I know that every time you post a comment, you get 10 points. You also get a point for every read on your blog. This blog site is aimed to promote progress in thinking and action. The comments are part of discussion and debate. However, it is unfair and unprogressive to write nonsense comments only for the points.
I mean nonsense literally. That would mean logging out of your account, posting a comment as a "Guest," and typing in random sentences, words, or letters, like "dflkjadlkf dkfjasljf akldfjlasdjoi." Also, that is advertisers putting random web links, such as Home Equity Loan, which are unrelated to the subject of the blog. It can be writing something with a point, but which is totally unrelated to the blog's point. Otherwise, if the blog has specific questions for the audience and the comment just says, "I like ..." or "I don't like..." without elaborations and which does not even answer the question(s), it is semi-pardonable, but still rather pointless. I think that these types of nonsense are almost the same or worse than comments containing profanity. Spelling errors - although I personally do not like them - can be pardoned as long as the comment has a point.
Some blogs are carefully thought out and written. Rubbish comments ruin the threads and can offend the author(s).
If we really mean to blog for progress, then we should consider commenting for progress as well, or at least be to the point.
profanity is fuckin awesome. don't censor that shit. (seriously though, profanity is not that bad)
as for... logging out and posting comments as a guest... that gets you no points. If there are people out there who attempted to boost their standing for the scholarship by doing that... then I think that's hilarious, and I'm not going to stop them from wasting their time.
I think when the progU admins start talking about what should be done with this site they'll listen to all of our concerns. I wholeheartedly agree with the central part of your post - that comments should be considered an important part of this Progressive U community.
They should do what LJ and other blogsites do: if you post as a guest, you should have to type the alphanumeric code from a .gif or .jpeg file displayed. It would hinder spam bots, at least.
--Mike
So true. I wonder if there is someone tracking that, as far as the point system goes, so no one abuses the system...
Sincerely,
Ashleymarie Sey DeBondt
visit my art website Behind the Brush
or for my photographic work my deviantart page
Yes, the moderators check all of the comments and blogs of the finalists and remove the ones that aren't acceptable.
Find out everything you need to know about poop here:
http://progressiveu.org/000701-everything-you-need-know-about-poop
I do agree that some sort of blocker against spam bots should be set up. It's also really lame that people try to boost themselves up by writing pointless comments as a guest.
I totally agree! I once saw comments that said only "Mexicans are cool" even though the blogs had nothing to do with mexicans!
Let's filter out the stupid comments and get some real comments please. I love to read the comments on my blogs, so I don't need to hear that "Mexicans are cool" or that I'll save hundreds by switching to who-cares.
They do say that cheaters never proper. I wonder if that is true if you can just spam to get extra points. Is spamming taken into consideration for the scholarship or is it solely by points?
Those who spam will be removed from the site. It is against the rules to spam, and we do not take that particular school lightly.
Additionally, we go through every single comment from every person in the top ten or so at the end of the contest. We deduct points for all the pointless comments. But the people who are usually in the top 10 aren't those who will only post random comments, and a few comments will not make the difference, most of the time, in the placing.
~C
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I do agree with you for the most part. people need to actually think about what they want to say. reading posts, I've come across many that just say "Thanks." Do people actually get points for that? It's truly insane if they do.
but there should be some fun blogs out there where random, fun things can be posted just to boost up peoples' spirits. :)
You can do this in the forums. They are more relaxed, the posts are shorter, and there are a few threads for things that aren't necessarily progressive.
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