Comments on: Preview

By: Reality Czech

Reality Czech — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:01:53 +0000

If it means moving comments to different pages, don’t do it.

By: BadaBing

BadaBing — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:52:32 +0000

Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

By: GoogleMaster

GoogleMaster — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:45:58 +0000

Preview — yes, already used it.
Threading — maybe.
Voting on comments like slashdot — no.

By: Roger Sweeny

Roger Sweeny — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:23:38 +0000

And I make five.

By: wahoofive

wahoofive — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:09:40 +0000

Ditto, ditto, ditto.

By: Rusha Sams

Rusha Sams — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:15:16 +0000

You’ve got a good thing going now. I’m not so sure that threading would improve it. I, too, like seeing all comments on single page. Best of luck making a decision!

By: Quincy

Quincy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:10:29 +0000

I think Amritas has it right. Other than the preview (thanks!), I think the comment format you’ve got works quite well.

By: Amritas

Amritas — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:47:06 +0000

I prefer the current format which allows me to see all comments on a single page. I find it tiresome to click on each thread to read it. Moreover, the neatness that threading promises breaks down when people start redundant threads or go off-thread within a thread.

Comment ratings amount to a popularity contest. Those who say the “wrong” things will be penalized. Although most would agree that trolls should get low ratings, this blog doesn’t suffer from trolling, so unpopular views will be penalized. Is this the best way to deal with “wrong” ideas? I’d rather argue against a position than give no stars to a comment I don’t agree with.

And I might agree with that comment later. Suppose a commenter says something that seems “wrong” at first and “deserving” of no stars. Then that commenter explains himself and suddenly his position makes a lot of sense. It might even be “right.” Do we give that commenter’s new post five stars? Ratings may tell us more about the rater than the quality of the comments themselves. They can help to build a like-minded community, but they don’t encourage the dissent that is inevitable from “free-linking and thinking,” to quote the top of this blog.

I’m not opposed to all change. I’m looking forward to using the “Preview” feature after I finish this sentence.

By: Dick Eagleson

Dick Eagleson — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:00:21 +0000

I’ll second Mr. Foster. Most places I’ve seen it, comment threading winds up being a bug, not a feature.

By: Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:28:41 +0000

“Readers can rate comments to help make sure only good comments stay in the conversation.”

Ugh. Do you really want your readers to censor “bad” comments? That encourages a nice little echo chamber. And I agree with Foster about the threaded comments. Not needed.