Leaving comments on other sites Jul18 '07

I used to care about following comment threads on other blog posts - especially responses to comments I've left. It was always exciting to see if someone, particularly the author of the post, responded to a comment I left.

Lately I just don't care.

Don't get me wrong - I leave comments all the time, but rather than constantly checking the site for updates to the comments, or following the thread via email or RSS, I've decided it's not worth the effort. It's just another avenue of information overload that I have to absorb.

These days, I leave the comment, and move on. Get in and get out. I don't care what people say in response. But it's not so much that I don't care - it's that I'm not trying to start a debate, or refute a point - I'm just dropping my thoughts, and moving on. Plain and simple.

Commenter vs. Author

This applies to me as a commenter, as well as an author. Since I author this blog, and a few others, I have the opportunity to respond to comments left by others.

Responding to comments as the author is not important to me either. Many comments are often criticism or constructive attacks on my viewpoint, and by all means - that's why I leave feedback open. Please say what you think. I am not always right - and I imagine I'm hardly ever right.

But I don't like having to refute my point in the feedback section. My point was made (in the blog post itself), and I am moving on. I appreciate all feedback, but if you're looking to start a debate with me in my feedback section, it just won't happen.

After all, this is my blog, and I can say what I please. If you don't like it, stop reading it. I don't mean to sound rude, but that's the truth. You have all the freedom in the world to start your own blog, and attack my viewpoints there. It's also probably much more productive on your part, rather than wasting your energy here.

Linking to your site with your comment

Most feedback systems allow you to include a URL, which is properly linked to, along with your comment.

As a commenter, I've decided it's not essential to link back to my site.

Many people do this in order to get a free link back to their site. This is how blog comment spam began.

Personally, as a commenter, I don't care if people click back to my site. I don't need the free link. If I write good content, I'll get the links through the natural order of things.

As an author, I appreciate feedback with URL's attached, but that doesn't mean I look at every site.

But by all means, leave your URL if you must. That's why my system allows it.

Categories: Blogging , Philosophy

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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from a suburb of Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.