2012.09.05
Help us test a new commenting system
Over the past few months, we have been exploring different commenting platforms, and we have selected Disqus, a commenting system used by many media outlets. We selected this system because it offers a lot of the features we heard from you are important. We are currently testing it out on “Damage Done“, a three-part series on the impact of heroin addiction on two local families.
Optional social sign in.
With Disqus, you can sign in through your Facebook or Twitter accounts, or Google and Yahoo, or you can set up an account with Disqus. If you choose a Disqus sign on, an email is required, but you can select your screen name and protect your identity if you prefer.
Social sharing.
You can also share your comment on Facebook or Twitter to get your friends and followers engaged in the topic. Find this option under account settings—edit profile—services.
Thumbs up.
You can vote for others’ comments – similar to Facebook “likes”. You do not need to be logged on to like a comment.
Moderation.
We will continue to moderate all comments. You can also report a comment. To flag a comment, click the flag symbol at the bottom of the comment.
Threaded comments.
Disqus allows users to reply to others’ comments or post separately. The threads are nested so it’s easy to follow the conversation.
Keep up with the conversation.
You can see what others are saying by subscribing to the thread of comments on a story, and receive email notifications when someone has replied to your comment. To do this, when you are in Disqus, go to account settings—edit profile—notifications.
Check out this new commenting tool. Once you sign up through Disqus, you can adjust your personal settings within your account to subscribe to threads, post to social sites and much more. Check it out and tell us what you think. If you’ve used Disqus on other sites, let us know what you like and dislike about it.
I will say this, I am not going to sign in using my Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, or Google accounts (I have enough problems with spam and hacking attempts as it is), and I’m not signing up with any new services either. It’s no huge loss for me though, my traffic to the site has declined precipitously over the summer, and the couple blogs I enjoy following, I interact with the moderators and some of the regulars via Facebook and Twitter anyway now, somewhat negating the need or desire to hit the blog pages directly.
Comment by Other John — September 5, 2012 @ 11:06 am
Yep, I’m not linking to social media either, and no need for yet another site. There aren’t many commenters to begin with, so this will just make each blog more of its own little echo-chambers. Seeya.
Comment by tass — September 6, 2012 @ 10:54 am
Buh-bye. My browser doesn’t support Disqus. RT keeps alienating users, not too bright…
Comment by Art Hill — September 7, 2012 @ 2:35 am
I agree, I will NOT sign in using social media, period. I will NOT sign up with yet another service that will spam me. Considering how agonizingly long it takes virtually every blog moderator to approve posts, and the infrequency of updates on the blogs, it is apparent the attitude towards the website is one of secondary status, so I see no need to make additional sacrifices of my privacy for the RT to try to capitalize at my inconvenience.
Short answer? If those are the options this website selects, then here’s just another viewer that will walk away.
Comment by crooked road — September 7, 2012 @ 10:01 am
Thanks for the feedback. And just to clarify, signing on through social is just one option. You can also sign on with your email.
Art — what browser are you working in?
– Karenna, RefreshRT team
Comment by karennag — September 7, 2012 @ 11:48 am
If the e-mail sign-on is an option, I don’t see it in the test page anywhere. I was unable to comment without logging in through a separate account, which I will not be doing. Besides, I can’t use any social media for a log-in anyway thanks to firewalls, so those aren’t an option even if I wanted to use them.
Comment by Other John — September 7, 2012 @ 11:52 am
It’s really funny how determined you guys are to try to piggyback Facebook usage into relevance. I read the link about user feedback from half a year ago, and it was almost unanimous that people did NOT want Facebook to be pushed on them. So you guys blithely go ahead with your agenda. So much for considering feedback. Enjoy watching the numbers dissipate…
Comment by crooked road — September 7, 2012 @ 12:39 pm
Meanwhile, the system the Virginian Pilot uses, a Landmark-family publication, simply requires registration with the website using a valid email address, where the person creates their display/user name…in much the same fashion that a person must sign up directly through the RT site to do things like the Fearless Forecasters.
I’m working to get accustomed to not coming to the RT site, I’ll miss the blog communities, but not enough to use social media logins.
Comment by Other John — September 7, 2012 @ 6:12 pm
Other John, if you click on “Login” it should open a window that lists the various options, including Google (Gmail) and Yahoo.
That said (commenting in general at this point), if you don’t use Gmail or Yahoo for email, you’ll have to login another way. It would help to know what sites are included under the OpenID umbrella. WordPress and LiveJournal are common allowable sites, but what others are there?
Also, personally, I really don’t like it when I have to disable my pop-up blocker to login. Nine times out of 10, I’m not going to bother.
Another issue I found is that I can’t see how to login when I access the page through either of my mobile devices (an Android smartphone and an iPod Touch). It’s possible I’m already automatically logged in since both devices are synced to my primary Google account, but if so it’s not readily apparent. I’m also suspicious if this is the case, because to the best of my knowledge I’ve never commented on a Discus-enabled site before and don’t recall having granted them access to my Google login information.
Finally, one thing that concerns me about having numerous login options is the potential for abuse by people looking to stir up trouble. I can think of at least 8 different IDs (allowed by Disqus) I can sign in and comment under, and some of them are different enough from the others that I could conceivably carry on a 4- or 5-way conversation with myself. I know the current setup reveals IP addresses to the moderator, because I’ve seen Dan Casey mention them when outing likely sockpuppets. Has the Disqus setup been tested to see if there’s a way to spot people commenting with multiple IDs without slowing down the moderation process on high-traffic blogs?
Comment by Laura — September 8, 2012 @ 4:09 pm
No thamks.
Comment by Dennis Chandler — September 9, 2012 @ 6:58 am
I’m outa here…if we have to go through any type of social media to comment on a RT article etc., etc. …cannot and will not tolerate all the spam tying up my computer & e-mail….I thought newpapers were suppose to be all about reader imput and discussions…guess I was wrong again…..
Comment by jogger — September 9, 2012 @ 5:13 pm
Laura, I do use most of those services, and I have no problem using my email address under the current system where I have my display name, or as is the case with the RT site itself, I select a user name. But, using those services as my log-in ID? Not going to do it…and several of the services are blocked by firewalls anyway, preventing a log-in regardless of my personal displeasure of using them or social media as my user ID.
And please note, my problems with using social media as my log-in is not simply directed at the RT…any site that requires them, I either avoid, or don’t bother with the blogs and commenting systems. And if the mobile device/website stuff automatically logs me in using my Google account since I run Android on my phone, I won’t bother using my mobile device to access certain parts of the site, if I use it to access any of it.
Comment by Other John — September 10, 2012 @ 7:30 am
After seeing the obsessive condemnation of some posters in some areas, I would never allow my real name to appear. That’s just ignorant. You guys are going to turn this place into an echo chamber.
Comment by Henry — September 10, 2012 @ 10:09 am
Laura, you have to remember that the RT is going to use the cheapest possible way to attend the website, and probably the most remedial means of access. It is still a tertiary concern for them, as they’re stuck in the inked paper mindset.
Look at how long they clung to the Captcha code, despite the constant complaints from their user base. Listening is not high on their IT list of priorities. Review the link they provided for feedback on the Facebook/Twitter idea, which was overwhelmingly negative. To them, they spun it as ‘some’ negative feedback.
They already know what they want to do, regardless of how much we customers hate it. The Burgs, anyone? OJ has the right idea. Just stop visiting, and let them have their party on the deck of their little Titanic.
Comment by crooked road — September 10, 2012 @ 11:47 am
cr, good analogy about the Burgs. I used the old NRV Current site daily, now, I maybe hit the page once a week, if that, because any legitimate area news is hard to find between user-submitted photos of their dogs. That, and 90% of the actual news seems to be linked back to the main RT site…so it’s not even hosted by The Burgs when it’s an NRV-related story. You click on a link to NRV news, get a teaser, and are asked to click yet another link to read the actual article.
And the few times I’ve commented on that absurdity to The Burgs, my comments get trashed. So as a result, I largely avoid the place. Considering the dwindling paper subscriptions and revenue from ads, making the website experience worse for the user is most definitely *not* the way to go…but it seems like that is the direction anyway.
And I remember the initial discussion about commenting systems, and that the feedback related to Facebook was incredibly negative, and that the RT folks said it was just an idea. But as time went on and it kept getting mentioned, I resigned to the fact that it was seemingly inevitable, even though the RT folks said it was not. And yet, here we are, and the chosen solution has it involved. Granted, there are a few other options, but they each require setting up an account with a third-party service or utilizing an existing social media account.
When that switch occurs, I’m officially done…and it looks as though quite a few more will be too. And that saddens me…I’ve been coming to the site about since the blogs were originally started. But, I’ve got other things to do in life…so after a while, it’ll be a thing of the past like landline phones, VCR’s, and cassette tapes…initially difficult to adjust to not having, but quickly forgotten because what replaces it more than fills the void. As it is, my comments are down to just a handful a week, and the longer I’m away, the less compelled I am to get involved again.
Comment by Other John — September 10, 2012 @ 2:54 pm
RT blogs, as with so many, are too often forums for hot air. I merely scan local news online JIC a tidbit of actual news appears. Most of it, IMO, including that on TV websites, is sensationalized empty chatter not designed to stimulate reflective thought.
Comment by Urman — September 11, 2012 @ 9:13 am
Folks, deep breath. We are not forcing social sign-ons here. Disqus has it as an option, that’s all.
We heard your feedback previously and have made no final decisions. I have my own qualms about social sign-ons and only wanted to explore the option.
Our blogs are hugely important to this site. With the redesign, you will see them play an even larger role.
Other John, I’m interested to learn you’re still here because you’ve repeatedly posted that you were done with roanoke.com. We have not trashed your comments about The Burgs. We have, at times, reminded you to keep your comments on point.
That is our role in moderating the blogs — to try to keep the comments civil and focused on the issues at hand. That pre-screening may produce a delay in your comments getting posted, but we believe the tradeoff is a commenting community that doesn’t spiral into the hate-filled posts you see on other sites.
You are welcome to email me directly if you’d like to talk about this offline: carole.tarrant@roanoke.com
Thank you,
Carole Tarrant
Editor
Comment by Carole Tarrant — September 13, 2012 @ 9:01 am
“Folks, deep breath.”
Wow, nice way to disregard the comments you’ve asked for. Nobody was screaming bloody murder here, no need to invalidate people’s legitimate comments by telling them to chill.
You guys are really, seriously doing this wrong.
Comment by tass — September 13, 2012 @ 1:15 pm
It’s interesting the shots that are taken at posters on here by the RT staff, such as was just done towards OJ, whose volume of posts has dramatically decreased over the past several weeks or so, adding to his point.
As tass mentioned, this was civil response to the blog. Evidently, even that is discouraged by the thin skinned editorial staff here. As also mentioned, you guys seem really determined to inhibit this site’s success. Good luck with that.
Guess it’s time for me to be targeted next, since I spoke words of dissent.
Comment by crooked road — September 13, 2012 @ 1:28 pm
CR,
You referred to yourself as a customer in one of the comments above. Are you a subscriber to the RT? I’m curious. Thanks.
Comment by jaded hoo — September 14, 2012 @ 9:28 am
It is an interesting format. I could get used to it and certainly will not stop blogging and reading the stuff on this site because of any log-in issue.
I pay for the email service I have, it has an excellent spam blocker and I have no appreciable notice from the multiple sites where I have signed in and blogged. Including the Virginian-Pilot, Lynchburg News & Advance and the Richmond-Times Dispatch, WDBJ 7 sites. If you do not want to be “known” (and for some vile, baiting and trollish people that is a must), or fear privacy invasion, I think you are giving entirely too much emphasis on what anyone sees of your online persona. But I made the decision not to go that route over 5 years ago and have had no problems.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 14, 2012 @ 10:49 am
Funny how some of you only want YOUR words of dissent and complaint to be noted! How dare anyone gainsay or explain anything to you! Maybe blogging is not for some of you. Just sayin’
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 14, 2012 @ 10:51 am
So this format appears not to give you the option not to see other posters whose bile you would like to ignore. Was that not something plenty of folks asked for?
Are you considering hosting a more conservative blog for those who cannot get along in mixed company (for lack of a better phrase)? I think it would enhance the brand and give people in the community who feel so “slighted” by the editorial board a venue to feel “heard”. I may not like them, I may not want to engage with them and I may not want them around, but I do know they are entitled to their opinions (no matter how wrong they are). You could help a lot of blogs have better discussion instead of insult trading IMO.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 14, 2012 @ 10:55 am
Thanks for the continued feedback. We are still exploring Disqus and other commenting systems, so the input on specific features is helpful. Sandi, if you’ve been to other sites that give users the ability to block others’ posts, please share them with us so we can look into those systems as well.
Karenna, RefreshRT team
Comment by karennag — September 14, 2012 @ 4:13 pm
There’s a Mozilla/Firefox add-on called Killfile. Not sure if it’s compatible with Disqus. BTW, switching to Firefox solved my log on problem. As long as we can comment using an e-mail I’m in.
Comment by Art Hill — September 15, 2012 @ 5:18 pm
WOW! Is anyone else struck by the magnitude of intolerance demonstrated by post #23. That’s right Sandi, apparently you won’t be able to cinch the blinders completely closed and you may have to actually continue to be exposed to viewpoints that are different from your own, even if you don’t “like them” or want “to engage them.” You do realize that here in 2012 you are actually lobbying for separate but equal, right?
That should certainly help the dialog. Let’s just all band together with likeminded people and keep those “undesirable” types out of the conversation. If we give them their own water fountain, er, I mean blog, they won’t have anything to complain about, right?
Comment by Chuck — September 17, 2012 @ 10:49 am
I’m done now, thanks for the final push…very professional.
The only thing that really kept me coming back was a couple of the blogs that I truly enjoyed, like the Weather Journal and Aaron McFarling.
But no, you are quite wrong, some posts that I made to The Burgs were trashed, with no explanation given.
And with that, adios…I won’t be back.
Comment by Other John — September 17, 2012 @ 12:13 pm
No thanks. This seems a back-door way to generate revenue. With fb’s stock in the crapper, I imagine news sites are being offered some nice incentives to implement this. It will end up as corporate control of the media.
Comment by Dennis — September 17, 2012 @ 1:09 pm
I refuse to log on via social media websites. If and when I feel the need to comment on something in the Roanoke Times, I’ll use my email addy to do so.
Comment by HokieGal — September 17, 2012 @ 2:21 pm
Gee Chuck, at what point in my “magnitude of intolerance” did I say anything about not wanting to be “exposed to viewpoints that are different” from my own? Are you admitting that every right winger who posts at Roanoke.com uses the bile I would like to ignore and cannot get along in mixed company? That would be a hefty dose of insight so I think you might want to re-think what you think I said.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 24, 2012 @ 12:02 pm
Karenna, Roanoke.com and Facebook are the main sites I use. “Hide comments” is available on Facebook which is the only place I have used it.
I know at the Virginian-Pilot online you have to register and you can have an anonymous screen name but only “verified users” (those who use their name) can comment on some stuff. Even at the Lynchburg News & Advance I see few anonymous posters. Richmond Times Dispatch does not seem to have anonymous comments now. I do not think any of these sites hosts blogs like Roanoke.com.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — September 24, 2012 @ 12:54 pm