¯\_(?)_/¯ April 24, 2017 12:24 PM Subscribe
Greetings, Sapients! Did you know: MetaFilter has an official chat channel/room/etc.? This is a fact: IT DOES! [previously: the unofficial MetaFilter chat site] It is a very fun and interesting and wondrous place (especially when I am not there) full of assorted cute animal GIFs (especially when Metafilter's Own bread crumbs is there) and random nonsense (especially when I AM there). I promise you that we do not bite unless you sign the consent form and submit it in triplicate three weeks or greater in advance - guess how that tradition started! You will have to guess, the court records are sealed. Ha HA! Dental appliances.
Please stay frosty and/or toasty, and as always, vote your preferred brand of quidnunc kid #1!
This segues well into a question I have: Is it now policy for the mods to start deliberately chatty MetaTalk threads?
posted by terrapin at 1:02 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by terrapin at 1:02 PM on April 24, 2017
Why bother with a chat channel, just post whatever you want to chat about on the blue.
I keep posting "'sup? A/S/L?" to AskMe but those overbearing communist moderators obviously have something against me because they keep deleting my questions.
Is it now policy for the mods to start deliberately chatty MetaTalk threads?
I don't think it's policy so much as a successful and much-welcomed attempt to foster community and lighten the mood.
posted by bondcliff at 1:08 PM on April 24, 2017 [30 favorites]
I keep posting "'sup? A/S/L?" to AskMe but those overbearing communist moderators obviously have something against me because they keep deleting my questions.
Is it now policy for the mods to start deliberately chatty MetaTalk threads?
I don't think it's policy so much as a successful and much-welcomed attempt to foster community and lighten the mood.
posted by bondcliff at 1:08 PM on April 24, 2017 [30 favorites]
Is it now policy for the mods to start deliberately chatty MetaTalk threads?
I dunno if policy is the right word for it, but it's something we've been embracing with the weekly-ish Metatalktails posts for the last few months, yeah; they're low-stress, fun, and give folks a non-grar reason to be looking over here, all of which I'm strongly for. It's nice to just sort of chill together and talk about this or that for no reason sometimes.
Is there an IRC bridge?
You can get at chat via IRC clients at least in principle; I think it might be a bit fussy for some clients, but I haven't tried to do so in a while so am not a great source of info on the details.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
I dunno if policy is the right word for it, but it's something we've been embracing with the weekly-ish Metatalktails posts for the last few months, yeah; they're low-stress, fun, and give folks a non-grar reason to be looking over here, all of which I'm strongly for. It's nice to just sort of chill together and talk about this or that for no reason sometimes.
Is there an IRC bridge?
You can get at chat via IRC clients at least in principle; I think it might be a bit fussy for some clients, but I haven't tried to do so in a while so am not a great source of info on the details.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
GRAR!
posted by INFJ at 1:16 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by INFJ at 1:16 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
The cocktail hours must be working because we went an entire week with no MeTa posts between the last two.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:18 PM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by mbrubeck at 1:18 PM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
Thanks, cortex. The posts were happing so frequently I assumed it was decided to create engagement within the community on a lighter level.
posted by terrapin at 1:35 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by terrapin at 1:35 PM on April 24, 2017
You can do your own XMPP bridge with Bitlebee. I've used it with Openfire, GoogleTalk, and HipChat it basically works.
posted by skynxnex at 1:55 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by skynxnex at 1:55 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Nah, just actually a quiet week. There were a couple total non-starters of the "what were you even thinking" variety that should have just been contact form stuff in the first place, but that's it.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:48 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:48 PM on April 24, 2017
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who was marveling at the full week with no MeTas. I suspect it's not the first time, but it's rare. Remember when we used to be stunned when we went a whole day without one?
posted by nickmark at 3:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by nickmark at 3:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
Whoa MetaChat is back? Yay. It was down for quite a while with some database error.
Anyway, yeah, I've been lurking off and on in official chat recently, but there just didn't seem to be a ton going on. If more people will be there I will join y'all.
I only have the barest inkling of what exactly goes on in the unofficial #mefi IRC chat, but from what I hear it's some dark magick and so I have thus far shied away...
posted by limeonaire at 3:19 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Anyway, yeah, I've been lurking off and on in official chat recently, but there just didn't seem to be a ton going on. If more people will be there I will join y'all.
I only have the barest inkling of what exactly goes on in the unofficial #mefi IRC chat, but from what I hear it's some dark magick and so I have thus far shied away...
posted by limeonaire at 3:19 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
/logs on, parties
posted by Existential Dread at 4:07 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Existential Dread at 4:07 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
limeonaire, ~5 people online when I posted, 14 online now and several others who have been and gone.
Strategery: Accomplished!
posted by Evilspork at 4:10 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Strategery: Accomplished!
posted by Evilspork at 4:10 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Is it now policy for the mods Miguel to start deliberately chatty MetaTalk threads?
Everything old is new again. (Besides, now that ARE YOU RRRRRRRREADY TO RRRRRRUMBLE-style Metatalks are increasingly frowned upon, something's gotta take up the slack.)
posted by octobersurprise at 6:01 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Everything old is new again. (Besides, now that ARE YOU RRRRRRRREADY TO RRRRRRUMBLE-style Metatalks are increasingly frowned upon, something's gotta take up the slack.)
posted by octobersurprise at 6:01 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
I dunno if policy is the right word for it
Official policy will have to wait for the general meeting of the 23rd MetafilterCabal Internationale (Paphnutyist).
posted by zamboni at 8:16 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
Official policy will have to wait for the general meeting of the 23rd Metafilter
posted by zamboni at 8:16 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
The Chicago Cabal shall NOT be in attendance.
(TINCC)
posted by Evilspork at 9:15 AM on April 25, 2017
(TINCC)
posted by Evilspork at 9:15 AM on April 25, 2017
Speaking of metatalktails, I'm reminded of this chatty Migs metatalk. Bonus: the very first comment is by Matt asking Migs if he's drunk.
(Another fave: Migs asking about a "sexy scene" at a meet-up. Bonus: cortex demanding more sex scenes. Lagniappe: Nick Denton blowing up a condom.)
posted by octobersurprise at 9:26 AM on April 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
(Another fave: Migs asking about a "sexy scene" at a meet-up. Bonus: cortex demanding more sex scenes. Lagniappe: Nick Denton blowing up a condom.)
posted by octobersurprise at 9:26 AM on April 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
I would embrace this but I see that it's only for Sapients.
::sulk::
posted by Splunge at 9:26 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
::sulk::
posted by Splunge at 9:26 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
They let a talking utensil in.
Well, not that they let me in, but haven't figured out how to keep me out yet.
posted by Evilspork at 11:07 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
Well, not that they let me in, but haven't figured out how to keep me out yet.
posted by Evilspork at 11:07 AM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
"The posts were happing so frequently I assumed it was decided to create engagement within the community on a lighter level."
Yeah, even before I was a mod I liked to post Metatalks of things like "show us your purse!" or "tell us a fun fact about yourself!" when the community got grumpy. So after the election when everyone was terminally grumpy I posted a cocktail hour thread just for fun, and it went super-great, so I started posting them most Saturday nights, after my kids go to bed when my house is all quiet and I'm the only one up, moderating, and MetaFilter posts slow to a crawl, and I think to myself, "It's time for chattiness!" (Although it is definitely true that I am on the more chatfilter-friendly end of things!)
Anybody who has a cool idea for a metatalktail hour thread can send me their idea! (memail or e-mail!) I have a running list which, as of today, will carry me about 3 months.
And if/when I run out I am TOTALLY doing the "show me your purse!" thread again because that is maybe my favorite thread on metafilter ever, you guys have awesome purses.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:28 PM on April 25, 2017 [8 favorites]
Yeah, even before I was a mod I liked to post Metatalks of things like "show us your purse!" or "tell us a fun fact about yourself!" when the community got grumpy. So after the election when everyone was terminally grumpy I posted a cocktail hour thread just for fun, and it went super-great, so I started posting them most Saturday nights, after my kids go to bed when my house is all quiet and I'm the only one up, moderating, and MetaFilter posts slow to a crawl, and I think to myself, "It's time for chattiness!" (Although it is definitely true that I am on the more chatfilter-friendly end of things!)
Anybody who has a cool idea for a metatalktail hour thread can send me their idea! (memail or e-mail!) I have a running list which, as of today, will carry me about 3 months.
And if/when I run out I am TOTALLY doing the "show me your purse!" thread again because that is maybe my favorite thread on metafilter ever, you guys have awesome purses.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:28 PM on April 25, 2017 [8 favorites]
Whoa MetaChat is back? Yay. It was down for quite a while with some database error.
It was only a few days, in actuality. It's been going for 10+ years now.
FYI to others, MetaChat isn't a realtime chat. It's a posting site with a similar blog format as the blue, and posts/comments are archived. It's for informal interaction and works pretty well for asynchronous conversation, should you care to jump in.
Evilspork, did you coordinate w/anyone about new member signups for MetaChat? Just want to make sure someone is there to press the button if people learn about this via this post and want to join. We may need an admin heads-up since mods aren't checking it as regularly.
posted by Miko at 8:42 PM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
It was only a few days, in actuality. It's been going for 10+ years now.
FYI to others, MetaChat isn't a realtime chat. It's a posting site with a similar blog format as the blue, and posts/comments are archived. It's for informal interaction and works pretty well for asynchronous conversation, should you care to jump in.
Evilspork, did you coordinate w/anyone about new member signups for MetaChat? Just want to make sure someone is there to press the button if people learn about this via this post and want to join. We may need an admin heads-up since mods aren't checking it as regularly.
posted by Miko at 8:42 PM on April 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
Apologies, my only experience with MetaChat is knowing they are not Metafilter Chat.
posted by Evilspork at 6:15 AM on April 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Evilspork at 6:15 AM on April 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Sadly, having an apostrophe in your username seems to break the chat application. Don't be like me, kids.
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 6:20 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 6:20 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Bizarro quidnunc kid is an Eagle scout with merit badges in empathy and selflessness.
posted by y2karl at 7:04 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 7:04 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
The web chat? There was a similar problem with external chat programs needing escaped punctuation for your login information, but I don't remember it happening to the web version - though any complainers like you would never make it through to notice. I would suggest the contact form to see if frimble can take a poke at it.
posted by Evilspork at 7:07 AM on April 26, 2017
posted by Evilspork at 7:07 AM on April 26, 2017
There's some info here in the FAQ about how to deal with special characters in your username. If that doesn't work, let us know the details and frimble can take a look.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 8:42 AM on April 26, 2017
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 8:42 AM on April 26, 2017
Update to my old Pidgin Client Instructions for Windows 7 (its very good!)
Get Pidgin version 2.12
Step one:
Go: Accounts menu: Manage accounts: Add
In the Basic tab:
Protocol: XMPP
Username: mefiusername_in_lowercase
domain:chat.metafilter.com
resource:
Password: mefi_password
Click Add.
Accept cert.
Step two:
In the main window: go Buddies (terrible menu name)
Click Join a Chat
VIP Select you MEFI CHAT ACCOUNT
Room: mefi
Server: conference.chat.metafilter.com
Handle: mefi_handle
password: mefipassword
Step three:
Talk about lentils to your content.
posted by zenon at 9:07 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Get Pidgin version 2.12
Step one:
Go: Accounts menu: Manage accounts: Add
In the Basic tab:
Protocol: XMPP
Username: mefiusername_in_lowercase
domain:chat.metafilter.com
resource:
Password: mefi_password
Click Add.
Accept cert.
Step two:
In the main window: go Buddies (terrible menu name)
Click Join a Chat
VIP Select you MEFI CHAT ACCOUNT
Room: mefi
Server: conference.chat.metafilter.com
Handle: mefi_handle
password: mefipassword
Step three:
Talk about lentils to your content.
posted by zenon at 9:07 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you don't teach your content about lentils… someone else will.
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:13 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:13 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Apologies, my only experience with MetaChat is knowing they are not Metafilter Chat.
Are these different from MetaChat Filter? And, while we're here, what's the difference between a goblin, elf and dwarf?
posted by Wordshore at 10:24 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Are these different from MetaChat Filter? And, while we're here, what's the difference between a goblin, elf and dwarf?
posted by Wordshore at 10:24 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Wow, thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions!
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 10:29 AM on April 26, 2017
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 10:29 AM on April 26, 2017
dwarves have different and greater musculature.
posted by INFJ at 10:34 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by INFJ at 10:34 AM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
is this the right place to embarrass josh about its being his birthday today
posted by beerperson at 12:16 PM on April 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by beerperson at 12:16 PM on April 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Dude, happy birthday, cortex!
posted by limeonaire at 1:50 PM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by limeonaire at 1:50 PM on April 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
emphasis mine: I have a running list which, as of today, will carry me about 3 months.
I love you nerds so much
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:03 PM on April 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
I love you nerds so much
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:03 PM on April 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
I know zenon's password!
posted by Literaryhero at 5:59 AM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Literaryhero at 5:59 AM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hey, cortex and my wife have the same birthday!
Come to think of it, you never see cortex and my wife together in the same place at the same time.....hmmmm....
posted by briank at 12:18 PM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
Come to think of it, you never see cortex and my wife together in the same place at the same time.....hmmmm....
posted by briank at 12:18 PM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
I would embrace this but I see that it's only for Sapients.
What's a philosophical zombie got to do to get a drink around here?
posted by invitapriore at 1:44 PM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
What's a philosophical zombie got to do to get a drink around here?
posted by invitapriore at 1:44 PM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
It is a very fun and interesting and wondrous place (especially when I am not there)
He LIES.
He's actually the life of the party in chat.
posted by Michele in California at 2:13 PM on April 28, 2017
He LIES.
He's actually the life of the party in chat.
posted by Michele in California at 2:13 PM on April 28, 2017
what's the difference between a goblin, elf and dwarf?
Six out of Seven dwarves aren't Happy. (But only one of the remaining Six is truly Grumpy)
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:25 PM on April 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Six out of Seven dwarves aren't Happy. (But only one of the remaining Six is truly Grumpy)
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:25 PM on April 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Apologies, my only experience with MetaChat is knowing they are not Metafilter Chat.Thanks! This was not at all obvious to the casual passer by of sites with the word "chat" in them. Turn out this is a new thing (to me) rather than an old thing. I had no idea. Neat.
posted by eotvos at 4:59 PM on April 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
"He's actually the life of the party in chat."
But that's an entirely different definition from fun/interesting/wondrous!
posted by Evilspork at 9:10 PM on April 28, 2017
But that's an entirely different definition from fun/interesting/wondrous!
posted by Evilspork at 9:10 PM on April 28, 2017
Fine! Be that way!
I will correct my inaccurate statement. Evilspork is not even THE life of the party. There are several people who are frequently there who can be counted on to be funny, light-hearted and yadda.
But he is on the short list of "frequently around and usually keeps it light and funny."
I hope you are happy now.
posted by Michele in California at 9:27 AM on April 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
I will correct my inaccurate statement. Evilspork is not even THE life of the party. There are several people who are frequently there who can be counted on to be funny, light-hearted and yadda.
But he is on the short list of "frequently around and usually keeps it light and funny."
I hope you are happy now.
posted by Michele in California at 9:27 AM on April 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
I have to GRAR. Many years ago I tried to get an integrated MeFi chat server going and it burned brightly and faded away from lack of interest from the total lack of interest from the MeFi Inc. folk of the time. :(
Though there are much better web XMPP clients nowadays and getting actual MeFi auth integration and official sanction and promotion makes a big difference so I'm not too GRAR.
posted by zengargoyle at 11:10 AM on April 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
Though there are much better web XMPP clients nowadays and getting actual MeFi auth integration and official sanction and promotion makes a big difference so I'm not too GRAR.
posted by zengargoyle at 11:10 AM on April 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by Wolfdog at 1:00 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]