Patch Comments: Big Asset or Big Problem?

Comments are part of life on Patch, whether it’s Hercules Patch or any of the more than 850 Patch sites around the country.

On Hercules Patch, there are comments galore. And as the editor of this site for nearing two years, I have heard several times that the comments make the site, that people even skip the stories (thanks a lot) and head straight to the bottom of the page to see what the comments are all about.

I’ve also had many complaints about commenters – when they attack, accuse or call out others – and confusion between the stories that are published and the comments that are submitted by users.

Well, the commenting function isn’t going away. It’s part of the bone structure that supports one of Patch’s main goals – to help people share information, in real time, locally. And that concept is bolted into all of those Patches, scattered around the U.S.

But maybe we can make things better here on Hercules Patch for the frequent commenter and the silent users of the site. And what better way to start that process than by utilizing our friend and foe – the comment stream?

Please post your comments on 1) what your feelings about comments on Hercules Patch the way things are now, and 2) what changes would need to be made, if any, for you to get the most out of the site’s commenting function.

To allow those who shy away from commenting for fear of getting caught up in a cyber fight, I’m going to do something dictator(ish) and allow only one comment per Patcher under this article. That means, think for a bit before you post your comment, and no responding to others. ANY SECOND COMMENT WILL BE DELETED ON THIS ARTICLE (not on any article in the future, there's really no way of me doing that).  The point of this article is not to have a conversation, debate or argument. It’s to let everyone who wishes to have their say, so that everybody can get a clearer picture of the sentiment of this online community. So what do you say? Okay, now post that below.