our uniqueness into his own? I doubt this. And of course if some idiot hadn't booked his user name really early, he would have already commented here. Right in this space. Come on, folks, we have our own (very pleasant) life. Why not let it grow like a little plant? It will hapen.
• It won't hapen all at once, but it will hapen.
• i agree with the wolof .... just let it do its thing
• 150 or so new people have found their way here this month, so I don't think we need to worry about our pool stagnating.
• the organic 'softly softly' approach seems fine. numbers don't worry me (says the guy with one posting and 16 previous comments).
• I agree with Wolof's natural growth philosophy. Touting for members could make us look a bit desperate, whereas I think we're doing OK. Our hit-rate of respectable posts per head must be vastly higher than Mefi's 17 thousand (many of whom must surely be dead, so far as I can see). I reckon in fact we should think about closing membership at 1,000 - then Mofi lurkers will be beating on the doors in droves...
• Looking for "grow it organically"! ... *ding!* *clap* *clap* good answer! good answer! *clap* *clap*
• >>it needs more interesting posters I BEG YOUR PARDON!!! fie! and once again i ask... WHY exactly are we concerned about this? aren't you guys having fun with the folks we have???
• I'm with the organic people.
• (besides, dizzy hasn't been here for several weeks. once he returns, he counts as five silly hyperactive members.)
• Hey! where's dizzy, otherwise known as The Man, or the guy that freaked us out since that Jim Loy thread?
• Dizzy, should have his own fan site. He deserves it more than the Q, IMO (flame suit ready).
• I, have. a, problem. with, punctuation. marks, definitively.
• I agree with Wolof. Our moto should be: MoFi: Leting it Hapen
• I'm in the organic camp too.
• "MonkeyFilter: Second banana to Metafilter" Seriously, just let it grow. But if we do stagnate, I have a case of duct tape and primer-gray windowless van we can drive around the country to 'recruit' Mefi-ers careless enough to fill in too much location data in their profile. Just sayin.
• Ok, ok, it kinda seems like there might be some sort of a mild opposition to active recruitment. A little opposition is a good thing. ernie, good idea. We'll start with Euless, TX.
• "MoFi: Fooning Your Cola since 2003"
• Zemat, if I remember correctly, Dizzy was separated from his family during his hyperactive posting spree. When he moved, he rejoined them, and so is probably today enjoying what doctors and scientists call "a life."
• Well, he doesn't know what he's missing. This "life" thingy, it vibrates?
• Gyan: Don't forget to pronounce it 'useless' :) fake addresses are fun
• Oh, just wait for that 'fake domain address' fraud bill to get passed. We'll track you down, BWAHAHAHAHA.
• i say keep it word of mouth. part of the problems mefi had RE: members was that it grew so fast, it stopped feeling like a community. so we grow in little bursts - so what? it gives us a chance to get to know one another before the next influx mixes things up a bit. plus, yeah - advertising kinda makes it look desperate. nobody wants that.
• but then who will drive the recruitment van?
• ...and so is probably today enjoying what doctors and scientists call "a life." Ohhh... So, when is he coming back? Dizzy, I really wish you well man.
• Yes, please don't "actively recruit." What organization do you know that actively recruits, that you want to be a part of? I got here through a post on MeFi that that credited MoFi. Maybe that's what you should do if you want to get more attention here--post something really good no one else has.
• My vote's for organic growth ... I think we'll attract people who'll stick that way - a recruitment drive (would the van be left hand or right hand drive?) might attract people who'll post once then disappear ...
• Indeed, is the quality of our posting that will attract other monkeys. But we have no need for new people. Let them come as they feel like it.
• I'm with Wolof. Also, I think trying to attract frustrated MeFi wannabes is not necessarily the best options. How many of them, after all, are frustrated Freepers and LGFers wanting to vent on the HomoLefty conspiracy?
• If you post here they will come... sorry I couldn't resist
• What organization do you know that actively recruits It's because we can't reproduce. /Anita Bryant
• i say we just let mofi evolve
• If we start posting highly partisan or extremist stuff we will attract the very best of the net. That is, the completely nonsensical ranting opposite. To date, the posts have been mild in tone. We even have coerced those who slighty start drifting away of the status-quo. *dons anti-poo poncho*
• Let Mofi evolve, indeed.
• What is this "Mefi" that people keep talking about? I and many others have emailed Matt before asking if he'd be willing to stick a link to MoFi up, and I for one never got a response. The mefites are well aware of MonkeyFilter, though and the name turns up more often than you might think -- try doing a search on Metafilter for MonkeyFilter. Any "wannabes" will find MoFi easily enough that way. I'm for natural evolution, by the way.
• I'm surprised he didn't put a link on the etc page, tracicle. It could've replaced the now dead warfilter quite easily.
• Good one, tracicle!!!
• I'm not surprised that Matt hasn't put up a link on Metafilter. At some point, he will want to open membership up again, and I'd guess he is reluctant to promote MonkeyFilter and risk losing the cool new MeFites to us. After all, how many of us used to be MetaFilter wannabes, and now are perfectly happy here? (Me, for one.) Sure, it would be *nice* to be able to join MeFi, but there's no sense of urgency about it. Oh, and I'm for evolution too. (Can't believe no one posted that one yet.)
• We only have 16,363 less members than Metafilter. At the current rate it will only take about 7 years to catch up. look at their stats for 2000, we're doing okay as we are IMHO.
• /Natural evolutionary
• At some point, he will want to open membership up again Honestly, and I know I may sound jaded, but I doubt that will ever happen. Which is fine with me. I'm happy here.
• I'm happy here. I second that! Been getting quite tired of reading the same old arguments bounce back and forth at MeFi in the last few months. And I noticed the profanity quotient has been rising alot too. I don't have a problem with swearing, but excessive use really puts me off. MoFi: I'm hapy here. Cheers, Wolof!
• I'm with gspm-- Softly, softly, catchee Monkey! I'm for gradual evolution. After all, we don't need everybody and his stinkin' baboon in here, do we? Darshon, what about Plep and The big Q?
• The big Q giveth, but he also slappeth away.
• I wrote "...all the others...." because my comment was getting large and there were too many names to list. I believe I did add the big Q.
• I found that quite amusing, too, Wolof.
• i found a nifty little coloring box in the bottom left of my browzilla. More bananas i say!
• I can think of a few mefites and others whom I would consider targetting with special, personal invitations (Messrs. Cardoso, Wonderchicken, Kafkaesque, Romakimmy, cowboy_sally, Quonsar, jonmc, Ingatious Reilly to name but a few, and from ages past, Messrs. Holgate, Lileks, etc. - I could go on, and each of you likely know several someones who would add trenchant, informed commentary, superior links and the occasional well-crafted wisecrack to the proceedings); but otherwise I'm staunchly a Darwinist here. A mass solicitation might easily garner a crowd, and the non-nice could easily slip in. Smaller is clubbier. Clubbier is friendlier. Friendlier is politer. And polite, friendly discussion of the issues of the day and various net-finds is why I joined Mefi and, later, Mofi. There's more than enough bloodblogs out there - why not let's be different?
• *reads Wolof's 'slappeth away' link* Alright, forget Quonsar. Libelous rascal!
• Isn't quonsar already here? And Miguel Cardoso has already abandoned us once, after chasing away an imposter. Why open ourselves up to the pain again. Anyway, its Troutfishing I'm in love with. (Always was a Brautigan fan)
• The mefites I admire are already here (yes, that includes Coldchef and wendell) so it won't bother me if the rest doesn't come.
• Troutfishing would make a fine addition to Monkeyfilter, I agree. As for the rest, forgive my ignorance and consider them representative examples of the kind of prospect I wouldn't mind seeing approached.
• Agreed Zemat. *waves shyly at thomcatspike, languagehat and moonbird* Plus our own standout posters and personalities are evolving right before our beady little eyes.
• Special personal invitations? The door's open as it is. I'm sure these people are truly wonderful, but what's wrong with reading them on Metafilter?
• jonmc? Ug. Please. The second-to-last thing MoFi needs is some attention grabbing "regular guy" persona who turns up and craps all over threads with his "I'm so much more world weary and disillusioned than you all" persona. I'd rather see hama7 turn up that that. I may think he has the politics of a loon, but he does find some fiiiiine links.
• hama7's already here, rodgerd.
• jonmc's a friend of mine and, while I concede the image, there's much more to him than meets the eye. It was not my aim that we debate the merits of individuals, was just forwarding the idea of selecting certain individuals for invitation, is all.
• each of us, after all, have our friends and detractors - could any of us survive the critical gaze of all, and would any of us meet with unanimous approval? I'm certain I wouldn't.
• Is it really him, Zemat, or just one of the people hoovering up MeFi names?
• That is hama7. He posted a couple of good links, I remember. This comment would seem to confirm his identity. Also, I don't really think we should be slagging off people who aren't even here. Its not particularly pleasant, really, sniping behind peoples backs. I know I wouldn't appreciate it, at least. It was not my aim that we debate the merits of individuals, was just forwarding the idea of selecting certain individuals for invitation, is all. ... each of us, after all, have our friends and detractors - could any of us survive the critical gaze of all, and would any of us meet with unanimous approval? I'm certain I wouldn't. I agree with Fes, again. I know I wouldn't, either. Also, debating whether other people are desirable for this community seems a little presumptious to me. What if its decided they don't meet our exacting criteria? Do we get tracicle to block their membership application?
• I don't know....maybe. Tracicle, if skallas wanted in, what would you do?
• I sincerely hope that my comment was recognized for what it was....snarky.
• I'm totally staying out of this one.
• I'm totally staying out of this one. Best comment of the thread (<-- 100% sarcasm free).