MetaTalk for the logged in only?

January 4, 2005 8:20 AM

This is probably an annoying pony to add, but is there any way we can get a flag added to MetaTalk posts so that they'll only be visible to a user who is logged in?
posted by bshort to Feature Requests at 8:20 AM (31 comments total)

OK, I'll be the first to bite, I guess: why?
posted by Ryvar at 8:23 AM on January 4, 2005

Strongly disagree: it's good for non-members who are thinking of joining to be able to read MeTa, as this is where the guidelines get hashed out.

It's also where some of the most embarrassing stuff on the site happens, and they should be able to see that too.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 8:25 AM on January 4, 2005

So that we can post Metafilter-related things to MeTa that would be hidden from the great unwashed masses.
posted by bshort at 8:26 AM on January 4, 2005

bshort: again, why?
posted by Ryvar at 8:26 AM on January 4, 2005

So we don't have to air out our dirty laundry. Duh.

Of course when you do that, new users will be even more mystified when they don't really understand the rules of the place because no non-members will have a chance to sort throught the dirty laundry and learn how the place works before signing up.

To be honest, I suspect I was not atypical in that I rarely perused the gray or green before joining anyway, so maybe it's a moot point.

On review: Yeah, what PST said.
posted by Doohickie at 8:28 AM on January 4, 2005

There's a specific thing that I'd like to post about, but it's only for actual, registered users. And I'm not thinking of guidlines. More like announcements / invitations / requests / etc. that would only be for other users.
posted by bshort at 8:29 AM on January 4, 2005

We're not that kind of club.
posted by rushmc at 8:31 AM on January 4, 2005

Oh, so a flag that could be employed selectively? Interesting, though open to abuse.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 8:33 AM on January 4, 2005

Oh, yeah, I'm sorry if that wasn't clear. I meant a totally selective flag, and maybe one that works like the "anonymous" feature in AskMe, where it only gets posted after it gets an official stamp of approval.

I'd hate to completely hide MeTa from the public.
posted by bshort at 8:35 AM on January 4, 2005

It might be easier to make an only-available-to-mathowie MeFi listserv of all listed email accounts and whatever you'd like to send out could be submitted to him much like an AnonAskMe.
posted by sciurus at 8:35 AM on January 4, 2005

sciurus: some of us do not use email at all (spam, etc.), and have left information regarding this fact on our userpages specifically because Matt might someday try to contact us.
posted by Ryvar at 8:44 AM on January 4, 2005

You're right, I'm just thinking about ease of implementation instead of effectiveness.
posted by sciurus at 8:55 AM on January 4, 2005

the great unwashed masses.

Wait a minute, we're supposed to be washed here?

Gee, I'm sorry everyone.
posted by jonmc at 9:02 AM on January 4, 2005

To zee showers vit you, jon!
posted by SpecialK at 9:52 AM on January 4, 2005

I think it should look something like ...

posted by seanyboy at 11:15 AM on January 4, 2005

I like it!
posted by matteo at 11:36 AM on January 4, 2005

sciurus: some of us do not use email at all (spam, etc.), and have left information regarding this fact on our userpages specifically because Matt might someday try to contact us.

Note to others that there is a risk in this approach. If Matt feels the ned to talk to you the only thing he can do is suspend your account.
posted by Mitheral at 11:38 AM on January 4, 2005

Three cheers for seanyboy! That's a MeFi redesign we can all get behind.
posted by Plutor at 11:58 AM on January 4, 2005

Mitheral: that's why I put a notice on my userpage so that, on the off chance he visited it when in the middle of shouting, "WHO THE FUCK DOES THIS RYVAR THINK HE IS?!" he would know that emailing me isn't possible. It isn't really an 'approach' on my part so much as a simple fact that I've given up on email entirely. The entire mail protocol is, I've decided, useless in that it sucks up fifteen minutes every day and I only ever got one email every six months. All my friends, my family, parents, even my grandmother and my wife's parents and wife's grandmother all use AIM. There is literally not one person on the planet I communicate with frequently that does not have an AIM username.
posted by Ryvar at 11:59 AM on January 4, 2005

seanyboy! Thanks for the big smile.

*goes limp*
posted by taz at 12:14 PM on January 4, 2005

What's wrong with posting something like "Would anyone be interested in [non-specific description of thing]? Mefi members only, email me if you are." Although with anyone being able to buy their way in for $5, members-only seems like a bit of a meaningless restriction.
posted by reklaw at 12:37 PM on January 4, 2005

We're not that kind of club.

I agree. We have nothing to hide here.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 1:10 PM on January 4, 2005

Limp taz has effectively taped my mouth shut and I don't like it. Can I take this to MetaTalk? Oh, wait. Um, nevermind.

I like your post, seanyboy
posted by idest at 1:20 PM on January 4, 2005

I'm still not convinced it's a necessary pony, but I like seanyboy's implementation.
posted by me3dia at 1:37 PM on January 4, 2005

I found MetaTalk both informative and entertaining before I signed up, and it helped greatly with gauging whether it was worth signing up for, as opposed to continued lurking.

Ryvar, your rejection of e-mail explains so much. I've been trying to contact you for three months now. Your chimpanzee is ready for collection, but I'm afraid the velure Dr Seuss hat is permanently sutured to its ass.
posted by cosmonik at 2:23 PM on January 4, 2005

Cosmonik: ixnay on the arijuanamay ouriercay onkeymay
posted by Ryvar at 2:38 PM on January 4, 2005

velour
posted by cortex at 4:55 PM on January 4, 2005

seanyboy wins. Ryvar gets a honourable mention for use of pig latin.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:14 PM on January 4, 2005

an honourable mention, even.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:15 PM on January 4, 2005

I like the idea that a MeTa author can flag their post for a user's attention -- to a) make sure complaints are seen by perpetrators and b) to allow people to defend themselves.

All posts should be public, though. The community needs a place to vent -- I think that is possibly the single most important use of MetaTalk.
posted by nthdegx at 3:52 AM on January 5, 2005

Here's an idea: emails are only seen by members, so you could post in MeTa that you have an offer/idea/whatever, and refer people to your user page, where the info could be put into the email field (you could also include your email there, of course). I don't feel like experimenting, but it should work unless there's a character limit for that field. Right?
posted by taz at 4:38 AM on January 5, 2005