Re: Do we want comments on news items? [Was: content protest--correction]

[hobbit aloss ukuu org uk]

On Sat, Apr 20, 2002 at 07:17:04PM +1000 or thereabouts, Jeff Waugh wrote:
 
> Anyway, given that we've kicked off the discussion, what does everyone think
> about removing comments entirely from the news system on the new website
> (which will not be squishdot-based)? Various people want them out completely
> in favour of mailing lists (which have better social pressure patterns),
> some want to keep them there.

Depends whether you want it as a news system or a community group
thingywotsit doodah.

I would prefer a news system. One of the reasons I prefer LWN to 
LinuxToday is that it's just news. If you want to comment, you 
have to write a real email (and the ones they publish seem to 
be fairly literate). If I follow a story on LinuxToday, I get this
list of comment topics whether I want it or not.

So I am quite happy to lose comments. 

That said, Gnotices _has_ improved hugely since some of its nastier 
days (thanks, moderators) with flames and javascript naughties and 
stuff. But to me, being on so many mailing lists, I don't need a 
comments area. So I am possibly not its target audience! 

I would be interested to know whether the majority of posts there 
are from people who aren't on the lists, or whether they're from 
people who just don't have time to join some fairly high-traffic
lists. (I certainly know people who can't deal with 30+ messages
per list per day, and who prefer to browse websites when they 
happen to have a moment free.)

Telsa