A musing or too much?

February 18, 2005

The Countdown
Category: Site news

Lately I’ve heard quite a bit of ~~complaining~~ begging for comments. While that’s not something that I would do, it did force me to think about the imbalance between this site’s traffic and the number of comments that are left. Well… I’ve decided to do something about it.

My solution is either going to help foster open communication or absolutely kill this website. It’s a bold move, but after two years (YES – none of you wished me a happy anniversary!) it’s time to mix things up a bit.

If you look to the upper left of the page, you will see a new countdown. This is tracking the number of comments that are needed before I post another entry. It subtracts the number of comments since the last post from a magic threshold number. We’ll be starting with 7.

The number is updated in real time. So, if you post a comment, you get the joy of seeing your comment in print AND you get to watch the number go down. Once that number reaches zero I’ll be obligated to post something!

It’s a new era. Let’s hope this isn’t the beginning of the end!

(If you thought that this post was interesting, why not read another? Perhaps a random link? Or you could just read about me.)

Posted by Stephen Speicher at February 18, 2005 01:55 PM

Comments

A few points of clarification.

Does the number reset everytime you post? Always back to 7?
Or do you add 7 each time so that if you posted back to back the number would jump to 14?

I think 7 is too high. I think it should be 1 or 2.

I think part of the traffic/comment imbalance is due to the lack of nested comments. Without nested comments its hard to auto-notify users when someone responds to a comment-- so if I comment im checking back more often to see if anyone has responded to my comment.

I'm trying so hard to go back and capitalize all the right letters. I hope it's appreciated, when blogging/commenting/iming it doesnt come at all naturally anymore.

Posted by: Erin at February 18, 2005 03:30 PM

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So let me get this straight. You are essentially giving us a remote control to make you write whenever we choose....hmmm.

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:28 PM

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Ok, after mulling it over, I'm willing to do my part to make you jump.

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:29 PM

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So what kind of response can we expect?

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:29 PM

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If you are slow, I assume we can accumulate multiple posts. For example, we make 7 comments (so you owe 1 post). We make another 7 comments before you post. Now you should owe 2 comments.

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:45 PM

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Come on people. Help me make him jump!

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:45 PM

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Technically if I posted back-to-back posts it would go back to seven. However, it's a moot point. My goal is not to post while that number is positive. I'll probably continue to write. However, I just won't post.

You think that seven is too high! Yikes! As it is I already average more than 2 comments per post. I'd hate to think that someone posting "Thanks, I got a chuckle out of that" would obligate me to post something else. If seven people did that, I would have no problem with it whatsoever. I’ve set it at seven to encourage people to give a little nod with a comment as simple as “I can relate.”

As for the imbalance – while I see your point, I don’t think that’s the problem. The logs are fairly even and the occasional re-checker appears to be the anomaly.

It’s been hinted that I scare people into not commenting. I’ve had many e-mails where people have told me that they didn’t want to post. I even had someone apologize at the beginning of a comment if everything wasn’t grammatically correct.

I suppose I deserve that. I do spend a lot of time harping on things like that. Oh well… I’m not the boogie man. I won’t bite. :)

Posted by: steve at February 18, 2005 04:46 PM

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Ok, so here's the first one. I want my musing! Pay up.

Posted by: Will at February 18, 2005 04:47 PM

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Remember people -- I control the magic number!

Posted by: steve at February 18, 2005 04:48 PM

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Hi, I always enjoy your musings but it is very intimidating knowing that you are such a stickler for grammar, spelling, etc..
I will comment more.

Posted by: Allison at February 18, 2005 05:09 PM

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This is a WONDERFUL idea.

Posted by: Pauly D at February 18, 2005 05:23 PM

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You don't even read my LJ you scum bag.

Just kidding. :) When are you coming over to play poker?

Posted by: Kara at February 18, 2005 06:15 PM

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Posted by: Me at February 18, 2005 06:32 PM

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I hope that you guys are taking special note that we have a celebrity hanging around here. That's right -- the one and only Pauly D commented! By all accounts, he is the hardest working man in Hollywood and he's here! Here!

Posted by: steve at February 19, 2005 04:57 PM

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Erin, do you use RSS feeds? What if I allowed you to do something like:

www.theevilempire.com/musings/comments.php?email=erin

and that would return a personal comments.xml feed with all the comments from any entry where you posted (or something like that)

Did that make sense?

Posted by: steve at February 20, 2005 09:47 AM

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Yup, I use RSS feeds.
I get the concept of you puplishing a feed that posts comments from entries I've commented on, and that would totally work. I don’t understand what to do with this:
www.theevilempire.com/musings/comments.php?email=erin
Was that just explaining what you would allow? Or was that expected to work now?
Thanks! :-D

Posted by: Erin at February 21, 2005 10:57 AM

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I was just rambling. No -- that wouldn't work. I was just toying with the concept. I was just curious if it was something to persue...

Posted by: steve at February 21, 2005 11:06 AM

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I'm not going to lie to you people; I'm feeling a bit bound by this. I've just quasi-released a new feature and I'm dying to talk about it. The problem is that that damn counter is prohibiting me from officially launching it with a post.

Posted by: steve at February 22, 2005 04:53 PM

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What is it Steve? What is it!

Posted by: Erin at February 22, 2005 05:09 PM

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Hehe. Thanks for the push there (even though you already were using it!).

Posted by: steve at February 22, 2005 06:26 PM

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I was told to check out your new comment system by a friend and then I was completely taken with the fact you have a Terry Pratchett book on your home page. Right on!

Posted by: BetsyA at February 24, 2005 11:37 PM

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Comments are certainly fun for the blogger but forcing readers to respond seems a bit heavy handed. But hell it's your blog, do as you see fit.

A friend of mine had a dog named Malachi. I had never heard of anyone else naming their dog that until I saw the picture above.

Regarding your about page:
I too wanted to name my daughter Savannah, but not for the same reason as you. My last name is Lyons. For the same reason I wanted to name a son Savitch.

Posted by: Pete Lyons at March 10, 2005 04:53 AM

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Pete, really it's all in good fun. More often than not it has the reverse effect. That is to say that I end up posting before zero, but when it *does* actually hit zero I post a little sooner than I otherwise would.

Mostly I'm just trying new things.

Posted by: steve at March 10, 2005 06:40 AM

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It was set to one. Hmm.. I have to believe that it is almost impossible that I've been lucky enough to be the ONE guy with the ONE comment that would kick this puppy over the top.

You have to sell former microsoft people email addresses at evilempire.com, just gotta do it. Forget comments, make money on those x-msft types such as moi.

Posted by: Rick Segal at March 17, 2005 09:34 PM

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Nope -- it's true. You were the choosen one! Tomorrow there shall be a new post.

Posted by: steve at March 17, 2005 10:36 PM

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My thoughts

great idea!

Posted by: jon at September 7, 2005 08:16 PM

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This is a really interesting idea, I may have to implement something like this in one of my sites.

Posted by: Moth at February 9, 2006 05:27 PM

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On second thought, it seems as if this might have backfired.

Posted by: Moth at March 7, 2006 02:53 PM

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I love the name Savannah Jane I am 10 my mom is a big fan of Jimmy Buffet.. and can you belive it I got the domain name ...I want to make blogs some day and sign ..sure glade I was not a boy , My name would of been Wyatt ...I think my dad watched to many westerns...You have a cool site ..Please sign my Guestmap

Thanks Savannah Jane

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