Good morning. I read through JP’s post yesterday on the state of the blog and there are some things I’d like to address.
First, the recent kerfuffle with D as in Dawg. He has not been banned, he was put in timeout. I reached out to him and let him know. I’ll just say, I don’t expect a Christmas card from him this year but, he will be reinstated and it will be up to him if he wishes to join back in.
Second, the login issues. For a good while, we allowed people to comment as “anonymous” without any brakes or checks on who is commenting. If I recall correctly, we had a hand full of people who were “anonymous” making comments and no one knew who they were responding to? And, we had another commenter who was using the anonymous handle to troll and stir up shhh..tuff. So, I made a change on the settings. The setting does not require a “login”. What it looks at is, are you signed in at WordPress? If yes, you can comment right away with your WordPress handle. If no, it prompts you for your handle and an email address. Now, this is a built-in setting, the email field is part of it, I can’t remove it. However, it is useless. It is not compared against a list for approval, it doesn’t log you in to anything. It isn’t stored anywhere, it is not used by us. I don’t care if you use 1@1.com for the email address (cause the stupid thing won’t accept it being empty), the main thing is to enter your handle. Heck, try just using 1 character for the email address, if it takes it, roll on. Just please use a consistent handle and develop your persona here while interacting with everyone.
So, what is the general feeling about this? Do y’all want to just go back to allowing anonymous and remove any checks on people commenting here? I apologize for the inconvenience of this, it was the least painful way I could come up with to ensure everyone can have a handle on here to comment with. If it is too much, I will roll it back.
Go Dawgs!
If you act right none of this stuff matters. I have misbehaved in the past so I’m not a choir boy but dang, just try to act right and nobody has anything to complain about.
Like your changes & seem reasonable
I am with you. The issues I had I think were WordPress issues not specific to this blog. I do not want anonymous commenting back.
Agreed
Same. I like seeing who comments.
I’m fine with the changes, but I’m not sure if I can use my original Aladawg handle because I had to change to get back logged in. I now am also Elberta Dawg as in Elberta, Alabama. Thanks!
I like your new handle better, since my family has stayed in the outskirts of Elberta several times. Love that place – other than being in Alabama, LOL!
roll with it!
Personally, I find the login change annoying. It prevents me from commenting more frequently (or at all frankly), but doesn’t impact how often I read the blog.
If a setting prevents folks from randomly posting “Auburn Sucks” more frequently, then it can’t be good.
May I ask, do you have a WordPress account or did you enter your name and email to make this comment?
I’m logged on with Word Press. If I don’t manually enter my correct email address my handle must be manually typed in. So it’s a wash for me either way.
That does not stop me from viewing it does cut down on posting. I’m using an IPad most of the time or my phone either way it’s all Apple IOS now.
Please don’t allow posting without a handle if possible. That would very negatively affect my experience. There are great posters here who each offer a unique view point. I’d hate to lose that personal flavor.
I like the change. The anonymous commenters were annoying and confusing. My login issues were a WordPress issue I think.
Testing two comments have not posted.
I can see you now. 😉
Ok since the test worked trying again. I had issues with logging in with WordPress not just this blog. I like that you got rid of anonymous posting.
My answer to your question will not post trying again. Thank you for getting rid of anonymous posters. I have been reading and not commenting as much due to life.
Miss Debby, for some reason, your comments got flagged for needing approval. I approved them all and they are visible now. I cannot explain that either. WordPress strikes again.
Something for everyone to keep in mind, WordPress monitors comments for “spam-like” behavior. Never know what might trigger it. If your comment isn’t immediately visible, it may have been flagged for approval. We monitor that pretty closely, the author of the post gets an email when approval is needed. Give us a little bit and it will most likely get approved and show up.
From my personal experience with Word Press since the change I often need to hit page refresh or my post doesn’t get made.
It took me a little while to figure out how to post again, and I was curious about the email thing, so thank you for clarifying. For some reason, I can’t seem to get the Jet Pack installed and or working, but admittedly whenever I’ve tried, I’ve probably given up too quickly. That said, it doesn’t sound like handles are secure but if anyone ever posts anything really great under the Back2Back handle, I’ll claim it! Thank you and please keep up the outstanding work!
You’re right, handles aren’t secure this way, it’s not foolproof. Forcing everyone to be logged in through WordPress secures it but, then we would definitely be excluding people.
Damn. I just typed out a post and didn’t use my actual email address but it seems to not have posted it. Sorry if this ends up being a duplicate.
I don’t really care too much about having to type out my email address. I feel like if that keeps people away it’s a flimsy reason.
I guess I missed whatever happened with D as in Dawg. I never cared for his posting style but whatever. I never liked Corch’s posting style and was glad he never found his way here. I wasn’t sorry to see the Play Pen go from here. We are here to talk about football and some of the people who posted insane things in there make some good football posts. Sorry but I don’t care what any of y’all think about politics.
Thanks for reaching out, Otis. I am sorry to hear things have trended downward lately. I love this site and will be here until yall close the doors. I hope that’s a long time from now.
I’m cool with it all! Thank you for pulling us out of probable extinction when you did, Otis!
I like the change from anonymous posting. I don’t comment often, but read everything every day, and I deeply appreciate all of you guys who are keeping this going.
Thank you!
This is exactly my position
I love this community. Hell, I liked D as in Dawg but didn’t agree with everything he posted, but the personal insults to multiple posters after a warning from Otis got him suspended.
I must have started my winter hibernation early this year because I wasn’t aware of that situation. Usually when people start arguing on here I just skip past it because nothing ever gets resolved. If he was making it personal he deserves to be in time out for awhile.
Game day thread from last Saturday. Not sure if one of the admins removed the comments
Yeah, I just went back and read the exchange. Sounds like somebody definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed. It seemed to be totally unprovoked.
Anything to keep the Senator’s legacy alive. I’m sure all of us run thought ms and ideas through the “What would the Senator say?” lens. Thanks, guys, for hanging on.
I’m fine with the changes. In fact, whenever I clear my browser cache, I have to re-log in to everything and I find it easier to log in now vs having to go to WordPress and log in.
I was anonymous for a while. Didn’t know my email. Got it now and all is good. Must put it in every time, but I’ll get my better half to check it! Fine with whatever works. Go Dawgs!!
Again, it’s made me approve another comment and I do not know why. Everyone here has a setting, if 1 comment is approved, no further approvals should be required. I know that both you and Miss Debby have previously been approved. WordPress sucks like Auburn.
Went thru. Sorry if it is double post!
When I type something in the “Leave a Reply” box (like now), a box appears just below what I type asking me to either login with email OR I can just click the W in the circle and I am instantly logged in. For some having trouble posting see if that doesn’t work for you.
Yeah, that’s how it works for me as well.
Same here. Don’t comment often, but read daily.
I was anonymous at first because l didn’t know my email. Good with latest setup. Like knowing who comments. Keep up the great work. Go Dawgs!
I’m like you Mike C. I was glad to see the play pen go. It did more to divide this blog than anything.
I’ve never had a problem commenting. I just bookmarked the site, click on it and it pops up. I’m sure the gremlins will start now.
I’m like this, If you ain’t man enough and have to hide behind anonymous, then you don’t need to be on here anyway. Thanks guys. It’s fine just the way it is.
agreed. I hated the playpen, quickly decided to not read it at all. But you could tell the hostilities it created kind of bled into the rest of the topics/posts. By all means, take your viewpoints and stand fast, if you want. But a very few people seem to take great delight in berating the people with whom they disagree.
I argue about things all the time (occupational hazard), but (and I may be flattering myself here) I like to think I am not contrary simply for the sake of stiffing the pot. Like, say, Danny Kannell seems to be.
Agumentum gratia arguendo. Or however you might say it. We dont need that.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing my “likes”.
I use the Jetpack app and it keeps me logged in all the time. I have to go to the website to open some links but that’s no big deal. I personally do t like folks comment under anonymous. Too easy to lead to bad behavior. But that’s just me.
I have never posted, but i have been reading for years. Enjoy the site. Appreciate the effort that goes into providing this opportunity!
No arguments here. As always, yell if you need a hand testing changes.
Heck, I need a hand making changes. Wish I knew what to do to smooth all the glitches out. It’s frustrating for us and y’all.
WordPress is the devil. You went through a lot to get this working in the beginning. Even the banner gave you fits. Keep plugging away. We’re all still here.
Longtime reader. But have hardly ever posted due to issues. Let’s see if this works.
Considering the amount of comment activity on both this post and jp’s it appears Major Tom has regained contact with ground control.
(And yes, I think David Bowie is creepy)
… and a little scary.