Tyme’s Thoughts: Turning off comments
I gave this a considerable amount of thought prior to deciding to write about it. Robert Scoble made three posts that I couldn’t wrap my brain around. The first one was about his comments being down (again) and pondering whether or not he should turn comments off. The second post was about a new technology Robert is playing with that could end the need for comments:
It also will make comments unnecessary. Why? Because there are systems coming that’ll match up—in minutes—a main post and all the comments being made about that post.
Then he made a post requesting input for those who are blogging badly.
Turning off comments would be blogging badly – it stops the conversation. Of course, if he turns off comments in my opinion, his blog is no longer a blog, it’s a website. So I hope his blogging book has the difference between a web site and a blog in it.
And yes, blogs are about conversation, which Robert would be slowing down without comments. Even with the technology he’d be slowing the conversation down because unless this new technology addresses people without web sites, that leaves out a large number of people being able to express their opinion.
And that is what makes no sense to me. Robert said on his blog:
But, when you see this thing (probably a couple more months) you’ll see that all you need to do to leave a comment on my blog is to have a blog yourself and link to it.
Don’t bloggers (and especially businesses) want to hear from people who don’t have web sites? There are more people without web sites than have web sites:so it makes zero sense to me why he would want to shut these people out. Their opinions are valuable.
Unless he’s banking on people like me who believe in comments and perhaps might write about what he said and he can read the comments elsewhere. Very different though that talking directly to the blogger. That was the appeal – it’s what made him popular:the ability to converse directly with a Microsoft employee.
I just find it ironic how many contradicting statements were posted in one day.
Related posts:
I disagree with one thing: what made me popular. I was popular before I became a Microsoft employee. So, to claim that’s what made me popular is simply wrong.
Also, I disagree with you that a blog needs comments.
A blog is a Website with content in reverse-chronilogical order. That’s it.
You think there’s more to it, right?
Well, I guess Dave Winer doesn’t have a blog, right? After all, he has comments only on posts he wants comments on.
Posted on June 30th, 2005 at 1:06 pm
I wrote about this before (to be honest I’m surprised you didn’t say anything then LOL) and I said Dave Winer didn’t have a blog on Scripting (but does on RSS), but that doesn’t mean his site doesn’t have value:
http://nottoogeeky.com/index.php/blogtyme/whats_a_blog/
http://nottoogeeky.com/index.php/blogtyme/why_blogs_have_to_have_comments/
Look at the comments on What’s a Blog and see who agrees with me.
My point is that all technology evolves and the standards rise as the technology evolves. The expectation is raised. An example the definition for a car:
A self-propelled passenger vehicle that usually has four wheels and an internal-combustion engine, used for land transport.
But to sell a car it has to be better than that. There has to be specific features for a car to be accepted as a car. These expectations change as more technology becomes available. For me a blog is a web site and distinguishes a blog from other database driven sites are comments. When blogs were born a database driven site was not the norm. Hosting plans as a standard now have database access, they didn’t back then.
See, anyone who uses a CMS of any sort by your definition has a blog. That means every PHP-Nuke, PostNuke, PHP-News, MovableType, Drupal, Wordpress, Expression Engine, Xoops, etc. is a blog. That makes just about every site on the net a blog because most people use some sort of content management system for their site, simply because it’s easier. More importantly because that is how users want to view information – the newest information first followed by older information.
In my opinion there is a place for everything. As I said before Dave initiates conversation with his site - but he initiates a one-sided conversation. If I want to converse with him I have to email him. I can’t interact with others on his site.
As for your popularity, yes you had popularity before but nothing to the degree you have now. What added to your popularity is the fact that you’re honest and people can converse with you. They can disagree, agree and learn from you right on your web site. You’re approachable and your willingness to interact greatly adds to your appeal.
I understand why people turn off comments – it can be a hassle and some people’s comments can be depressing. The beauty of blogs (sites with comments) is the interaction. I wrote about something and you came and commented on it. I responded back. Others can join in. That is what makes a web site different than a blog (to me).
Posted on June 30th, 2005 at 1:06 pm