Originally Posted by
queerpunk
what does this term "meta" mean in this context? i don't know this usage.
Sorry. I learned this term from video gaming. I used to play video games competitively (as in esports). So, there is a lot of talk about techniques, strategies, loadouts (character weapon choices), etc...
The "meta" is the current "Best Practices" for the sport. For example, for track racing, some of the "new meta" for sprinting would include things like:
- Big gears for F200
- Double-disc for all time trials indoors.
- Longer cranks (for some)
- 33-37cm bars
"Old meta" would be:
- Spin to Win
- 38-40cm bars
So, when a new weapon or character is introduced to an esports game, there is a lot of chatter in the competitive community about whether the meta will change. "Will the new thing change how we've been doing things in the past. Is it better or worse?"
Another example: Felt introduced a high-end left-side drive bike for the Olympics, going against the meta of right-side drive. This did not seem to change the meta as there haven't been a big shift to LSD with cranks or hubs...but people wondered about it.