Comments on: Update To Comments Policy http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/ Kindness, clarity, confidence, compassion. Watchwords for writing on the web. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:25:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2428 Joanna Young Sat, 17 May 2008 14:05:41 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2428 Lillie, this conversation has helped me to realise there aren't black-and-white rules when it comes to this part of our comment policy. Case by case sounds like the only way to go - which is probably what I was doing. Just that I had started doing more deleting because I was getting more of this sort of comment. Joanna PS Like you, I don't address someone as cheap credit either. If there's no name it'd need to be "hi". Even then it feels awkward. Lillie, this conversation has helped me to realise there aren’t black-and-white rules when it comes to this part of our comment policy. Case by case sounds like the only way to go – which is probably what I was doing. Just that I had started doing more deleting because I was getting more of this sort of comment.

Joanna

PS Like you, I don’t address someone as cheap credit either. If there’s no name it’d need to be “hi”. Even then it feels awkward.

]]> By: Lillie Ammann http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2427 Lillie Ammann Sat, 17 May 2008 13:21:23 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2427 This is something I'm struggling with too, Joanna. When I read Remarkablogger's policy awhile back, I was ready to take the same action. Then I looked back through my comments and realized that many of my regular commenters who do add to the conversation use keywords instead of names. So I evaluate each on a case-by-case basis. As others have said, I look at the site and consider whether the comment relates to the actual post or is just a "me too" comment. I probably err on the side of approving comments that I shouldn't, but I really want to encourage comments and community, and I feel bad if I delete a legitimate comment. Like you, though, I don't mark them spam - simply delete them. I have also gone back and deleted a comment after I approved it when I moderate comments on another blog and find a similar comment from the same keyword. Usually I address the commenter by name in my reply, but I refuse to address a reply to "cheap credit" or "houston lawyer." This is something I’m struggling with too, Joanna. When I read Remarkablogger’s policy awhile back, I was ready to take the same action. Then I looked back through my comments and realized that many of my regular commenters who do add to the conversation use keywords instead of names. So I evaluate each on a case-by-case basis. As others have said, I look at the site and consider whether the comment relates to the actual post or is just a “me too” comment.

I probably err on the side of approving comments that I shouldn’t, but I really want to encourage comments and community, and I feel bad if I delete a legitimate comment. Like you, though, I don’t mark them spam – simply delete them. I have also gone back and deleted a comment after I approved it when I moderate comments on another blog and find a similar comment from the same keyword.

Usually I address the commenter by name in my reply, but I refuse to address a reply to “cheap credit” or “houston lawyer.”

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2426 Joanna Young Fri, 16 May 2008 20:01:22 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2426 Yvonne, like you I try and visit the site in order to give the benefit of the doubt. Analysing comments becomes interesting too though - some look sensible, but a more cynical view could see them as a mish mash of words from your post, and don't actually mean / add anything. I think the answer is to keep it a judgement call - but if I'm going to do that I want to make it clear in the comments policy too. Joanna Yvonne, like you I try and visit the site in order to give the benefit of the doubt. Analysing comments becomes interesting too though – some look sensible, but a more cynical view could see them as a mish mash of words from your post, and don’t actually mean / add anything.

I think the answer is to keep it a judgement call – but if I’m going to do that I want to make it clear in the comments policy too.

Joanna

]]> By: Yvonne Russell http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2425 Yvonne Russell Fri, 16 May 2008 14:02:12 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2425 Hi Joanna If it says "great furniture" or the like, I go back to their site to give them the benefit of the doubt. It's something I'm not keen on, but if they add to the conversation it's a tough call, but I'm tending towards your approach. I've found that while these comments can be relevant, they are usually more token comments than true participation in a conversation. Interesting discussion. Hi Joanna
If it says “great furniture” or the like, I go back to their site to give them the benefit of the doubt.

It’s something I’m not keen on, but if they add to the conversation it’s a tough call, but I’m tending towards your approach.

I’ve found that while these comments can be relevant, they are usually more token comments than true participation in a conversation.

Interesting discussion.

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2424 Joanna Young Fri, 16 May 2008 09:36:46 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2424 That's very true Michele. Glad you like your new home. Joanna That’s very true Michele. Glad you like your new home.

Joanna

]]> By: Michele http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2423 Michele Thu, 15 May 2008 23:44:47 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2423 Thanks! I'm loving my new home! Ah, don't feel bad about not commenting on my blog. There just isn't enough time to comment on each and every blog we like. ;-) *smiles* Michele Thanks! I’m loving my new home!

Ah, don’t feel bad about not commenting on my blog. There just isn’t enough time to comment on each and every blog we like. ;-)

*smiles*
Michele

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2422 Joanna Young Thu, 15 May 2008 21:05:56 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2422 Brad, I know, it's so much better with captcha and when I go to other typepad sites and see it there I feel like screaming. Typepad does a first class job of screening most of it. Michele, I agree that it doesn't fit with the conversation. I felt bad about deleting them without explanation, which is why I wrote this. I'm sorry I haven't been commenting actively on your blog but I do follow, which is how I found you on your new site this morning! Congrats on making the move Joanna Brad, I know, it’s so much better with captcha and when I go to other typepad sites and see it there I feel like screaming. Typepad does a first class job of screening most of it.

Michele, I agree that it doesn’t fit with the conversation. I felt bad about deleting them without explanation, which is why I wrote this. I’m sorry I haven’t been commenting actively on your blog but I do follow, which is how I found you on your new site this morning! Congrats on making the move

Joanna

]]> By: Michele http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2421 Michele Thu, 15 May 2008 17:40:56 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2421 Hi Joanna! Thanks for stopping by and welcoming me to my new home. ;-) I appreciate it! I think you're right about those types of comments. I've only had to delete a few, but I did delete them. I just felt like they stuck out and didn't have a place in the conversation. I felt a little bad about it, but it's really best for the sake of the ongoing conversation. *smiles* Michele Hi Joanna! Thanks for stopping by and welcoming me to my new home. ;-) I appreciate it!

I think you’re right about those types of comments. I’ve only had to delete a few, but I did delete them. I just felt like they stuck out and didn’t have a place in the conversation. I felt a little bad about it, but it’s really best for the sake of the ongoing conversation.

*smiles*
Michele

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2420 Brad Shorr Thu, 15 May 2008 13:10:43 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2420 Captcha may be a decent tool for picking off sp*m, but it sure is user-unfriendly. I think what you're doing by articulating a policy makes a lot of sense, and yours is quite reasonable. And just because you have a policy doesn't mean you can't change it or make exceptions if common sense warrants. Captcha may be a decent tool for picking off sp*m, but it sure is user-unfriendly. I think what you’re doing by articulating a policy makes a lot of sense, and yours is quite reasonable. And just because you have a policy doesn’t mean you can’t change it or make exceptions if common sense warrants.

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/05/update-to-comme/#comment-2419 Joanna Young Thu, 15 May 2008 11:08:17 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=413#comment-2419 Partly for my own benefit, here's the slightly fuller version of the policy: Typepad catches a vast proportion of sp*m (comments and trackbacks) - thank you Typepad :-) This means I can live without captcha - so it's easier for genuine commenters to add their piece When I get a comment from someone I haven't 'met' before I go and visit their site to see what they're up to and what they're about. This is mainly to be friendly, and informs my comment by way of reply, but also gives me a chance to see if it seems like a 'genuine' comment ...esp if the comment has been left semi-anonymously say with a pseudonym, or the name of the blog 99% of these I'll keep, esp if I can find a person behind the site, see it's a blog rather than just a selling or advertising site, or can hear a human voice in what they're doing On the other hand, 99% of comments left by a string of key words like Kredit Ohne Stress or Anti Ageing Cream or Comfortable Sofas Online will be deleted, even if they've made some small attempt to match their comment to the words in the post Hope that helps to clarify things :-) Joanna Partly for my own benefit, here’s the slightly fuller version of the policy:

Typepad catches a vast proportion of sp*m (comments and trackbacks) – thank you Typepad :-)

This means I can live without captcha – so it’s easier for genuine commenters to add their piece

When I get a comment from someone I haven’t ‘met’ before I go and visit their site to see what they’re up to and what they’re about. This is mainly to be friendly, and informs my comment by way of reply, but also gives me a chance to see if it seems like a ‘genuine’ comment

…esp if the comment has been left semi-anonymously say with a pseudonym, or the name of the blog

99% of these I’ll keep, esp if I can find a person behind the site, see it’s a blog rather than just a selling or advertising site, or can hear a human voice in what they’re doing

On the other hand, 99% of comments left by a string of key words like Kredit Ohne Stress or Anti Ageing Cream or Comfortable Sofas Online will be deleted, even if they’ve made some small attempt to match their comment to the words in the post

Hope that helps to clarify things :-)

Joanna

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