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Yesterday, the the DeepWeb.SE proposal went into private beta. I knew this because I got the following notification:

private beta invitation This proposal has entered private beta. Click here to join.

So I visited the site, created my account there and started participating. However, I had not commited to the site or followed the proposal on area51. As you can see in my area51 profile, the Deep Web proposal doesn't show up in the Current Commitment or the Followed section.

According to all sources on the topic I found around here, the only way to access a private beta is having commited to the site prior to the beta or receiving an invitation from a commited member. I don't know any of the active participants of the Deep Web private beta, and I didn't get an invitation email either, but only the notification. So I doubt someone personally invited me.

So how did I get into that private beta?

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    So, the actual question you have is - why did you get the notification in the first place, right? (btw - anyone can join the private beta - the link to the site on the proposal page on area51 will give you access)
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:20
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    Yes indeed. Really? Every source I found on that topic said you needed to have commited to the site or be invited in order to enter the private beta
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:22
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    Those requirements were relaxed some time ago - if someone is interested enough in a site that they would click a link in the area51 proposal, then why shouldn't they participate?
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:24
  • I agree (even though I also like the concept of a commitment in order to ensure vivid participation), I was just confused since me being able to enter without fulfilling either of the two requirements contradicted the information I found about private beta sites
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:26
  • Notification or email?
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:35
  • @ShadowWizard What do you mean?
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:36
  • Users of private beta site can invite other users via email. Maybe that's the case, though you said notification, maybe you actually meant email, so I just want to be sure.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:39
  • @ShadowWizard No I meant the notification, as stated in the question. In the last paragraph I also explicitly stated that I didn't get an email
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 18, 2016 at 13:56
  • Dupe since the answer is there: "private beta notifications will be sent to people who committed to a proposal or followed it during the definition phase"
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:46
  • This doesn't sound like a duplicate for me. Another question asks about notification feature request which was already implemented (so it's already redundant), this asks why the invitation e-mail was sent despite not being committed to the proposal.
    – kenorb
    Commented May 23, 2016 at 14:03

1 Answer 1

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It is true that you did not commit to the proposal - but you did follow it, in January of this year, so some time ago.

We notify all the people who either committed on followed a proposal when it does get launched - as these all showed interest in the existence of the site and we want to give a site the best possible start with as many interested users as possible.

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  • Really? I can't remember that ... how do you know that? I can't see it in my area51 profile ...
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:04
  • The UI doesn't really show following info, but the DB record is there...
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:05
  • Sneaky °A° Alright then, thank you! Buuuut it does show me other proposals I followed ...
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:07
  • Followed or committed to?
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:10
  • followed. It shows me I have 12 proposals I'm following, but Deep Web isn't among them. Or is that because it has left the proposal phase?
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:11
  • I will dig deeper then - could be you "unfollowed" and the notification code doesn't take notice.
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:12
  • Very interesting. I don't think I've ever unfollowed a proposal though ... well it's not that important after all, I was just curious. If you find out why it's not showing up on my profile, let me know °v°
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:14
  • @MoritzLost when you go here, do you see this or that?
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:16
  • @ShadowWizard It says 'unfollow'
    – MoritzLost
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:16
  • @MoritzLost so it means you're following it... UI is correct, all is good. :-)
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:17
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    @MoritzLost as for not appearing in profile, once a proposal is launched (as private beta) it won't appear in profiles anymore as being followed. Oded can confirm that's the expected behavior and not a bug.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 14:18
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    @ShadowWizard - I expect that's true. It does makes sense to me.
    – Oded StaffMod
    Commented May 19, 2016 at 15:23

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