[tags]shausha, blogs, comments, expectation[/tags]

Whenever I read a blog - and this is something that is a daily habit - I always read it looking to see if I can contribute in some way to the subject matter raised. Even if that something is essentially to disagree with the writer.

Just recently I read a post to do with use of software firewalls and whilst I agreed with the author in perhaps 80% of his post there were one or two areas I wanted to pick up on. So instead of starting a huge response which may or may not have been read or even responded to I decided to write a post on my personal blog page (I may share that with you folks another time) that at least allowed me to voice my thoughts in full. On the blog itself I then entered a short comment to the effect that I agreed with 80% but disagreed wth certain aspects and mostly to do with their approach to not providing any backup to their assertions or any links to further reading to perhaps explain their thoughts. Oh and I linked back to my blog so that the author could come and discuss as they felt fit.

That comment was deleted. So was the subsequent one saying exactly the same and needless to say so was the third one. This time the third one invited said author to eMail me and discuss his reasons for deleting my comment. I don’t really expect a response though ….

But to get to my point :-

• do you comment on blogs?
• If you do, do you expect it to get summarily deleted if the author disagrees?
• If they do disagree, do you expect a short eMail to explain why - presumming you’ve left an eMail address?
• If you don’t comment then why not?

One of the things most written about blogs is how we the blog authors crave the satisfaction of knowing people are reading. How do we know that? By the mere fact you reply. Research into complaints about TV programmes (certainly in the UK) has shown that the watchdogs apply a ratio that says something like - for every complaint received we accept that another ‘x‘ number believe the same. I don’t recall the figures now but I’m certain that x=1000’s. I guess there must be a similar ratio for comments on blogs … does x=10, 100 or 1000 in blog land?

What say you all?