Like any person who runs a blog, I enjoy seeing the comment counts rise to 50, 70, 100 and more, but the truth is that no more than a quarter of those comments are worth reading. The main trend in comments is to say “this sucks” or some other alternative mode of pithy, ruthless offense. This stops now. Unless you have a substantiated and thoughtful response to why something, in your mind, “sucks” please do not comment at all. From now on all comments along the lines of “fail,” “this looks like student work,” or “the designer should be fired,” will be deleted at my own discretion without notification or explanation.
Read the entire post: Cracking Down on Comment Crime
YAY! I swear there is a world unto itself that cropped up years ago where people compete to see who can be the snarkiest albeit wittiest via the digs they leave in comments. Many people who take such a stance as yourself are often accused of not being able to stand criticism… but comments like FAIL are hardly criticism and show any lack of forethought. I hope you see more well-thought responses from now on.
Mar 12th, 2009 / 10:39 am
I apologize profusely if my rather monosyllabic “WOW” comment to the TED -wearable technology video was the straw that broke the camel’s back in this case ;-). I was simply speechless by the coolness of the potential applications of these guys’ brilliant invention.
No more one-liner comments!
Mar 12th, 2009 / 10:53 am
Thank you. It seems that the internet has boiled down to many trying to win the snarkiest comment contest. . More constructive criticism and less hate please.
Mar 12th, 2009 / 11:27 am
I think more people should take the same action. I enjoy other’s opinions but when it comes to offensive comments and the obligatory follow-up snarky response, they can just be left to one’s self. There is a lot to be learned from the old adage “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Mar 12th, 2009 / 11:42 am
You know commenting is a funny and interesting part of the interaction design, the value or trash that comes with comments.
There is are a few site that are beginning to put a monetary or creed value on all kinds of interaction, like plurk (karma), urbis (credit), edufire (badges) and even amazon or ebay have kinda tapped into this with seller ratings.
I would love to see more sites and or more social networks putting value into data / words that people put time into.
Mar 12th, 2009 / 1:46 pm
My favorite: “Meh”. Makes my blood boil. It is like saying it’s not even worth the effort of typing a response, except that they put out the effort. Fail! God, I hate that one to. Kids these days. Get off my lawn!
Mar 13th, 2009 / 9:34 am
At first i did feel the erge to test this out with a cheeky comment……………………………………………………………………………………..
However i do agree with the idea entirly although i also feel its really just as important for negitive and positive reactions of design to be expressed but with the understanding that an opinion that has no deeper analogy has nothing to offer anyone.
Mar 13th, 2009 / 2:22 pm
I couldn’t agree more! However, mindless, meaningless and not worth wasting the space POSITIVE comments should also be deleted. ‘Wow!’,
‘That’s great!’, ‘Fabulous!’ etc etc etc – just as boring and just as indicative (indeed if any are) of the immature need to see one’s name or nom de guerre on the screen rather than engaging brain and contributing to the discussion!
Mar 15th, 2009 / 10:27 pm
I don’t know. Sometimes everything of substance or value may have already been said but you still feel the need to emote to show appreciation. I’m an infrequent commenter myself b/c I self-censor and worry if what I have to say is meaningful/relevant etc but objectively speaking I don’t see enthusiastic commenting, if it is genuine, to be a an offense much less a sin.
Apr 20th, 2011 / 8:55 am