It's not spam, it's BACN.
August 20, 2007 7:32 AM Subscribe
It's not spam, it's BACN. A web-term that was influenced by the proliferation of web 2.0 social networks used to describe "notifications you want, just not right now."
Twitter requests, facebook notifications, bill-payment receipts, etc. Even though you're expecting the e-mail, *and* you want to read it, now is just not a good time to click the "read" button. You want to; you just don't have time right now.
Hopefully the video and numerous blog postings in the last 24 hours will help to bring awareness to this new web-term recently brought to light this past weekend at Podcamp Pittsburgh.
"PodCamp Pittsburgh 2 is was a FREE BarCamp-style community UnConference"
Talk about a fucking buzzword migraine.
And what flashboy said.
posted by cavalier at 7:52 AM on August 20, 2007
Talk about a fucking buzzword migraine.
And what flashboy said.
posted by cavalier at 7:52 AM on August 20, 2007
Mmmmmm, bacontini...
posted by BeerFilter at 7:54 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by BeerFilter at 7:54 AM on August 20, 2007
Next up on the bad-names-for-strained-problem-definitions:
chickn
prosUto
spaRibs
And all of it eventually handled by an unified architecture: charq2ri
posted by cortex at 8:05 AM on August 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
chickn
prosUto
spaRibs
And all of it eventually handled by an unified architecture: charq2ri
posted by cortex at 8:05 AM on August 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
Oh no ! not another name for SPAM !
posted by chrisranjana.com at 8:10 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by chrisranjana.com at 8:10 AM on August 20, 2007
Cuz of course, the Podcamp Pittsburgh folks are *really serious* about this.
Posters, try a grain of salt with this post and realize that the point here is that an in formal discussion on a floor in downtown Pittsburgh has led to an interesting (and funny!) string of posts and discussions in less than 24 hours across the world.
It's silly, kids.
posted by punkrockrat at 8:21 AM on August 20, 2007
Posters, try a grain of salt with this post and realize that the point here is that an in formal discussion on a floor in downtown Pittsburgh has led to an interesting (and funny!) string of posts and discussions in less than 24 hours across the world.
It's silly, kids.
posted by punkrockrat at 8:21 AM on August 20, 2007
cortex's list reads more like the refigerator next to the organic section at the market.
posted by Wolfdog at 8:24 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolfdog at 8:24 AM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
I have a "Circulars and robots" folder in my email app. Now I need to rename it BACN?
posted by runkelfinker at 8:25 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by runkelfinker at 8:25 AM on August 20, 2007
Bacn? We don't need no stinking bacn!
It's silly, kids.
Yes it is, but some people will take it very seriously. It's a buzzword bandwagon that everyone who thinks they're cool will be jumping on.
It's just renaming crap and giving it a web 2.0 name!
posted by Nugget at 8:37 AM on August 20, 2007
It's silly, kids.
Yes it is, but some people will take it very seriously. It's a buzzword bandwagon that everyone who thinks they're cool will be jumping on.
It's just renaming crap and giving it a web 2.0 name!
posted by Nugget at 8:37 AM on August 20, 2007
Why not rename it "Cirlrs and robts" so you'll look more tech savy.
What I really need is a short memorable name for all the stuff I get at work that I don't really want or need to look at but might someday. "JESUS CHRIST! Why don't you stop sending me information about why the new new vice president in charge of parking lot resurfacing is, or about some training thing that has noting to do with my area of expertise so I can get through my e-mail in less than half a day and actually get some damn work done!" violates some file naming conventions.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:41 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
What I really need is a short memorable name for all the stuff I get at work that I don't really want or need to look at but might someday. "JESUS CHRIST! Why don't you stop sending me information about why the new new vice president in charge of parking lot resurfacing is, or about some training thing that has noting to do with my area of expertise so I can get through my e-mail in less than half a day and actually get some damn work done!" violates some file naming conventions.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:41 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
>> It's just renaming crap and giving it a web 2.0 name!
No, that would be bacn-r.
posted by punkrockrat at 8:58 AM on August 20, 2007
No, that would be bacn-r.
posted by punkrockrat at 8:58 AM on August 20, 2007
Stop trying to make fetch^H^H^H^H^HBACN happen! It's not going to happen!
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:13 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:13 AM on August 20, 2007
It does hilight the fantastic mental capacity of humans, though, that we can make distinctions like this in even such abstract contexts. I showed my dog a selection of emails that mixed spam with high-priority personal mail, but lacked any specimens of what's being described here—and he couldn't tell that anything was missing.
That's right: dogs don't know it's not BACN.
posted by cortex at 9:18 AM on August 20, 2007 [4 favorites]
That's right: dogs don't know it's not BACN.
posted by cortex at 9:18 AM on August 20, 2007 [4 favorites]
Asinine. Bacon is already in use, by long tradition, as slang for money, as in "Bring home the bacon". And arguably, it is too close in nature to spam, anyhow.
posted by Goofyy at 9:28 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by Goofyy at 9:28 AM on August 20, 2007
I don't know about you guys but I have filters that sort and apply labels to my BACN. I also remove all but the most dire of alerts from social apps. I did all of this more than a year ago and it's rare that my inbox goes over ten items and I certainly never miss a bill.
If BACN really did become a serious issue, I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to hack the GMail RSS feed (with SSL goodness) so that it shows a feed for only a certain label (e.g. bills, or facebutt notifications). Then you could check your "not now, later" items in your favourite feed reader at your leisure.
posted by furtive at 9:33 AM on August 20, 2007
If BACN really did become a serious issue, I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to hack the GMail RSS feed (with SSL goodness) so that it shows a feed for only a certain label (e.g. bills, or facebutt notifications). Then you could check your "not now, later" items in your favourite feed reader at your leisure.
posted by furtive at 9:33 AM on August 20, 2007
3 Steps to Solving BACN (Gmail specific but you get the picture):
1. Filter BACN with labels in gmail and redirect somewhere other than your inbox.
2. Add the following feed to your favourite RSS reader: https://mail.google.com/mail/feed/atom/label/
3. Consume BACN at your leisure.
There now that Metafilter has solved BACN, what's our next challenge?
posted by furtive at 9:38 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
1. Filter BACN with labels in gmail and redirect somewhere other than your inbox.
2. Add the following feed to your favourite RSS reader: https://mail.google.com/mail/feed/atom/label/
3. Consume BACN at your leisure.
There now that Metafilter has solved BACN, what's our next challenge?
posted by furtive at 9:38 AM on August 20, 2007 [2 favorites]
That's right: dogs don't know it's not BACN.
That's it, you're fired. None of that wise-ass pun shit here. We in the blue have no sense of humor we are aware of, and we damn well intend to keep it that way.
What are you looking at? Get off my lawn. NOW.
posted by lodurr at 9:46 AM on August 20, 2007
That's it, you're fired. None of that wise-ass pun shit here. We in the blue have no sense of humor we are aware of, and we damn well intend to keep it that way.
What are you looking at? Get off my lawn. NOW.
posted by lodurr at 9:46 AM on August 20, 2007
Crap, I've been testing it and GMail doesn't seem to allow RSS feeds of your mail anymore. Anyone have a workaround?
posted by furtive at 9:52 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by furtive at 9:52 AM on August 20, 2007
I call it "SemiSpam", but "BACN" is pretty catchy too...
posted by LordSludge at 9:53 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by LordSludge at 9:53 AM on August 20, 2007
Ahh, it appears that Google's own RSS Reader doesn't support Atom 0.3, SSL/HTTPS. What's up with that?
posted by furtive at 9:56 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by furtive at 9:56 AM on August 20, 2007
Invoking the good name of Bacon (smoked, Kevin or Francis) for less-than-optimal email is JUST NOT RIGHT.
We need to harness the meme-building power of MetaFilter to provide an alternative label that will overpower the efforts of these Pittsburgh Pirates.
I, myself, have a reputation for being a creator of failed memes but I'll start it off anyway...
BETTER NAMES THAN "BACN"...
BACOS (since SPAM used an existing brand name, how about this artificial bacon-bits analog product?)
V.S. (short for Vienna Sausages, another canned meat product)
JERKY (lasts forever, hard to chew...)
OSCAR (my baloney's first name...)
posted by wendell at 9:59 AM on August 20, 2007
We need to harness the meme-building power of MetaFilter to provide an alternative label that will overpower the efforts of these Pittsburgh Pirates.
I, myself, have a reputation for being a creator of failed memes but I'll start it off anyway...
BETTER NAMES THAN "BACN"...
BACOS (since SPAM used an existing brand name, how about this artificial bacon-bits analog product?)
V.S. (short for Vienna Sausages, another canned meat product)
JERKY (lasts forever, hard to chew...)
OSCAR (my baloney's first name...)
posted by wendell at 9:59 AM on August 20, 2007
BACN's not Shkspr 2.0 Beta.
posted by Smart Dalek at 10:38 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by Smart Dalek at 10:38 AM on August 20, 2007
I'm not worried about the stuff they are. I'm worried about the stuff that people expect me to pay attention to, but that I hate to admit to ignoring -- emails from friends and acquaintances that I don't really read, so when I next see them I don't realize that they've been married for two years and have had 2.5 children and three jobs, even though they've already told me all this in emails I didn't read.
Sometimes it feels like I'm being forced to eat more than is good for me. It's more like potato chips or pretzels than bacon. Or saltines. (Did you know they now make mutl-grain saltines?)
posted by lodurr at 10:51 AM on August 20, 2007
Sometimes it feels like I'm being forced to eat more than is good for me. It's more like potato chips or pretzels than bacon. Or saltines. (Did you know they now make mutl-grain saltines?)
posted by lodurr at 10:51 AM on August 20, 2007
I don't know about you guys but I have filters that sort and apply labels to my BACN.
Yup. Got one called Comments to filter all comments from all blogs and sites I'm on and another called Soc Ntwrks that grabs all the pings and invites and adds from all the social networks I pretend to be a part of.
posted by ao4047 at 11:02 AM on August 20, 2007
Yup. Got one called Comments to filter all comments from all blogs and sites I'm on and another called Soc Ntwrks that grabs all the pings and invites and adds from all the social networks I pretend to be a part of.
posted by ao4047 at 11:02 AM on August 20, 2007
I'm a vegetarian and don't eat meat. Will there be a soy-based product that I can delete from my inbox - FACN BACN? Will no one think of the vegetarians? Why must everything be about meat!?! I am deeply offended.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:17 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by gingerbeer at 11:17 AM on August 20, 2007
I was also going to suggest Vienna Sausages. Bacon is sacrosanct.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 11:19 AM on August 20, 2007
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 11:19 AM on August 20, 2007
Booooo! Go away, stupid word!
posted by Deathalicious at 12:12 PM on August 20, 2007
posted by Deathalicious at 12:12 PM on August 20, 2007
Blsht.
posted by Extopalopaketle at 1:12 PM on August 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by Extopalopaketle at 1:12 PM on August 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
Is there any reason for dropping the "o," or was that just to make it look more web 2.tarded?
Also, lol at the techburgh post where the guy starts off by saying "‘Bacn’ is an emerging web 2 term. Already being widely used." Posted on the first day of the conference where the term was invented. IN WIDE USE AROUND THE BLOGODOME IN RECORD TIME.
Related: a major defense contractor is working on hardware to establish an airborne network that can communicate over tactical radios, cell towers, wi-fi, and so on. Called: BACN, for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node. I like that one better!
posted by cobra_high_tigers at 1:22 PM on August 20, 2007
Also, lol at the techburgh post where the guy starts off by saying "‘Bacn’ is an emerging web 2 term. Already being widely used." Posted on the first day of the conference where the term was invented. IN WIDE USE AROUND THE BLOGODOME IN RECORD TIME.
Related: a major defense contractor is working on hardware to establish an airborne network that can communicate over tactical radios, cell towers, wi-fi, and so on. Called: BACN, for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node. I like that one better!
posted by cobra_high_tigers at 1:22 PM on August 20, 2007
i actually thought they're on to something here, its distinctly not spam, right? We all understand the concept. Although, i am rather partial to a bacon sandwich ...
posted by MrMerlot at 4:50 PM on August 20, 2007
posted by MrMerlot at 4:50 PM on August 20, 2007
As so many have said above, this is a bad term, and what RSS is for. Too bad Facebook and Myspace insist on sending me emails rather than letting me subscribe to a feed. I like furtive's gmail suggestion above, I will give it a go.
posted by thedaniel at 5:11 PM on August 20, 2007
posted by thedaniel at 5:11 PM on August 20, 2007
BACN, for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node. I like that one better!
So do I, especially if it means we can retaliate with rockets, guns and bombs.
posted by Joeforking at 5:29 PM on August 20, 2007
So do I, especially if it means we can retaliate with rockets, guns and bombs.
posted by Joeforking at 5:29 PM on August 20, 2007
[this is stupd]
posted by swell at 6:50 PM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by swell at 6:50 PM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
I am seriously going to hit the first person I hear using such a corny term in meatspace.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:14 PM on August 20, 2007
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:14 PM on August 20, 2007
UbuRoivas writes "I am seriously going to hit the first person I hear using such a corny term in meatspace."
Do you say meatspace in ... meatspace?
Do people say IRL IRL?
posted by krinklyfig at 7:46 PM on August 20, 2007
Do you say meatspace in ... meatspace?
Do people say IRL IRL?
posted by krinklyfig at 7:46 PM on August 20, 2007
DO NOT WANT right now. Maybe later.
posted by thatswherebatslive at 8:27 PM on August 20, 2007
posted by thatswherebatslive at 8:27 PM on August 20, 2007
Do you say meatspace in ... meatspace?
*hangs head in shame*
posted by thedaniel at 9:04 PM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
*hangs head in shame*
posted by thedaniel at 9:04 PM on August 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
Do people say IRL IRL?
Yes, but those really in the know always pronounce these things foenetikaly, eg ROFL is pronounced "rofful" and IRL is "irrul" (rhymes with Cyril). Now go forth, win friends & impress!
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:04 PM on August 20, 2007
Yes, but those really in the know always pronounce these things foenetikaly, eg ROFL is pronounced "rofful" and IRL is "irrul" (rhymes with Cyril). Now go forth, win friends & impress!
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:04 PM on August 20, 2007
...win friends & impress!
Guess I'm not in the target demo for that friend-winning campaign, cuz it just annoys the shit out of me when people say 'url' for URL, 'triple-dub' for 'WWW', or 'roffle' for... well, you know.
posted by lodurr at 7:49 AM on August 21, 2007
Guess I'm not in the target demo for that friend-winning campaign, cuz it just annoys the shit out of me when people say 'url' for URL, 'triple-dub' for 'WWW', or 'roffle' for... well, you know.
posted by lodurr at 7:49 AM on August 21, 2007
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Especially if your name for it is stupid.
I mean, seriously. Bacon is "something you want, but not right now"? Bollocks. I want bacon now. I always want bacon right the fuck now.
With bacon salt.
posted by flashboy at 7:46 AM on August 20, 2007 [14 favorites]