Let's Talk About Commenting
We twittered about this a few days ago, but we’d like to open it up for discussion: What can we do to improve the overall the quality of comments on the blog, to encourage lurkers to get involved without alienating some of the more active and, um, spirited commenters? We hear quite often from regular…
We twittered about this a few days ago, but we’d like to open it up for discussion: What can we do to improve the overall the quality of comments on the blog, to encourage lurkers to get involved without alienating some of the more active and, um, spirited commenters? We hear quite often from regular readers who feel uncomfortable, even intimidated, with the prospect of commenting. This isn’t surprising given the verbal beat-down one new commenter received from a gang of regulars a couple of weeks ago. Nor is the level of discussion going on in today’s Open Thread really where we’d like it to be. Short of active comment moderation, which really isn’t a practical option, what do you think we can/should do to elevate the quality of discussion and make newcomers feel more welcome? We’d be particularly interested to hear from some folks who usually hang back on the sidelines. It’s in the best interests of the blog and everyone who reads it to have as many people contributing their knowledge and opinions as possible.
Thanks,
Mr. B
Grammar snarks are so cute.
BRG – I didn’t know you are a long-beaked wading bird commonly found in littoral areas. Learn something new every day here.
So what say you Mr. B?
We’re going to have to digest this over the weekend! Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to chime in so far. Hopefully more people will continue to do so.
wine lover,
I find that when a post focuses on house details or design features, there is actually some pretty robust disagreement. There are definitely some homeowners on this site whose politics and taste runs a bit more conservative than one expects in Brownstone Brooklyn, but I find that makes it fun. I enjoy intelligetn discussion and debate.
In general, I think the OT ahs done its job of pulling the excessive side banter out of the substantive threads, but the substantive threads will never be free of jokes, asides, and heated disagreement.
Where I think this site has put off substantive commenters is that every home and its price, every thread on a new restaurant or doings in a neighborhood, becomes an opportunity for more bloodshed in a long-running argument about the economy. Every HOTD, and certainly the 6-month revisits of the open house picks, has the potential to set off a team bear v. team bull war, which is waged with more vitriol than we ever work up over recessed lighting.
My modest proposal was to have an economic smackdown thread so we don’t have to keep five threads going every day with economic debate largely between the same handful of commenters. I am not sure whether I was serious or sarcastic when I suggested it, but I do think the tone has shifted.
BTW, Mr. B, if you are counting, I vote no on ignore. The threads will make even less sense than they do now if everyone is reading a different edited version.
I agree with DIBS, what, Rob et al., that the free for all here needs only modest tweaking and nothing heavy handed.
I like the Top 5 Commenty List, with “Tool Levels” to rate the comments….
e.g.
-No tool about him/her
-Sometimes tool
-Started out not very tool, but then got to be tool
-From first post – a TOOL
Oh My God people—shut up for once!!! Do you even stop to pee before typing again??
“And if you don’t post anywhere else then you are truly hypocrites.”
Disagree.
Brownstoner specifically invited commentary in this thread from people who — for whatever reason — do not regularly comment. If that invitation was sufficient for them to overcome their normal reticence and post here with advice for site improvements, then they basically did want the site owner asked of them, which is a small price to pay for whatever value they get from the site.
I fail to see how their participation in this discussion puts a moral obligation on them to suddenly become active elsewhere on the site.
You’re snipe at them seems both pointless and mean spirited.
11217, that’s actually a great idea.
*rob*