December 29, 2004

Don't Read This

i was asked in private regarding some rather disparaging comments left on this weblog not so long ago, which i ultimately removed. while they were filled with some remarks i'd just as soon forget, that along with someone going and reading nearly all my archives rekindled a thought i had for a post -- what are the rules for writing, reading, and commenting? my thoughts on the matter are pretty simple.

Writing
in a sentence, write what you can bare. there is a lot wrapped up in that statement, but essentially i mean you should feel free to write anything you want while keeping in mind there are consequences to what you say. assuming your blog is like most (public) assume anyone/everyone can or will read it at some point. saying nasty things about co-workers, family, or the like may eventually get to them. and don't think that deleting/changing it makes it go away entirely -- google cache and a variety of index/archive services have caught more than their fair share of removed posts.

Reading
rules for reading? sounds sort of funny doesn't it given the nature of blogging? my general feeling is if someone doesn't want itread they shouldn't post it publically. the ability to have a private (member's only) weblog have been available for some time. some allow seperate public and private views which can allow your readers to sample your content and apply for membership to get the rest. the onus, frankly is up to the writer to decide whether they want to be public or not. it's "either or", not "yeah, but".

Commenting
now here we have an interesting case as this is a person writing to someone else's blog. to some degree i think of this much as i do reading -- the owner has the choice to allow (or not) comments and often to either moderate or restrict it in some way; however, in this case i think there are lines most/all can agree on. for example, comment spam is wrong. period. ideally comments should be on-topic or at least be in the vein of "if you don't have something nice to say..."

this can sometimes be difficult due to a lack of context or common understanding -- aka people can/will take things the wrong way sometimes as well as things don't always come out the way they were intended. now lest it seem otherwise, healthy discourse does not exclude disagreements, but there is little value in personal attacks and of course we must all remember godwin's law. some blogs will have additional rules listed for commenting. follow them.

now i must admit, whomever was coming via an ameritech.net DSL connection recently and took the time to read so many of my archives -- i am very curious who you are. hint: email me, leave a comment with a link to your blog, whatever.

Posted by ac at December 29, 2004 09:33 PM

Comments

Hmmmm. You're making rules for the rest of us, now? That's really rich, considering how often (and with how little regard) you break them in your own life.

I asked you repeatedly to stay away from my site and yet, you visited anyway. I'm sorry, but who the hell are you to tell anyone else how to behave?

I did something very stupid recently on one of my blogs and it cost me a friendship. But I felt shame for it, I apologized to that person and I have made amends in the way that person asked me to do so. When was the last time you felt any degree of shame? Are you even capable of it?

This is your blog and you certainly have the right to say whatever you please. But this post was very high-handed and completely hypocritical.

Of course, you'll delete it. The truth hurts.

Posted by: Funkalicious at January 3, 2005 11:28 PM

i clearly stated (last sentence in the first paragraph) that these were my thoughts on the situation, not that they were any rules to be followed, much less being rules to be followed by others. how you come to the conclusion that i am laying down some sort of rules befuddles me.

next, i have not been to your site nor do i have any interest in doing so. clearly you are unable to do the same and feel a need to leave unwelcomed and snarky comments.

yes, this is my blog and i have every right to say what i please. you are welcome to your opinion but i see nothing high-handed nor particularly hypocritical about my post. i write what i can bare and i read what interests me. if you find that to be high-handed and/or hypocritical we will simply have to agree to disagree.

lastly, the truth can definitely hurt. on that point we do agree. now please stop.

Posted by: ac at January 4, 2005 09:39 AM