Post #4046209

2026-07-23 20:52 UTC

If you're one of those holdouts who still reads blogs, how do you feel about the ability to comment? Are you still moved to do so sometimes? Do other people's comments ever add something for you? Or is implementing comments a big waste of time? (asking because I'm thinking about a new project where that is a question)

Replies (5)

@paulh@cloudisland.nz 2026-07-23 21:03

@stephen@ephemera.vital.org.nz If I was to start a blog, I would not turn comments on. I would leave them off. In my experience comments are rarely enlightenment or value to a blog. The exemption are those sites that require a fee and/or real names. That is usually more than enough friction to stop the "u sux" type of comment. And any comments always require moderation of some sort and that usually falls on only one or two people. Moderating internet comments must be one the worst, most draining jobs ever. So, to answer your original question - I do not miss the ability to comment on blogs. So long as there is an email address or similar, I am happy to give feedback in that way if I feel so moved to do so.

Open ##4046207
@LyallMorrison@cloudisland.nz 2026-07-23 21:37

@stephen@ephemera.vital.org.nz IMO, no comments on regular posts unless you're going to make community management a pillar of your service. Bad comments are worse than no comments. I've read some blogs which do a weekly summary with an open thread which has been genuinely useful and interesting to get audience discussion.

Open ##4046838
@rmi@cloudisland.nz 2026-07-24 02:19

@stephen@ephemera.vital.org.nz I’ve used various browser extensions to remove all comment sections from all blogs for the last 15 years and I don’t feel I’ve missed anything important.

Open ##4051840
@isaacfreeman@cloudisland.nz 2026-07-24 20:20

@stephen@ephemera.vital.org.nz No to comment threads. There are a handful of cases where they're not terrible, but those generally involve a strong community that existed long before the blog. And even then, the signal to noise ratio is poor. A model I think works well is for the blog author to encourage private correspondence from readers, then publish occasional posts with curated, edited reader comments. That way the author incentivises good writing from commenters, and can model respectful dialogue. Then if readers start wanting to talk to each other as well as the blog author, some kind of forum software is better than shoehorning communication into comments on someone else's posts.

Open ##4071861
@DMakarios@theres.life 2026-07-23 21:48

@stephen@ephemera.vital.org.nz I occasionally comment, and I like it when others comment on my blog - makes a change from Russian spambots! I guess it depends in part on what kind of blog it is. Is it intended purely for the impartation of information or display of something, or might interaction bring an extra dimension to it?

Open ##4284531