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Comments ²¹

1. cbrubaker

   Well, you could make it a policy that you have to write your full name on the bottom of the comments.

   – Charles Brubaker

   (kind of like this. I’m just making an example)

2. Danny Burleson

   You could also request that users manually change their display name to their real name in their WordPress user profile right after they register. Not sure how cooperative folks would be about that. Otherwise, you’re looking at hacking your php files in risky ways.

3. Alan Gardner  (admin)

   You could also request that users manually change their display name to their real name in their WordPress user profile right after they register.

   That part I could force by changing the WP code. But WP automatically displays the user name and not the first and last name in the comment section. See Charles Brubaker’s displayed name in the first comment on this thread as an example.

   Still working on it.

4. Danny Burleson

   Well, then just tell Charles, “Change your display name now, or you’re banned!” 😉

   Example: http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/9279/dcloginsampleof0.png

5. Alan Gardner  (admin)

   Again, it’s a bit more complicated than that. His “display name publicly as” IS set to first and last name in the user profile, but WP uses the username when displaying non-admins.

6. Danny Burleson

   That’s weird then, ’cause unless you’re seeing my name as “theblogcomics” on your end of this comment thread (I see “Danny Burleson”), it’s working for me, and I’m not under an admin account.

   Maybe something’s messed up with Charles’ account specifically from him being a guest-blogger before? Not sure what that would be, but sometimes WordPress seems to do what it wants.

7. Ted Rall

   Alan,

   I’m glad you turned the comments section back on. Although the conversation can get heated, one of the big things I come to DC for is the comments–including those by non-professional cartoonists. If someone starts to abuse your posting rules by overposting or cursing or trolling, you can always ban them at the IP level.

   Thanks for providing a valuable service.

   Ted

8. Wiley Miller

   Ditto to Ted’s post.

9. Garey Mckee

   I’m glad to see the comments back as well! I enjoy the banter. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad, but it’s always interesting. That’s what keeps me coming back!

10. Charles Brubaker

    “Maybe somethingâ??s messed up with Charlesâ?? account specifically from him being a guest-blogger before? Not sure what that would be, but sometimes WordPress seems to do what it wants.”

    Actually, I just manually changed my name to “cbrubaker” in the “First & Last Name” textbox for the purpose of an example in that comment.

11. Shane Johnson

    Here’s another vote for keeping the comments. Definitely enjoy reading everyone’s take.

12. Larry Levine

    I ditto the ditto Wiley gave to Ted, keeping the comments switch on is the best way to go.

13. Mike Sieber

    Thanks for turning comments back on, Alan. I must say that this seems like a completely different site without the community that has built up around it.

    I think that, no matter how hard you try, sometimes the discussion is going to go off track. It’s just going to take good policing to make sure everyone keeps their heads level.

14. Eric Burke

    TDC without the comments just isn’t the same. The comments makes this site my first stop every morning.

    Just ban the unruly infidels!

    And I thought that registering with your real name was already the rule? Isn’t there some sort of “gentleman’s agreemment” here among peeps posting?

15. Norm Feuti

    I like having the comments back too. At first, I thought Alan had the right idea by shutting the comments off, but the site quickly became boring without them.

    Regardless of whether Alan decides to make people register to comment, I think it would help him out if the regulars here adopt a “don’t feed the trolls” policy.

16. J Read

    Alan, give yourself some credit: I think you’ve been pretty good about shutting down the comments when they’ve gotten too far off subject or too mean. Truly, the comments are often what makes The Daily Cartoonist such an enjoyable and engaging place to visit.

17. Milt Priggee

    TDC.com is a collection of passionately opinionated professionals and those interested in the art.

    TDC without the comments section is like a newspaper without an editorial cartoonist. It’s interactive comment blog feature is that visceral connection that is the excitement, buzz and interactivity that newspapers (who had a cartoonist) used to enjoy.

    The difference between a newspaper and TDC is ….TDC has a strong owner who actually cares about his customers, advertisers and the news platform he produces.

18. J Read

    What Milt said

19. Ted Rall

    Requiring commenters to register seems like a move that every website should make. If you have something to say, say it under your own name–as cartoonists do.

    The alternative is to police the anonymous and pseudonymous posts (on my blog, I personally approve or reject each comment).

20. Stacy Curtis

    >>>If you have something to say, say it under your own nameâ??as cartoonists do.

    Some tell this to Tom Tomorrow.

    >>>The alternative is to police the anonymous and pseudonymous posts (on my blog, I personally approve or reject each comment).

    Everyone send your comments to Ted’s blog!!

    🙂

21. Tom Wood

    “Is this the right room for an argument?”

    “Sorry, time’s up!”

    “I was just getting interested.”

    Much better with comments. I frequent several of the political blogs, left and right, and I never thought the discussion here was ever that hot. Once you get used to that sort of rough and tumble, I guess you sort of expect it. That being said, I understand that this is a more professional forum and some limits are ‘drawn’.

    TW