Comments About Comments

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Posted by samzenpus on Monday September 23, 2013 @03:58AM from the talk-talk-talk dept.

theodp writes "This weekend's NY Times is all-about-the-comments. First, Michael Erard recounts the history of Web site comments and explains how their technical origins have shaped the actual commentary we've come to expect as usual today. On dealing with people-behaving-badly, Erard writes, 'Only a few [high-traffic sites] seem to have tried user-moderation systems like the one developed by Slashdot's creator, Rob Malda. Founded in 1997, Slashdot rapidly began to suffer from what Malda called 'signal-to-noise-ratio problems' as tens of thousands of users showed up. Rather than embracing the chaos (which was a hallmark of Usenet, another digital channel of communications) or locking things down with moderators (which e-mail lists did), Malda figured out a way for users to moderate one another. Moderation became like jury duty, something you were called to do.' Next, NY Times community manager Bassey Etim, who oversees 13 comment moderators, offers up his comments on comments, agreeing that 'the comments are where the real America is.' Finally, there's Gawker's next-generation Kinja, which aims to further blur the lines between stories, blog entries, and comments."

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Like this? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-23 04:01 · Score: 4, Funny

Personally, I like making comments on comments. I especially like self-referencing ones.
1. Re:Like this? by flatt · 2013-09-23 05:13 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Moderation is important, otherwise discussion is reduced to inane blather. #yolo #swag #grits
So many by djupedal · 2013-09-23 04:02 · Score: 2, Funny

. . . comments on my comments!
I've got 14 mod points by Andrio · 2013-09-23 04:03 · Score: 3, Funny

Earn my blessing, or my wrath!

--
The Internet King? I wonder if he could provide faster nudity.
1. Re:I've got 14 mod points by marcello_dl · 2013-09-23 04:12 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  except you can't use them in this thread...
  
  --
  ---- MISSING MISCELLANEOUS DATA SEGMENT --- [sigdash] trolololol
2. Re:I've got 14 mod points by knarfling · 2013-09-23 04:57 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I tried having multiple accounts, but the arguments between accounts quickly got out of hand.
  
  At first, it was just the other account made way too many stupid arguments, but it soon escalated to threats of physical violence. I had to keep a close watch on myself to keep me from slashing my own tires. (I tried hiding, but I quickly learned that I knew where I lived and where I liked to hide.)
  
  After two or three "unfortunate incidents" I decided to close all but one of the accounts. Things settled down for a while, but I still have to keep a close eye on me in case I go back and login to one of the "closed" accounts.
  
  ---
  Only two of my personalities have delusions, but one of them is paranoid and the other is out to get him.
  
  --
  Great civilizations have lived and died on false theories. Don't mess up mine with a few facts.
3. Re:I've got 14 mod points by mcgrew · 2013-09-23 05:10 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Ah, but there's the evil metamoderation. I've had my own comments come up when metamoderating!
  Muahahahaha!!!
  
  --
  Free Martian Whores!
4. Re:I've got 14 mod points by MiniMike · 2013-09-23 06:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I've thought about setting up a second, sock-puppet account with which to argue with myself, but haven't yet, either due to laziness or a general lack of self-interest...
  Or are you afraid that the sock-puppet account will get moderated more favorably than your original account?
Sorry, didn't read TFA.... by sinij · 2013-09-23 04:05 · Score: 4, Funny

Sorry, didn't read TFA, what are we talking about again? Ah, comments.
C(C(S(C(C())))) by Thanshin · 2013-09-23 04:06 · Score: 4, Funny

I like making comments about comments about a story about comments about comments.
1. Re:C(C(S(C(C())))) by Mitchell314 · 2013-09-23 04:22 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  > 10 print "Comments about ";
  > 20 goto 10
  >
  
  --
  I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
2. Re:C(C(S(C(C())))) by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-23 06:42 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  /*This is a comment in a comment.*/
'the comments are where the real America is.' by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-23 04:09 · Score: 5, Funny

Horribly depressing.
yo dawg by Mini-Geek · 2013-09-23 04:11 · Score: 4, Funny

Yo dawg, I heard you like comments, so I made a comment on your story about comments on comments, so you can comment while you comment.

--
do {print "Mini-Geek Rules!\n";}
until ($TheEndOfTheWorld);
Re:The most valuable part of some sites by SJHillman · 2013-09-23 04:26 · Score: 5, Funny

"It's obvious that comments are what make some websites attractive. This is one of them."
It's sure as hell not the unique, timely stories with well-edited summaries that keeps people coming back to Slashdot.
Re:First post! by CanHasDIY · 2013-09-23 04:33 · Score: 4, Funny

Last Post!!!

--
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Re:The most valuable part of some sites by phantomfive · 2013-09-23 05:01 · Score: 1, Funny

Certainly not,
See what I mean? :)

--
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
Re:The most valuable part of some sites by Valdrax · 2013-09-23 06:06 · Score: 3, Funny

YHBT. YHL. HAND.

--
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
Moderate older comments by handy_vandal · 2013-09-23 07:47 · Score: 5, Funny

I like to moderate week-old comments, when I get mod points.
Imagine the poster's surprise: "Hey! I got modded up for a comment I wrote last week!"
Gives me a warm feeling: two parts happiness, one part mischief.

--
-kgj