‘Notable Replies’ is a TERRIBLE idea. It is the exact opposite of the ‘open culture’ that you guys and girls are - rightly - always advocating.
It privileges both personal “fame” and comment “popularity” over the inherent value of the comment.
It marginalises the occasional commenter, whose comment, by the very nature of its occasionality is actually more likely to have real value than the average comment of a regular.
It incentivises people to promote the party line in a conscious or unconscious attempt to get invited inside the velvet rope of the “real” BoingBoing site. This is not just an unwanted effect, but the opposite of what should be desired, namely the promotion of the dialectical method (basically, a ‘Royal Rumble’ of ideas, where the strongest ideas defeat the weaker).
Further, like Capitalism, it creates a feedback loop of the aforementioned marginalisation, where the popular people gain popularity due, in part, to their popularity, and contrarians like me eventually give up and leave because their thoughts never make the headlines.
It destroys (on the “real” BoingBoing) the context of the discussion, becoming a ‘clip-show’ version of the conversation; ie more laughs / no story; stripping the meaning from the conversation. (Please, don’t say “you’ve still got the BBS”. That’s like saying “you’ve still got free speech zones”). In my opinion, most BB visitors will usually only see the ‘Notable Replies’. I usually read about six to ten articles (and associated comments) a day. I’m guessing that I’ll usually be too busy to be bothered digging though forum, except in exceptional cases (and I’m not even especially busy), and that that’ll be the case for many, and that the BBS will tend towards being the preserve of the particularly dedicated types.
I’ve read BoingBoing every day for ten years and this is the first time since you guys required sign-in that I’ve really felt the need to comment.
Ironically, probably not too many will read this comment because:
A) I’m a “no-reputation” commenter, and
B) The “cool” kids won’t like it, because they are more likely to take their cue from the high council.
Still love you guys and think that the content is basically unparalleled, but this move makes as much sense as killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
Thanks for reading!
