It's only Sunday and already I've received two comments on the new site and format. One reader says it will take awhile to get used to the new format:
On the old SCVTalk, many readers commented under their own names, while many other did not. Some critics of the site pointed out that SCVTalk let anonymous commenters post whatever they liked, and that was true to a certain extent.
But it is now possible to ensure the identity of every commenter on a blog. How? Facebook. You can put Facebook comments on just about any blog site, and then people will post comments with their real names.
But it's far from clear whether using Facebook as your commenting system is any better than plain anonymous comments. In fact, I'd argue it has the potential to be even worse. Take the SCV LTE Facebook group, which started out with lots of promise. Conversations there now routinely devolve into 200 post slugfests with real people calling other real people names. There's virtually no moderation there whatsoever, and those readers seem to like it that way.
In other words, forcing people to use their real names doesn't automatically guarantee some sort of magical, enlightened discussion environment.
Another reader writes:
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SCVTalk's past and future ctd
Keeping us on our toes, eh Jeff?That's the idea: to encourage discussion and respectful exchanges of ideas without names attached.
Well, I for one will keep an open mind even though I still don't quite understand the new format.
I agree with you on keeping the responses/comments anonymous; unfortunately they can often get personal and downright rude. I am sometimes hesitant to share my thoughts on certain posts because many who reply just feel the need to insult and don't really add anything to the conversation. So, I appreciate that aspect of the new format.
On the old SCVTalk, many readers commented under their own names, while many other did not. Some critics of the site pointed out that SCVTalk let anonymous commenters post whatever they liked, and that was true to a certain extent.
But it is now possible to ensure the identity of every commenter on a blog. How? Facebook. You can put Facebook comments on just about any blog site, and then people will post comments with their real names.
But it's far from clear whether using Facebook as your commenting system is any better than plain anonymous comments. In fact, I'd argue it has the potential to be even worse. Take the SCV LTE Facebook group, which started out with lots of promise. Conversations there now routinely devolve into 200 post slugfests with real people calling other real people names. There's virtually no moderation there whatsoever, and those readers seem to like it that way.
In other words, forcing people to use their real names doesn't automatically guarantee some sort of magical, enlightened discussion environment.
I guess it may take time to see how this will work and how easy (or not) it will be to follow others thoughts, experiences and opinions on important issues you include on your blog.I hope this goes for all readers. Stick around and give it a chance. If you see something you like, email me about it. If you see something you don't like, email me about it. If you read another reader's comment and want to comment on that, copy/paste it into an email to me, and I'll post your response.
Another reader writes:
I think I've commented 3 times tops. Mostly I read SCVTalk through google reader, so I really have to want to read comments to go looking for them. I appreciate what you are trying to do with the comments, and I like the anonymity, because it can open the conversation to more than the regulars. I'm sure I would send comments to you rather than the group more often. And honestly, who couldn't use an editor?Exactly. I want the blog to become more like a conversation between readers, myself included. No longer will comments be dependent on blog posts, they will be on equal footing with blog posts. What results, I hope, will be a dynamic and engaging blog that keeps readers coming back for more. It won't have the instant feedback of the old site or Facebook, but maybe we'll have one thing other sites don't: quality content.
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