Monday 31 January 2005

Comments on Posts

I have been thinking over what Sharon, the Queen of bloggers, has written in her blog where she spells out that replies to comments on her blog are following the comments, as that is like a continuing conversation. Which I can appreciate – but in some ways that does not work for me.

For example, in my last post about cords, I wanted to add a photo, and I don’t think I could do that in comments. And I was adding a heap of extra information, so I decided to do it as a new post. Although I do think if I had my brain in gear I should have put the pattern details for the Lily of the Valley in comments.

I am just learning this blogging thing, and I find what I do is have a quick look at a blog I am reading to see if there is a new post, and if there is, I read it. I haven’t learned all this science yet of RSS feeds, or whatever it is. So, with my reading style, I miss all the continuing conversations, which are hidden away, unless I go looking for them. I cannot hope to memorise things like, and think like – oooh, there were no comments on that post last time, now there are five, must have a little look-see and find out what is in there. So comments are something I tend to miss out on – although I must do a few more replies to things on mine.

And I am reminded how evidence is given in court in Australia – there is evidence in chief (the posts), and then cross-examination (like the comments). You can throw in anything you like in the cross-examination. Then, finally, there is re-examination – by the person who helped lead the witness through the evidence in chief – and there can be no new material admitted in re-examination – it has to stick to things raised in the cross-examination. So, I know it is a terrible metaphor, but I am sort of going that way. I will try and get a chance to acknowledge comments, but if I am leading with new material, even if it arises from comments, I will do it as a new post. And I guess everyone is different – and as long as we say how we are doing it (and I appreciate Sharon letting us know where the interesting little comments are on her blog), we will be forgiven for being different.

When I grow up, I want to be like Sharon and her blog.

And all this rambling is to hide the fact I haven’t done any sewing – except there was a bit of tatting done for a fan last night while I was watching the tennis. The garden is winning at the minute.

6 Comments:

Blogger sharonb said...

Hi Linda - in some ways the Jury is out on comments and you are right that some people miss them.

On my own blog mainly I worry that when someone leaves a comment I like to respond up until recently I have been doing it by email but my mail load is getting pretty heavy so I decided to develop a policy that I would respond publicly to comments and privately to email - alot of people just email me and I try to answer those.

Its a case of each to their own as blogs as a genre is still developing. I will have to be careful that what I say isn't interpreted as a rule! I certainly don't mean it that way. I will also have to do a post about RSS. I have attempted a draft a couple of times but got bogged down in techno babble - so I will try to shape one in the next few days.

7:10 am  
Blogger Linda said...

Hi Sharon (and waving to anyone else reading this esoteric discussion).

Thank you for your comments, and I probably should further clarify my comments – I think you are talking about replying to people on the blog, acknowledging their comments (instead of by e-mail) – well, I know you are. Which I agree is the way to go – and I am going to be a terrible blogger, as I wish I had more time to do that.

What is exercising my mind is at what point the comments I am adding are more than just an acknowledgment, or continuation of a casual and friendly conversation, and are more the addition of a serious chunk of new information. I am trying to recognise at what point that then it becomes a new post.

A post on RSS would be great – the main thing exercising my mind is – when you are getting RSS feed from, for example, my blog, does it send you all the comments as well???? And, every time I am editing a post that I have previously published (how could I possibly have missed that appalling mis-spelling etc) – does it send the post to you all over again??? Eeeek – if it does I will have to read things even more carefully before I post, so you are not continually receiving the same post and wondering what on earth I have changed.

8:18 am  
Blogger Maureen said...

Chloe I follow yours and (Queen Blogger) Sharon's comments with intense interest;being also in the position of a steep learning curve and I'm sliding backwards more often than going forward.
Am still having problems getting Pics to Blog as they keep hiding out on my Flickr site
http//www. flickr.com/photos/kenmaurscorner
Do you thinkk the fact that both are named "KenmaursCorner "may be confusing that artificial intelligence?

6:13 pm  
Blogger Linda said...

Hi Celtic, :)

We do receive e-mail notifications (as the blogger - not sure if you mean people who leave comments).

And I think I have now worked out how to put photos in comments - just cannot try it at the minute as flickr is down. :(

I tend to be an old-fashioned type gal, and am reluctant to change for the sake of change - and now I have worked out how this one works, I like it. Unless you can tell me some way to export/import all my old archives over there?????

But thank you for your thoughts - they are much appreciated. :)

2:59 pm  
Blogger Linda said...

flicr is back up, and I have been looking - but the method I thought I could use to add photos to comments does not work - and I guess that has its up sides - you then have control of what other people cannot put on your comments as well - well, I know what I mean, having just got my first spam!

3:21 pm  
Blogger Linda said...

Hi Celtic, :)

CF: Some programmes or... at least in Livejournal you can save all your post and comments on your hard drive.

Me: I think I would be able to save them, it would just be the reposting - and I would like to keep them together to refer back to (by links etc). But you have reminded me I should keep an archive copy myself. :)

CF: Don't get me wrong! Don't see some spam in my words about LiveJournal. I naturally live in LJ, so I think that LJ as a blog is very useful.

Me: I definitley don't see you as spam. Spam is those offers of cheating housewives that keep arriving in my e-mail (or the offer of a free iPod that appeared in my blog!). Sometimes I feel like writing back and asking if those cheating housewives will do the vaccuming for me???

CF: By the way, I'm sorry that I deleted my comment. I did it because I found some typos :)

Me: No need to apologise - but I know how you feel sometimes. But I think people are very relaxed about these sorts of things on the net. :)

CF: And sorry for my English - I know I make a mistakes. :)

Me: I'll tell you what - your English is a heck of a lot better than my Russian!!!!!

Lovely to talk to you!

7:41 am  

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