Site & Blog policy update
Mar 26th, 2008 by Matt Snyder
This site is likely to see changes soon. In the mean time, moderating is frustrating.
If you want to post on threads, post with your name. First name is fine. Full name is welcome.
Replies with pseudonyms, handles, nicknames and so on will be deleted from now on.
If this prevents you from posting positive comments or questions, so it goes.
UPDATE!
How fun! The so-called RPGPundit sees fit to post here in his typical bizarre and angry rants as “Harry.” (Hi, you predictable Canuck-y-Uruguayan clown. I hope you realize I take you about as seriously as Shemp from the Three Stooges. Yes, you are getting attention now. I can hear your tail wagging like a happy dog for it. Don’t shit on the carpet if you can help yourself, you freak.) He no longer posts here. That is that.
To be fair, these sorts of comments are what drive the online marketing community these days - it’s up to you to decide whether or not what they provide is relevant conversation or not.
I’m assuming you’re talking about blog posts, and the comments? When a user leaves a comment, they hope to get a link back from that page to their particular page, using the link text of their choice.
Use Akismet or some other similar spam filtering software, it really helps. Take a look at one of the world’s top bloggers, too - JohnChow - he allows and encourages this sort of interaction, but won’t hesitate to delete any content that is used solely for marketing purposes.
And hey, if they’re participating in the discussion, why not allow them a bit of self-promotion?
Hello, Eric —
I don’t think you understand what I’m getting at. I already use Askimet. I’m not talking about spam. And, I also understand the nature of cross-linking and the advantages for site relevance and so on. None of this is what I’m talking about. I’m not opposed to it philosophically or something; it’s just not what I’m interested in here.
I’m talking about genuine people posting on-topic comments here (supportive or critical, either way) and using internet handles, nicknames, etc. to do so. I’m saying that is no longer acceptable on this teeny-tiny part of the Internet that I control. I’m fully aware how common it is elsewhere; I understand why people want to use handles and nicknames. But, here on my blog only, it’s no longer acceptable to me. Post with your real name, or you will not be allowed to post by me. This is me, socially engineering via moderation my own “back yard.”
And, it’s likely to be a short-term thing (likely several weeks) until I’m able to overhaul the site here to do a better job getting games I’ve published into the hands of people who actually will play them. That’s my primary goal as a creator-owned publisher.
It’s your sandbox, your rules. Obviously, on this blog, I use my name. I have known for sometime that’s what you prefer. Other places, I do not use my name, for various reasons.
One thought that came to mind, how do you ‘enforce’ this rule? Today I’m Lisa today, but on Monday I could be Tyler. Sounds like a moderation nightmare about to begin.
2 pennies, for what they’ll buy, which as it turns out, isn’t much these days. ;D
I enforce it by deleting anything that I’m skeptical of. That means some posts that are “real” get zapped. Not much of a nightmare!
BloggerX, stop posting. Your comments will be deleted, as will all other posters’ comments regardless of content, if I cannot determine you’re posting under your real name. Obviously, you are not doing so. Hence, I delete them.
You’ll note that my “sycophants” use their real names when they have something to say here. Those are the rules of my blog.