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
I wonder if Mr. B could resurrect the old Brooklyn Record site and have it essentially mirror the Brownstoner site, with one important difference: it would *include* guest commenting.
How long would it take before it would overtake Brownstoner in both popularity and quality of discourse?
Not long, I imagine.
I agree with those who say that the registration requirement has hurt the site, but there’s no point dwelling on that now. Lifting the registration requirement is NOT ON THE TABLE according to Mr. B. So why flog a dead horse?
I agree with you, lots of numbers, that the issue for most lurkers isn’t intimidation so much as it’s aggravation over the quality of the discourse. As I suggested earlier, I actually used to be one of the regular posters here, under a different handle. Now, not so much. For me, personally, when it comes to matters of race and class, the issues are just way too serious for me to play word games with snarky racists in cyberspace. As Seltzer Junior has noted, since I can’t punch out the lights of those folk through my computer screen(as I might otherwise do so in real life), I just save myself the aggravation and stick with the topics I find “safe.” That’s a level of participation that is totally my choice and one that is probably in the best interest of all us — including that of the so-called “sharks” that XC exalts.
If the registration requirement has had a major impact on the numbers of those who regularly visit this site –whether they care to post or not — I suspect it has helped to increase page clicks. IMO, when we were in “guest” freefall here, that’s when incivility and ignorance in posting was at its height.
Seems to me that what bugs the anti-registration advocates most is that they have a problem with the “regulars” who now become identifiable through their postings. If I’m reading that objection accurately, I still vote to keep the reg requirement. One thing I’ve learned about blog communities is that it takes a concerted investment as an active poster to become a “regular.” That is true on any blog site, not just Brownstoner. If that is how certain posters wish to invest their time here, and others do not, so what? For me, I could care much less about the handle of the poster than the trigger they wish to pull. In that sense, an undercover “guest” with a loaded gun is much harder to deal with than a proudly announced civility assassin in the public square.
“How many times are we going to be subjected to the Horror Show Friday’s? What is the point of this column now? How many times is Mr. B. going to invite a thread of derision, snark and class contempt with this column? I can almost predict the comments to follow when this post appears. ”
I couldn’t agree more with benson and FSRQ on the ‘Horror Show Friday’ point. “How many times is Mr. B. going to invite a thread of derision, snark and class contempt” — specifically addresses my aversion to that thread. And the point that it is up to you Mr. B to raise the level of conversation on this blog. You need to ‘feed’ the positive. Take the positive suggestions and move in that direction.
There must be a more productive way to try to encourage more aesthetically pleasing architecture/construction. It may invite ‘clicks’ and ‘posts’ but it certainly does nothing to raise the tone of discussion on this blog. I feel reflects badly on this blog and our community.
I really don’t understand the issue with registering. It’s not as though you’re revealing yourself. He’s not asking you to give out any personal information. So why not just come up with a log in name such as I_am_a_guest?
Registration has helped, not hurt, the level of commenting IMO.
I lurked for a while before jumping in and if memory serves the second(?) day that I posted under this log in name (not as a guest) I was personally invited to a get together that Biff, Dave and others were having. So to say that the regulars are intimidating just isn’t fair.
Like others have said, it’s hypocritical to sit on the sidelines complaining. If you think the regulars are repetitive add something to the conversation to elevate it. If there are things going on you disagree with jump in and say so.
I agree with Benson (gulp) blaming the regular posters is a cop-out.
I know Mr. B said that some people claimed to feel “intimidated” by the regulars, but I can’t get my head around it. No one knows who anyone is on here. It’s a freaking website with at most “virtual” confrontations. How the heck can anyone be “intimidated” in that scenario? If Brownstoner intimidates them, I can only imagine their horror when confronted by GTA IV.
My theory is that they aren’t intimidated so much as aggravated and worn down by the repetition and perpetual flow of venom. That’s probably all there is to it. And for some reason this has gotten much worse since guest commenting was dropped. I think a lot of the folks who used to keep the discussions focused on this site commented exclusively as guests, and have since gone elsewhere.
Hello all;
WOW, I missed the party yesterday.
Frankly, I am scratching my head as to the point of Mr. B’s original question/comments. I believe that there has been a huge improvement in the threads in Brownstoner, due to two changes: the registration requirement, and the open thread. The former has lead to more civility, but not at the expense of stifling opinion. The latter has succeeded in keeping the mainline threads on topic. I really do not see any hostility towards necomers on either the mainline threads or the OT. Indeed, I can think of a handful of new folks who have recently joined in the OT discussions.
I believe the ball is actually in Mr. B.s court on continuing the quality of this site, and I think FSRQ hit the nail right on the head in this regard with his example about the Horror Show Friday’s. How many times are we going to be subjected to the Horror Show Friday’s? What is the point of this column now? How many times is Mr. B. going to invite a thread of derision, snark and class contempt with this column? I can almost predict the comments to follow when this post appears. Moreover, Montrose and I had suggested to Mr.B. ideas for advancing this column, such as: inviting the builders of these homes to blog about what drivers they face;inviting people who have purchased these homes to blog about how they feel living in them; exploring what aspects of economics or the building code produces these homes; etc.
My main point, Mr. B., is that you have a tough challenge ahead. With a stagnant economy and real estate in the doldrums, you have to come up with new ideas to keep this site vivid and fresh. Blaming the regular posters is a cop-out.
Those that aren’t willing to participate or share their views really don’t hold much water with me. If you have a opinion that differs from the “group” voice it. If you don’t like the direction the thread is taking, say so. To sit by the sidelines and complain that it’s not to your liking isn’t a very good way to change the tone. I sat by the sidelines for years before jumping in. Once I did I found most everyone to be quite welcoming. Even those who disagreed with what I’d said.
The OT is exactly what it is designed to be. A place for everyone to gather and chit chat. Isn’t that what makes us a community after all? If that offends you or you think it’s a silly waste of time I’d say then you shouldn’t participate in it. Why complain about it? Just think if it’s removed then that chatter activity will no doubt filter back into the main threads. There needs to be an outlet for that.
I agree with others that have voiced a need to expand on some of the topics that are posted. Design, Historical content, More Reno stories, How about a guest spot like a Q&A session with Charles Lockwood, a mortgage specialist or Ask a Plumber. What about asking those restaurants you feature give discounts to Brownstoner readers (15% Mon – Wed when you mention you saw us on Brownstoner)? What about a section where people talk about how they’re coping with the recession (I even noticed the other day that your OT’ers were trading “recession dinner” recipes!)?
Real Estate is static right now. You need to give people something different. That could be what’s missing from the formula.
Bitter renters? HA! Bitter lurkers is more like it. Why the need for anonymous posts? Is a screen name not anonymous enough? It’s also ridiculous to even talk about putting limits on posts or rating systems in place! Do any of you think that Mr. B wants to lose out on all those coveted page clicks? Way to draw the advertising dollars in! It’s a business, and over all a pretty well run one at that.
The fact that you can’t get punched through your computer screen is natural fuel for wildfires of snark.