SCVTalk Past and future, ctd

More and more feedback from readers:

Well, I'm going to side with those that prefer the comments section. I like to see both sides of an issue (even from trolls) and I'm afraid the delay it takes to get any comments (which so far can be counted on 1 hand) is more than my attention span can handle.

Let me get a little meta on this reader. Everything is so fast now. We read something on the web and react instantly. The shorter, the pithier, the snarkier, the better. That's what gets likes and what gets thumbs up. 

Part of this experiment is about seeing what happens when comments get slowed down. When readers can't react instantly, when you force them to take an extra step of emailing their thoughts and pressing send. Do more interesting comments result? Perhaps.

 You lose the instant feedback but we all might gain something else, I hope.

 This same reader, and another, cited workplace IT filters that prevent them from commenting unless it's on SCVTalk/NFN:

For those of us that check-in from a work computer, many blogs are "blocked" and personal email is strictly prohibited from a work computer. So unless I am off, like today, you won't be hearing from me.

Jeff, since my office (and I am sure many others) ban Facebook, the SCLTE page is not a viable option. Why not continue the comments but do away with the anonymity factor. Many of your commenters used their real names.

First point: if you want a way around your workplace's IT filter, the best bet is to subscribe to the site's RSS feed. RSS is a subscription service and delivers full posts directly to Outlook, Google reader, and other sites that don't usually get blocked.

And the more comments that are emailed to me, the more I can post to the site itself, allowing you to read them without clicking through to comments. RSS feeds are available at the top right of the page, below the banner image.

 As for "doing away with the anonymity factor" that's impossible unless I implement Facebook commenting on the site. There is no mechanism for a small time blogger to ensure a commenter is who he says she is. 

Another reader:

Stick to your guns Jeff. Bottom line is, people resist change .. even when it's a good change. Although I rarely contributed to the comments, I know I don't miss them. Although they were frequently a kind of entertainment, it was TMZ style for the most part and not necessary. If people want "snark," they can go over to Ray's FB page. Or let them start their own site/page. See how that works out.

TMZ for the SCV. Now that's an idea for an open Facebook group if SCVTalk/NFN doesn't pan out.

This reader gets my vision:

I absolutely like the new format! I think this has really taken this blog to the next level. I admit I miss the comments (well some!) a little but the good of the new outweighs the good of the old! Way to go on changing things up a bit which I am sure must refuel that personal fire and passion (just a bit!) you must have for the SCV.

You know what depressed me about the old site...not having anything to post but the Daily Brief. That and fighting about comments. With the new format though, I'm feeling a bit more creative and excited about what the site can do, especially if former commenters become emailers.

This reader's comment reminds me of an episode in that new HBO show the Newsroom. And encourages me that we might be on the right track here:

Long story short, good for you for tagging comments as by "a reader." The anonymity of the Internet has done real and serious damage to intelligent, civil discourse. If you want to say something, then step up and stand by your words without anonymity. And if you're too cowardly to do that, than don't whine about just being called a reader. Ok, I'm done. Keep it up, Jeff.

SCVTalk Past & Future 1
SCVTalk Past & Future 2

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