Are You A DM Comments Addict?
Decatur Metro | December 11, 2008Do you find yourself wanting to read every single Decatur Metro comment, but can’t keep up with the torrent that filters through the 15 most recent in the sidebar?
Due to the limitations of WordPress.com blogging software, I’ve never had many options when it comes to organizing and displaying comments. A recent update of the blogging software has promised threaded comments in the near future, but for the most part, if you’re looking to read all the comments on the site, you’re stuck with the Top 15 or scrolling down and clicking on every post.
This was once an adequate option. But with the recent popularity of the site, often times you have to check once every 3 hours or you’ll miss stuff as it scrolls off the bottom of the screen. Its certainly a good problem to have…but it is still a problem.
Ultimately the goal is to revamp the site some time in the new year, improving upon some things (comment organization being the biggie) and adding a few new features I’ve been dreaming up. But for the time being, I’ve included an option for those that just can’t get enough comments. If you scroll down the right side of the page, you’ll see the familiar RSS icon for the Decatur Metro feed. (It looks something like this: 
Below that you will now also see a new “Feed for Comments” icon. If you add that feed to an RSS reader like Google Reader, it should retain a list of all comments written on the site, beyond the usual 15.
Obviously this isn’t a perfect solution. Those without Google Reader aren’t about to go setup an account just to keep track of DM comments. And its a little clumsy since you have to jump off the site in order to use it. However, for those with an RSS reader account, this is now an option.
Look for more substantial updates in 2009!
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Aw, DM, so what if I check the comments every three hours . . . I have this under control and I can quit anytime I want to. Really I can! (Nervously fingering scroll button on mouse)
Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. I’m Scott X, and I’m a Metroholic.
We should start a support group on Church Street.
I can’t wait to see the new and improved site although I think DM is great as it is!
Dee, I love it that people check in often! I can’t stop myself either…for better or worse. And certainly it’s in the site’s best interest to keep people coming back. This option is just for those that only check in every once in a while and want to stay caught up on the dialogue…right now the only real way to do that is the scroll through recent posts. And if someone has started a conversation in an older post, it can easily be missed.
A support group is probably a good idea. We can all talk about how much you like or dislike your little randomly chosen avatar icons!
Catherine, thanks! Any “improvements” will certainly be minor…I picked this theme on day three of existence (I think) and I love most things about it…including its clean layout. But there are a couple things I’d like to be able to tweak. We shall see how long it takes me to implement!