Can we please get Comment Window on articles Page?

[clotho2]

I would jut like to see the ability to comment on each article on the lead page or at least a general comment window there. It makes no sense that there isn't a comment window on the lead articles page. Shoot when I get ticked about something UCI isn't doing and want to comment right then on that story, I don't want to have to come to a forum. And the chance that they'll go there to read the comments are slim to none. More likely they'll read a comment directly below an article about them. Not only them, but any article. Can you please make it happen. Thanks!!!

 

[ergmonkey]

I enjoy regularly posting in and reading what others post in the forums, but I actually really enjoy not having hundreds of amateur viewpoints cluttering the bottom of the professional publications I read.

I think online newspaper columns with user comments at the bottom always look cheap and unprofessional. Especially given the purposefully snarky nature of many (including many of my own) forum posts.

Everything in its place...

 

[Granville57]

And the chance that they'll go there to read the comments are slim to none.

By "they" do you mean the author of the article?
I wouldn't underestimate the reach of the forum if that's the case.

Besides, have you seen what happens on VN in the "comments" section?

Especially when flame wars break out (which is almost always)?

..................And then people start replying only to other people's comments.

.............................And then the first person replies back.

......................................Then the second person has a retort.

..........................................And then a vicious cycle is set in motion.

..............................................and it doesn't stop.

......................................................and it just goes on and on

.........................................................and on

.........................................................and on

.........................................................and the whole page

.........................................................looks like

.........................................................this.

 

[la.margna]

Yeah, I also thought often about it that a link on an article could open a related thread in the forum to discuss this article. In particular, this should allow to have one thread per article only...

 

[Race Radio]

Many cycling sites have comments after articles. Most of the time there are few, if any, comments written.....except when the story is about lance. Then all the interns from BazzaarVoice flood the comments section with the latest talking points.

Just point them to the forum, they hate that.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I don't know the ins and outs of it, but I do know that "they" are keen to find some way to have the Forum and Main Site compliment each other better. The pros and cons are obvious, and discussions about it are not settled yet one way or the other.

I do know that there are a lot of updates happening across the many Future Publishing sites, and the developers are well busy. So I hope it is some comfort that they are very much thinking in this direction, of greater interactivity, but I am not sure how quickly you will see it implemented. Let alone exactly what.

I am sure they will look at suggestions made here as well, once this development area's time has come.

 

[Dewulf]

@ ergomonkey - not sure why something at the bottom of the page needs to be aesthetically pleasing?

Regarding what gets commented on at vn, no, it's not just lance, tons of stuff gets a good a good debate (eg. race radio ban, contador racing, etc), and i haven't seen an outright flame-war there for a long time...that seems to have been stopped.

There are still pros and cons tho. A big pro of comments at the end of the article, is being able to make a comment immediately, saving you the trouble and time of finding the appropriate forum thread (which can be a real pain on this site sometimes). A con however, is you can't really search the comments, and once mutiple pages of comments have been written, it can be hard sometimes to see the what's been said and in what order. Another pro however, is the "like" button, giving a means for readers-only to show support.

What i suggest for cn therefore, is designated forum threads for articles, linked at the endof each article. For big topics (eg. Contador and his beef problems) a thread should already exist. For new stuff, the article's author creates a thread. Of course people can still create their own threads - but not about existing topics. Overall, this system could increase forum participation, clean up the forum by consolidating threads, and make it quick and easy to join the discussion after reading an article. Cmon cn...let's make it happen!

 

[ergmonkey]

@ ergomonkey - not sure why something at the bottom of the page needs to be aesthetically pleasing?

So the layout and webpage designers should only care about what part of the page looks like? That's about as convincing to me as arguing that all of those ads plastered all over the sides of the website now aren't actually ugly and distracting.*

*I understand why the ads need to be there and don't blame cyclingnews for adding more of them recently. But, they're still ugly and they still make me enjoy the site less.

 

[clotho2]

I enjoy regularly posting in and reading what others post in the forums, but I actually really enjoy not having hundreds of amateur viewpoints cluttering the bottom of the professional publications I read.

I think online newspaper columns with user comments at the bottom always look cheap and unprofessional. Especially given the purposefully snarky nature of many (including many of my own) forum posts.

Everything in its place...

Wow! The amateur viewpoints that you're talking about come from the millions of amateurs who stand along the side of the road, or sit in front of their tv, and cheer for the cyclists they read about. Now if we as amateurs can do that why can't we post comments about them?

Cycling is this dirty little sport, that wants to keep its 'Dirty little secret', and have everyone just applaud the riders and keep our mouths shut.

Good, bad, or indifferent, we as supporters of cycling have views, and they should be heard. And there is no reason each article should deny us, pro and amateur alike, our view on a printed piece of work.

May I remind you that a woman dressed like a bag lady could well be a millionaire. This great big ole USA gives each of her citizens freedom of speech. That includes responding to what someone said in a comment. It's up to the site to set and enforce thread rules.

ergmonkey, while re-reading your post I got ticked. I mean really... have you taken a good look at this site. It's really not well done. Comments would probably add to it rather than hurt it.

 

[ergmonkey]

Wow! The amateur viewpoints that you're talking about come from the millions of amateurs who stand along the side of the road, or sit in front of their tv, and cheer for the cyclists they read about. Now if we as amateurs can do that why can't we post comments about them?

Cycling is this dirty little sport, that wants to keep its 'Dirty little secret', and have everyone just applaud the riders and keep our mouths shut.

Good, bad, or indifferent, we as supporters of cycling have views, and they should be heard. And there is no reason each article should deny us, pro and amateur alike, our view on a printed piece of work.

May I remind you that a woman dressed like a bag lady could well be a millionaire. This great big ole USA gives each of her citizens freedom of speech. That includes responding to what someone said in a comment. It's up to the site to set and enforce thread rules.

ergmonkey, while re-reading your post I got ticked. I mean really... have you taken a good look at this site. It's really not well done. Comments would probably add to it rather than hurt it.

I never suggested silencing anyone. I pretty clearly wrote that I enjoy the forums and that I think they are an appropriate place for my own and for others' amateur views to be expressed.

I also never suggested that "amateurs" such as you and me are lousy fans, poor people, or for any reason incapable of making intelligent contributions on cycling or other subjects.

If you think "freedom of speech" gives you the right to post on someone else's commercial website then you have an understanding of the U.S. Constitution that is not in line with that adopted by our Supreme Court.

 

[Anonymous]

comments need to be moderated. Thats a full time job for someone at cn moderating individally every comment posted on articles.

Why pay someone to moderate the website, when they can get people to do it on the forum for free.

 

[clotho2]

I enjoy regularly posting in and reading what others post in the forums, but I actually really enjoy not having hundreds of amateur viewpoints cluttering the bottom of the professional publications I read.

I wasn't talking about the "Forums" ergmonkey, I said add a comment window on the articles page. And you said... well you see what you said.

You know, I suppose if they gave a TDF and no one other than the riders showed up, the race would go right ahead. But don't you think those riders would get a big boost seeing hundreds of thousands of cycling fans stand roadside cheering them on.

So then why shouldn't CN add a comment window after each article so those same fans can voice their opinions. I don't care if they're pro or amateurs. I'm sure CN can hide comments so they don't detract from this stellar publication.

 

[Granville57]

I wasn't talking about the "Forums" ergmonkey, I said add a comment window on the articles page. And you said... well you see what you said.

Yes, but did YOU see what ergomonkey said?

This great big ole USA gives each of her citizens freedom of speech. That includes responding to what someone said in a comment. It's up to the site to set and enforce thread rules.

Please stop. Please.

When scrolling around looking for comments, apparently you missed this:

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