Blog without the possibility of adding comments

Costin Trifan · 08-11-2007, 04:23 PM

Currently I'm working on a Personal Blog template and I don't want to add the possibility of replying to posts.

I want to avoid a lot of headaches in trying to stop spammers + filtering the replyes and all that...

What do you think?

Would that blog be still attractive? Would you go back for another visit (*assumming that the content is interesting*) even if you cannot post your reply?

Trapped · 08-11-2007, 04:32 PM

If the content is interesting, what should be stopping me to come back and read whats new on the blog, the fact that comments are blocked? Naah

Manish Pandey · 08-11-2007, 11:55 PM

Yep! Don't bother about the comment section. If the content is interesting then people will visit again and again!

chicgeek · 08-12-2007, 09:15 AM

Thirded.

Skinny · 08-12-2007, 10:51 AM

Fourtheded!

If it's really interesting people will come back.

I've visited some tech blogs that had to temporarily discontinue commenting (I believe Engadget.com did this for a time) and they are still around.

Besides you will find that the number who actually comment are perhaps in the 1-2% - if that - of your actual number of visitors.

Skinny

Costin Trifan · 08-12-2007, 02:29 PM

Thank guys for your thoughts.

I should probably say a little more of what this will be.

This is going to be a blog template and if someone would like to have it all he/she would have to do is to download it (for free), change a little things here and there (like title, subtitle, copyright notice...) and then upload it to the server and start blogging!

This is going to be my new blog so I really hope (that when I'll finish it) you'll like it!

waffles · 08-12-2007, 04:44 PM

So let me get this straight, the blog template doesn't allow for comments? If that's what you're getting at, it's a bit crazy.

I agree, a blog like this can work. But you should let the people who get your theme decide if they want comments or not.

Qurratulain · 08-13-2007, 11:53 AM

I would certainly like to visit if I find something good there without thinking of blocked comments part.

Costin Trifan · 08-13-2007, 01:47 PM

Quote:

So let me get this straight, the blog template doesn't allow for comments?

yes. But if that one who wants that blog template has a little knowledge of MSSQL than it will be a piece of cake to add a new table, then create a relationship between posts table and comments table. Than all he has to do is modifying the pages where the posts appears to display the comments. Of course, he has to deal with the spam posts and all that creepy and useless posts that I saw on some blogs...

Quote:

If that's what you're getting at, it's a bit crazy.

I'll say it's more like a revenge for me

Quote:

But you should let the people who get your theme decide if they want comments or not.

it's not just a theme, it's a full featured (ok, it's not a full featured, but I like the way it sounds

) asp.net blog. with administration panel and all that

waffles · 08-13-2007, 02:30 PM

Well, I got the idea that you were just making a theme.

I still think it would have more mass appeal if you had comments on and allowed people to turn them off rather than make people who want to have comments with your blog mess with the code.

Costin Trifan · 08-14-2007, 02:47 PM

You're right, but if I'll add the option of having comments then I'll have to do all that fight against spammers + filtering the comments posted.

Too much work for nothing... (I intend to release this blog as a free product, this way everyone can change it as they wish)

btw, I have it almost done (no bugs so far

)

Deejay Dan · 08-14-2007, 03:04 PM

Costin, are you releasing a theme or a new blog engine?

If it's just a template: Leave the coding in the theme for comments. The user can disable them from their control panel on all the popular platforms.

If you're releasing a new blogging platform... It's not really a blog without a commenting system. You would probably be better off calling it a CMS (Content Management System) or website generator.

Just my

Costin Trifan · 08-14-2007, 03:12 PM

It's a blog engine.
I've called it "PersonalBlogTemplate".

You know, for those blog engines out there are working more than one man so, for them, it's simple to make different complicated things because they get payed for this!

I'm just one guy working here (@ home) and I do things like this just for fun (if those things help others, the better

) but I don't get payed for this work

waffles · 08-14-2007, 03:20 PM

Whatever it is, I want to see it when you get it finished. It sounds like a good way to publish newsletters and stuff like that.

dee_el07 · 08-17-2007, 10:35 AM

Seems like you'll going to do an interesting blog huh? I'm looking forward to see that.. Hope it'll satisfy the readers too! good luck!

Costin Trifan · 08-17-2007, 11:25 AM

Just wait to have it done

Domestic Diva · 08-17-2007, 07:59 PM

I think it's a great idea, Costin.

If I ever decide to do a blog, I definitely would do things the way you're proposing. I'd rather not allow comments than have to deal with constant spam.

Costin Trifan · 08-18-2007, 06:16 PM

I'm redesigning the db to allow comments (waffles was right

) but there is nothing you can actually do to stop spamming than turning off the possibility of posting comments...

If someone wants to spam he/she/it will spam your blog, and there's nothing you can do about it.

So turning off the "allow comments" feature will be quite handy, I think...