This, my third blog post, is not going to be a book review. Instead, I am going to try to clarify something for everyone who is kind enough to come read my blog and try to write a comment. I really WANT those comments. REALLY. I do. So, if you are inclined to make one, I hope you will.
Here is the problem. There is this thing called a profile. Initially, I had the blog set so that only people with a profile could make comments. I did it this way because I wanted to guard against spam. Then my son, who has had his own blog for somewhere around three years, told me he has NEVER once been spammed. So, I decided that maybe I could lighten up. I came to the blog and changed the setting so that ANYONE can write a comment. I don't mind that. As long as we all are courteous, the more the merrier. Right?
However, apparently the blog is still asking you to make a profile. I believe this is a part of the way the website filters out spam. Please understand two things. First, most of what I "see" in the blog is what I am hearing from someone like you. As the writer of the blog, I don't know if what I see is what you see or only what I, as the writer, see. Do you see? :-) The second thing is that I know what a blog is; that is about the extent of my knowledge of how to "manage" one. I am learning as I go. I'm trying really hard to make everything easy and "nice" for you. However, there are some things I just cannot do. Maybe someone can; but I can't. And what I cannot do is make it any easier to make comments than it is right now.
So, what does that mean? What do you have to do? I spoke with an "independent evaluator" earlier this evening and this is what I got from that conversation. (Any errors are completely my own and not to be attributed on anyone's ignorance but mine.) She came to the blog and left a comment. She did NOT set up a profile. She DID have to reproduce one of those security word puzzles. (At least, most of them look like puzzles to me.) The reason for that is to make sure it is a real person about to write a comment, and to prevent computer generated spam. She did not have to give her name or any other personal information in order to comment. She did put her name at the bottom of the text so I could know which was her comment. However, the website recognized her as "Anonymous" and put that at the top of her comment. If it absolutely required (which isn't completely clear to me) her to choose a "profile" she simply typed in her first name.
I just can't make it any easier than that. I hope you will be brave and take the challenge and write a comment. Or write several. :-) Here is the thing. I want you to read the blog. And I hope you will enjoy it. But I need to know what people think and what responses are happening as a result of the reading. :-) So I need for readers to write comments when they have something to say. Tell me if you like something or if you don't. Ask questions if you want to. Let's be nice; but open. But that means you are going to have to get over the concern about the profile. For now you don't have to set one up but you do have to do the security word.
Do you want to know a secret? In time (maybe a few weeks) I will probably change it back so that you have to have a profile to comment. Now, don't worry. If I am not mistaken, one of the simplest ways you can have a profile is to have a Yahoo or Gmail e-mail account. There are others; Wordpress and I don't know what else. If you already have an account with any of several online "companies" your profile from there will be recognized here. Just click on it when you're asked for your profile. Then enter that profile. Simple.
Another possibility, I believe, is to set up an unnamed profile. Make your profile something like "Twinkle Toes" or "Pinky". I'm pretty sure you don't have to give your name. This blog isn't trying to gather personal info about you; it is just trying to identify who you are. And the main reason for that is probably so I can know if you are writing 15 comments a day. LOL Seriously, if you write a comment anonymously I will have no idea who wrote it. Anyone can write a comment and sign another person's name if the website recognizes them both as "anonymous" and I'll have no way to identify the real writer. Once you have a profile you will simply click on it every time and the website itself will sign your "profile" signature. No one else can write under your profile.
It may not matter who writes the comments most of the time. However, if someone should come in and write something nasty I would want to be able to bar the person from commenting again. Am I in favor of censorship? Yes; partially. :-) I won't bar someone because they criticize something I say. I want to hear constructive negative comments as well as positive ones. However, I do want this to be a place where we all enjoy coming to read about something we enjoy. I want every visit to this blog to be a pleasant experience. I certainly cannot guarantee that for everyone but I can try by maintaining a standard of Christ-like respect and courtesy toward and from everyone.
So, to recap. For now anyone can comment. No profile is necessary but some sort of sign-in is, to verify that the comment is written by a person. However, that is probably going to change. For two reasons: I really like having some sort of identity to associate with the comments. If you don't want me to know who you are choose a profile that won't identify your person but will identify your comments - or at least distinguish them from those of other people. The second reason I am inclined to require a profile is to prevent spam. I know Stephen hasn't had to deal with it, and I'm glad. However, his blog is pretty private and I hope this one will end up being much more public than his. The more "traffic" it receives, the more likely it will also receive spam. So, I'd rather require a profile than deal with spam. Please go ahead and comment now, while it is easy. But also consider setting up a simple profile so that you will be ready when the time comes for me to change the setting back to the more secure one.
One last comment and I'm done. I tend to have lots of words to use. LOL So my posts will probably tend toward the long side, as this one did in spite of my intention to make it as short as possible. However, I want you to know that my goal is not to be long; nor to be short. Some books can be reviewed in a few words; others are going to need more. The same is true when there are "housekeeping" issues such as this post addresses. Some may be short while others may require more for the sake of clarity. If you feel that my reviews are too long and give away too much about the book, tell me so; if you feel they are too short to give an adequate idea of what the book is about, tell me so. My goals are to communicate and share with you something that I love, to be clear in what I am trying to convey, to have a good time, and to do what I can to entertain you. And, as always, my first and last goal is to please the Lord Jesus. Beyond that, well ... the sky is the limit. :-) Thanks for reading.
-Dianne :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment