Two questions:
1. Should this site allow anonymous or masked names? I vote "no."
2. Why not use the "insert break jump" on long posts? It is up in the menu right after the "moji" thingy. I favor. It keeps posts from pushing everything below it out of sight, if not site--virtually speaking.
I like the "insert break jump" on long posts. I did not know it was there. It will also help in the composition of long posts so we as authors get our point across early. Thank you for this suggestion. I am unfamiliar with the apparatus and so I am very open to suggestions of how to use it effectively.
ReplyDeleteAs a reader I prefer when going to a site to get the menu of all the posts I could read clearly and quickly. I also want a brief idea of what the article is about.
The redesign of both America and Commonweal sites made that process more difficult. I find it very difficult to relocate an article that I had noticed but not read.
And that has cut down on the frequency of my site visits. I often check internet sites when I check a much more important thing, the weather. "I get all the news I need on the weather report."
A lot of internet viewing is like TV viewing fills up small chunks of our time between other longer tasks
Yes, agree the break is a good idea! If you are posting, it is the icon that looks like a torn sheet of paper on the screen where you are writing your post. If you roll your mouse over the icons in the composing page, you also get a text explanation.
ReplyDeleteSince this is a private blog (not started by a publication, but like minded digital friends), I would also prefer that new people join under their real names and perhaps tell us a bit about themselves.
I tried the "insert break jump" on my previous post, and it worked. Did not cut off a lot of material. I could have written the first paragraph of so differently and therefore cut off things earlier had I know of this. Thanks again
ReplyDeleteGood ideas. I didn't realize Blogger had the jump option.
ReplyDeleteI strongly favor the use of real names for Contributors (Authors) but I will leave the decision to the group. As I have the current settings, anyone with some kind of identification (e.g., a Google account) can comment, and I believe that should be sufficient (for now at least). In other words, comments can be under an existing account name, which will not necessarily be a real or full name. Anonymous comments are not permitted.
ReplyDeleteMy only quibble, and it's a big one, with a real-name requirement is that it would probably preclude Unagidon's ability to post here, which I think would be a major loss.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks so much, David, for getting this started again.
Mary Butler
I don't think unagidon will post here, but I think we could make an exception, since we "know" him.
DeleteIf a policy is instituted requiring real names for Contributors/Authors, I (in consultation with existing members) would certainly make an exception for Unagidon or for anyone else who made a convincing case that anonymity was essential. I trust no one would have a problem with that.
DeleteIn general I prefer people use their "real names." Actually John Rakosky is my legal name, but everyone calls me Jack. No one calls me Dr. Rakosky as per some etiquette. And I hate Dr.Jack. Ugh! The worst of all possible worlds.
ReplyDeleteProbably because of my disciplinary identity in psychology and sociology, in most of my posts I feel obligated to let people know were I am coming from in those broad terms, e.g. a picture of Lake County because I feel very much a part of the Lake County, Ohio community.
When I read other people's posts I always look for the experiential and sociological backgrounds to their thinking to give me a deeper understanding.
I think a pen name (like unagidon) should be acceptable especially if that pen name has behind it a documented history on the internet that tells me what I need to know about that author. There is place on our id's that allows those who wish to provide documentation for all to see.