in Pitt Football, POV Website Admin 387 Words

Site Comments Changes & Info

Friends – I have been trying to make some changes to the site and since I suppose we are still in a sort of Beta Testing phase I’d like your honest feedback on a few issues:

1. I have removed the ‘nesting replies‘…

…in the comments section to make it more like The Pitt Blather was.  That would be that every comment stands alone like this:

Blather comments

Vice this with nested replies:

nested

Let me know which you want – the traditional Blather =type or, what my daughter recommends, keeping ‘content’ together with replies to others’ comments.

2. I have enabled ‘Markdowns’…

… so that we cab bold, italicize and link text in our original comments rather than having to post it then ‘edit’ it to get formatting available.  Here is the directions on how to do it – kind of like HTML (look at me with the big computer-words!).

Here is a link with more details on Markdowns.

Markdowns

As of now you have to post your comment then edit it to get formatting options like this example of what shows up on the comment editing screen:

pitt 11
See the formatting symbols above the text?

Also – any comment with more than five (5) links in it will be held for moderation by WordPress so that I can verify that it isn’t spam.  That is done rarely (mostly by our cheery Dark Knight).

But it will mean your comment might not get posted for some time.  WordPress sends me an email asking for moderation of the comment and since I don’t always carry my phone or check email there will be a delay.  After I approve the comment it will go into the thread as to it’s date stamp posting.

So – there you have it.  Let me know what you think – basically it is:

A. Should we have ‘replies’ to comments or just individual comment boxes?

B.   I have enabled ‘markdowns’ so that you can format in your original comment if you wish.

Note: Apparently this site gets ad money when someone actually clicks on the ads… I think.  That is called “Ad Impressions” and it won’t break you fingers to do so.  If we do it gets more $$ going out to those two charities I have pledged to contribute the proceeds to… Thanks everyone.

44 thoughts on “Site Comments Changes & Info”

  1. My preference would be nested replys and the ability to format posts. I didn’t like at all how you commented on something someone else said and there could be 100 posts between the two.

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  3. Reed, I like the traditional Blather format FWIW.
    Also the Hoopies must like your work on Pitt Football because they have just opened a new building in Morgantown called the “Reed College of Media Innovations Center” Send me your email address and I will send you a pic of this. What a hoot. Thanks for keeping us Pitt Fans up to date on all things Pitt Football!

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  4. I like the nested replies and the ability to add format. I think it will keep conversations going on a particular comment someone makes.

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  6. Btw, Reed, you may want to fix this in your Pitt POV description in the upper left: ” and is intended to generate civil and detailed comments discussions…”

    I’m thinking you changed your mind from using the word “comments”, but forgot to remove it?

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  7. Reed I like the newer format. It seems easier to read and bigger. To me it isn’t a real big deal either way.

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  9. Reed

    I like the nested. That makes it easier to understand to what message a person has replied.

    H2P

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  11. I prefer the Blather format, it just seems easier to follow the conversation….

    Other comments:

    Reed you are as good as any professional writer I have read. Sometimes your articles are packed full with several topics in great detail. I think it might help you with the workload of writing this blog if you broke some of the larger articles down into two or three smaller articles and put them in the “can” for future posts. This would also help focus the commenting.

    From time to time, I think it would be fun for you to have an open ended post like “All things Pitt Football: What’s on your mind?”, and just see where the comments go.

    No matter how you format this blog, I will remain a daily visitor and am greatful to you for all of your efforts.

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  12. I am so computer illerate I don’t know the difference. The Blather was more communal, nesting seems to cut the continuity of discussion, maybe.

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  14. Blather – that way I can pretend the 50 comments telling me how dumb I am are meant for Reed. Ha Ha
    Think I figured this out, sort of.

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  15. I like the nesting feature as you can directly reply to someone’s comment especially if they have a specific question. Blather was definitely old school. Whatever you pick it won’t change my interest and participation.

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  16. The people have spoken – I’m going with the nested replies because it does hold contend together. I like to start a new comment and direct it towards people like this:

    @wbb – SP called and wanted me to thank you for being a good fan.

    Also Panther 94 – I corrected the text in that section – thanks.

    HbgFrank – I will take your advice and do just that although I’ll keep providing articles that are around 2000 words long. Shorter and I feel like I’m shortchanging you guys.

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  17. I really enjoy your podcasts. Keep them going. Plus, I find your deep melodious voice quite southing. When I can’t fall asleep, I’ve taken to listening to a podcast in bed, with my ear buds in, all curled up with my Pitt Panther stuffed animal. ZZZZZZZZZ.

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  20. Nested – Blather set up was so 1974. Look at Tiger Droppings. It is a good set. Nested so we can reply to each other not a mile down the feed.

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      1. Yes – 4 texts from ex players who had Reponses and nicest was “Puke.” Zero committment to Baseball when you march this guy oit there with the atrocious last 3 seasons he has had. It isnt just ACC teams kicking his ass it is WVU and PSU and OSU. Sad Big Head Barnes basically went cheap with this move. I bet he doesnt even make 100k. Sad PT.

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        1. I can only hope that the recent run of Pitt baseball MLB draft choices will help with recruiting and the W-L record will take care of itself…

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          1. This year will be way worse losing the talent they had. I expect another 18-20 wins. Those coming against the weak Non-Cons. WVU has Mazey and he is a winner. He came from TCU a Powerhouse. Jordano – Mercyhurst. Enough Said.

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  21. I have two daughters (and a wife) with whom I disagree at my peril; however, nesting is too complicated, partly because it is too arbitrary, I think. Who decides which comments belong together? Should all the beer references be bunched? Do I only want to look at the nests where the cool people hang out? I know, It’s hard to read through ALL of the comments to make sure we aren’t missing someone’s insight or haven’t missed a side topic–of which there are many… So–dirty secret here–read what you can, have fun, and jump in on the conversation whenever and wherever.

    To paraphrase Joseph Campbell’s metaphor about life, a blog is like a movie where you come in after it starts and try to figure out what’s going on without bothering too many people. Then you have to leave before it’s over…

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    1. LA – the commenter creates the ‘nest’ by hitting the reply button to comment specifically to another commenter. I don’t do any editing at all except in the case to make comments post more readable (mostly putting spacing returns in long run-on paragraphs).

      Like this….

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  25. Here is a complete test of Reed’s abilities to use the Discussion Markdowns for commenting. As follows:

    This is so much fun

    This too is a lot of fun

    When discussing WR Greg Lee and his idiotic move to declare for the draft Wanny said:

    “Somebody convinced Greg early he was going to be a high pick. It’s unfortunate, because you only get a chance to be drafted once.”

    But then Reed said How green grows the grass on the other side of the 20 yard line?

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  27. So in other words … if we don’t compliment Reed, we are unable to use the Markdowns .. because they are not available as I write this.

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  28. Reed – whichever you use is OK by me. Although it sounds like, with the nesting, a reader who joins a thread more than once must go to the top every time to reread every comment and any later comments. Due to time constraints every day, I usually do a post 2 or 3 times to get everybody’s comments. Easiest to pick up each time where I left off previous time. But, whatever works for you and the rest is OK by me.

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  29. Reed, FWIW , I like the list of recent comments at the bottom of the thread and find that that helps me find where I may have left off reading the blog.

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  30. Aug. 1, 2016

    PITTSBURGH — Pitt Athletics will host active military members, Veterans and first responders, as well as their family members, at Heinz Field on Saturday, September 3 for the annual Hail to Heroes Day for the Pitt football team’s 2016 season opener against Villanova. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

    “Once again, we are thrilled to welcome active duty military personnel, Veterans and first responders to a Pitt football game at Heinz Field this season,” Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes said. “Thanks to a generous donation, our annual Hail to Heroes Day will provide more free tickets than ever before as we show our unwavering appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to bravely serving us.”

    In order to make this possible, Pitt has teamed up with Liberty IT Solutions, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, to provide 2,000 complimentary game tickets to local military and rescue personnel and their families.

    Liberty IT Solutions, headquartered in Herndon, Va., specializes in technology solutions for government healthcare clients. Bill Greene, Liberty’s President and CEO, is a Service-Disabled Veteran who spent four years as a member of the United States Navy. The company’s Chief Strategy Officer, Chris Bickell, is a 1996 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a loyal supporter of Pitt Athletics.

    “We are excited to be partnering with Pitt Athletics for this year’s Hail to Heroes Day,” Bickell said. “As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, we take pride in supporting those that serve our country. We look forward to helping kick off the 2016 Pitt football season by honoring them.”

    Active military, Veterans and first responders can claim up to four tickets to see the Panthers host the Wildcats by visiting http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/heroes.

    Season tickets, mini-packages and single-game tickets for the 2016 Pitt football season are now on sale. Call the Pitt Ticket Office at (800) 643-PITT (7488) or visit http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/tickets

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  31. In today’s USA Today: they are publishing a daily preview of each FBS conference. See at ncaaf.usa-today.com.

    Acc is Sunday. The rest:
    8/1 – American Athletic;
    8/2 – Conference USA
    8/3 – Mid-American
    8/4 – Mountain West
    8/5 – Sun Belt
    8/6 – independents
    8/7 – ACC
    8/9 – Big 12
    8/10 – big 10
    8/11 – Pac-12
    8/12 – Southeastern

    Should be some good reading

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  32. Personal preference on comments is leave it as it was on blather. Old saying if it aint broke don’t fix it.My biggest bitch about the whole electronics world is change for the sake of change. Just keep up the good reporting Reed and all will work well.

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