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
“BRG – I’m posting in five different threads on the site today … none of which, I must point out, have any posts from you in them. :)”
Not today CWB, but I have in the past and will in the future.
I’ve been busy reading all the posts here, I can’t keep up with what else is going on. 🙂
Good point, MM, about cutting someone off in the middle of discussion. Again, I think details like this will have to be worked out. And most of us do act/post like children, though some more so than others. The whole thing does not have to be a choice between complete freedom of expression and your ability to comment being taken away. Shades of gray can make all the difference.
Tempest, meet teacup.
“I don’t want to see it regulated and moderated into bland nothingness.”
If you’d prefer to see it unregulated and unmoderated into bland nothingness, that’s your prerogative. I don’t like moderation either, but I do hope to find a route around “bland nothingness”.
a usual suspect should be defined by how many times they post to Bstoner in a day.
Once someone is defined as a usual suspect for the day, then at the end of said day, Bstoner should post a “top-five usual suspect-of-the-day list – let us know what you think readers.” Maybe is should be called “the commenty list” and allow us to rate the quality of the commenty crew’s comments.
MM – I agree that setting a comments-per-day limit is the wrong way to go.
BRG – I’m posting in five different threads on the site today … none of which, I must point out, have any posts from you in them. 🙂
Can some of you people go post in other threads besides this one!!!!
Come on you can do it.
Scroll all the way up the page and hit ‘home’, read a thread, go to comments, write about what you think of story.
Do it right NOW!
Why should anyone feel the need to think about their quota of comments before doing so? Even at 20 or more? That’s like timing your minutes on your cell phone, and then someone calls you to talk for an hour. Plan totally out the window. If I am in the midst of a good talk or even an argument with people about a subject that is meaningful to us all, I don’t want a cyber-mommy telling me to come inside. I’m an adult, not a child.
Registration was a necessity, due to some trolls and idiots who were ruining the site. Since I was a target, I got pretty tired of seeing explicit sexual and personal comments about me whenever I posted anything at all. I stayed because as bad as that was, it was nothing compared to some of my life experiences, which have taught me to stand and fight for my right to be wherever I choose to be.
I’ve made real friends here. I did not expect that. Brownstoner is not perfect, but it has become a community of real people that I care about, and a source of information and a bully pulpit, at times. I don’t want to see it regulated and moderated into bland nothingness.
‘All ideas are “post worthy.” That’s what defines a “blog.”‘
I respectfully disagree with you here. It’s reasonable for any blog owner to want to increase the “signal to noise” ratio on his/her site.