June 26, 2007
Introducing DCist Comments 2.0
Regular readers probably noticed that we've made a few small changes to our commenting and feedback systems today. Here's the low down:
1. Every commenter can now have a profile page that includes a small bit of information about them, links to their recent comments, and comments other people have left in response. If the commenter is also a DCist author, the page will include a list of their recent posts. Here's mine. You can register here -- it's fast and painless, but does require a valid e-mail address for confirmation.
2. Anonymous commenting is still allowed, but anonymous commenters can no longer make up clever names and use fake email addresses. If you wish to leave anonymous comments, simply log in as Guest (password, Guest), and fire away. But remember: you don't have to register with your real name! Especially if you're a regular commenter, we encourage you to register under the pseudonym you've been using all along.
3. We'd also like to formally announce our Forum, which allows anyone to post a topic for discussion on DCist. Is there something we haven't covered that you'd like to get out there? Just login with your username and password. Particularly good Forum posts may get posted to the front page. The Forum is still a work in progress, though, so expect more changes to it over the summer.
We've made these changes because the old comment system was constantly getting bombarded with spam, and we thought it would be great to be able to give our readers a personal page here on the site. A number of other features based on the new profile system are coming in the next couple of months. We appreciate your constructive feedback on the new system -- please note that it's a work in process, and the experience may be sub-optimal for a few days while we work out the kinks. If you notice any problems, please do add a comment to this post or send me an email at sommer (at) dcist.com.
Photo of the National Zoo's Kiko by tnt.dc, just because I've been looking for an excuse to post this one.
|
Was there a reason for making the change?
I like the personal page. I'm on another site for football fans and its great to view what kind of stuff certain people post on.
What are the restrictions on passwords? I can't seem to change mine from the default.
Is that the O-Line? Awesome.
Comment #1: Read the first sentence of the last paragraph of the post.
What do you use the email address for? I am a regular commenter, but don't like listing an email address.
I take that you are paying homage to “monkeyerotica” with your picture.
We don't use your email addresses for anything. This is being done to prevent spam -- we just need you to verify you are a real person and not a robot by confirming your identity through a valid email address. If you want, just create a free email address at yahoo or hotmail or something just for this purpose! We're never going to give out the address anyway, I promise.
I'm on board, so it's official!
System doesn't seem to be aggregating old comments. and why is the profile's About Me entry a multi-line drop box if the display is only one line?
I understand fully. And I have been duly processed. Suddenly I feel.....strangely relevant. Somehow. Everything is cleaner, brighter.... I feel like I need to run in slow-motion along the seaside, scattering rose petals on the sand....
About the Forum: there's a guy selling insurance. I kid you not.
Couldn't DCist use that "type the swirly and distorted text you see in this box" software to avoid spam?
The forum stuff isn't working for me, and it looks like there's a style sheet issue with the "Sign In" link in the upper left-hand corner of the main page, but maybe that's just me.
I will miss the clever names, they were always entertaining.
It's my understanding that the "type the krraazy word you see here" stuff is starting to get cracked by spambots and spam hackers.
Disclaimer: My understanding may be wrong; I am not very "sophisticated" or "literate."
The swirly text is called a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) and they don't actually work that well anyway. If it's hard enough to block a computer, it's likely going to be unusable for a significant portion of a site's readership.
Which isn't to say that I don't expect Gothamist, LLC to implement one soon enough when this verification system gets defeated and the comments are overwhelmed with spam like the old system was.
Profiles are handy, though.
Bugs: the N replies to your comment thing seems to be broken (it says I have two replies to every comment) and I can't edit my "About me".
My editing problem may be related to the fact I hadn't confirmed my password change (the form didn't tell me I'd need to do that), but now that I've confirmed my password change I still can't edit my "About me" or occupation.
And the mouseover target for the DCist logo at top left obscures the links for profile, logout, etc.
I should get back to doing the web stuff I'm actually paid for.
Comment: Now the Profile Page counts any Comments subsequent to my Comments as Replies to my Comments even when they are not.
Someone stole my screen name.
WTF?
If its at all helpful to the DCist staffers, the actual error when trying to edit one's about me is the following:
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Says it three times. My guess is something in the Gothamist script is buggy. Boo.
How can 'DistrictDirt' be taken? I only own the friggin domain name and blog!
OK, Sommer. I believed you about the no email thing....
I can't 'view profile' or 'edit' with the top left links. The DCist icon box(?) overlaps and when I click to edit, I am really just clicking the DCist icon, and it refreshes the page. :(
For those of you whose usernames are suddenly already taken, don't worry. It just seems like a bit of runover from the old system with TypeKey and Gothamist came prepared.
Follow this link to "reclaim your old comments with the new profile system" and basically be allowed to use your old username with the new system.
You'll get two emails -- the first will lead you to a link to reset your password. Then when you fill out the profile form and attempt to enter a new password, you'll get a second email that you need to follow to officially change your password.
Then viola, you're posting away again under the name you know and love.
I dunno about that. My UID was pretty pedestrian- just my first name.
- Mark
@mlb: Well, I think this would only work if your name hasn't been registered yet under the new system. So maybe you're out of luck, maybe not. Just trying to be helpful with something that worked for me.
Yeah. Thanks voteprime. I think my best option is just to put a sig in the message text for a few days.