Too many anonymous comments???

[grimbles]

Hi Editors/Moderators and all - I've just been over to check something out in the 'Hot Finds' section of the main site (free MP3's) and was greeted by a heap of anonymous comments, some not very complimentary.

Perhaps it may be time to rethink the policy re eligibility for posting comments in the 'Best Freeware' section?

It is just too easy to post rude/obnoxious/unkind comments whilst hiding behind the cloak of anonymity.

Besides which; even when the comments are valid and helpful I have great difficulty in trying to follow communications/conversations when the majority of contributors are named 'anonymous'.

Just a thought.
Cheers......JIM

[Anupam]

This issue has been discussed time and again among the staff of TSA. Some are in favor of anonymous comments. Some are not in favor, because of the reasons you gave... and also because its easier to post spam being anonymous.

Weighing the pros and cons, it has been decided to keep the anonymous comments going for the moment, because the pros are much more. This site is loved by many, and so the number of negative comments are thankfully less, and manageable. Inappropriate comments are dealt with suitably. So, the present system of allowing anonymous comments will go on. Yes, it can be difficult sometimes, but so far, its manageable.

[grimbles]

Hey Anupam - Thanks for the quick reply and explanation.

I can appreciate the reasoning behind the decision....don't want to put anybody off but surely having to supply a username and email address before being allowed to post a comment would not be too much of an imposition??

I cannot really understand the need for anonymity anyway, plus I consider it quite rude to communicate with somebody while remaining anonymous. Geez, even a simple Bob, June, George or Judy would do. Could even be a pseudonym, at least then we could comprehend who was saying what to who.

Cheers mate....JIM

[Anupam]

Welcome buddy, and thanks for your thought too .

TSA is amongst the very few sites, or I think may be the only one ... to allow anonymous comments. Nowadays, almost all of the sites, and even blogs, require you to register, or give your email to post a comment. While it may not be an imposition to register, but for some people, it indeed is ... that's why we see so many of anonymous comments, and many guests on our forum.

Posting comments as anonymous is quite fast, you don't have to register, don't have to login... just read, and post. That's why too, its quite a popular feature of the site in a way... because anyone can post a comment, without being able to go through all the pains of registering and logging in. That's why its being continued.

Personally, I too am not in favor of the anonymous postings because of the very same reasons as you give... as anyone can post anything being anonymous, be it spam, or hate comments, or anything. But still, as the number of positive comments is more, and the amount of negative comments is less, and we are able to deal with it... it has been decided among the team, to continue with it.

When we are not able to handle it, or becomes unmanageable, then we might decide to change the route.

[MidnightCowboy]

I've also posted the company view about this in the place where the original comment was left

[rhiannon]

Originally Posted by grimbles

Hi Editors/Moderators and all - I've just been over to check something out in the 'Hot Finds' section of the main site (free MP3's) and was greeted by a heap of anonymous comments, some not very complimentary.

Perhaps it may be time to rethink the policy re eligibility for posting comments in the 'Best Freeware' section?

It is just too easy to post rude/obnoxious/unkind comments whilst hiding behind the cloak of anonymity.

Besides which; even when the comments are valid and helpful I have great difficulty in trying to follow communications/conversations when the majority of contributors are named 'anonymous'.

Just a thought.
Cheers......JIM

Hi Jim and everyone,

I may be among the handful that thinks anonymous comments are ok - it increases site accessibility and I think that's important.
The moderators (thank you all from the bottom of my heart for everything you do) keep an eye on things and are quite prompt about removing comments that are questionable.

I know full well that when I post something to Hot Finds that the trolls will come out of the woodwork. Sometimes it's one or two, sometimes its more than that. I've had more and worse over the years, so, no big deal. My policy is "don't feed the trolls" and "flames cheerfully ignored".

I have noticed that when comments are made that are not constructive, many people comment on it, disapproving of the commenter. It seems to work quite well. I think it's the peer pressure.

And as has been mentioned, it's not a large problem right now on the site.

Cheers all,
Rhiannon

[1002richards]

If it's anon I ignore it! if someone cant't put their "name" to it then it doesn't count for anything !!
No need to ban it ... just ignore it, or if it's outside the rules then remove it.

[wdhpr]

My two cents

Personally I find it a pain to register to post a comment that require Passwords and emails. From my limited experience Techsupportalert is the only site I have found that allows anonymous comments without the register process.

Simple just works. Yea this attracts jerks. It also creates a open porthole that invites good intentions and opinions which is a corner stone that this site is based on.

Cheers
Wdhpr

[MidnightCowboy]

The two posts above explain exactly why this facility is here and how we manage it

[bk_7312]

Why not make it optional for users to provide their names and/or emails?