MUScoop Wiki

What about the name “biteme”? You're obviously very committed to the wiki project, doesn't having “biteme” littered around the wiki make it look bad?

I chose biteme for the same reason I chose muscoopsucks. I thought it would represent my disdain for the registration requirement, without getting me banned from lurking, like a screen name like “muscoopsucks” might. When I did lurk, I thought it would look funny listed with all the other names on the bottom of the board. I don't sweat it's presence on the wiki, as it's not like bitme is listed in clear view. It's buried on the revisions tab, which most people never see. The contributions from the name no one sees look a lot better than the dead links and lack of information every used to see.

Well, there was a simple reason we (briefly) forced people to register. We wanted to make an attempt at converting lurkers into contributors. Of the ~700 people who registered during our three, 3-day periods of forced registration, about 80 of them have posted to date. Only 10%, but it adds some fresh perspective. You registered, and now look, you're probably our #1 wiki editor. – You can see why it would be discouraging to be told your system “sucks” when the two guys (Rocky and Spiral) who provide this as a free community are doing so at their own expense of $2k/year with zero revenue. Just because they are nice guys who love basketball. Yeah, they, and muscoop, sure sucks. Amazing you see fit to read the forums and contribute the wiki so much.

I don't know if the entire system sucks, but I think the forced registration policy does/did. I think they have a pretty good thing going, seeing as how they are not as beholden to MU (like Dodds) and they are not linked up to either scout or rivals, which leads to unwanted spammers and trollers from other schools. How unfortunate for the owners of the site that they choose not to bring in at least enough money to break even on a web site that generates enough traffic to cost them $2K/year. The bars and eateries prominently featured on this wiki collectively spend far more than that in advertising and promotions on a monthly basis. If this site is legitimately popular with their target audience, there's no reason they wouldn't want to help support it. I have moderated local/regional message boards that bring in thousands per year above and beyond the server/hosting costs, just from banner ads from local merchants. I have friends who operate larger boards, who make a very comfortable living collecting ad revenue and baby-sitting keyboard commandos. My contributions to the wiki were inevitable. Regardless of whether this wiki has any official connection with MU, it is a reflection on the school and as such, it deserves to be the envy of other schools.

So, you'd like to see ads? Hell, you're pissed off you had to take 30 seconds and – gasp – register! Yet you'd approve of constantly seeing ads? – Spiral and Rocky want to provide a site with no advertisements, free to the public. So they foot the bill. They don't broadcast that they pay for our place of entertainment, hell, I didn't even know how pricey it was until recently. Personally, I think that's a pretty noble act. Regardless. We're pleased you're helping with the wiki. I just wish you would pick a different name, as the one you have is offensive and definitely childish. Since you see the site as a reflection of the school, you should be embarrassed by it as well.

So much for the no advertisements policy. I still think they should approach the local bars and eateries, to see if they'd like to advertise.