October 13, 2008

Want to comment? Register!

Early warning ...
As of December 1, I'm going to adopt a two-tiered system for approving comments.
If you have a user name, which can be almost anything, I'll allow most everything that gets through now, which is pretty lenient. I'm usually only axing things that are obscene, sexually oriented, unsubstantiated gossip about someone, or stuff I know is totally wrong.
If you want to keep posting as Anonymous, that's fine. But I won't allow anything from a totally anonymous poster that isn't cogent and written with a respect for the language. That would eliminate quite a bit, unfortunately.
What I'm telling you is that if you want to keep posting, you probably should register. It's simple to do. And it would help all of us, I think, if we could start to tell a little more about who was writing what, even if it's just a pen name.
I'll explain more in the future about how to register. Consider this the first request that you just go ahead and do it. Thanks, Steve

Update: One easy way to register an identity, which does not have to be your name, is use OpenID. Check it out at this link.
You may even find you already have an online identity you can use here.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great.Maybe some of these "posters" will actually share their names with everyone(doubt it).For novices like myself,what will be the proceedure?

Steve Collins said...

Tim, you're already fine.
You put your name there and that's all I want.
For those who don't know what to do, give me some time. I'll post detailed explanations of how to register before too many days pass.

Anonymous said...

COO for the City- $300,000, Center Mall parcel that is of no use to anyone in the Town- $6,000,0000. Steve playing the sensorship card and making everyone register- PRICELESS!!

Anonymous said...

I didn't register for Uncle Sam and I ain't registerin' fer yew!

Steve Collins said...

I've been censoring all along, on the assumption that nobody wants to read such filth as some nut's graphic description of what a City Council orgy would be like. Or speculating on which officials' spouses cheat on them. Or simply unleashing a string of curse words directed at someone or another.
My hope, in truth, is that by assuming an identity, even one that is purely fiction (i.e., Lifelong Bristol Bowler or The Hurricane), people will consider their words at least a little more carefully and my job will get easier.
I'm tired of being a censor. It's not exactly my thing.

Anonymous said...

You're not really censoring, Steve.

You are approving the comments based on responsible judgment. Something each and every commenter should be doing themselves, but aren't either willing or able to do so. Good for you!

I applaud you and willingly submit to the new terms.

You are a respectable and upstanding American journalist who cares about others. If only the same could be said for all the Bristol Bloggers.

More power to ya!

Anonymous said...

October 13, 2008 8:42 PM
October 13, 2008 9:04 PM

So don't post anymore. Why should Steve have to play the role of babysitter.

I believe this is a good thing and commend Steve for taken this action.

Anonymous said...

Steve

I have never posted anyting in the blog, but I do read it now and then. I think it should be done with. It is very degrading and insulting. Most of the writers are grown people and they bad mouth good people along with bad. It is a poor example for the young generations who at this date and time do not need to hear. Why does no one EVER find good things to write about? We already have to much name calling and hate in our city. Look into some of the works that some of the churches are trying to do for people who need help. We all should be thankful for what we have and stop the bad comments. I thing Bristol does not need this kind of gossip.

Anonymous said...

Great idea Steve. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to register, either for Blogger or OpenID, and maybe it will cause some people to think twice about what they post.