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
easy solution, set up a forum alongside the main blog.
Each blog post has a link to a separate discussion thread on the forum.
Every forum that I know has a separate area for off-topic posts and general chat. With a separate area for chat, the on-topic threads generally stay on topic.
(Hell, why not merge with Brooklynian if you can’t be bothered to set up a forum – although a friend who has set up his own forum says it is pretty cheap and easy to do).
Brownstoner:
Again. The open thread IS LAME. I never click on open thread. It is horrible. Can we start a “tool rating system” for how TOOL a particular open thread was?
Mr. B
You know what you have (want) to do: institute some soft of a rating system.
_
I like the idea of comment ratings, if for no other reason that it would be amusing to see how quickly The What acquires a negative poster rating.
I like commenting in some of the lesser-read threads, sometimes. You know things like the house of the day are going to get a ton of comments, and the open thread fills up so fast at this point that I don’t even look at it because I can’t keep up … but there are interesting discussions sometimes to be found in the posts that only garner 8-12 comments.
I mostly avoid reading comments. Too often they seem focussed on providing snarky amusement rather than informed opinion or substantive information. Reading these comments is something akin to rubbernecking on the BQE – it may create some traffic but ultimately you gain absolutely nothing from your time investment.
My post was directed to the babs, not OP.
I like this site but it seems poised to go the way of datalounge, a howlingly funny site back in the day that eventually succumbed to the nannies red-tagging anyone they disagreed with. Oh well
All ideas are “post worthy.” That’s what defines a “blog.”
Hmmmm, the protestations over comment rating intrigue me…
Sounds like maybe it should be done.
But not until an “ignore” function is added.
DIBS, that wasn’t directed at you — I know you work. And your comments are usually on-topic, well-measured, and grammitcally correct. Thanks!
Posted by: babs at March 27, 2009 12:19 PM
babs might be delusional!!! But thank you anyway. 🙂