[MeFi Site Update] July 27th July 27, 2022 7:04 PM Subscribe
Hi there, Metafilter!
Happy Wednesday! You’ll find some updates regarding the site below. I’m looking forward to your feedback and questions.
- Transition Team/Steering Committee updates
We delayed last week’s update to give some room for the Transition Team Post #4 and the Steering Committee Nominations Post. We’re working together to make this happen, while most of the initiative is being led by the Transition Team, Jessamyn, frimble and I have been assisting them as much as we can and I have been collecting feedback from the BIPOC Board as well. You can keep following the Transition Team's efforts here.
- Site changes
Cortex should now appear as retired for anything past July 1.
Frimble is trying to get metadata properly set up for Google on Ask again, which will take a bit of time before Google Crawlers index these changes.
Cat-scan.com, a legacy subsite, should be back up.
Several maintenance and fixes that were important.
Next in line: Setting up a page for the Steering Committee Voting.
We’re still trying to fix the bug in Chrome iOS.
- BIPOC Advisory Board
The Meeting #5 Update is up in the site and the Meeting #6 should be uploaded soon. We spent most of the Meeting #7 collecting feedback and recommendations about the Steering Committee selection process and how the BIPOC Board and the Committee will interact.Notes on that to come.
Up next: Releasing the tools I asked frimble to create for the Board and collecting feedback from the Board.
- Site Updates Frequency
Given that the next few weeks will be heavily focused on both the Steering Committee and the BIPOC Board, I’d like to propose changing the frequency of the Site Updates to once a month. What do you think?
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.
- Transition Team/Steering Committee updates
We delayed last week’s update to give some room for the Transition Team Post #4 and the Steering Committee Nominations Post. We’re working together to make this happen, while most of the initiative is being led by the Transition Team, Jessamyn, frimble and I have been assisting them as much as we can and I have been collecting feedback from the BIPOC Board as well. You can keep following the Transition Team's efforts here.
- Site changes
Cortex should now appear as retired for anything past July 1.
Frimble is trying to get metadata properly set up for Google on Ask again, which will take a bit of time before Google Crawlers index these changes.
Cat-scan.com, a legacy subsite, should be back up.
Several maintenance and fixes that were important.
Next in line: Setting up a page for the Steering Committee Voting.
We’re still trying to fix the bug in Chrome iOS.
- BIPOC Advisory Board
The Meeting #5 Update is up in the site and the Meeting #6 should be uploaded soon. We spent most of the Meeting #7 collecting feedback and recommendations about the Steering Committee selection process and how the BIPOC Board and the Committee will interact.Notes on that to come.
Up next: Releasing the tools I asked frimble to create for the Board and collecting feedback from the Board.
- Site Updates Frequency
Given that the next few weeks will be heavily focused on both the Steering Committee and the BIPOC Board, I’d like to propose changing the frequency of the Site Updates to once a month. What do you think?
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.
It's wonderful to get links to the latest from the BIPOC Advisory Board and terrific to learn about recent site/technical updates ... but I also have to say how delighted I am that cat-scan.com is back up. What a delightful thing, which I had forgotten about until now!
I think posting site updates once a month is fine - I am in favor of anything that helps keep the workload more manageable, and I think getting the updates on a fairly regular basis, even monthly, is more important than frequency. Once a week seems like kind of a lot to me. (A lot of work, that is.)
Thank you for the excellent update, loup! It's great to know what progress is going on behind the scenes, and I really appreciate just hearing from you regularly to let us know that things are chugging along.
posted by kristi at 9:42 PM on July 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
I think posting site updates once a month is fine - I am in favor of anything that helps keep the workload more manageable, and I think getting the updates on a fairly regular basis, even monthly, is more important than frequency. Once a week seems like kind of a lot to me. (A lot of work, that is.)
Thank you for the excellent update, loup! It's great to know what progress is going on behind the scenes, and I really appreciate just hearing from you regularly to let us know that things are chugging along.
posted by kristi at 9:42 PM on July 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
Once a month sounds just fine.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:05 PM on July 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:05 PM on July 27, 2022 [4 favorites]
Instead of once a month, how about at least once a month or sooner as issues warrant.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:18 PM on July 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:18 PM on July 27, 2022 [7 favorites]
Yeah, 1x month is fine w/ me.
Great to see so much progress being made, excellent work by all!
the cat-scan subsite is giving me feelings. love it. :)
posted by lazaruslong at 3:49 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Great to see so much progress being made, excellent work by all!
the cat-scan subsite is giving me feelings. love it. :)
posted by lazaruslong at 3:49 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think that 1x/month would work particularly well if there were also monthly updates from the SC posted on MeTa, such that there's some update on site direction/progress every other week. I'd be a bit worried if reducing to a monthly frequency meant that there were only updates once a month indefinitely in the future (since I think it's been excellent to have more frequent updates), but sharing the work with the SC seems like a good solution, and I think reducing it now while there's a lot of MeTa activity about selecting the SC/etc is a good idea.
posted by wesleyac at 4:38 AM on July 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by wesleyac at 4:38 AM on July 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
Cat.scan seems interesting - but I fear never finding it again - is it linked elsewhere on MeFi? Where are things adjacent to MeFi most often linked?
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:11 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:11 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
good point. maybe cat-scan should also live in Labs? maybe Labs could expand its scope a bit?
posted by lazaruslong at 6:10 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by lazaruslong at 6:10 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm just gonna say, I am so glad that y'all lifted the AskMeFi limitation of one ask a week -
Indeed, I have found myself using Ask substantially more often since this changed -- I no longer feel like I have to think about when I last asked a question and when I might next need to ask a question. When I have a question I think Ask can help me with, I just ask it. I was rarely without questions when I needed them in the past, and yet this mental shift has still been huge in how I relate to asking a question.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:41 AM on July 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
Indeed, I have found myself using Ask substantially more often since this changed -- I no longer feel like I have to think about when I last asked a question and when I might next need to ask a question. When I have a question I think Ask can help me with, I just ask it. I was rarely without questions when I needed them in the past, and yet this mental shift has still been huge in how I relate to asking a question.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:41 AM on July 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
maybe cat-scan should also live in Labs? maybe Labs could expand its scope a bit?
I had no idea that Labs was a thing! So thanks for mentioning that. Are there other pseudo-subsites and forgotten pages? Do we have a sitemap?
posted by Glier's Goetta at 7:28 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I had no idea that Labs was a thing! So thanks for mentioning that. Are there other pseudo-subsites and forgotten pages? Do we have a sitemap?
posted by Glier's Goetta at 7:28 AM on July 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's no site map but there are some good collections of MeFi stuff over at the MeFi Wiki. No idea how many of the "shadowy back alleys" are still extant but they can be fun to look through and are updateable since it's a wiki. Monthly updates seem fine to me as long as there is a throughline from update to update (i.e. if things were on a to do list last month, I'd like an update on them this month even if they're not done). This seems like it's mostly been happening but would be my only concern.
Very much appreciate everyone's hard work from frimble/loup and the mod team, to the Transition Team to the BIPOC Board.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:02 AM on July 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
Very much appreciate everyone's hard work from frimble/loup and the mod team, to the Transition Team to the BIPOC Board.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:02 AM on July 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
Given that the next few weeks will be heavily focused on both the Steering Committee and the BIPOC Board, I’d like to propose changing the frequency of the Site Updates to once a month
There're two ways I can read this:
I am very cognizant that apparent short term decisions turn into long term decisions when there is no explicit criteria and timeframe to revisit the decision and return to the previous status quo. So, to better understand what is being asked here, is loup proposing a short-term change that will be reverted after "the next few weeks" or an indefinite duration decision that's being justified based on activity in "the next few weeks"?
posted by saeculorum at 9:49 AM on July 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
There're two ways I can read this:
- Change the frequency of Site Updates for "the next few weeks" during the "[heavy] focus on both the Steering Committee and the BIPOC Board".
- Change the frequency of Site Updates indefinitely to once a month, because of the focus in the next few weeks on the Steering Committee and the BIPOC Board.
I am very cognizant that apparent short term decisions turn into long term decisions when there is no explicit criteria and timeframe to revisit the decision and return to the previous status quo. So, to better understand what is being asked here, is loup proposing a short-term change that will be reverted after "the next few weeks" or an indefinite duration decision that's being justified based on activity in "the next few weeks"?
posted by saeculorum at 9:49 AM on July 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
My two cents: there should basically always be some active update thread, which means monthly is fine. I think consistency is the most important thing, and I also think here should be continuity in the sense that things are included until they are resolved, even if there is not progress in a given month. I think less frequent, more detailed/consistent updates is probably a good trade off, and that’s not a complaint about the current quality. I assume things could change with the SC and all, but I will preemptively mention that I am in favor of continued loup updates because it is probably better to have one person doing them then a committee maybe not doing them. (Would have made a keeping us in the loup pun, but I assume it is pronounced French for wolf which would keep us in the loo, which is very much not the same idea.)
posted by snofoam at 5:43 PM on July 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 5:43 PM on July 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
Don't worry about forgetting about cat-scan.com, you'll see it at least once a year on the front page.
posted by biogeo at 11:09 PM on July 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by biogeo at 11:09 PM on July 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
My point was that subsites and fun things on MeFi are often unfindable even for old timers like me, much less new people.
posted by tiny frying pan at 4:28 AM on July 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 4:28 AM on July 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Mod note: A few updates/clarifications:
- AskMeFi posting limit: This was changed back in February.
- Site Updates Frequency: Thank you for the feedback, we'll have *at least* one update a month, and increase the frequency if there's anything important to report. I'll make sure to keep reporting and following up on the progress of side projects from update to update. Also, well go back to more frequent Site Updates once the Steering Committee is up and running.
posted by loup (staff) at 1:22 PM on July 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
- AskMeFi posting limit: This was changed back in February.
- Site Updates Frequency: Thank you for the feedback, we'll have *at least* one update a month, and increase the frequency if there's anything important to report. I'll make sure to keep reporting and following up on the progress of side projects from update to update. Also, well go back to more frequent Site Updates once the Steering Committee is up and running.
posted by loup (staff) at 1:22 PM on July 29, 2022 [6 favorites]
How large is the BIPOC advisory board? I think the original goal was 5-10 volunteer members -- are privacy concerns taking user names off the 2022 roll calls (minutes #4 & #5)?
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:10 PM on July 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:10 PM on July 29, 2022 [2 favorites]
Just verifying that I am, in fact, retired in my byline!
posted by cortex (retired) at 7:09 PM on July 29, 2022 [19 favorites]
posted by cortex (retired) at 7:09 PM on July 29, 2022 [19 favorites]
Congrats, cortex!
posted by mochapickle at 7:15 PM on July 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by mochapickle at 7:15 PM on July 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just verifying that I am, in fact, retired in my byline!
Weird, on my screen it reads "on brief break, but we'll get him back in the dungeon."
You should talk to someone about that.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 PM on July 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Weird, on my screen it reads "on brief break, but we'll get him back in the dungeon."
You should talk to someone about that.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 PM on July 29, 2022 [3 favorites]
Hmm to my eyes it says "Still owes jessamyn some paperwork"
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:18 PM on July 29, 2022 [35 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:18 PM on July 29, 2022 [35 favorites]
Maybe it's 'cause I'm still using Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1, but on my screen it reads "musical director".
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:32 PM on July 29, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:32 PM on July 29, 2022 [9 favorites]
Popping in to answer Iris Gambol's questions:
How large is the BIPOC advisory board? I think the original goal was 5-10 volunteer members -- are privacy concerns taking user names off the 2022 roll calls (minutes #4 & #5)?
1. We agreed to have the BIPOC Advisory board size set to 5-10 members. At the moment, the board is comprised of 3 active members, plus loup and myself. We have two new users who have been invited to join after sending in their applications, but I have yet to hear back from those folks. With them joining in, we would have exactly 5 members, plus me and loup.
2. No, so far privacy concerns are not taking user names off the 2022 roll calls. If a user ever requested to remove their name from roll call, I'd go ahead and replace their username with something like "1 anonymous member in attendance" or something to make the member count clear.
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 6:29 PM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
How large is the BIPOC advisory board? I think the original goal was 5-10 volunteer members -- are privacy concerns taking user names off the 2022 roll calls (minutes #4 & #5)?
1. We agreed to have the BIPOC Advisory board size set to 5-10 members. At the moment, the board is comprised of 3 active members, plus loup and myself. We have two new users who have been invited to join after sending in their applications, but I have yet to hear back from those folks. With them joining in, we would have exactly 5 members, plus me and loup.
2. No, so far privacy concerns are not taking user names off the 2022 roll calls. If a user ever requested to remove their name from roll call, I'd go ahead and replace their username with something like "1 anonymous member in attendance" or something to make the member count clear.
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 6:29 PM on August 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by yueliang at 7:10 PM on July 27, 2022 [30 favorites]