Comments on: Guardian’s Comment Is Free previews

By: sonia

sonia — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 14:24:32 +0000

ah just seen this now. yep looks like the guardian has been quietly fixing up its blogs, and now introducing registration etc.
will have to see how the comment is free thing pans out

By: leon

leon — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:58:56 +0000

Pretty much agree with that Sunny and the comments about so many contributors. I checked out the Huffington at first becuase of interest in the idea but lost interest quickly because there just seemed to be too many posts and the angle of celebrity just wasn’t enough.

I think Pickled Politics has got the right balance when it comes to number of contributors/posts and viewpoints…

By: Sunny

Sunny — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 13:38:46 +0000

cheers Chris, I shall sort you out with that fiver later

there is a danger comment is free just because one of those celebrity blogs which are nothing more than online papers with comments enabled. On that we shall have to see. I’m not a big fan of Huffington either TBH…. just hearing celebrity opinions is not enough. I usually go for the facts or particular viewpoints from bloggers. Hmm…

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 13:13:02 +0000

What is this megablog going to offer me which I canâ€™t already read in the predictable Guardian?

Exactly… Blogs are great as they are a conduit for ideas that don’t get into the newspapers.
A quick scan through the articles shows a lot more of the identikit guardian stuff you get every day.

By: Steve M, BSc Reading (failed).

Steve M, BSc Reading (failed). — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:37:33 +0000

I find large blogs too impersonal.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 09:49:42 +0000

What immediately strikes you about the commentisfree.com site is that there are way too many (and too predictable) threads.

200 bloggers won’t mean a lack of content, but it will obviously mean a lack of focus.

I (at least) go to blogs for news, ideas, opinions from informed bloggers (such as PP!!) which are not offered in the mainstream press. What is this megablog going to offer me which I can’t already read in the predictable Guardian?

By: Quiet launch for Guardian blog

Quiet launch for Guardian blog — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 09:28:26 +0000

[...] The Guardian quietly made its new comment blog, Comment Is Free, public yesterday evening, a day before the announced launch date. In post lsat night, the blog Pickled Politics was the first to notice that that commentisfree.com no longer leads to the front page of the Guardian web site. [...]

By: Sunny

Sunny — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 22:06:19 +0000

Yup, and the Washington Post had similar issues with reader comments. It’ll be interesting to see how it turns out since some have talked about the legal problems with allowing user comments.

By: leon

leon — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 21:56:18 +0000

Anyone remember the LA Times attempt at something similar? (Hat tip U75 editor)

http://digital-lifestyles.info/display_page.asp?section=cm&search=1&id=2332

By: Limerick

Limerick — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 21:32:16 +0000

It’s certainly better designed than the Post.

By: leon

leon — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 21:28:46 +0000

Should be interesting; 200 bloggers won’t mean a lack of content…

By: Sunny

Sunny — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 20:51:28 +0000

I hope you guys have red mugs lying about.

On another note, why is the best of the web pointing ~~only~~ mostly to American blogs? I know they’re bigger but surely British blogs can also compete in terms of having good, relevant content?

By: Tom Happold

Tom Happold — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 19:56:55 +0000

Congratulations, you’re the first blogger to spot we’re live. In Blue Peter style, we’ll send you a free mug.
Tom