Comment caboodle
March 25, 2010 10:08 AM
What websites would you like to see have their comments stripped away?
I'm currently building an extension for Google Chrome called NoComments which will hide comments on certain websites, with the ability toggle comments on/off. Currently I have these sites working:
- Metafilter main
- reddit
- news.ycombinator.com
- youtube.com
What other sites would you like to see have their comments hidden?
I'm currently building an extension for Google Chrome called NoComments which will hide comments on certain websites, with the ability toggle comments on/off. Currently I have these sites working:
- Metafilter main
- news.ycombinator.com
- youtube.com
What other sites would you like to see have their comments hidden?
How about every news site ever? Guardian.co.uk, cbc.ca, etc...
On preview: what wabbittwax said
posted by mhum at 10:14 AM on March 25, 2010
On preview: what wabbittwax said
posted by mhum at 10:14 AM on March 25, 2010
Agreed. I hate comments on news websites.
posted by amicamentis at 10:14 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by amicamentis at 10:14 AM on March 25, 2010
Every goddamned major newspaper's website. I'm sick of seeing right wing nutjobs blaming everything, from a poor kittycat stuck in a tree to the Haitian earthquake on Obama. Attn: newspapers. You are not a blog. You already have a comment section called Letters to the Editor. Stop embarrassing yourselves by allowing this tripe.
posted by TrialByMedia at 10:17 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by TrialByMedia at 10:17 AM on March 25, 2010
If you don't know where to start as far as news sites go, you might want to go down this list of the most popular ones.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by burnmp3s at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2010
I never understood why anyone feels the need to comment on a daily episode of a comic strip.
posted by ijsbrand at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by ijsbrand at 10:18 AM on March 25, 2010
Just to clarify about metafilter: only the main metafilter site is effected, ask/projects/metatalk/jobs etc. do not have comments hidden.
Also, it will eb==be very easy to just turn off comments blocking per-site.
posted by thepalephantom at 10:21 AM on March 25, 2010
Also, it will eb==be very easy to just turn off comments blocking per-site.
posted by thepalephantom at 10:21 AM on March 25, 2010
Have you seen shutup.css? Maybe your extension can use that file.
posted by madh at 10:24 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by madh at 10:24 AM on March 25, 2010
It'd make more sense to block all sites by default and whitelist sites where you want to see comments because the comments on most sites are useless. For instance, almost all of the sites where I find the comments are useful are sites where everyone agrees with me. I'd prefer a broader range of ideas, but it's very hard to find sites with respectfully and soundly argued argument instead of vitriol and invective. MetaFilter is the only site I know of where people can have different views on a subject and present them intelligently and inoffensively.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:38 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by kirkaracha at 10:38 AM on March 25, 2010
I love internet comments, even the whacked-out ones (especially those, actually). I guess I just love to see people interacting this way. Sometimes it feels like the world is a giant elementary school classroom. It gets ugly and out-of-control often and there are class clowns and brown nosers and bossy kids galore, but there's also learning going on, which means excitement and growth.
The other day, my elderly uncle discovered what a personal blog was for the first time and emailed a bunch of us about his amazing discovery: one woman's description of her journey to see The Price is Right. He was delighted at being able to read about a stranger's road trip to California.
But I would still filter out youtube comments.
posted by sallybrown at 10:42 AM on March 25, 2010
The other day, my elderly uncle discovered what a personal blog was for the first time and emailed a bunch of us about his amazing discovery: one woman's description of her journey to see The Price is Right. He was delighted at being able to read about a stranger's road trip to California.
But I would still filter out youtube comments.
posted by sallybrown at 10:42 AM on March 25, 2010
Any newspaper site that uses Topix forums, which are a haven for the ignorant, racist and sexist American. I've never seen a paper that takes the time to moderate the spittle-flecked screeds that fill the comments to their stories, so the discourse level starts in the toilet and goes down from there. Total garbage.
posted by porn in the woods at 10:43 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by porn in the woods at 10:43 AM on March 25, 2010
Every newspaper site.
posted by dortmunder at 10:52 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by dortmunder at 10:52 AM on March 25, 2010
all news sites, especially aol.com
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:58 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:58 AM on March 25, 2010
Thanks everyone. Looks like I've got some work ahead of me ;)
posted by thepalephantom at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by thepalephantom at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2010
AskYahoo.
But isn't it easier to just not read the comments?
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2010
But isn't it easier to just not read the comments?
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2010
Every goddamned major newspaper's website...
This. Though I would expand that to ANY newspaper's website.
Though I don't go to my local paper's site very often, the the times that I have have been torturous. I'm amazed at the breadth of items nutjobs can blame on Obama/liberals/bleeding hearts/etc.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:07 AM on March 25, 2010
This. Though I would expand that to ANY newspaper's website.
Though I don't go to my local paper's site very often, the the times that I have have been torturous. I'm amazed at the breadth of items nutjobs can blame on Obama/liberals/bleeding hearts/etc.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:07 AM on March 25, 2010
Seconding newspapers. And youtube, even though you've already done it; maybe other video sharing sites have the same lack of quality in comments?
Also, mlb.com (Major League Baseball). Probably other sites run by major sports leagues as well, but I'm only a baseball fan.
posted by madcaptenor at 11:07 AM on March 25, 2010
Also, mlb.com (Major League Baseball). Probably other sites run by major sports leagues as well, but I'm only a baseball fan.
posted by madcaptenor at 11:07 AM on March 25, 2010
Nthing all goddamn newspapers. How do that many racist fucks gather so quickly? Is there an e-mail alert for "newspaper posts story in which any black person is even tangentially involved in any way" so that they can bum rush the site?
posted by desuetude at 11:10 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by desuetude at 11:10 AM on March 25, 2010
All of them except this one.
OK, cnn.com and all the newspaper sites.
posted by jquinby at 11:11 AM on March 25, 2010
OK, cnn.com and all the newspaper sites.
posted by jquinby at 11:11 AM on March 25, 2010
The Daily Mail. Not because I think small minded, self-righteous, I-was-right-all-along-donchaknow, intellectually challenged bigots shouldn't be able to express themselves, but because the site is accessible internationally and I'd hate for people to realise that we do actually have people who think like Daily Mail commenters in the UK.
posted by MuffinMan at 11:19 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by MuffinMan at 11:19 AM on March 25, 2010
Salon. And I used to read Obscure Store but the comments drove me bananas.
posted by pinky at 11:29 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by pinky at 11:29 AM on March 25, 2010
My local paper self-censors its comments, turning them into "Recommendations", whenever things get a little too nasty. But I wouldn't mind all newspaper sites being that way.
posted by tommasz at 11:35 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by tommasz at 11:35 AM on March 25, 2010
Comments on sports sites are second only to youtube. Fox Sports especially.
posted by Penks at 11:43 AM on March 25, 2010
posted by Penks at 11:43 AM on March 25, 2010
Seconding Slate - they were so proud of finally activating their comments section a couple of months ago. I have no idea why.
Also, I vote for the AV club - you'd expect their conversations to be really fun and full of pop-culture bean plating, but mostly they talk about tits and firsties. Very disappointing.
posted by Think_Long at 11:50 AM on March 25, 2010
Also, I vote for the AV club - you'd expect their conversations to be really fun and full of pop-culture bean plating, but mostly they talk about tits and firsties. Very disappointing.
posted by Think_Long at 11:50 AM on March 25, 2010
espn.com
Nobody actually discusses the content they just bash the other teams or players. Its so pointless.
posted by lilkeith07 at 11:56 AM on March 25, 2010
Nobody actually discusses the content they just bash the other teams or players. Its so pointless.
posted by lilkeith07 at 11:56 AM on March 25, 2010
The following sites should definitely have the comments stripped away:
Videogames:
http://www.gametrailers.com/
http://kotaku.com/
Film:
http://www.aintitcool.com/ (also, if you could make the same script put all the headlines into lowercase and remove all instances of more than one exclamation point, that'd be swell...)
posted by slimepuppy at 12:08 PM on March 25, 2010
Videogames:
http://www.gametrailers.com/
http://kotaku.com/
Film:
http://www.aintitcool.com/ (also, if you could make the same script put all the headlines into lowercase and remove all instances of more than one exclamation point, that'd be swell...)
posted by slimepuppy at 12:08 PM on March 25, 2010
My local newspaper (Las Vegas Review Journal). The comments come immediately after the news articles. As much as I tell myself over and over that I'm not going to read the comments (because I'm never glad I spent my time doing that) I get to the bottom of the article and then see the first one and it's so wacky and inflammatory that I get sucked in again. :(
posted by Jacqueline at 12:22 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by Jacqueline at 12:22 PM on March 25, 2010
Slate.com
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 1:04 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 1:04 PM on March 25, 2010
Mediatakeout.com
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 1:24 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 1:24 PM on March 25, 2010
I have a theory that some newspaper sites have staff members assigned to self-troll their own articles. Because when a serious flame war gets started, pageviews go WAY up. Call it "shill trolling."
posted by ErikaB at 2:00 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by ErikaB at 2:00 PM on March 25, 2010
I don't understand why you'd want to block comments. Just don't read them?
From a programming perspective I would find it difficult to "hide all comments by default", and then have a whitelist, but that would be ideal.
posted by Sonic_Molson at 2:35 PM on March 25, 2010
From a programming perspective I would find it difficult to "hide all comments by default", and then have a whitelist, but that would be ideal.
posted by Sonic_Molson at 2:35 PM on March 25, 2010
I don't understand why you'd want to block comments. Just don't read them?
not reading them is hard. The eye sees words, it goes to them, and you can't unsee things.
posted by madcaptenor at 3:05 PM on March 25, 2010
not reading them is hard. The eye sees words, it goes to them, and you can't unsee things.
posted by madcaptenor at 3:05 PM on March 25, 2010
I like the comments on Jezebel! For the rest of gawker, I agree. I feel like signal:noise ratio on Jez is pretty great, though. Huh.
I think it would great to just turn off comments anywhere. Like, I have a favorite biking blog that covers local biking issues and 9 times out of 10 the comments devolve quickly into inanity. I don't really understand why all those blogs need comments and I wish bloggers would start learning restraint in what should be open to comments and what shouldn't.
posted by amanda at 4:49 PM on March 25, 2010
I think it would great to just turn off comments anywhere. Like, I have a favorite biking blog that covers local biking issues and 9 times out of 10 the comments devolve quickly into inanity. I don't really understand why all those blogs need comments and I wish bloggers would start learning restraint in what should be open to comments and what shouldn't.
posted by amanda at 4:49 PM on March 25, 2010
Cracked.com. It's obviously a comedy site, yet all the comments are from people who took the article waaaay too seriously and it kind of ruins the humor.
posted by biochemist at 4:52 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by biochemist at 4:52 PM on March 25, 2010
AOL's Fanhouse, more specifically their NBA section. Racist fucks abound. The same people coming by every day to pick fights with the same writers.
On the other hand, the massive amounts of racist comments found on newspaper sites, sports sites, and so on? Great for refuting idiotic claims that America is moving past racism. The internet gives otherwise cowardly racists a way to let others know just how far we are from that, every time they log on.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:10 PM on March 25, 2010
On the other hand, the massive amounts of racist comments found on newspaper sites, sports sites, and so on? Great for refuting idiotic claims that America is moving past racism. The internet gives otherwise cowardly racists a way to let others know just how far we are from that, every time they log on.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:10 PM on March 25, 2010
I have been watching ustream today [go owlbox!] and I would give anything to not see those comments.
posted by jessamyn at 6:24 PM on March 25, 2010
posted by jessamyn at 6:24 PM on March 25, 2010
I realise the irony, but Comment is Free.
Every time I find a piece that is actually interesting, the comment section is so petty minded it makes me what to tear my hair out.
posted by litleozy at 7:12 PM on March 25, 2010
Every time I find a piece that is actually interesting, the comment section is so petty minded it makes me what to tear my hair out.
posted by litleozy at 7:12 PM on March 25, 2010
Yahoo!Buzz.
If your script could also tip a bucket of cold water over the people leaving the comments, I'd really appreciate it.
Or maybe replace everything they say with today's lolcats.
posted by blue funk at 12:14 AM on March 26, 2010
If your script could also tip a bucket of cold water over the people leaving the comments, I'd really appreciate it.
Or maybe replace everything they say with today's lolcats.
posted by blue funk at 12:14 AM on March 26, 2010
I would LOVE something that blocked all comments. Reading long, stupid comment threads is a terrible habit of mine. Anything that blocked them by default would free up at least 2 hours for me every day.
posted by amethysts at 11:53 AM on March 28, 2010
posted by amethysts at 11:53 AM on March 28, 2010
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This thread is closed to new comments.
That being said, any news site would probably be improved by hiding comments, cbc.ca for example.
posted by wabbittwax at 10:11 AM on March 25, 2010