[MeFi Site Update] November 2024 November 21, 2024 2:04 PM Subscribe
Hi there!
Welcome to this month’s Site Update!
You can find the previous update here.
Profit & Loss
– You can find this month's P&L report here. The previous P&L reports are here.
Admin
– Internal communications about changes to Guidelines and Content Policy are still ongoing and we'll share a draft of these changes on a separate Meta post to get feedback from the community. The lack of appropriate mod engagement and lack of clear expectations when it comes to MetaTalk are two problems we want to address (collectively). We want Metas to stay on topic (fundraising in the fundraising thread, marketing in the marketing thread, and so on).
– We are shifting responsibilities around so that there are clearer communications and expectations. Moving forward Brandon will be the main communicator in MetaTalk (and my accountability partner when it comes to delivering). That doesn't mean that I will not be present here; we just want to make it so that the mod team can be more present overall.
– Jessamyn has filed MetaFilter LLC’s Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR), finished the site valuation and compiled a list of considerations for the MeCoFo upcoming transition.
– Deactivated MeFi’s Twitter/X Account due their new ToS.
– Opened a MeFi Buesky account.
– We are moving away from Teepublic and have set up a RedBubble account where you can find The Pet Tax Wall we created for the fundraiser as well as other merch. This is just a first step, so we are looking for help designing new merch, if you’d like to help, please Contact Us .
– We are considering having the MeFi podcast back and are looking for help in production and editing. Please Contact Us if you would like to be part of it.
– We are still finalizing the Digital Cookbook with the contribution of a fellow MeFite who offered help but has been unable to get it done yet.
– We’ve been kicking around ideas for Theme Day posts and welcome any suggestions to have some fun along these lines.
Tech
– Work towards the new site is still ongoing. We’ll provide updates as they are available.
– Allocated server resources ahead of time and monitored peak loads on webserver and database during the US Elections night. (the site completely went down during the 2016 elections so we wanted to be prepared this time around)
– Fixes for the way Bluesky handles in “also on”
BIPOC Advisory Board
We are back to the regular monthly cadence and have added placeholders for the missing meeting minutes in the BIPOC Board’s Page.
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.
Welcome to this month’s Site Update!
You can find the previous update here.
Profit & Loss
– You can find this month's P&L report here. The previous P&L reports are here.
Admin
– Internal communications about changes to Guidelines and Content Policy are still ongoing and we'll share a draft of these changes on a separate Meta post to get feedback from the community. The lack of appropriate mod engagement and lack of clear expectations when it comes to MetaTalk are two problems we want to address (collectively). We want Metas to stay on topic (fundraising in the fundraising thread, marketing in the marketing thread, and so on).
– We are shifting responsibilities around so that there are clearer communications and expectations. Moving forward Brandon will be the main communicator in MetaTalk (and my accountability partner when it comes to delivering). That doesn't mean that I will not be present here; we just want to make it so that the mod team can be more present overall.
– Jessamyn has filed MetaFilter LLC’s Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR), finished the site valuation and compiled a list of considerations for the MeCoFo upcoming transition.
– Deactivated MeFi’s Twitter/X Account due their new ToS.
– Opened a MeFi Buesky account.
– We are moving away from Teepublic and have set up a RedBubble account where you can find The Pet Tax Wall we created for the fundraiser as well as other merch. This is just a first step, so we are looking for help designing new merch, if you’d like to help, please Contact Us .
– We are considering having the MeFi podcast back and are looking for help in production and editing. Please Contact Us if you would like to be part of it.
– We are still finalizing the Digital Cookbook with the contribution of a fellow MeFite who offered help but has been unable to get it done yet.
– We’ve been kicking around ideas for Theme Day posts and welcome any suggestions to have some fun along these lines.
Tech
– Work towards the new site is still ongoing. We’ll provide updates as they are available.
– Allocated server resources ahead of time and monitored peak loads on webserver and database during the US Elections night. (the site completely went down during the 2016 elections so we wanted to be prepared this time around)
– Fixes for the way Bluesky handles in “also on”
BIPOC Advisory Board
We are back to the regular monthly cadence and have added placeholders for the missing meeting minutes in the BIPOC Board’s Page.
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.
Also, the contact us link is just back to this post.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:23 PM on November 21 [4 favorites]
posted by Sparky Buttons at 2:23 PM on November 21 [4 favorites]
Might I suggest some work be put into promoting the pet tax poster? Namely, breaking it out into a real post, and linking to a poster in an appropriate size, rather than the generic redbubble store, which recommends a miniscule sticker as the first product?
posted by sagc at 2:30 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
posted by sagc at 2:30 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
with the contribution of a fellow MeFite who offered help but has been unable to get it done yet.
The phrasing on this considering the demonstrated time management capability of paid staff makes my tummy hurt.
posted by phunniemee at 2:34 PM on November 21 [6 favorites]
The phrasing on this considering the demonstrated time management capability of paid staff makes my tummy hurt.
posted by phunniemee at 2:34 PM on November 21 [6 favorites]
An “accountability partner.”
posted by jgirl at 2:50 PM on November 21 [2 favorites]
posted by jgirl at 2:50 PM on November 21 [2 favorites]
The lack of appropriate mod engagement
okay, that's a good start
and lack of clear expectations when it comes to MetaTalk are two problems we want to address (collectively). We want Metas to stay on topic (fundraising in the fundraising thread, marketing in the marketing thread, and so on).
If this translates to more deletions and policing, no thanks. What mods think the topic is and what users think the topic is should be allowed to conflict. If you don't like the way a thread is going, open a new one yourselves, point to it, engage with it seriously.
posted by trig at 3:02 PM on November 21 [5 favorites]
okay, that's a good start
and lack of clear expectations when it comes to MetaTalk are two problems we want to address (collectively). We want Metas to stay on topic (fundraising in the fundraising thread, marketing in the marketing thread, and so on).
If this translates to more deletions and policing, no thanks. What mods think the topic is and what users think the topic is should be allowed to conflict. If you don't like the way a thread is going, open a new one yourselves, point to it, engage with it seriously.
posted by trig at 3:02 PM on November 21 [5 favorites]
Mod note: Thanks y'all for pointing out the snafu with links, otherwise, we're just listening for the moment.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 3:12 PM on November 21
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 3:12 PM on November 21
What'd I miss with the X TOS?
Lets Musk use all user content for AI training.
posted by brook horse at 3:26 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Lets Musk use all user content for AI training.
posted by brook horse at 3:26 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
There is way too much stuff on the site todo list, especially given the team’s ability to execute. Members have been clear, focus on transition. Some of this stuff should give way.
Have you started looking at this list with an eye on what you can cut. Why would you do a podcast at this time? Why does MeFi need a Bluesky account? Can you sunset the BIPOC advisory board and let your successors handle it? Should mods take a back seat on engagement (such as theme posts) until the site cools down and the mods have some user trust.
I’m also a little concerned about the lack of tech updates on a project that was supposed to be almost done. Is that project realistically going to finish? The old saw about how the last 20% of the project is 80% of the work comes to mind. I like the idea of the rewrite because your successor could then implement mod tools for non-paid moderation, done right the rewrite is strategically important. That said, site migrations require operational excellence and I don’t have confidence in those abilities at all. If the rewrite is not ready now, should it be paused until after the transition takes place.
posted by shock muppet at 3:49 PM on November 21 [5 favorites]
Have you started looking at this list with an eye on what you can cut. Why would you do a podcast at this time? Why does MeFi need a Bluesky account? Can you sunset the BIPOC advisory board and let your successors handle it? Should mods take a back seat on engagement (such as theme posts) until the site cools down and the mods have some user trust.
I’m also a little concerned about the lack of tech updates on a project that was supposed to be almost done. Is that project realistically going to finish? The old saw about how the last 20% of the project is 80% of the work comes to mind. I like the idea of the rewrite because your successor could then implement mod tools for non-paid moderation, done right the rewrite is strategically important. That said, site migrations require operational excellence and I don’t have confidence in those abilities at all. If the rewrite is not ready now, should it be paused until after the transition takes place.
posted by shock muppet at 3:49 PM on November 21 [5 favorites]
We were told a month ago that the pet tax poster was done, but needed more work to be available for sale. We were told seven days ago that the pet tax wall was done and available for sale and that Loup would make a post about it. 3 days ago, I submitted a MeTa promoting the pet tax wall which was rejected with the rationale that there was still polishing to be done.Finally today the Pet Tax wall is mentioned in a MeTa post below the fold in the 11th paragraph with the “pet tax” text unlinked. How much staff time has been spent on this in the past month, and why are you so resistant to promoting a fundraiser?
posted by bowbeacon at 4:06 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
posted by bowbeacon at 4:06 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
We’ve been kicking around ideas for Theme Day posts and welcome any suggestions to have some fun along these lines
Maybe do it as a bingo for December ... e.g.
If trying for a bingo gives someone a reason to take that risk, then it's a success in at least one respect.
posted by Wobbuffet at 4:33 PM on November 21
Maybe do it as a bingo for December ... e.g.
----------+-----------+----------+----------+---------- Rework an | Games | Under- | Who?? | A land FPP from | people | ground | | of con- 2009 | play | or sea | | trasts ----------+-----------+----------+----------+---------- Rework an | Begins | Over- | How?? | I, for AskMe as | with | head | | one, an FPP | J | | | welcome ----------+-----------+----------+----------+---------- Via Music | This is | WILD- | What?? | Your Fanfare & | just to | CARD | | favorite Projects | say ... | POST | | band ... ----------+-----------+----------+----------+---------- Via | The art | In the | Why?? | Schmoopy Mefi's | of the | mind's | | Own | essay | eye | | ----------+-----------+----------+----------+---------- Dedicated | Ballet, | Inside | When?? | Eponys- to a fave | holiday, | and | | terical Mefite | or entree | outside | | ----------+-----------+----------+----------+----------Not sure those all work, but the idea is, like, if you choose to make 5 front-page posts in December that match any 5 categories arranged in a line (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally), then you have completed the bingo challenge. How to interpret the categories is up to you. As always, FPPs should meet community guidelines, and posts run the usual risk of, uh, feedback.
If trying for a bingo gives someone a reason to take that risk, then it's a success in at least one respect.
posted by Wobbuffet at 4:33 PM on November 21
The fundraiser is a failure and it would be best to just move on from it.
This is a horrible time to resurrect the podcast.
I don't know what an accountability partner is. If you need one to do this job, maybe this job isn't a good fit for you.
Please, for all that is holy, no more MeTas asking for community feedback. Do something with the feedback all of you have already received.
Can you or someone please provide an update on the new site beta test?
posted by Diskeater at 4:43 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
This is a horrible time to resurrect the podcast.
I don't know what an accountability partner is. If you need one to do this job, maybe this job isn't a good fit for you.
Please, for all that is holy, no more MeTas asking for community feedback. Do something with the feedback all of you have already received.
Can you or someone please provide an update on the new site beta test?
posted by Diskeater at 4:43 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
why are you so resistant to promoting a fundraiser?
Actually, hiding the Pet Tax Wall away from public scrutiny is probably the only mod decision I find myself agreeing with lately. It was a well intentioned I'm sure but frankly a weird idea to start with, and its unfortunate use as a rhetorical device to excuse why other site projects fell to the wayside both built up expectations and became a local meme. I don't know what I expected, but the execution--given the buildup and the implication that other projects were put to the side to work on it--is embarrassing. Making a whole metatalk to advertise this would NOT be a celebration of a fundraising opportunity, it would be yet another opportunity to centralize the failures of site management. I'm here for the lulz, the Pet Tax Wall is stupid and I would love to make fun if it with all of you in good humor, but it's not going to be that in a whole post. It's going to be shit on site management again time (rightly), and people will get mad, and more people I like will probably button or get permaband [sic].
I would LOVE to move past all this recent trash with a staff that says you know what, you right, we've been fucking up. But we're moving forward now with full effort into the transition. Make a Metatalk post/banner link about the Redbubble account later, if/when there's new and more merch. The Pet Tax Wall can definitely be a part of a bigger and better merch selection, but it would be Bad Idea Jeans to make it the sole focus of anything.
posted by phunniemee at 4:44 PM on November 21
Actually, hiding the Pet Tax Wall away from public scrutiny is probably the only mod decision I find myself agreeing with lately. It was a well intentioned I'm sure but frankly a weird idea to start with, and its unfortunate use as a rhetorical device to excuse why other site projects fell to the wayside both built up expectations and became a local meme. I don't know what I expected, but the execution--given the buildup and the implication that other projects were put to the side to work on it--is embarrassing. Making a whole metatalk to advertise this would NOT be a celebration of a fundraising opportunity, it would be yet another opportunity to centralize the failures of site management. I'm here for the lulz, the Pet Tax Wall is stupid and I would love to make fun if it with all of you in good humor, but it's not going to be that in a whole post. It's going to be shit on site management again time (rightly), and people will get mad, and more people I like will probably button or get permaband [sic].
I would LOVE to move past all this recent trash with a staff that says you know what, you right, we've been fucking up. But we're moving forward now with full effort into the transition. Make a Metatalk post/banner link about the Redbubble account later, if/when there's new and more merch. The Pet Tax Wall can definitely be a part of a bigger and better merch selection, but it would be Bad Idea Jeans to make it the sole focus of anything.
posted by phunniemee at 4:44 PM on November 21
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This is not a good way to start an update post when members are having trust issues and issues with organizational effectiveness.
posted by shock muppet at 2:19 PM on November 21 [5 favorites]