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Boing Boing: Kuro5hin's new membership system

BoingBoing toady BoingBoing on Kuro5hin's new "membership system," otherwise known as "TypeKey 2.0:"

This sounds like a good idea. People are already complaining on kuro5hin about the idea, but really, why should it be easy to gain membership into a club? It reminds me of the way private societies like the Masons work. New candidates can apply for membership, but need a couple of sponsors to be accepted into the club. Sponsors have to know the new member pretty well before sponsoring him, because they don't want their reps to be besmirched. And any latent jerk-tendencies in the new guy will be stifled, because he knows his sponsor will take the heat for whatever he does. Maybe Boing Boing should implement a similar system if we decide to allow comments again.

No, don't allow comments again - that would sully the echo. A weblog without comments, as far as I am concerned, has no right to that whole "Not Big Media" thing. And I am sorry, but the "you can say whatever you want on your own blog" thing just don't cut it. If you can't stand the emergent heat, get outta the cyberkitchen. Without comments you're just another record company guy with one of those little ponytails.

As fot the rest of it, I mean, come on. What's next, the International Lodge of Weblog Brothers? Can I learn the sekrit handshake? Do I get to wear a Kottke-designed furry hat with horns sticking out of it? Do these people realize how elitist they sound?

Here come the gated communities, kids.

Posted by John on March 25, 2004 12:34 PM |

Comments

They aren't horns, they are *antlers*.

Oh, wait, are you saying you don't have one? Ack, what am I doing here? Never mind, pretend you didn't see me.

Posted by: Phil Ringnalda | March 25, 2004 1:34 PM

I don't mind the idea of the "low barrier to membership" thus described... but for the gods' sake, don't call it a blog if that's how you're going to play it. At that point it becomes... well, "gated community" is as good a term as any.

If you want to build such a place, fine. I'll be over here, in no big hurry to join.

Posted by: GreyDuck | March 25, 2004 5:17 PM