Comments on: Blog comments: ebb and flow? http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/ Making the baby Jesus cry since 2002. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:08:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Rusty http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19859 Rusty Fri, 09 May 2008 11:15:53 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19859 In my case at least, it's not a total mystery to me. I don't write nearly as much as I used to, and even when I do, it's not about politics nearly as often as it used to be. I think people generally expect that that's what I'll be writing about (or college football), and if I cared about that expectation I'd be falling down on the job. Combine that with Twitter and RSS, and you've got less comments. In my case at least, it’s not a total mystery to me. I don’t write nearly as much as I used to, and even when I do, it’s not about politics nearly as often as it used to be. I think people generally expect that that’s what I’ll be writing about (or college football), and if I cared about that expectation I’d be falling down on the job.

Combine that with Twitter and RSS, and you’ve got less comments.

]]> By: Amber http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19858 Amber Fri, 09 May 2008 11:11:35 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19858 Thomas, Yeah, people get busy, but this is more of a general trend, and I'm not the only one who's noticed it. To me that says that something else is going on. I think you're right about Twitter. Russell, I've used RSS for over three years now, so I guess I don't really have a concept of how many other people use it, in what ways or how often. Maybe the deal is that it's just now hitting a "tipping point" where enough people use it that it's having an effect? Octo, Yeah, the old template was pretty (to me anyway!) but it had problems, especially in IE. I finally decided (and had time) to sit down and fix things. Ren, You might like tweets better if you were actually on Twitter! Not that I'm pressuring you... but a lot of people from Sex 2.0 have been wondering where you are! ;) But seriously, it's much different reading them in real-time on Twitter than in the bulk auto-post to the blog. The reason I auto-post them to my blog, though, is that sometimes I mention stuff that I would've previously done a short blog post about. Yay, this post has already gotten 5 comments! My evil plan is working... [rubs hands together maniacally] Thomas,
Yeah, people get busy, but this is more of a general trend, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed it. To me that says that something else is going on. I think you’re right about Twitter.

Russell,
I’ve used RSS for over three years now, so I guess I don’t really have a concept of how many other people use it, in what ways or how often. Maybe the deal is that it’s just now hitting a “tipping point” where enough people use it that it’s having an effect?

Octo,
Yeah, the old template was pretty (to me anyway!) but it had problems, especially in IE. I finally decided (and had time) to sit down and fix things.

Ren,
You might like tweets better if you were actually on Twitter! Not that I’m pressuring you… but a lot of people from Sex 2.0 have been wondering where you are! ;) But seriously, it’s much different reading them in real-time on Twitter than in the bulk auto-post to the blog. The reason I auto-post them to my blog, though, is that sometimes I mention stuff that I would’ve previously done a short blog post about.

Yay, this post has already gotten 5 comments! My evil plan is working… [rubs hands together maniacally]

]]> By: octogalore http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19846 octogalore Fri, 09 May 2008 04:43:44 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19846 I am old school too. The last time I was state of the art (w/r/t tech, anyway) was in 1990, I think. I was in awe of all the techy things Amber was doing at WAM while I was playing brickbreaker and gossiping. I am old school too. The last time I was state of the art (w/r/t tech, anyway) was in 1990, I think. I was in awe of all the techy things Amber was doing at WAM while I was playing brickbreaker and gossiping.

]]> By: RenegadeEvolution http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19845 RenegadeEvolution Fri, 09 May 2008 04:36:14 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19845 it's true, things seem slower all around...and since I don't tweet at all, or do feeds (old school me and all) it all just seems terribly odd. Actually...confession...I don't much like tweets. No real meat in 'em...nothing to sit down and grab onto and READ generally. Tweets are to blogging what plot is to porn! ;) it’s true, things seem slower all around…and since I don’t tweet at all, or do feeds (old school me and all) it all just seems terribly odd.

Actually…confession…I don’t much like tweets. No real meat in ‘em…nothing to sit down and grab onto and READ generally. Tweets are to blogging what plot is to porn! ;)

]]> By: octogalore http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19843 octogalore Fri, 09 May 2008 04:08:00 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19843 Actually, somehow your blog loads much better now for me than it used to, so expect to see more from moi! (uh oh!) Actually, somehow your blog loads much better now for me than it used to, so expect to see more from moi! (uh oh!)

]]> By: Russell http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19842 Russell Fri, 09 May 2008 04:04:41 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19842 I'm totally going with RSS as the reason. But with most things, I bet it's just a cycle that will work itself out in time. Of course, I'm the person that just discovered Google Reader and RSS a few months ago. ;-) I’m totally going with RSS as the reason. But with most things, I bet it’s just a cycle that will work itself out in time.

Of course, I’m the person that just discovered Google Reader and RSS a few months ago. ;-)

]]> By: Thomas http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19840 Thomas Fri, 09 May 2008 03:37:18 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2008/05/08/blog-comments-ebb-and-flow/#comment-19840 I've gotten used to the occasional comment drought. My guess is that there are times where everybody is just too busy to comment. They might agree with what you've posted, enough to sit at their desks and nod affirmatively, but instead of commenting ... well ... they've got to check the laundry or feed a pet or go run a marathon. And you know, I can never tell what post will be the one to attract more comments than others. Of late, the posts that pulled the most responses have been about normal everyday things like going to the dentist. To this day, my longest ever comment train was from a post about Home Depot. Twitter is changing the somewhat chatty nature of blogging. Now, those few people that would drop a comment on any given post, just to say hello, they've shifted over to Twitter. Tweets are more immediate. And frankly, more closely resemble actual conversation. Overall, this is a positive, but there is certainly a loss to be taken over here in blogland. Are feeds hurting? Well, they're pulling traffic, most definitely. It is so much easier on the eye and mind to just use a reader, as opposed to the previous method of alt-clicking blog link after blog link to check all your favorites in an endless row of browser tabs. What else ... Well, you know already why <em>my</em> comments are so rare. I've told you already that my employer sees fit to block your URL from view. Other employers might as well. And so, for most of my day, all I can do is read your feed, making occasional mental notes when a post strikes me as something worth a delayed comment. Luckily, I stumbled across this post while sitting comfortably at home ... I’ve gotten used to the occasional comment drought. My guess is that there are times where everybody is just too busy to comment. They might agree with what you’ve posted, enough to sit at their desks and nod affirmatively, but instead of commenting … well … they’ve got to check the laundry or feed a pet or go run a marathon.

And you know, I can never tell what post will be the one to attract more comments than others. Of late, the posts that pulled the most responses have been about normal everyday things like going to the dentist. To this day, my longest ever comment train was from a post about Home Depot.

Twitter is changing the somewhat chatty nature of blogging. Now, those few people that would drop a comment on any given post, just to say hello, they’ve shifted over to Twitter. Tweets are more immediate. And frankly, more closely resemble actual conversation. Overall, this is a positive, but there is certainly a loss to be taken over here in blogland.

Are feeds hurting? Well, they’re pulling traffic, most definitely. It is so much easier on the eye and mind to just use a reader, as opposed to the previous method of alt-clicking blog link after blog link to check all your favorites in an endless row of browser tabs.

What else …

Well, you know already why my comments are so rare. I’ve told you already that my employer sees fit to block your URL from view. Other employers might as well. And so, for most of my day, all I can do is read your feed, making occasional mental notes when a post strikes me as something worth a delayed comment.

Luckily, I stumbled across this post while sitting comfortably at home …

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