Monday, March 12, 2012

MKM Open Thread (Mar. 12, 2012)

Welcome to your MKM Blog open thread for March 12, 2012, the day I probably ruined this website. 

Okay, so I've been debating what to do with the whole comment section thing, and today will be an experiment.  After some thought, I think the best thing to do would be to have MBA-style comment approval.  But that seems like a lot of work and, frankly, I don't have time.  Plus, it can slow down a dynamic real time conversation.  So, today only, we're going to try have registration required to comment.  I'll re-assess tonight based on the results of today's commentary.

Also, after a few weeks of promising and failing to deliver, I can promise that we'll have fresh nightly content this week.  I'm going to try to steer this balog back to where it started, which is to salute MKM, roast other commenters in a vicious but good natured way, and generally score cheap laughs any way I can.

So, let's see what happens, and I'll even toss in a Youtube clip to get you started.


12 comments:

  1. Has anyone else been keeping up with the Nick Denton SXSW stuff?

    http://www.adweek.com/news/press/nick-denton-tragedy-comments-138881

    I guess he wants discussions to be more self-contained and relevant, but I wonder if he intends to make Deadspin like Gawker. If he doesn't like cat gifs and such because they're not a part of the conversation, how does he feel about non-sequiturs and dialogue jokes?

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    1. I heard IMG is going to make experts moderate these open threads.

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    2. I thought it was interesting that he said that only lifehacker and io9 have positive commenter/writer relationships. Is Deadspin's more antagonistic than I realized? All I can think of is Burke getting yelled at for the 1st Amendment thing.

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    3. Really, I thought his comments were all over the map, and I can't make heads or tails of 'em. I'm surprised more Deadspinners aren't trying to figure out what is happening - I've been reading the Crosstalk forum and (naturally) they're all writing their epitaphs. Although I guess that's a good measure: if Gawker commenters are freaking out, chances are it's no big deal.

      That said, I don't understand the idea of trying to get "experts" or celebrities to comment - that's a pipe dream mired deep in lawyers and publicists, isn't it? And to your point, what's with the weird gesturing toward sensitive writers crying over comments? Is that real? If stars were a mistake, how is deputizing commenters any better? This is ridiculous for a plebe like me to say about an incredibly rich and successful CEO - but he sounds clueless.

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    4. MaverickIsAirborneMarch 12, 2012 at 9:54 PM

      They take every opportunity to tell us we are a small insignificant portion of their page views/readership and that our opinions don't matter then they turn around and bitch about the commenters every chance they get. Doesn't correlate.

      With Deadspin, what does he want another fucking forum for meatheads to debate where Peyton Manning should sign? No fucking thanks. I think we have a pretty good relationship with the writers and we frequently express that opinion, no idea what he would even be looking at.

      It is their own fault with Gawker they let the inmates run the asylum for so long.

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    5. "debate where Peyton Manning should sign? No fucking thanks"

      Oh god, please don't read DUAN...

      I agree with you though. I have heard many times how we are insignificant and can easily be replaced, etc. "A very small percentage of readers even look at the comments." And yet, on the other hand, the reason it's so important we all make good jokes and don't just spam up the page with bullshit is because we're supposed to be creating content for the site's readers to engage with.

      No one at Gawker (Media) has any idea if the commenters are important or not, which is why this comment system isn't going to make any sense. I don't care as long as we can joke.

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    6. DUAN is fine, you know what I mean, the comment section turning into any the Yahoo comment section, etc.

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    7. As a newer commenter, but longtime (longish) deadspin reader, I'd agree that many days, the comments were the reason I came to the site. Not taking away from the Deadspin crew, but the real draw was seeing how deadspin's starred commenters would twist stories and phrases and insert their own sense of humor into any given post.

      I frequent some of the other gawker sites, but never felt the need to comment there, because even if the discourse was generally above the iq level of other internet threades, it was still bland, just people giving their opinions on various news stories. It's fucking boring,

      I like deadspin because it makes me think before I post some mindless drivel about Tiger not hitting his fairways. I use that time to turn it into a dick joke.


      I'd rather

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    8. Guy Who Doesn't CareMarch 13, 2012 at 12:56 PM

      Sounds like he wants to make Gawker more like Deadspin...by adding their own ninjas over there. Who cares?

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  2. Good pick on the clip.

    That show absolutely cracks me up.

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  3. I prefaced my DUAN post by saying that I'm not currently going through a breakup, but I just looked at what I'm doing now; sitting by myself in my boxers, drinking Oban, eating coffee ice cream and watching the Knicks. Should I check my email again? I think I must have been dumped by somebody, at some juncture today. I mean, that's the only explanation, right?

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    1. Sometimes, that just means that your SO is out with school friends. Enjoy it! Except for the Knicks part, since HOW MANY FUCKING GAMES IN A ROW DO THEY NEED TO LO-[aneurysm]

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