Sometimes I Think About Reinstating the Comments System • Hacker News Board

Re: Sometimes I Think About Reinstating the Comments System

#21

Post by ajdecon » Wed, May 30, 2012, 5:13 AM UTC

raldi wrote: post #20

ajdecon wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's the thing: I think threaded/collapsible/sorted comments are good for technical discussions, or for discussions which break apart into sub-conversations you want to be able to ignore. I know that's a very natural model for me, and for people accustomed to computing or other "hard" sciences. But I know a lot of people in humanities, arts, or social sciences who hate threaded comments because they view a complex,…

In small or restricted communities, that can definitely be the case. But I've never seen a large community with good comments that didn't have some or all of the above features. Have you?

The one that comes to mind immediately is MetaFilter. Not huge, but a pretty decent-sized community and above-average comments. No threading or non-chronological sorting involved.

John Scalzi's blog Whatever also has a pretty large pool of commenters in a standard Wordpress setup.

The thing both of these have in common is active moderators.

Re: Sometimes I Think About Reinstating the Comments System

#22

Post by losethos » Wed, May 30, 2012, 6:52 AM UTC

some people want to get dirt on people to neutralize them.

God exists.

I worry about God's opinion, not man's.

God says... predestination gave contempt weigh regarding Files native freed close_your_eyes doubts becomes surrounded bitter persecuting everything alleging as_a_matter_of_fact software watered uncertain changed launched resolved gosh Another rouse subduedst Give marvel monstrous owes asunder scornful farness unawares mimic Blessedness rapture silenced hard rested plains species flour unknowing corrupt masculine idly listing blasphemies it's_my_world Glad comprehend Narrow complaints distribution

-------------------

God says...

29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: 29:19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God.

And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

Re: Sometimes I Think About Reinstating the Comments System

#23

Post by toemetoch » Wed, May 30, 2012, 7:24 AM UTC

I've often wondered how big the impact is of the text "comment" or "post comment" we see on the button below or next to a textbox. I think it's part of the problem, acting like a red cloth on a bull. English isn't my mother's tongue and "comment" has a negative connotation.

Anybody know of another implementation that funnels intent differently? E.g. buttons with "contribute", "refute" or "criticize". Could make an interesting A/B test.

Re: Sometimes I Think About Reinstating the Comments System

#24

Post by WiseWeasel » Wed, May 30, 2012, 7:44 AM UTC

raldi wrote: post #20

ajdecon wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's the thing: I think threaded/collapsible/sorted comments are good for technical discussions, or for discussions which break apart into sub-conversations you want to be able to ignore. I know that's a very natural model for me, and for people accustomed to computing or other "hard" sciences. But I know a lot of people in humanities, arts, or social sciences who hate threaded comments because they view a complex,…

In small or restricted communities, that can definitely be the case. But I've never seen a large community with good comments that didn't have some or all of the above features. Have you?

Ars Technica's comment threads are mostly useless due to lack of threading and peer moderation.