MetaFilter site rebuild update: 4/18/2025 April 18, 2025 11:54 AM Subscribe
your regularly scheduled update on the ongoing work to rebuild MetaFilter.com. see details and references inside.
some context for those who may not know what this is about: kirkaracha is rebuilding the MetaFilter website. I've volunteered as project manager. you'll be hearing from me weekly until this project launches.
Updates this week
no significant process this week. kirk was on vacation until the top of the week, and tends to spend the weekends doing the bulk of his volunteer work for this. we have added and adjusted some things in the tracker based on feedback from the last post and also as I get more clarity on the status of specifics from before I hopped on.
Primary priorities
the biggest thing right now is to fix logging in on the beta website so that folks can continue bug and stress testing systems. this has also delayed my ability to properly assess the bug tickets that have come in so far. if/when we can get that fixed within the next week, I'll drop an update into this thread.
due to kirk's being out, we haven't sorted out priorities too much beyond that; the next update should be more substantive in this regard.
A note on voting
this came up a bit in the last thread so I want to say something here to put it to bed as much as possible: I've discussed board voting with loup, Rhaomi, and kirk (and klipspringer) and my strong recommendation is that voting be detached from this project as much as is possible. whether or not that means we use the new site (pre-launch) as a functional platform for voting, I don't really have a strong opinion except that any such work should be considered distinct and additional to the work and scope of the new site itself.
you'll still find voting in the scope tab of the tracker, but it's been scratched out and highlighted just as a "this has been here but as soon as a proper plan's in place it's not going to be" marker for our team.
klip's emailed Rhaomi directly this week to lay out various alternative ideas to approaching voting. it's up to Rhaomi and/or the board to inform you all of the thinking and plans beyond that; I'm not going to speak for them on what comes next.
Feedback desired
if there's anything else you'd like to hear from me about this work, please let me know here. I want this to feel as open and transparent as it can be to the larger community while also being work mostly conducted by a few folks with the bandwidth; decisions may be made unilaterally, for example, but they should never be made without providing context to all of you.
A personal note
I work at the CFPB. virtually everyone at the CFPB, myself included, was sent notice yesterday that we'd been fired. as of today a judge's order may overturn that. no one knows what's going to happen, but we know what the administration intends to do.
so, ah, I am a little wrung out right now. no matter what happens in the immediate future, it's nice to have this to dedicate myself to, as a distraction at the very least.
Previous MetaTalks about the site rebuild
some context for those who may not know what this is about: kirkaracha is rebuilding the MetaFilter website. I've volunteered as project manager. you'll be hearing from me weekly until this project launches.
- Current version of the beta site available for review (Note: signing up is still bugged)
- MASTER TRACKER: this spreadsheet tracks project scope, bug fixing progress, new feature assessment, and all the other links and details you'd need to see what's going on and/or help out.
Updates this week
no significant process this week. kirk was on vacation until the top of the week, and tends to spend the weekends doing the bulk of his volunteer work for this. we have added and adjusted some things in the tracker based on feedback from the last post and also as I get more clarity on the status of specifics from before I hopped on.
Primary priorities
the biggest thing right now is to fix logging in on the beta website so that folks can continue bug and stress testing systems. this has also delayed my ability to properly assess the bug tickets that have come in so far. if/when we can get that fixed within the next week, I'll drop an update into this thread.
due to kirk's being out, we haven't sorted out priorities too much beyond that; the next update should be more substantive in this regard.
A note on voting
this came up a bit in the last thread so I want to say something here to put it to bed as much as possible: I've discussed board voting with loup, Rhaomi, and kirk (and klipspringer) and my strong recommendation is that voting be detached from this project as much as is possible. whether or not that means we use the new site (pre-launch) as a functional platform for voting, I don't really have a strong opinion except that any such work should be considered distinct and additional to the work and scope of the new site itself.
you'll still find voting in the scope tab of the tracker, but it's been scratched out and highlighted just as a "this has been here but as soon as a proper plan's in place it's not going to be" marker for our team.
klip's emailed Rhaomi directly this week to lay out various alternative ideas to approaching voting. it's up to Rhaomi and/or the board to inform you all of the thinking and plans beyond that; I'm not going to speak for them on what comes next.
Feedback desired
if there's anything else you'd like to hear from me about this work, please let me know here. I want this to feel as open and transparent as it can be to the larger community while also being work mostly conducted by a few folks with the bandwidth; decisions may be made unilaterally, for example, but they should never be made without providing context to all of you.
A personal note
I work at the CFPB. virtually everyone at the CFPB, myself included, was sent notice yesterday that we'd been fired. as of today a judge's order may overturn that. no one knows what's going to happen, but we know what the administration intends to do.
so, ah, I am a little wrung out right now. no matter what happens in the immediate future, it's nice to have this to dedicate myself to, as a distraction at the very least.
Previous MetaTalks about the site rebuild
Thanks for the update and I am sorry that your job situation is so uncertain. We need the CFPB, so I hope for your sake and everyone's that you continue to work there.
posted by mai at 12:03 PM on April 18 [8 favorites]
posted by mai at 12:03 PM on April 18 [8 favorites]
Thank you, Kybard, and I'm so sorry about your work situation.
posted by lapis at 3:03 PM on April 18 [4 favorites]
posted by lapis at 3:03 PM on April 18 [4 favorites]
Thank you Kybard, for your work here globally and for Americans at home.
posted by samthemander at 5:38 PM on April 18 [2 favorites]
posted by samthemander at 5:38 PM on April 18 [2 favorites]
Thanks for your work here and sending you hugs for your stressful (no) job situation.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 9:10 PM on April 18
posted by gentlyepigrams at 9:10 PM on April 18
Thank you, Kybard for your work both here and for the CFPB. I hope we hear good news on the latter, both for you and for the nation.
posted by NotLost at 9:26 PM on April 18
posted by NotLost at 9:26 PM on April 18
Kybard, I think there are some folks around here that want to combine your two jobs. Reading MetaTalk, I get the impression that some would complain that they are being ripped off bc they are not getting their $5 worth from the mods.
Not me.
Thank you for your volunteer efforts here and good luck with the Protection Board job.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:47 AM on April 19
Not me.
Thank you for your volunteer efforts here and good luck with the Protection Board job.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 1:47 AM on April 19
Kybard, you’re awesome. I’m so sorry for your work situation although it benefits us.
posted by warriorqueen at 4:28 AM on April 19 [1 favorite]
posted by warriorqueen at 4:28 AM on April 19 [1 favorite]
Thank you for the update. I restarted my monthly MeFi donation today because between this work and the Mod Oversight committee I feel like I would no longer be throwing money at an entity crippled by inertia.
I'm so sorry about your job and hope you find the best possible Next Thing.
posted by kimberussell at 6:44 AM on April 19 [2 favorites]
I'm so sorry about your job and hope you find the best possible Next Thing.
posted by kimberussell at 6:44 AM on April 19 [2 favorites]
Kybard, that fucking sucks. Sorry you have to deal with the situation, it's madness over there.
posted by ginger.beef at 7:06 AM on April 19
posted by ginger.beef at 7:06 AM on April 19
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posted by Kybard at 11:57 AM on April 18