The Death of Weblog Comments
Originally published at BlogFerret. Please leave any comments there.
Typekey sucks. So yes, I’m about 3 years too late with that sentiment, but I was annoyed.
I do have a Typekey account, which I use to comment on other people’s blogs. Lately, I must say that I haven’t had to use it very often. Still, it annoys me to have to do so.
Why? Because Typekey seems to be kaput. When you click on a person’s nick who has commented via Typekey, you don’t get to see their profile or their website. It just takes you to a page which promptly redirects you to a page that doesn’t load.
Look, if people comment on my blog, I like to be able to see if they have a website, too. I also like for people to be able to go to my website if they read a comment on someone else’s site that fools them into thinking that makes them think I might provide an interesting read. It’s what’s behind all this “virtual community” the sociologists and psychologists are rambling about these days.
I know I tend to be a bit self-serving, but I really feel like this problem is more than just an “I visit your site and contribute, so you should visit mine” thing. Hah! I have to admit to being a bit of a “maiden aunt” of the internet, though. I believe in being “polite” in that way, and I freely admit to removing people from my links list because they were soliciting my participation in their site while not even bothering to put up a reciprocal link to mine. I also believe, though, that one should at least visit someone’s website who comments on yours, if they have one, for the simple reasonn that if you really want to participate in and/or build an online community, then you need to try and connect in a meaningful way with some of your contributors.
I mean, sure, the copious commenters who have obviously been at the Wiki and have to post a twelve stanza poem every freaking time have perhaps betrayed too much of their natures already, but what about the person who only comments when he or she has something to say that is both relevant and intelligent? Of course, here in my own little corner of the web my commenters are known to me and the comments are invariably of the latter sort. Still, I have to say even the tumbleweed commenters have also been intelligent and relevant, and yes, I have visited your sites and probably will again even if I haven’t commented. Often I have nothing to add.
I guess I just wish people cared more. These days, people just read all their stuff via RSS feed aggregators,and no one even reads comments. Wil Wheaton says here that he cares, but admits that he himself reads all his stuff via aggregators. Incidentally, he has also added some advertising to the ol’ blog, and perhaps this is why he’s so interested in getting traffic to his actual site rather than just being read through syndication? Now never fear, people, I refuse to commit geek blasphemy - I still love Wil. In 7th grade I gave up watching Doogie Howser M.D. so I could watch Wesley instead! At any rate, I seriously doubt Wil will ever hear of my criticism. If he did, I assume he would leave an intelligent and relevant comment here, ’cause that’s just how he rolls.
Wil will never visit my weblog, though, because he uses the Typekey commenting system and is blissfully unaware of my web presence. (Of course, never mind that he is a professional writer, actor, and charity poker player, with a fabulous family and house in California and probably doesn’t have time for such things.)
Did you notice we’re back around to Typekey again? And you thought the ferret was taking you on yet another of her post-midnight pointless rambles! Shame on you!
Tune in tomorrow for my post on the Fujitsu Lifebook p1120: it lives! It, my Clie T1615C and my Nintendo DS are all gonna get together for a Sexy Party! Okay, maybe not that last bit.