Where the action is
October 16, 2006 3:43 PM Subscribe
Just as, in sex, 90 percent of my body does nothing at all, 9 percent contributes a little, and 1 percent does most of the work.
Uh, make that 12 percent.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:46 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
Uh, make that 12 percent.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:46 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
So, pretty much like real life?
posted by doctor_negative at 3:49 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by doctor_negative at 3:49 PM on October 16, 2006
hot geek on geek.
posted by crunchland at 3:52 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by crunchland at 3:52 PM on October 16, 2006
From the article:
"On any given user-participation site, you almost always hear from the same 1% of users, who almost certainly differ from the 90% you never hear from."
That's just stuipid. How can he be certain without them participating?
And yeah, pretty much like real life. Although I do think the web is more representative because a lot of people who wouldn't normally be vocal in their communities are on the web.
posted by twistedonion at 3:55 PM on October 16, 2006
"On any given user-participation site, you almost always hear from the same 1% of users, who almost certainly differ from the 90% you never hear from."
That's just stuipid. How can he be certain without them participating?
And yeah, pretty much like real life. Although I do think the web is more representative because a lot of people who wouldn't normally be vocal in their communities are on the web.
posted by twistedonion at 3:55 PM on October 16, 2006
and 1% of users account for almost all the action.
Yes I do.
posted by jonson at 3:56 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
Yes I do.
posted by jonson at 3:56 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
hot geek on geek.
In jonson's case, it's all solo.
posted by crunchland at 4:00 PM on October 16, 2006 [2 favorites]
In jonson's case, it's all solo.
posted by crunchland at 4:00 PM on October 16, 2006 [2 favorites]
And again - the online world imitates the physical world. I would say that this breakdown could pretty much be extrapolated to most of reality.
Having said that, I would also have to say that people are members of many 'communities' in life. It's impossible to contribute 100% to each one of those communities, but they all seem to exist and thrive.
posted by tgrundke at 4:00 PM on October 16, 2006
Having said that, I would also have to say that people are members of many 'communities' in life. It's impossible to contribute 100% to each one of those communities, but they all seem to exist and thrive.
posted by tgrundke at 4:00 PM on October 16, 2006
1% Inner Party / 9% Outer Party / 90% proles?
posted by Guy Smiley at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Guy Smiley at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2006
Personally, I've perfected the swaggering lurk.
posted by Haruspex at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by Haruspex at 4:01 PM on October 16, 2006 [1 favorite]
I guess that would put me in the 9%, but I'm shooting for the big zero one! This could be a great (and irritating) pony request for MeTa: Matt, can you set it up so that I can see my percentige of contribution action when compared to the rest of MeFi? Please!
posted by quin at 4:05 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by quin at 4:05 PM on October 16, 2006
Wait this is from the early 90s? So much has changed technology wise I don't know if this is still valid -- especially in the realm of social networking. I notice that on social networking sites there is now a fairly strong feedback mechanism. Those who use and contribute receive respones, while those who don't ... don't. The demographics of an online community have changed so much from the early 90s. It's not just computer enthusiasts anymore.
posted by geoff. at 4:06 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by geoff. at 4:06 PM on October 16, 2006
Also, 85% of the population has no knowledge of self, 10% have some knowledge of self, but use it to control the other 85%, and 5% do have true knowledge of themselves. So says Clarence 13X. This is indisputable.
posted by Falconetti at 4:06 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Falconetti at 4:06 PM on October 16, 2006
Needs to be a pie chart. Mefite v. all other Mefites.
posted by klaatu at 4:07 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by klaatu at 4:07 PM on October 16, 2006
geoff. writes "So much has changed technology wise I don't know if this is still valid -- especially in the realm of social networking."
I'm sure Orkut would be useful. If I could speak/write portuguese...
posted by clevershark at 4:13 PM on October 16, 2006
I'm sure Orkut would be useful. If I could speak/write portuguese...
posted by clevershark at 4:13 PM on October 16, 2006
20% of the people doing 80% of the work. Everyone else is fired!
posted by empyrean at 4:14 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by empyrean at 4:14 PM on October 16, 2006
docpops said it best.
This is common in any social group, as has been pointed out. In any club of any size, there is a vast majority of people who simply don't participate beyond receiving whatever the standard benefit is (newsletter, reading jerkoffs like me ramble online, whatever). Often you see pleas from the 1% begging for participation, but it never works and why should it?
Just look at the 90% as underwriting the pleasure of the 10%.
posted by maxwelton at 4:16 PM on October 16, 2006
This is common in any social group, as has been pointed out. In any club of any size, there is a vast majority of people who simply don't participate beyond receiving whatever the standard benefit is (newsletter, reading jerkoffs like me ramble online, whatever). Often you see pleas from the 1% begging for participation, but it never works and why should it?
Just look at the 90% as underwriting the pleasure of the 10%.
posted by maxwelton at 4:16 PM on October 16, 2006
Think I'll just lurk this thread...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:17 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by ZenMasterThis at 4:17 PM on October 16, 2006
i noticed this a long time ago on usenet when i discovered that in many of the newsgroups i went, i kept running into the same people ...
posted by pyramid termite at 4:23 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by pyramid termite at 4:23 PM on October 16, 2006
In other decades old net theory news, we should all enter a Temproary Autonomous Zone instead of Bowling Alone.
posted by ChasFile at 4:25 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by ChasFile at 4:25 PM on October 16, 2006
geoff.: Wait this is from the early 90s? So much has changed technology wise I don't know if this is still valid -- especially in the realm of social networking.
My data on late-elementary students from 2004 and 2005 supports Pareto's law or Zipf curve. 1% of the population posts hundreds or thousands of messages, and about 90% of the population posts one or two messages for any given time period. Nielson also cites some more recent data regarding Wikipedia, but honestly, I didn't find this to be well written summary of this phenomenon.
Those who use and contribute receive respones, while those who don't ... don't. The demographics of an online community have changed so much from the early 90s. It's not just computer enthusiasts anymore.
Not much have changed on either of these points since the 1980s when synchronous and asynchronous messaging were first developed. And the internet has rarely been just computer enthusiasts.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 4:26 PM on October 16, 2006
My data on late-elementary students from 2004 and 2005 supports Pareto's law or Zipf curve. 1% of the population posts hundreds or thousands of messages, and about 90% of the population posts one or two messages for any given time period. Nielson also cites some more recent data regarding Wikipedia, but honestly, I didn't find this to be well written summary of this phenomenon.
Those who use and contribute receive respones, while those who don't ... don't. The demographics of an online community have changed so much from the early 90s. It's not just computer enthusiasts anymore.
Not much have changed on either of these points since the 1980s when synchronous and asynchronous messaging were first developed. And the internet has rarely been just computer enthusiasts.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 4:26 PM on October 16, 2006
Wow -- Jakob has almost as many facial expressions as Paris Hilton!
posted by spilon at 4:28 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by spilon at 4:28 PM on October 16, 2006
I get the point of the "High resolution pictures" but god does that look self indulgent...
posted by delmoi at 4:30 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by delmoi at 4:30 PM on October 16, 2006
Is this a veiled criticism of me? 'Cuase if it is, I can give you all the meaningless one-link posts and snark you could ever hope for?
Meta-meta-filter?
posted by Navelgazer at 4:31 PM on October 16, 2006
Meta-meta-filter?
posted by Navelgazer at 4:31 PM on October 16, 2006
That's just stuipid. How can he be certain without them participating?
Measuring IP traffic vs. meaningful site interactions? It's not rocket science—x number of people visit a website. y number of people leave a mark. z number of people leave a mark often and eagerly.
posted by cortex at 4:33 PM on October 16, 2006
Measuring IP traffic vs. meaningful site interactions? It's not rocket science—x number of people visit a website. y number of people leave a mark. z number of people leave a mark often and eagerly.
posted by cortex at 4:33 PM on October 16, 2006
Says cortex eagerly, and often ;)
posted by Roger Dodger at 4:37 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Roger Dodger at 4:37 PM on October 16, 2006
Like a couple of people said, its just like life. There are 3 kinds of people, those that make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder 'what happened?'
I second the idea for a realtime public ranking system.
posted by sfts2 at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2006
I second the idea for a realtime public ranking system.
posted by sfts2 at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2006
Lurking is hard work. Without constant vigilance, it can degenerate into mere lounging about, loafing around, and other thoroughly degenerate practices - all carried out often, and eagerly enough, to be sure, but somehow lacking the quiet satisfaction of a really good lurk.
posted by Urban Hermit at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Urban Hermit at 4:41 PM on October 16, 2006
For the purposes of this study, does trolling count as contributing?
posted by lekvar at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by lekvar at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2006
I don't participate because I am stupid.
posted by CynicalKnight at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by CynicalKnight at 4:42 PM on October 16, 2006
Says cortex eagerly, and often ;)
*refreshes My Comments repeatedly*
posted by cortex at 4:44 PM on October 16, 2006
*refreshes My Comments repeatedly*
posted by cortex at 4:44 PM on October 16, 2006
Urban Hermit -Nice
posted by Navelgazer at 4:47 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Navelgazer at 4:47 PM on October 16, 2006
sorry about the capital C fuckup, cortex. i think you did the same thing to me the other day, oddly.
posted by Kwine at 4:50 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Kwine at 4:50 PM on October 16, 2006
quin : "Matt, can you set it up so that I can see my percentige of contribution action when compared to the rest of MeFi? Please!"
Not exactly what you're requesting, but check out the Metafilter Contribution Index.
By the way, you're nowhere close.
posted by Bugbread at 4:51 PM on October 16, 2006
Not exactly what you're requesting, but check out the Metafilter Contribution Index.
By the way, you're nowhere close.
posted by Bugbread at 4:51 PM on October 16, 2006
Well I guess I'm part of that 90%, I've signed up for digg, kuro5hin, slashdot, globeandmail, gamefaqs, amazon, geocities, blogspot, plastic, fark, imdb, youtube and dozens more and I never gotten around to posting on any of them. Maybe 5% or less of the sites I've ever joined I've bothered to contribute to, maybe 1% regularly. Really who would have the time to contribute for every site they signed up for?
posted by bobo123 at 4:54 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by bobo123 at 4:54 PM on October 16, 2006
Yeah, but you need our readership to validate the time you waste here. Ho ho, not so righteous now are we? (10%ers represent!)
posted by Popular Ethics at 4:55 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Popular Ethics at 4:55 PM on October 16, 2006
Couldn't resist this thread for my first comment. Ok, lurking is shirking, but, for me anyway, it's partly to do with not wanting to be the kind of person who puts 60 high resolution photos of themselves on the internet just in case that's what the world needs now. (nice find tpl1212)
posted by tiny crocodile at 4:57 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by tiny crocodile at 4:57 PM on October 16, 2006
I blogged this here a week ago. Actually, I thought I got that link from here, but it might have been digg.
posted by Kickstart70 at 4:59 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Kickstart70 at 4:59 PM on October 16, 2006
I would be interested in knowing what percentage of the top ten percent discourages the other ninety by snarking about how bad this place has gotten since they let the last 95% of the users into the memepool.
posted by FYKshun at 5:03 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by FYKshun at 5:03 PM on October 16, 2006
Metafilter: it can seem as if they don't have lives because they often post just minutes after whatever event they're commenting on occurs.
I don’t know about that reputation ranking/value business. Apart from some of the funniest damned things coming from people who have nothing to say (albeit often irritating stuff as well) you don’t want to wind up in an echo chamber.
I mean I’ve said some witty and occasionally wise things, but I’m also a real asshole sometimes. The last thing you want is a popularity contest if any feedback is going to be meaningful. You wind up with a bunch of posts aimed at pleasing the majority and not trying to piss anyone off. Fuck that. I want my ass kissed by someone looking to please me all the time, I’ll buy a dog.
In addition - many users don’t RTFA much less read the comments because they don’t want to wade through the swamp of postings - whether someone has something to say or not.
The community is not responsible for someone’s lack of listening/reading skills.
Lurkers lurk because that’s their psychology. They want to. It’s not some kid game where everyone needs to participate. If I find my own POV well represented and my position is well argued for, what am I supposed to do? Jump in and reiterate/belabor the point?
You just comment: “What machogrande said” or some such and move on. You don’t clog the thread with needless rambling going on and on overstating the case and upping the “signal to noise” ratio with rants and...uh....
*defenestrates*
posted by Smedleyman at 5:07 PM on October 16, 2006
I don’t know about that reputation ranking/value business. Apart from some of the funniest damned things coming from people who have nothing to say (albeit often irritating stuff as well) you don’t want to wind up in an echo chamber.
I mean I’ve said some witty and occasionally wise things, but I’m also a real asshole sometimes. The last thing you want is a popularity contest if any feedback is going to be meaningful. You wind up with a bunch of posts aimed at pleasing the majority and not trying to piss anyone off. Fuck that. I want my ass kissed by someone looking to please me all the time, I’ll buy a dog.
In addition - many users don’t RTFA much less read the comments because they don’t want to wade through the swamp of postings - whether someone has something to say or not.
The community is not responsible for someone’s lack of listening/reading skills.
Lurkers lurk because that’s their psychology. They want to. It’s not some kid game where everyone needs to participate. If I find my own POV well represented and my position is well argued for, what am I supposed to do? Jump in and reiterate/belabor the point?
You just comment: “What machogrande said” or some such and move on. You don’t clog the thread with needless rambling going on and on overstating the case and upping the “signal to noise” ratio with rants and...uh....
*defenestrates*
posted by Smedleyman at 5:07 PM on October 16, 2006
Christ, I'm up to 2.59 on the CI. I've come a long way, baby.
And it's all good, Kwine.
since they let the last 95% of the users into the memepool
No, no, that's down the hall.
posted by cortex at 5:07 PM on October 16, 2006
And it's all good, Kwine.
since they let the last 95% of the users into the memepool
No, no, that's down the hall.
posted by cortex at 5:07 PM on October 16, 2006
This place has a memepool? Do I have to shower before I can get in?
posted by Jeremy at 5:09 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Jeremy at 5:09 PM on October 16, 2006
I've always suspected the 1-10% is a constant cascade of temporarily core users who fade into popularity and then once they've fulfilled their social recognition needs either fade away or go supernova.
I doubt I'm the only one who put the little extra muster needed to get a FPP on /., felt the urge to add something photoshopped to Fark, wanted to be the first to digg something...Mefi is no different, except that it's managed to keep things relatively small (can you imagine if Slashdot still only had 40,000 users... comments might still be readable!).
posted by furtive at 5:16 PM on October 16, 2006
I doubt I'm the only one who put the little extra muster needed to get a FPP on /., felt the urge to add something photoshopped to Fark, wanted to be the first to digg something...Mefi is no different, except that it's managed to keep things relatively small (can you imagine if Slashdot still only had 40,000 users... comments might still be readable!).
posted by furtive at 5:16 PM on October 16, 2006
what furtive said
posted by Smedleyman at 5:28 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Smedleyman at 5:28 PM on October 16, 2006
All the cool kids lurk. But the coolest kids of all lurk for fucking years before they even buy an account.
posted by miskatonic at 5:32 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by miskatonic at 5:32 PM on October 16, 2006
As a compliment to the 10% that speak up and also to the 90% that shut up on MetaFilter, I'd just like to say that what I enjoy most about this site is the level of thought and intelligence in most comments. Bravo!
posted by furtive at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by furtive at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2006
I don't have anything to add, but the voices in my head told me to participate in some way...
posted by WhipSmart at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by WhipSmart at 5:40 PM on October 16, 2006
It's you 1 percent zealots that keep us 9 percenters from getting a link in edgewise!
Get ... a ... life !!!
;-|
posted by Twang at 5:42 PM on October 16, 2006
Get ... a ... life !!!
;-|
posted by Twang at 5:42 PM on October 16, 2006
This has to be the least amount of effort I've ever expended to be in the ninety-first percentile of anything.
posted by Freon at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Freon at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2006
Flash!
(Ted) Sturgeon's Law:
"90 percent of everything is crap!"
posted by Twang at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2006
(Ted) Sturgeon's Law:
"90 percent of everything is crap!"
posted by Twang at 5:43 PM on October 16, 2006
Contibuting here solely to pump up my overall comment stats.
posted by sharpener at 5:53 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by sharpener at 5:53 PM on October 16, 2006
Just lurking a little less, I guess.
posted by AwkwardPause at 5:54 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by AwkwardPause at 5:54 PM on October 16, 2006
The thing about lurking is, quite frankly, you've just got nothing to say.
Nothing wrong with that.
posted by MythMaker at 5:54 PM on October 16, 2006
Nothing wrong with that.
posted by MythMaker at 5:54 PM on October 16, 2006
"I repeat Sturgeon's Revelation, which was wrung out of me after twenty years of wearying defense of science fiction against attacks of people who used the worst examples of the field for ammunition, and whose conclusion was that ninety percent of SF is crud."
Another version of the story has Sturgeon involved in a panel discussion of modern literature with a professor of English literature. The professor read a few selected passages of "purple prose" from popular science fiction works, and declared "90% of this Science Fiction is crap." Sturgeon replied "90% of everything is crap."
The original Sturgeon's Law is: 'Nothing is always absolutely so.' The prior one is "Sturgeon's Revelation."
*loquacious is a Theodore Sturgeon/Kilgore Trout fanatic and would probably go so far as to hump on his corpse. But Theodore Sturgeon is Alive and Well.*
posted by loquacious at 5:55 PM on October 16, 2006
Another version of the story has Sturgeon involved in a panel discussion of modern literature with a professor of English literature. The professor read a few selected passages of "purple prose" from popular science fiction works, and declared "90% of this Science Fiction is crap." Sturgeon replied "90% of everything is crap."
The original Sturgeon's Law is: 'Nothing is always absolutely so.' The prior one is "Sturgeon's Revelation."
*loquacious is a Theodore Sturgeon/Kilgore Trout fanatic and would probably go so far as to hump on his corpse. But Theodore Sturgeon is Alive and Well.*
posted by loquacious at 5:55 PM on October 16, 2006
I am in the 9% (contribute a little) and I am very happy here. No one hates me, no one has written songs or cartoons about me, and I have never been called out. Yet, I have had some comments favorited, and been personally emailed once or twice. Nothing wrong with where I am.
posted by arcticwoman at 5:58 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by arcticwoman at 5:58 PM on October 16, 2006
Would the internet crash if the 90% suddenly started posting?
If you did somehow miraculously massively increase participation you'd have the "it's so popular no one goes there any more" problem.
posted by Maias at 5:58 PM on October 16, 2006
Lurker here. Well, sometimes I post my unsolicited opinion.
posted by WaterSprite at 6:03 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by WaterSprite at 6:03 PM on October 16, 2006
getting ready to rush off to work, so can't track it down, but...
NPR had a segment on research showing the active "decision making core" of society. Basicly the 5-10% of loud-mouths who talk politics and culture often enough to set the opinions and mentality of the other 90%. It sounded fascinating when I heard it last year while rushing to work.
anyone else remember this?
posted by trinarian at 6:07 PM on October 16, 2006
NPR had a segment on research showing the active "decision making core" of society. Basicly the 5-10% of loud-mouths who talk politics and culture often enough to set the opinions and mentality of the other 90%. It sounded fascinating when I heard it last year while rushing to work.
anyone else remember this?
posted by trinarian at 6:07 PM on October 16, 2006
Would the internet crash if the 90% suddenly started posting?
The Earth woulld be knocked out of orbit.
posted by brundlefly at 6:12 PM on October 16, 2006
The Earth woulld be knocked out of orbit.
posted by brundlefly at 6:12 PM on October 16, 2006
I'm at the bottom of that 90%, but hey in preparation for my first Metafilter post, I made my first MeTa post today!
posted by echo0720 at 6:35 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by echo0720 at 6:35 PM on October 16, 2006
I think I am in the 1% but the data always comes out wrong.
posted by leftoverboy at 6:39 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by leftoverboy at 6:39 PM on October 16, 2006
OK, so, everybody online has a blog. Only 1% of everybody reads .9% of all blogs. (See how quickly this breaks down?)
posted by longsleeves at 6:43 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by longsleeves at 6:43 PM on October 16, 2006
So the next time someone invokes "Most people here..." as a way to bolster a point or argument, kick them in the nuts.
Hard.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:51 PM on October 16, 2006
Hard.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:51 PM on October 16, 2006
Perhaps commenting is just an even more insidious form of lurking.
posted by washburn at 6:55 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by washburn at 6:55 PM on October 16, 2006
Sometimes you just have an embarassing username ... sometimes you have an embarassingly small user number. Me? Obviously the former.
posted by Token Meme at 6:55 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Token Meme at 6:55 PM on October 16, 2006
tgrundke writes "I would also have to say that people are members of many 'communities' in life. It's impossible to contribute 100% to each one of those communities, but they all seem to exist and thrive."
Someplaces are a better fit than others. I check in at the Cellar every day for the IOTD but in five years I've made ~130 comments.
posted by Mitheral at 6:59 PM on October 16, 2006
Someplaces are a better fit than others. I check in at the Cellar every day for the IOTD but in five years I've made ~130 comments.
posted by Mitheral at 6:59 PM on October 16, 2006
I read this whole thread, and will now refrain from commenting.
posted by carsonb at 7:02 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by carsonb at 7:02 PM on October 16, 2006
Is this one of those threads where the cabal has decided commenting is mandatory?
I think I said too much.
posted by wendell at 7:43 PM on October 16, 2006
I think I said too much.
posted by wendell at 7:43 PM on October 16, 2006
Heh -- what's funny is that I don't recognize most of the MeFi posters on this thread!
But it's totally true on the lists I'm on. I think of myself as a "lurker" on several lists -- and then I get contacted offlist as a "person to talk to" and I realize that there are eg 10,000 people on the list and perhaps 100 post in any given week and I'm always in that 100.
One of my great joys in the net is posting to people's blogs -- I particularly like coming in like the Wrath of God(tm) on people's badly-thought-out political postings -- and it's always hard to understand the people who read postings and don't automatically want to press the Reply-To: button or its moral equivalent.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 7:45 PM on October 16, 2006
But it's totally true on the lists I'm on. I think of myself as a "lurker" on several lists -- and then I get contacted offlist as a "person to talk to" and I realize that there are eg 10,000 people on the list and perhaps 100 post in any given week and I'm always in that 100.
One of my great joys in the net is posting to people's blogs -- I particularly like coming in like the Wrath of God(tm) on people's badly-thought-out political postings -- and it's always hard to understand the people who read postings and don't automatically want to press the Reply-To: button or its moral equivalent.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 7:45 PM on October 16, 2006
shh! lurking ok?
posted by exlotuseater at 7:58 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by exlotuseater at 7:58 PM on October 16, 2006
Lurker since 2001. First comment ever.
I've refrained from commenting because after reading metafilter so long, I decided that comments on weblogs are almost always degenerative. (though I read comments pages in the hopes of finding hidden gems). I've refrained from posting because I haven't found anything worth posting yet. I love metafilter and it has enriched my life.
posted by coaster at 7:59 PM on October 16, 2006
I've refrained from commenting because after reading metafilter so long, I decided that comments on weblogs are almost always degenerative. (though I read comments pages in the hopes of finding hidden gems). I've refrained from posting because I haven't found anything worth posting yet. I love metafilter and it has enriched my life.
posted by coaster at 7:59 PM on October 16, 2006
Dammit, will you lurkers keep it down? I'm having trouble finding the important comments from the 1%-ers among your babbling.
posted by graventy at 8:54 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by graventy at 8:54 PM on October 16, 2006
I wish I hadn't lurked in this thread. Now everything's ruined.
posted by Absit Invidia at 9:05 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by Absit Invidia at 9:05 PM on October 16, 2006
I wonder how many comments it takes to hit the 9 % elite and the 1 % cabal ? It would be nice to have a percentile ranking on our user page.
posted by rfs at 9:07 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by rfs at 9:07 PM on October 16, 2006
Dammit, will you lurkers keep it down? I'm having trouble finding the important comments from the 1%-ers among your babbling.
--->
xoxo, cortex
posted by cortex at 9:10 PM on October 16, 2006
xoxo, cortex
posted by cortex at 9:10 PM on October 16, 2006
cortex is a ruiner.
posted by exlotuseater at 9:30 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by exlotuseater at 9:30 PM on October 16, 2006
Not exactly what you're requesting, but check out the Metafilter Contribution Index.
By the way, you're nowhere close.
Thanks bugbread, I may not be on the map yet, but I've only recently came out of my shell. Before long I'm hoping to have an in-thread flameout, gets me a callout on MeTa (a thread I may just use for said flameout) and finally get a couple of week timeout.
I'm hoping once I hit a thousand comments, the ball will really get going.
posted by quin at 9:31 PM on October 16, 2006
By the way, you're nowhere close.
Thanks bugbread, I may not be on the map yet, but I've only recently came out of my shell. Before long I'm hoping to have an in-thread flameout, gets me a callout on MeTa (a thread I may just use for said flameout) and finally get a couple of week timeout.
I'm hoping once I hit a thousand comments, the ball will really get going.
posted by quin at 9:31 PM on October 16, 2006
Haha, het woord lurker bestaat helemaal niet, nou ja misschien voor iemand die pijp rookt, en schuiler klinkt nergens naar dus dat kan ik ook niet zijn.
By the way; isn't this an application of the Pareto principle?
I haven't read the article or link. I don't have the time.
posted by jouke at 10:46 PM on October 16, 2006
By the way; isn't this an application of the Pareto principle?
I haven't read the article or link. I don't have the time.
posted by jouke at 10:46 PM on October 16, 2006
Do you top-percentiles find your position on mefi important?
The self-appointed policemen who feel the need to react to any FFP or comment they do not approve of (yes, that's you ao delmoi); do they care?
To me it's just bits and bytes on one of the millions of pages on the internet.
It seems all so intangible and pointless.
Like reacting on somebodies blog.
So generally I don't make the effort.
posted by jouke at 10:55 PM on October 16, 2006
The self-appointed policemen who feel the need to react to any FFP or comment they do not approve of (yes, that's you ao delmoi); do they care?
To me it's just bits and bytes on one of the millions of pages on the internet.
It seems all so intangible and pointless.
Like reacting on somebodies blog.
So generally I don't make the effort.
posted by jouke at 10:55 PM on October 16, 2006
jouke
Said like someone with only 332 total posts to the Metafilter engine. Stand in fear of amberglow. Stand in fear of 13839 [as of this moment]. This isn't about numbers, this is about the raw power of someone who clearly has something to say.
You can be as dismissive as you want, but evidence has shown that history is told by those who comment.
[yeah, I don't fall in that group, but I can admire from a distance.]
posted by quin at 11:13 PM on October 16, 2006
Said like someone with only 332 total posts to the Metafilter engine. Stand in fear of amberglow. Stand in fear of 13839 [as of this moment]. This isn't about numbers, this is about the raw power of someone who clearly has something to say.
You can be as dismissive as you want, but evidence has shown that history is told by those who comment.
[yeah, I don't fall in that group, but I can admire from a distance.]
posted by quin at 11:13 PM on October 16, 2006
Yeah, well...some of us have a real life.
(If you can call that living.)
posted by darkstar at 11:17 PM on October 16, 2006
(If you can call that living.)
posted by darkstar at 11:17 PM on October 16, 2006
Coaster said it all above for me... except for maybe that part about comments being degenerative -- I like the discussions & snarks in the comments at least as much as the fpp itself. And it's not my first comment (I think it's only my third in the blue), but I've been reading since early 2001... I don't think a day goes by that I don't check in here & see what's going on.
posted by susanbeeswax at 11:53 PM on October 16, 2006
posted by susanbeeswax at 11:53 PM on October 16, 2006
Action, madame, is my middle name.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:30 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:30 AM on October 17, 2006
Do you top-percentiles find your position on mefi important?
it keeps us off the streets too busy to make trouble ... do you have any idea what would happen if we were running loose away from our keyboards?
truth is, most of us don't have a choice ... the warden said we didn't
posted by pyramid termite at 12:34 AM on October 17, 2006
it keeps us off the streets too busy to make trouble ... do you have any idea what would happen if we were running loose away from our keyboards?
truth is, most of us don't have a choice ... the warden said we didn't
posted by pyramid termite at 12:34 AM on October 17, 2006
.
posted by Joeforking at 1:02 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by Joeforking at 1:02 AM on October 17, 2006
That little dot is me.
posted by Joeforking at 1:03 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by Joeforking at 1:03 AM on October 17, 2006
90% of Internet users don't actually exist, much like the profits of most dot-com companies. I think there is a relationship there.
posted by moonbiter at 1:33 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by moonbiter at 1:33 AM on October 17, 2006
Where's navelgazer gone? I, like, dedicate this whole thread to him!
posted by imperium at 1:39 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by imperium at 1:39 AM on October 17, 2006
For posterity and proving the FP.
posted by dangerousdan at 1:44 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by dangerousdan at 1:44 AM on October 17, 2006
Don't you all post more when drinking? ...must drink more to get in top 1%
posted by bystander at 5:49 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by bystander at 5:49 AM on October 17, 2006
Well, everything I say is a lie, so...
posted by LordSludge at 6:19 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by LordSludge at 6:19 AM on October 17, 2006
Nothing to add to this thread (just thought I'd mention that).
posted by drill_here_fore_seismics at 6:24 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by drill_here_fore_seismics at 6:24 AM on October 17, 2006
I think the lurkers contribute way more than those who post.
posted by surplus at 6:39 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by surplus at 6:39 AM on October 17, 2006
The Internet is for jerkers.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 7:49 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by If I Had An Anus at 7:49 AM on October 17, 2006
I lurked around here for a couple years, then paid the sign-up fee and immediately got tangled up with a real message board instead, one where I'm very much in that 1%. I'm not sure what changed, although my lurking here had more to do with the closed membership than anything else.
posted by revfitz at 8:35 AM on October 17, 2006
posted by revfitz at 8:35 AM on October 17, 2006
Excuse me. I am not a lurker.
Now that's settled, see you next year.
posted by cptnrandy at 9:27 AM on October 17, 2006
Now that's settled, see you next year.
posted by cptnrandy at 9:27 AM on October 17, 2006
Hey everybody! Sorry I'm late I... Dammit!
::crickets::
posted by Merlyn at 9:49 AM on October 17, 2006
::crickets::
posted by Merlyn at 9:49 AM on October 17, 2006
jouke : "Do you top-percentiles find your position on mefi important?
The self-appointed policemen who feel the need to react to any FFP or comment they do not approve of (yes, that's you ao delmoi); do they care?"
As, perhaps, one of the top-percentile people:
No, I don't find my position on mefi important.
And I don't know who the "they" you're referring to in the second question. Do you mean "do the top-percentiles care what the self-appointed policemen say"? Because I suspect they're the same people.
jouke : "To me it's just bits and bytes on one of the millions of pages on the internet.
It seems all so intangible and pointless.
Like reacting on somebodies blog. "
Yeah, but face-to-face conversation is just bouncing lightbeams and air compression waves. Everything reduces if you reduce it. I suspect most of us just like MeFi, enjoy being here, and are trying to prevent MeFi from becoming a place we don't enjoy. Like ravers drinking orange juice at the end of the night.
posted by Bugbread at 10:38 AM on October 17, 2006
The self-appointed policemen who feel the need to react to any FFP or comment they do not approve of (yes, that's you ao delmoi); do they care?"
As, perhaps, one of the top-percentile people:
No, I don't find my position on mefi important.
And I don't know who the "they" you're referring to in the second question. Do you mean "do the top-percentiles care what the self-appointed policemen say"? Because I suspect they're the same people.
jouke : "To me it's just bits and bytes on one of the millions of pages on the internet.
It seems all so intangible and pointless.
Like reacting on somebodies blog. "
Yeah, but face-to-face conversation is just bouncing lightbeams and air compression waves. Everything reduces if you reduce it. I suspect most of us just like MeFi, enjoy being here, and are trying to prevent MeFi from becoming a place we don't enjoy. Like ravers drinking orange juice at the end of the night.
posted by Bugbread at 10:38 AM on October 17, 2006
lupus_yonderboy writes "I particularly like coming in like the Wrath of God(tm) on people's badly-thought-out political postings -- and it's always hard to understand the people who read postings and don't automatically want to press the Reply-To: button or its moral equivalent."
Do you ever find yourself wishing there was a reply button on TVs and Newspapers? I swear, I can't read letters to the editor or watch the local news. Even the weather guy can get me going by saying something stupid and essentially not true. My wife especially hates it when I heckle commercials.
posted by Mitheral at 12:41 PM on October 17, 2006
Do you ever find yourself wishing there was a reply button on TVs and Newspapers? I swear, I can't read letters to the editor or watch the local news. Even the weather guy can get me going by saying something stupid and essentially not true. My wife especially hates it when I heckle commercials.
posted by Mitheral at 12:41 PM on October 17, 2006
I’m posting this as a blatent attempt to up my percentile.
(anyone else think of a Vegas guy in sharkskin rolling bones or a guy named ‘Mickey’ with a racing form in his hand and a cheap cigar and an out of date hat when they read the term “action”)
posted by Smedleyman at 12:57 PM on October 17, 2006
(anyone else think of a Vegas guy in sharkskin rolling bones or a guy named ‘Mickey’ with a racing form in his hand and a cheap cigar and an out of date hat when they read the term “action”)
posted by Smedleyman at 12:57 PM on October 17, 2006
1. I assume the 90% hang out because they like the opinions of the 1% (in general) so I don't know that it's really an unrepresentative sample.
2. I increased the partipation index on my own board by deleting the lurkers. (very effective).
2a. I had a dedicated lurker's forum before that, but that only smoked out a couple of them.
3. When I see people lurking, I pm with a blatantly cheery message which inevitably scares them away.
posted by b33j at 1:20 PM on October 17, 2006
2. I increased the partipation index on my own board by deleting the lurkers. (very effective).
2a. I had a dedicated lurker's forum before that, but that only smoked out a couple of them.
3. When I see people lurking, I pm with a blatantly cheery message which inevitably scares them away.
posted by b33j at 1:20 PM on October 17, 2006
Still working on my easily-categorized online community group slogan:
"The few, the proud, the 9%."
"An Army of Some"
"The Single-Nine Society"
Oddly enough, I view this as an entertainment venue, not as a "community" per se - it's like going to Times Square (before the cleanup), buying a hot dog, and occasionally chatting with folks as they walk by me. Not quite lurking, but not quite participating, either.
posted by FormlessOne at 2:53 PM on October 17, 2006
"The few, the proud, the 9%."
"An Army of Some"
"The Single-Nine Society"
Oddly enough, I view this as an entertainment venue, not as a "community" per se - it's like going to Times Square (before the cleanup), buying a hot dog, and occasionally chatting with folks as they walk by me. Not quite lurking, but not quite participating, either.
posted by FormlessOne at 2:53 PM on October 17, 2006
@loquacious
I must defer to your Sturgeo-pedic lore. I was a fan of TS ever since I ran into "Killdozer" in a Groff Conklin anthology, but not enough to keep straight the Sturgeana.
BUT I did catch Ted live, opining on a panel once somewhere (think it also included Jane and Algys Budris) where he repeated "90% ...crap" in person. With, no doubt, a ten-minute recitative attached. Or was that Budrys?
posted by Twang at 5:08 PM on October 17, 2006
I must defer to your Sturgeo-pedic lore. I was a fan of TS ever since I ran into "Killdozer" in a Groff Conklin anthology, but not enough to keep straight the Sturgeana.
BUT I did catch Ted live, opining on a panel once somewhere (think it also included Jane and Algys Budris) where he repeated "90% ...crap" in person. With, no doubt, a ten-minute recitative attached. Or was that Budrys?
posted by Twang at 5:08 PM on October 17, 2006
Slowly morphing from the 1st percentile to the 91st. It's quite a jump...
posted by YaoPau at 5:16 PM on October 17, 2006
posted by YaoPau at 5:16 PM on October 17, 2006
I average 17.5 comments and 1.3 posts per year, according to my profile. What group am I in? Please show your work.
posted by JDC8 at 5:24 PM on October 21, 2006
posted by JDC8 at 5:24 PM on October 21, 2006
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posted by landis at 3:43 PM on October 16, 2006