December 08, 2003

All right, all right! MeFi Has it. We sort of stumbled into implementing it. We even have a sponsor for it. Will SpoFi finally be granted "Ask SpoFi"? Any of the Aforementioned features?
More inside...

posted by lilnemo to feature requests at 05:25 PM - 58 comments

We will always be the lesser kin of MeFi. And I'm fine with that. Really! But periodically it would be nice to hear what progress is being made in this area. Hope the post didn't come off as too pushy. :)

posted by lilnemo at 05:27 PM on December 08, 2003

All I want for Christmas is ... more space in the Locker Room. I mean, 10 posts instead of five, that's all I'm asking. Is that a rejiggering of the database? A port from one CMS to another? A total recoding of the backend? I don't think so. Too much to ask? Maybe.

posted by worldcup2002 at 06:23 PM on December 08, 2003

And I'd like a purple unicorn.

posted by worldcup2002 at 07:15 PM on December 08, 2003

Ponies!

posted by billsaysthis at 07:43 PM on December 08, 2003

Can we have a green room?

posted by StarFucker at 10:44 PM on December 08, 2003

black light and velvet Elvises all over the walls.

posted by worldcup2002 at 01:13 AM on December 09, 2003

I believe it's Elvii.

posted by jerseygirl at 07:13 AM on December 09, 2003

Wouldn't that be a Velvis?

posted by trox at 08:48 AM on December 09, 2003

Hey, watch your mouth, young man.

posted by worldcup2002 at 09:27 AM on December 09, 2003

why do all requests for features actually end up being magnets for recycled metafilter jokes and general silly talk? just wondering. can't recall any major feature requests actually being implemented in the 8 months or so that I have been a member. just sayin is all. wc2002's request for 10 lockerroom posts instead of 5 (a request i've seen before) seems so damn simple to me that, while I don't exactly know the intracies of such a change, I imagine it involves getting into the code and changing a 5 to a 10 and I can't imagine that it would actually take more than a couple of <GzzzzKZZK!> we now return to your regularly scheduled dose of ponies and pancakes.

posted by gspm at 10:19 AM on December 09, 2003

Anybody ever notice how no one from the Pantheon ever chimes in on these feature request threads? ;-) I agree with the 10 lockerroom post idea, and Ask SpoFi, but I am no bueno with coding or implementing changes around here. Sorry.

posted by msacheson at 11:02 AM on December 09, 2003

My feature request would be a virtual chalk board so we can critique offensive plays and defenses.

posted by jasonspaceman at 11:25 AM on December 09, 2003

i always thought you, msacheson, were part of the Pantheon. Damn low numbers. Who are these men behind the curtain? reveal yourself, great and powerful, Ozzes.

posted by jerseygirl at 11:51 AM on December 09, 2003

chat room would be fun. although, we could do that on yahoo i suppose and not bother these Ozzes.

posted by jerseygirl at 11:53 AM on December 09, 2003

...peering to the other side of the looking glass can be dangerous, Alice.

posted by garfield at 12:10 PM on December 09, 2003

I'll third/fourth the ten locker room posts thingy.

posted by squealy at 12:25 PM on December 09, 2003

i always thought you, msacheson, were part of the Pantheon. Damn low numbers. Who are these men behind the curtain? reveal yourself, great and powerful, Ozzes. Numbers 1-8 jerseygirl. However, only one or two members have anything to do with the coding. Even though metafilter/sportsfilter are very similar, they're also quite different. I don't see everything that works at metafilter working here, but I'm sure we will try new things in the future. I'll try to see what's up with some of the requested features.

posted by justgary at 12:28 PM on December 09, 2003

Anybody ever notice how no one from the Pantheon ever chimes in on these feature request threads? This is precisely why I (and sometimes billsaysthis and gpsm) periodically post feature requests. Or repost them. If it isn't implemented, and the question isn't answered, we don't know if the request was read. Any answer would be fine. Hell, a simple "No." Might get some of us to quit asking. But more importantly, a message giving the community the status of a feature request allows us to see whether it's being considered. There's quite a few "programmer-types" here at SpoFi who'd be willing to help if their are any snags in implementing them. But we won't know unless some one says so! :)

posted by lilnemo at 12:29 PM on December 09, 2003

This is why feature requests devolve into jokes. We are making light of a hopeless situation, laughing in the face of misery. And I think, out of all the requests we've made, having 10 instead of five posts on the main Locker Room page is the easiest. Ponies are a close second. btw, these are the Pantheon.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:45 PM on December 09, 2003

Never mind your poxy locker room requests, what I want is a bloody chellspecker.

posted by Fat Buddha at 01:01 PM on December 09, 2003

Haha, FB. What you need is to stop the TUI (typing under the influence).

posted by worldcup2002 at 01:10 PM on December 09, 2003

Pantheon member rcade is certainly active enough on the site in other threads and is an acknowledged programming expert (why else would so many people buy his books?). So WTF?

posted by billsaysthis at 01:24 PM on December 09, 2003

Yes, wc2002, you are right. Perhaps before we are allowed to post, a simple box should pop up asking the question, are you pissed?

posted by Fat Buddha at 01:31 PM on December 09, 2003

Ho ho ho (this is my seasonally-adjusted laugh), FB! I'd buy that feature for a dollar! btw, I watched some of The Office on the Beeb America a few nights ago. That's some excruciating humor there.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:09 PM on December 09, 2003

It is excruciating, because it's true; very painful to watch. Even better, if you get a chance to see it is Phoenix Nights. Neither of them come close to the genius of Curb Your Enthusiasm though.

posted by Fat Buddha at 02:20 PM on December 09, 2003

There's some unbelievable comic tension there. The silence speaks volumes. Anyway, I caught the scene in the coffee room where that little needy chap with the bowl hair cut asks the girl he's hot for (sorry, I didn't get the names) if she's interested in going out with him. Girl: Actually, I'm going out with Tim. Bowlcut: Are you going to go all the way with Tim? Girl: What if I were to go all the way with Tim? Would that change your interest in me? Bowlcut: Well, I'm not interested in sloppy seconds ... But I think one needs to weigh each case on its individual merits. Bowlcut walks out as another chappie walks into the coffee room. Chappie (to Girl): Is there any milk for the coffee? Girl: Yes, over ... Bowlcut (in the doorway, looking at Girl and pointing at her crotch): If I'm to go in _there_ after you've gone all the way with Tim, I'd at least make sure he's wearing a condom. Bowlcut walks away. Girl and Chappie look at each other in silence. ... Chappie: Any milk in here? Girl: Oh, yes, yes ... CLASSIC.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:36 PM on December 09, 2003

I hear some US network has optioned the Office so they can do an American version. [silence] They are going to bloody destroy it.

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:40 PM on December 09, 2003

Yep, there was something on the box the other night about British sitcoms that have been transplanted to the US. Everyone a disaster. In the course of it Gervais and his mate were interviewed and they quite happily said they were allowing it because of the big bucks involved. “Condoms come in all different flavours nowadays. There’s strawberry and curry and that. Do you like curry?”—Gareth

posted by Fat Buddha at 03:09 PM on December 09, 2003

They are going to bloody destroy it. Oh come on now. Just think, NBC will take it, cast George from Seinfeld as the boss, get rid of all the possibly offensive stuff, sanitize that even further and then rewrite the jokes so they "make sense," much like they did with Coupling. FB, Gareth's greatest moment cannot be expressed in words: it's when he explains what a well-placed sniper could do to you with hand gestures.

posted by yerfatma at 03:13 PM on December 09, 2003

I say leave British Comedy to the Brits. Why American TV execs even try is beyond me.

posted by lilnemo at 03:24 PM on December 09, 2003

Yeah, I saw the Coupling ads on NBC (I think) and I thought, there they go again, another very expensive piece of crap. Based on the ads alone, I decided not to watch it. They were selling the sex totally and there was no humor. In fact there wasn't even any talking in it. Well, Coupling's gone after what, two episodes? Then I watched Coupling on BBC America a couple nites ago (it was a teaser deal from the cable co., they've turned it off now. bastards) and it was really funny. Something about a threesome and a talking sock. Cute chicks too. Actually, to go off on another tangent, I don't know why they don't put any bloody EPL matches on the Beeb America. I'd finally break down and get real cable for that and Fox Sports World. Maybe.

posted by worldcup2002 at 03:25 PM on December 09, 2003

Yep, there was something on the box the other night about British sitcoms that have been transplanted to the US. Everyone a disaster. Well, that's not really true. Lately it's been a disaster, but not always. "Sanford and Son" was based on "Steptoe and Son" "All in the Family" was based on "Til Death Us Do Part" "Three's Company" was based on "Man About the House" All of the American shows were huge hits at the time.

posted by grum@work at 03:53 PM on December 09, 2003

They may have been huge hits, but it doesn't necessarily follow that they were any good; and "Man About the House" was a steaming pile of cack to start with.

posted by Fat Buddha at 05:18 PM on December 09, 2003

Steaming pile of cack! HAHAHHAH!!

posted by StarFucker at 05:28 PM on December 09, 2003

The Office has to be one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. Some info about NBC's efforts on the Office - An American Workplace. I don't think the humour would translated directly would make it a huge hit in America. They will have to change it. In rewatching the first episode of the Office a few weeks back I thought that it felt like a show that would get cancelled after about two weeks on American TV.

posted by gspm at 05:53 PM on December 09, 2003

I really've enjoyed a bunch of British shows lately--especially Coupling and the stuff BBC America shows on Mystery Monday like Waking the Dead, Rebus, Red Cap--but the appeal of The Office (and Curb Your Enthusiasm) is completely beyond me, just completely goes whoosh.

posted by billsaysthis at 07:00 PM on December 09, 2003

Actually, "All in the Family" is considered one of the best, funniest and most important shows in television history. So, in this case, it was a good show.

posted by grum@work at 07:58 PM on December 09, 2003

Also, The Weakest Link turned out pretty well. And the Big Brother series, too, but that reality format is a whole animal altogether. But remember they brought the original host over from England. I don't know if they messed with the format much, but I doubt it. However, I don't think you can take a show with the subtlety of the Office and "translate" it here. As yerfatma points out, in order to make it fit what network execs believe middle America wants to watch, they'll have to drain the life out of it, and inject a bunch of safe, stupidly obvious cliches in (and of course, a laugh track), which leaves you with a dead show. That's why shows like Sports Night died a quiet death. I'm watching how long Arrested Development lasts. It's got some qualities of the Office, and it's good that it's on a risk-taker like Fox (relative to the other networks). It's telling I think that the Simpsons (long may it live) is the longest-running current comedy on national TV.

posted by worldcup2002 at 08:55 PM on December 09, 2003

So, we're going to ask the pantheon to implement The Office as a feature? If so, I want to be Finchy.

posted by squealy at 02:26 AM on December 10, 2003

If you can throw my shoe over the SpoFi warehouse roof then you can be Finch.

posted by gspm at 05:49 AM on December 10, 2003

"I like ballet, I love the novels of Proust, I love the work of Alan Delon, and that's I think what influenced her buying me Hat FM. I like the radio too!"

posted by yerfatma at 06:44 AM on December 10, 2003

British comedies are good, but for my money Walking with Dinosaurs is the best television program to ever come out of the UK. Rooooar! Yeah, you heard me.

posted by Samsonov14 at 11:47 AM on December 10, 2003

Say, can we change the "Soccer" category to "Futbol"?? That would be so cool!

posted by StarFucker at 04:41 PM on December 10, 2003

Say, can we change the "Soccer" category to "Futbol"?? ¿Tendríamos que hablar español?

posted by dusted at 05:13 PM on December 10, 2003

Err what? Anyone else watch Keeping Up Appearances? I really like that show... If the Americans tried it here, who do you think would be the actors in it?

posted by StarFucker at 09:19 PM on December 10, 2003

Sorry. "Futbol" just seems like it would signify the Spanish-language channel of SpoFi, which actually might be really cool.

posted by dusted at 09:46 PM on December 10, 2003

Futbol is Spanish, Italian, Polish, Turkish, French, Russian and i don't know how many more languages.

posted by StarFucker at 01:01 AM on December 11, 2003

chinese too.

posted by jerseygirl at 06:40 AM on December 11, 2003

Anyone else watch Keeping Up Appearances? I had an odd fascination with that show when I was at university. It wasn't really all that funny, and it was always the same 4 jokes over and over, but I watched it religously. Are You Being Served was much better though. ¿Tendríamos que hablar español? Por lo menos El Chingador de Estrellas sera' mas tranquilo. ;)

posted by Ufez Jones at 09:11 AM on December 11, 2003

Anyone else watch Keeping Up Appearances? Not if I can help it. Though I do like Oswald or whatever his name is.

posted by yerfatma at 09:34 AM on December 11, 2003

Wasn't there an American try of 'Are You Being Served' with the English actors? I'd imagine starfucker would be a good Mr. Humphries (I kid!) and WC2002 would be a decent Mr. Lucas.

posted by jasonspaceman at 10:29 AM on December 11, 2003

I don't remember that, but there was a go at Fawlty Towers that was a disgrace.

posted by Ufez Jones at 10:31 AM on December 11, 2003

Futbol is Spanish, Italian, Polish, Turkish, French, Russian and i don't know how many more languages. I stand corrected. And StarFucker, you've been renamed "El Chingador de Estrellas."

posted by dusted at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2003

OOOOOOOOOkay... Anyone want to translate that?

posted by StarFucker at 03:49 PM on December 11, 2003

It means "StarFucker," literally "The Fucker of Stars."

posted by dusted at 04:22 PM on December 11, 2003

Say, can we change the "Soccer" category to "Piłka Nożna"?

posted by mkn at 04:38 PM on December 11, 2003

It means "StarFucker," literally "The Fucker of Stars." Awesome!

posted by StarFucker at 09:17 PM on December 11, 2003

Hey Ufez, what did you say about me up there?!

posted by StarFucker at 09:18 PM on December 11, 2003

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