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 can’t decide what I like most about neo-classical revivial period columns, neo-Ionic or neo-Doric. Forget about the acanthus.
Take a look who has commented SEVERAL times already on this thread. The same old people over and over and really it always boils down to the same thing, which neighborhood is better, race, crime. After a while, it gets boring. Do any of these people have day jobs?
My suggestion is have topics which don’t always ask the same questions, think of new ones. Talk about architecture in Italy and how it was transported here, anything and maybe the same olds will move on to another site. The NYTs blog won’t permit certain conversations and actually, I like that and find it and the comments to be more mature.
2 thoughts:
1 – I like etson’s ideas about posting more threads in the evenings, maybe on weekends, so those of us that can’t post during the day (unlike me, here at work) don’t feel left out.
2 – I think there should be an overall effort to keep the comments related to the thread and not go after people in a nasty or personal way (which I’ve seen quite often on the site). This could be done by a public chastizing from you when you see this, or by having some way of filing a complaint or notifying you when one feels like the posts are either crossing the line or just steering the discussion towards their personal life and away from the topic at hand…. that way you can start to track “problem posters” and if they continue to harass people inappropriately, ban them from the OT.
It’s clear from the comments here that something needs to be done. I hate the idea of moderation, but even I can see that it is needed here. An ignore button may be the way to go. Could it have negative effects on the site’s ‘dialogue’? Perhaps, but we’re here today because the site’s dialogue is already in trouble. So, I say it’s worth a shot.
Limiting the number of posts a person makes might also be a good idea. If you’re posting more than 20 times a day to this site, you’re making a personal, psychological use of this site that is probably not healthy for you and that is certainly not promoting dialogue and clear thinking on the site.
I also agree with some earlier posters that, if some of these measures were combined with the reinstatement of guest commenting, that could be the best possible outcome for the site overall.
“I think the openthread would be improved if people used more big words”
and new how to spell them.
I think the openthread would be improved if people used more big words
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Brownstoner,
Let me officially cast my vote for:
A) Comment Limitation. Maybe 15 per day? No one really needs to be commenting more than 15 times a day.
B) Flagging. Let users flag off-topic or offensive comments. Either comments can automatically be deleted after a certain number of flags, or sent to you for you to consider deleting.
How about this Mr. B:
Next week you institute a policy that requires all posters take an IQ test, a literacy exam and submit a long format essay on the virtues of Brooklyn and it’s architectural significance. You then have a review board (comprised mostly of New Yorker contributors) review and approves the submissions in order to have people earn the right to post.
These “regulars” are commoners and disgust me as well!