New in January (2008)

Hi Carol Anne -

Thanks for the bug report here:

Another glitch!

When trying to sort threads by Started By, you get it ok on the first page, but click a page or two ahead and it's messed up again.

So, you click Started By and it alphabetizes again.

What is going on???

Yikes! It sure does. I've passed it along to the Tech Team,

Andrea

Viviane here, again, from Meetup.

Question: the dozen of you that have asked for the option to turn on/off the Meetup Shop icon on the group pages...
is anyone interested in being able to customize the link so that it points to your store if you have one set up?

If those of you who have posted on this and the other threads about the Shop icon could chime in, that would be helpful (and I'll cross-post this)

We're looking at all the options here because what we want is to help you promote your Meetup!

Thanks.

Yes. - Provided Meetup does not impose some silly restriction, because when we finally get our Tshirts printed after the design competition ends, it will be sold through our local store, and their website.

Len

I just really, really feel the need to remind Meetup that alcoholics and addicts go to meetings, my members go to MeetUPs.

Please, please, please change that. I run a playgroup, not rehab.

I must be an alcoholic or an addict because I go to lots of meetings. I bet your husbands do too. Event is a better word than meeting, but lets not insult people who regularly have to go to meetings for their jobs.

Robert

I think the intent of this message was that most people who attend MEETINGS outside of work, on their own time, might possibly do so for a support system, etc.

The intent of MEETUP (for the most part) is to be something you do for a hobby, for friends, fun, etc. This is not supposed to be work.

I personally am insulted by your comment about "I bet a lot of your husbands do to"....I'm sorry, last time I checked there ARE women in the corporate world right?? Oh wait, isn't there even one running in the current Presidential race?? I personally do work full time, in a very "good ol' boys" industry, I too attend many "meetings" but my children and my mamas in my group are not attending meetings on their own time.

If you felt insulted by the comment, which I am sure was not the intent (more that of humor), probably best not to insult in your reply. JMHO

Is Meetup a noun or a verb?

I don't care for the 'meetings' term either. It makes us sound dry and boring and we are NOT dry and boring.

I do not have my own logo and have always liked the official Meetup logo- but I agree that the Zazzle store is disappointing. I can't even expand the logo on a shirt past a certain limit because it will get distorted. Why can't we get the bright red shirts like the ones they sent to the Organizers or the rectangular Meetup logo buttons?

Why don't they offer more interesting items or items that will help us find each other in a large crowd- like balloons with the logo, or a flag/banner that will sit on a table but stick up above people's heads, or a hat with something sticking up from it (I really want something like this, but haven't thought of a way to create one myself). A table tent on the table at most people's waist level doesn't really help us find each other.

I've stuck printed logos onto a mylar balloon a couple of times. Another organizer in town created foam triangle banners on sticks that get propped in glasses with rocks in them. I'm sure there are plenty of organizers that have come up with creative items for this purpose.

If Meetup really wants us to advertise for them, there needs to be something more noticeable than a t-shirt or table tent.

I just really, really feel the need to remind Meetup that alcoholics and addicts go to meetings, my members go to MeetUPs.

Please, please, please change that. I run a playgroup, not rehab.

I must be an alcoholic or an addict because I go to lots of meetings. I bet your husbands do too. Event is a better word than meeting, but lets not insult people who regularly have to go to meetings for their jobs.

Robert

I think the intent of this message was that most people who attend MEETINGS outside of work, on their own time, might possibly do so for a support system, etc.

The intent of MEETUP (for the most part) is to be something you do for a hobby, for friends, fun, etc. This is not supposed to be work.

I personally am insulted by your comment about "I bet a lot of your husbands do to"....I'm sorry, last time I checked there ARE women in the corporate world right?? Oh wait, isn't there even one running in the current Presidential race?? I personally do work full time, in a very "good ol' boys" industry, I too attend many "meetings" but my children and my mamas in my group are not attending meetings on their own time.

If you felt insulted by the comment, which I am sure was not the intent (more that of humor), probably best not to insult in your reply. JMHO

I never said there aren't women in corporate world, but those making a big deal of using meetings instead of event, such as yourself run mom groups, who are by large stay at home moms. Please get a grip.

Very dismissive reply Robt - we'll just move past that one.
Totally agree with all - regarding the semantics of Meetup vs Meetings (& no - I don't have a moms playgroup / also ex-corp Sales/Marketing).
I run a womens social group - which will eventually (once it stops snowing) will involve a lot more than our recent meet&greets (we just started 2 months ago)
So - I guess we're having Meet&Greet Meetings right now~
And when we go for spa massages, hiking, golfing, lectures, classes, have roadtrips....
hiking meetings??
Why not just call them MEETUPS~~~
So - HOW LONG (or how many G.O.s need to complain) before the MEETING thing is fixed?
Is this Near the Top of the List or Headed For the Top of the List--

WOW - so many great ideas from such bright & creative G.O.s!!
What an incredible opportunity for the Meetup staff to ask their customers (us) what they want instead of adding things that don't work, while glitches don't get fixed, & more important needs are not being met.

They have a Poll Your Members section for our groups. Perhaps meetup staff could POLL G.O's when they are brainstorming rather than assuming they know what GOs need. It's a win/win - Staff could spend their time on things we want, & get less customer complaints.
>> And the size of the meetup group / length of time you've been a G.O. are both irrelevant. There are many of us who have new groups - but have lots of experience in buiness & in running online groups elsewhere (been doing that for almost a decade). And there are plenty of new members who have fabulous ideas.

Sorry to sound a bit frustrated -- but I am a customer who is paying for a service.
This Meetup thing is a great concept, and most of it works pretty well, but to preserve your own successful business, don't shoot yourselves in the foot, by not addressing your customers needs. The way to do that?
Be more proactive - listen to G.O.s before you decide on the Next Big Thing for thousands of groups.
EMAIL US FOR OUR FEEDBACK ON YOUR NEW IDEAS BEFORE YOU WORK SO HARD ON THEM!
USE US to make the meetup organization function better, and then you won't have to worry about a competitive group coming along who is more adept in that area.

---

So - Meetup Staff first of all ~~~

*HIRE AUDREY as your new clothing designer for Meetup --
LOVE YOUR T-SHIRTS!!! (If you're not going to hire her, at least get her input for new stuff) And boy that t-shirt that is featured on my Welcome Page - we wouldn't be caught dead in it --- UGLY~~~

*Beth - Yep - that Text Formatting problem in past events is awful ~~~ I am no longer using it for my events, because all of my previous event descriptions are unreadable & look horrible.
(I've also started to stay away from using the Maybe RSVP choice for events where attendance is limited -- If the event says 15 can attend, and you get 5 yes, and 10 maybes - it then says This event is full)
I wonder -- When the bug finally gets fixed --will our previous events be fixed also --or will they stay the same as they are now?
>> Too bad we G.O.s can't change this ourselves ~~ If I could, I would go clean them up by removing the text formatting instead of waiting around.

*Frances -- Great point about the WAIT LIST feature --
Now - that would be REALLY helpful.

* You know - I never really paid attention to the GOOGLE ADS, but so many were complaining -
I just went back & took a look-- OMG!!!

OK --- our group is for women in my metro area who want to get out / do a huge variety of things, and here are the 4 ads that just popped up...

* Ad for Transmission Repair Service - ?
* Ad for local Hotels - ?
* Ad for a misc Dating Service (note that my group is not a singles group - some of us are married - none of us are getting together to Meet Guys)
* And the winner for most entertaining/innapropriate/crude & sexist ad on my Welcome Page:
It's for >> SUGARDADDIE.COM - who promise to find you WEALTHY MEN & GORGEOUS WOMEN to date ~
Unbelievable - does meetup staff look at these ads that are being posted???

* Carol - great idea to change MESSAGES to MESSAGE BOARD - much clearer description.

*Steve? - Was it you who talked about business cards featuring the group, rathering than meetup? Great idea - The group should be more prominent (sort of an added blurb -- Brought to you by meetup.com!)

Hope I didn't mix up any names~~ so many great ideas out there!

---

Here are few more:

2 new sections for G.O.s ----

The first one: OUR CURRENT BUGS / WHAT WE ARE DOING TO FIX THEM / STATUS REPORT

The second: WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING NEXT - G.O.s - WE WANT YOUR OPINION BEFORE WE GO & SPEND TIME & MONEY ON THIS - PLEASE WEIGH IN!!

If there was a section like that, then those of us who do have VALUABLE FEEDBACK for you would have more say in what happens next. So meetup staff - Less internal meetings & more talking to your customers! We want to help you make meetup.com even better than it is already!!!

Over & Out!

*Beth - Yep - that Text Formatting problem in past events is awful ~~~ I am no longer using it for my events, because all of my previous event descriptions are unreadable & look horrible.
(I've also started to stay away from using the Maybe RSVP choice for events where attendance is limited -- If the event says 15 can attend, and you get 5 yes, and 10 maybes - it then says This event is full)
I wonder -- When the bug finally gets fixed --will our previous events be fixed also --or will they stay the same as they are now?
>> Too bad we G.O.s can't change this ourselves ~~ If I could, I would go clean them up by removing the text formatting instead of waiting around.

YES. At least let us go back and delete it, if it's not going to work anymore, for heaven's sake. It looks so lame, and reflects poorly on everyone ... but especially -- guess who! The Organizers!

The bottom line of Toni's post should be printed out and posted for all the Meetup developers. It is a brilliant and simple suggestion that could preempt so many problems!

2 new sections for G.O.s ----

The first one: OUR CURRENT BUGS / WHAT WE ARE DOING TO FIX THEM / STATUS REPORT

The second: WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING NEXT - G.O.s - WE WANT YOUR OPINION BEFORE WE GO & SPEND TIME & MONEY ON THIS - PLEASE WEIGH IN!!

If there was a section like that, then those of us who do have VALUABLE FEEDBACK for you would have more say in what happens next. So meetup staff - Less internal meetings & more talking to your customers! We want to help you make meetup.com even better than it is already!!!

YES! YES! YES!
Because, after all, wasn't Meetup supposed to be about communicating and coming together in a more creative, bottom-to-top model? Well, it's working! That's why we're here, paying for the privilege. Please don't forget it!

-- Beth

2 new sections for G.O.s ----

The first one: OUR CURRENT BUGS / WHAT WE ARE DOING TO FIX THEM / STATUS REPORT

The second: WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING NEXT - G.O.s - WE WANT YOUR OPINION BEFORE WE GO & SPEND TIME & MONEY ON THIS - PLEASE WEIGH IN!!

If there was a section like that, then those of us who do have VALUABLE FEEDBACK for you would have more say in what happens next. So meetup staff - Less internal meetings & more talking to your customers! We want to help you make meetup.com even better than it is already!!!

YES! YES! YES!
Because, after all, wasn't Meetup supposed to be about communicating and coming together in a more creative, bottom-to-top model? Well, it's working! That's why we're here, paying for the privilege. Please don't forget it!

I add another vote for this suggestion! Please, please, please consider it!

Michele

So you are saying that you agree with the statement that you were an alcoholic when you attended meetings? After all that was the premise of the argument. I attend lots of meetings, both at work and out of work and absolutely none have to do with alcoholism or any other kind of addiction.

Definition of Meeting:

1: an act or process of coming together: as
a: an assembly for a common purpose (as worship)
b: a session of horse or dog racing

So you are saying that you agree with the statement that you were an alcoholic when you attended meetings? After all that was the premise of the argument. I attend lots of meetings, both at work and out of work and absolutely none have to do with alcoholism or any other kind of addiction.

Definition of Meeting:

1: an act or process of coming together: as
a: an assembly for a common purpose (as worship)
b: a session of horse or dog racing

Well-said. I would ask: Why not keep both terms? Have Meetup default back to 'event,' but give organizers a choice to call it a meeting. Many of the support category Meetups do in fact have meetings. (Crazy, I know, but it's true.) Given the dreadful health care situation in this country that leaves many people without a sufficient support system, one would think that using Meetup's platform for community resource purposes would be encouraged, not discouraged.