Comments on: Improving the readability of large numbers of comments http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/ blog designer Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:30:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: TechCrunch Redesign Update: ProBlogger Blog Tips http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-515 TechCrunch Redesign Update: ProBlogger Blog Tips Tue, 16 May 2006 14:29:05 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-515 [...] A few days back I linked to the design saga around the TechCrunch Redesign where the redesign of this popular blog came under significant critique. The design was done by Rachel Cunliffe from Cre8d but it was pretty obvious that there was some level of different perspectives between designer and blog owner if you look at the post announcing the redesign by Mike and the comment thread of Rachel’s announcement. [...] [...] A few days back I linked to the design saga around the TechCrunch Redesign where the redesign of this popular blog came under significant critique. The design was done by Rachel Cunliffe from Cre8d but it was pretty obvious that there was some level of different perspectives between designer and blog owner if you look at the post announcing the redesign by Mike and the comment thread of Rachel’s announcement. [...]

]]> By: What’s wrong with blog commenting (and what you can do about it) http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-514 What’s wrong with blog commenting (and what you can do about it) Mon, 06 Feb 2006 02:30:52 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-514 [...] threaded comments might make it easier to follow the conversation (Wordpress: use this plugin).  Some other suggestions for the readability of comments on this great blogging design blog. [...] [...] threaded comments might make it easier to follow the conversation (Wordpress: use this plugin).  Some other suggestions for the readability of comments on this great blogging design blog. [...]

]]> By: Rachel http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-513 Rachel Tue, 31 Jan 2006 20:28:49 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-513 Good points nate and thanks for your thoughts :) The gravatar can clutter things up, or it can be a quick visual cue as to who's commenting. Do you think it's cluttering up my site? I read a number of sites where the comments are in the hundreds per post and it's really really slow to load the pages (here in New Zealand when we go over our "quota" for the day, we're reduced to basically dialup... yes, it sucks! Most people here aren't on very fast connections due to the cost.. but that's another story). So, when I'm just interested in reading the post, and not the comments, I'd love the for pagination of large numbers of comments. For rating of comments, even if it was just a simple filter where I reduce the size of comments where people have said asked an aside question to the blog's author (irrelevant to everyone else), I'd find that useful when scanning comments. Good points nate and thanks for your thoughts :) The gravatar can clutter things up, or it can be a quick visual cue as to who’s commenting. Do you think it’s cluttering up my site?

I read a number of sites where the comments are in the hundreds per post and it’s really really slow to load the pages (here in New Zealand when we go over our “quota” for the day, we’re reduced to basically dialup… yes, it sucks! Most people here aren’t on very fast connections due to the cost.. but that’s another story). So, when I’m just interested in reading the post, and not the comments, I’d love the for pagination of large numbers of comments.

For rating of comments, even if it was just a simple filter where I reduce the size of comments where people have said asked an aside question to the blog’s author (irrelevant to everyone else), I’d find that useful when scanning comments.

]]> By: Nate Ritter » Improving blog comments and coffee cup lids http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-512 Nate Ritter » Improving blog comments and coffee cup lids Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:02:33 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-512 [...] If you’re interested, the inspiration came from the gem of a site called cre8d-design.com. [...] [...] If you’re interested, the inspiration came from the gem of a site called cre8d-design.com. [...]

]]> By: nate http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-511 nate Tue, 31 Jan 2006 18:27:19 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-511 Rachel, Kudos on the article. It was very well thought out and has helped me think through some of the things that bug me about WP in some instances. I love WP as a platform, but there's lots of improvements I've made. Specifically, the link to the plugin to separate the logged in user/admin's comments from the rest is great. I love that and found it very helpful in many other sites. Additionally, I love your idea and simple implementation with the trackbacks just using the title. That's awesome and I'm definitely implementing that in my own blog today. However, I disagree with some things. I tried out the gravatar/favatar/comvatar and think it clutters things up quite a bit. I don't really care to use them either, as a commenter. I'm not sure what value they add either. But, hey, I've been wrong lots of times before. Also, I've seen lots of discussion on pagination of comments, and I have to disagree with you. Scrolling is not a bad thing. It also lowers your bandwidth cost (no need for reloading), keeps everything simple and readable, and lowers the time it takes to find and read comments for users who don't have a nice speedy connection like me (and you probably). Last, rating comments: I guess that might be helpful if you used the ratings in some way, but otherwise it seems like a waste of time. Please tell me why I'm wrong here because I'd love to do it, but I don't find the value in it. By "sorting the wheat from the chaff", your forcing your readers to participate or just accept other people's opinions of what a good comment is or what has value to them (I need to find another word other than "value", sorry). I don't like making my visitors have to work to find what they need. Sorry for the rant, but I love that you got me to comment... and that's the point eh? :) Rachel,

Kudos on the article. It was very well thought out and has helped me think through some of the things that bug me about WP in some instances. I love WP as a platform, but there’s lots of improvements I’ve made.

Specifically, the link to the plugin to separate the logged in user/admin’s comments from the rest is great. I love that and found it very helpful in many other sites. Additionally, I love your idea and simple implementation with the trackbacks just using the title. That’s awesome and I’m definitely implementing that in my own blog today.

However, I disagree with some things. I tried out the gravatar/favatar/comvatar and think it clutters things up quite a bit. I don’t really care to use them either, as a commenter. I’m not sure what value they add either. But, hey, I’ve been wrong lots of times before.

Also, I’ve seen lots of discussion on pagination of comments, and I have to disagree with you. Scrolling is not a bad thing. It also lowers your bandwidth cost (no need for reloading), keeps everything simple and readable, and lowers the time it takes to find and read comments for users who don’t have a nice speedy connection like me (and you probably).

Last, rating comments: I guess that might be helpful if you used the ratings in some way, but otherwise it seems like a waste of time. Please tell me why I’m wrong here because I’d love to do it, but I don’t find the value in it. By “sorting the wheat from the chaff”, your forcing your readers to participate or just accept other people’s opinions of what a good comment is or what has value to them (I need to find another word other than “value”, sorry). I don’t like making my visitors have to work to find what they need.

Sorry for the rant, but I love that you got me to comment… and that’s the point eh? :)

]]> By: Blogs & forums: different ways of looking at the same thing — cre8d design blog http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-510 Blogs & forums: different ways of looking at the same thing — cre8d design blog Tue, 31 Jan 2006 05:04:29 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-510 [...] Of course, some features of forums would not be automatically built in and would need to be made available by way of plugins (e.g. if you wanted threaded comments, you’d grab the plugin discussed recently). User profile pages would substitute in for forum member pages. [...] [...] Of course, some features of forums would not be automatically built in and would need to be made available by way of plugins (e.g. if you wanted threaded comments, you’d grab the plugin discussed recently). User profile pages would substitute in for forum member pages. [...]

]]> By: Chrono Tron - 100% » Blog Archive » My Message to Wordpress http://www.cre8d-design.com/2006/01/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-509 Chrono Tron - 100% » Blog Archive » My Message to Wordpress Mon, 30 Jan 2006 11:10:19 +0000 http://www.cre8d-design.com/wordpress/2006/01/28/improving-the-readability-of-large-numbers-of-comments/#comment-509 [...] If I had written, I would have also included this as well. Do be sure that you read my comment. [...] [...] If I had written, I would have also included this as well. Do be sure that you read my comment. [...]

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