Is there a demand for an additional/different Mefi CD Swap?

August 4, 2004 8:11 PM

Is there a demand for an additional/different Mefi CD Swap?
posted by cmonkey to MetaFilter Music at 8:11 PM (48 comments total)

Dreama seems to be getting a bit fed up with running the unofficial MeFi Swap (apologies if I'm reading that post incorrectly). I have the time, database skills and colocated server to run one, but I don't know if there's any actual demand.

So, uh, if I put the energy into organizing another semi-regular Mefi CD Swap, would anyone participate?
posted by cmonkey at 8:11 PM on August 4, 2004

I'd do an online/email one.
posted by amberglow at 8:22 PM on August 4, 2004

i would love to participate in a waste sort of thing with the mefi brethren.
posted by addyct at 8:33 PM on August 4, 2004

Yup. I always seemed to just miss the "regular" swaps, then forgot about it until just after the next one, and so on.
posted by arco at 8:36 PM on August 4, 2004

I was out of town when the last thread came through so let me put in my two pennies.

I absolutely love the swap and am very grateful to Dreama for putting up with the headaches involved. She said in the above linked post that there was a 5-10% loser rate, so I guess I have been very lucky and never had a welcher in the several swaps I have participated in. I will always participate when a swap is going on and some of us have even swapped while the official swap has been delayed. I had a great time on the last swap, put together a 2CD comp and just channelled my inner 16yo in putting it together. I did two swaps and got 10 fantastic CDs and will swap whenever someone puts it together. I purchase tons of CDs and am a mad fool of a downloader, but there is something fantastic about getting a CD in the mail, especially one that it is obvious had some thought go into it.

Once again, major props to Dreama for getting the ball rolling and sustaining this for so long.
posted by spartacusroosevelt at 8:48 PM on August 4, 2004

I'm a welcher. I regret it, and have perfectly good excuses, but hey, that doesn't fix it. Blacklist me if you start a new swap.
posted by majick at 8:56 PM on August 4, 2004

I'm so in, but as I detailed in the previous thread I'm rather partial to the physical format.

And Dreama: thanks for keeping it going this long. There's a lot of us out there who really do appreciate the musical discoveries you've made possible.
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:00 PM on August 4, 2004

MeFi Swap #2: Five people were supposed to get CDs from me. Something very bad happened in my life at the time and I screwed all of you. Though I did get all 5 from you magical people, all of the discs were lost due to the bad thing (though I have the MP3s of them on my HD). That said, I have no idea who the five people were (I think one was FFF).

If you were someone I stiffed in the second round of swaps, please email me. I'd like to make it up to you now that the bad thing has passed. (However, please don't take advantage of my stupid memory and the bad thing to say you were one of those peeps if you weren't.)
posted by dobbs at 9:06 PM on August 4, 2004

but dobbs, you are like the one guy I would actucally want a mix cd from . . .
posted by Quartermass at 10:17 PM on August 4, 2004

How about a "dobbs sends stuff to people" swap? I'd sign up.

Actually, I've wanted to do a MeFi swap for a while, and would participate.

(and esch -- I swear I'm going to remember to buy a stamp and put some CDs in the mail one of these days)
posted by weston at 10:57 PM on August 4, 2004

I'm with Quartermass. Can we just have a "Swap With Dobbs" swap?
posted by amandaudoff at 10:57 PM on August 4, 2004

We could do a Waste thing or if someone can host Bittorrent seeds, we could do a BT thing.
posted by gen at 12:14 AM on August 5, 2004

i would love to participate in a waste sort of thing with the mefi brethren.

We could do a Waste thing or if someone can host Bittorrent seeds, we could do a BT thing.

WASTE all the way, baby. Somebody, please, with more gumption than me, get on this toute de suite!

BT simply won't work well for the size of the subcommunity of filesharers we'd get out of the MeFi gang, I don't think. Waste, though, based on my experiences with it with other gated communites that shall not be named, would be perfect (although, that said, I'm not sure if it scales well above about 50 concurrent users...).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:47 AM on August 5, 2004

All things considered, I'd prefer a swap of physical discs, but would a "swap via Dropload" sort of thing work?
posted by arco at 4:18 AM on August 5, 2004

or a mefi DC hub
posted by mr.marx at 4:18 AM on August 5, 2004

or a mefi DC hub

WASTE is encrypted and more secrety-like. Fuck the RIAA/MPAA *cough*.

would a "swap via Dropload" sort of thing work?

I suggested this a few threads ago, foolishly. Keep in mind that you need to re-upload a file for each unique email address that you're dropping a file to, and that each load is available for only 4 days after it's dropped. And that Jon specifically discourages the droploading of copyrighted material. So it's not such a great idea, really.

WASTE. I'm tellin' ya!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:28 AM on August 5, 2004

This last swap was my first, and I was met with a 60% success rate... but it won't at all diminish my enthusiasm for a mefi swap, and I'd be happy to help whomever with some degree of organizing or other fun administrativa. Or just to participate.
posted by moonbird at 4:36 AM on August 5, 2004

Somebody please explain how this Waste thing works. Is it a private file-sharing program? Wouldn't MIRC do the same thing? Just open a private room...?
posted by ashbury at 6:43 AM on August 5, 2004

waste is more secure.
posted by andrew cooke at 6:58 AM on August 5, 2004

The last time I tried to set up waste on linux I didn't get very far, but that might have been because I didn't care too much.

What about the private filesharing thing that someone posted to the front page about a month, month and a half ago?

Anyway, I'd participate in a swap.
posted by kenko at 7:27 AM on August 5, 2004

I'd be really into it, but only for physical discs. I'd have to burn it anyway, so I'd rather have interesting packaging from someone else. And I'd rather make packaging for them. You know, crafty.
posted by dame at 7:31 AM on August 5, 2004

I imagine the most common scenerio is that person A converts MP3s to PCM (wav), burns them on an audio disc, and sends them to person B, who rips the CD tracks to MP3s and keeps the CD around for listening away from the computer. The problem ends up being that the quality of the MP3s the second time around (when person B rips the CD) will be less than that of the original MP3s, even if the bitrate is kept the same. If you ultimately don't care about the CD, it'd be better to trade in MP3 (or Ogg, FLAC, SHN, etc.) mixes (either over the 'net or just MP3s on a CD).
posted by thebabelfish at 7:49 AM on August 5, 2004

Count me in for a physical swap. I'm just not savvy enough to know about these other things. Plus, I love getting mail. It's not often that I get something good in the mail these days.

And thanks to Dreama for everything. I've gotten a lot of great music in the swaps I've participated in. I look forward to continuing the swapping...
posted by MsVader at 8:03 AM on August 5, 2004

Y'all can also come over to MoFi and join in our CD swap as well. I think there's still time to sign up, but I'm not sure.
posted by livii at 8:17 AM on August 5, 2004

Or you know, some people just put their stereo next to the computer and listen to better sounding music on that. If people want to do actual mix CDs I'm in—hell just email if you want. But I don't want any of your dirty MP3s.

On preview this is supposed to come after BabelFish, but I stepped away for a bit.
posted by dame at 8:27 AM on August 5, 2004

thebabelfish, if you were going to do that but still wanted to send/receive physical CDs, you could just make data CDs. Bonus: more room!
posted by kenko at 8:37 AM on August 5, 2004

I'd be up for a swap, either physical or digital. I think the easiest way to do the digital swap would be with dropload or yousendit, rather than trying to organize waste or some similar private p2p network. However, people generally put more care into a physical swap, I think. The selection for burning and packaging just seems more important than throwing a playlist into a zip file and dumping it in dropload. Either way, though, I'll play.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:40 AM on August 5, 2004

I'm in with a physical or digital swap.
posted by rhapsodie at 10:36 AM on August 5, 2004

I'm up for a swap but would rather physical CD's simply because:
a) it's more likely I'll listen to them when someone puts that effort in
b) i've got a cool idea for my next cover
c) it's really nice to know someone on the other side of world is using my CD to stop their coffee mug staining their desk
posted by dodgygeezer at 11:45 AM on August 5, 2004

(I think one was FFF).

You rotten bloody bastard!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Truth is, it wasn't me. I haven't participated in a swap yet.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:53 AM on August 5, 2004

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm for actual physical discs because of various factors, both fetishistic and technical.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:09 PM on August 5, 2004

ha! perfect timing.

i'd love to do a swap. an actual real one involving DISCS you can hold in your hand. i'm a great believer in material things.
posted by nylon at 12:11 PM on August 5, 2004

Well, there seems to be enough interest for me to do it, the site (which will clearly look like it was designed by a programmer with no design skills) will probably be up this evening. If anyone has the desire to design the webpage, or the ability to host a forum, please email me.

(I'm firmly in the physical medium camp, myself)
posted by cmonkey at 12:20 PM on August 5, 2004

I might be interested in an MP3 swap, but once was enough for all that rigmarole with the actual physical CDs. Way too much work, and now I'm stuck with a batch of custom CDs I've only used once - my computer is my stereo, so I play everything back as an MP3. I guess I should throw them out, but I feel kind of bad doing that considering all the work that went into creating them.
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:50 PM on August 5, 2004

I'm into WASTE/mp3 or physical or psychic or whatever. I got shafted in the first BurnBabyBurn, but I'm forgiving.
posted by shoepal at 2:07 PM on August 5, 2004

Count me in for a physical swap! Although right this minute is not the best time as I'm between addresses. I'll sign up for a second round if we go with it.

Thanks to Dreama for such a suberb idea, I've had nothing but fun (first swap was 100% return, second was 60% and that was great too)
posted by nelleish at 2:55 PM on August 5, 2004

I'd love a new swap run by someone else.

I don't want to seem churlish, because Dreama obviously put in a lot of work, but it seems like she resents implementing it and the last swap suffered because of it. I moved mid-swap, and despite months of notice to update the swap lists, it never happened. I had to beg my set to resend. It also ran late because of problems with a "database", which seems slightly OTT for a swapset.

I think it could also have been more complicated than it needed to be - there was a forum for her to look after as well as the database thingy, and the password to get in to see your swapset was also complicated enough to generate plenty of emails to her. The martyr bit is also hard to stomach, because nobody was ever asked to help out, which I'm sure plenty of us would have done.

So thanks very much to Dreama for her hard work, but if you're enthused about it cmonkey, I'd be glad to join the swap.
posted by bonaldi at 4:09 PM on August 5, 2004

MetaFilter Music Swap Website #2 is now live and accepting registrations at mefiswap.ciphermonkeys.org.

It's not the prettiest website in the world, but registration is open, so tell all your (MetaFilter account holding) friends. The signup period might be extended, it depends on what kind of feedback I get.

I'm not sure if I should post another thread to MetaTalk announcing it or not.
posted by cmonkey at 6:19 PM on August 5, 2004

Excellent. Thanks for setting this up. I've signed up.

You might want to increase the max length on the username field a bit. It's set to ten characters right now.
posted by mragreeable at 6:46 PM on August 5, 2004

You might want to increase the max length on the username field a bit. It's set to ten characters right now.

Oops. That was supposed to be "100". Corrected, thanks.
posted by cmonkey at 7:13 PM on August 5, 2004

I signed up but didn't know what you meant by mefi id so put dobbs and now i realize it's probably my member number. Oops.
posted by dobbs at 10:35 PM on August 5, 2004

i'm in...looking forward to it already?
posted by mattr at 4:32 AM on August 6, 2004

I've signed up, and I feel a better person for it.

{Update}

The better person has now asked me to stop feeling him.
/Colin Hunt
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:22 AM on August 6, 2004

I'm in...but now I have to go figure out how to actually do it. (I know...everyone but me knows how to rip a CD...)
posted by dejah420 at 11:11 AM on August 6, 2004

This faq has some good tips on mix production.

Thanks to Dreama for her hard work. I hope the swap continues to be a success.
posted by asok at 11:56 AM on August 18, 2004

So, question....should I burn the CDs with .wav files or with .mp3 files?
posted by dejah420 at 6:54 AM on August 19, 2004

Your CD burning software will convert MP3s or OGG files into WAV files, which it'll then burn to the CD. Just make sure you tell the software to make an "audio disc" rather than a "data disc".
posted by cmonkey at 12:58 PM on August 20, 2004

Ah...I ask because I have software that rips wav files...but I thought I needed mp3s, so I've been testing software for that...and as it turns out, I don't need it, so...yay! One less thing to keep installed. :)
posted by dejah420 at 10:45 PM on August 20, 2004