Commenter Policy

We all want an interesting and entertaining discussion here, so I’ve written a comment policy to help keep it that way. This is primarily for people who haven’t commented here before. Regular writers don’t need to sweat it.

Automated Comment Moderation

If I haven’t seen you here before or you are using different ID your comment will be held for moderation. It’s nothing personal and completely automated. It just helps keep the drug-and-porn-peddlers at bay.

If you write a comment that contains many links, it is also likely to be held for moderation. Again, nothing personal and totally automated. It keeps the drug-and-porn-peddlers from pretending to be you.

Manual Comment Moderation

If your comment is held for moderation I will read it and decide whether or not to publish it. If it is off-topic, I will probably not publish it. If I think it is trolling for attention I will probably not publish it. If it is incoherent I will not publish it. If it is angry I will publish it, provided it is on-topic and cogent.

I do not delete comments from people who disagree with me, but I do delete comments from people who claim I delete comments from people who disagree with me because I consider that trolling. I also consider it daring me to delete your comment. Guess who wins?

People who comment here frequently don’t have to follow the rules so closely or, indeed, even think about the rules that much. I have been known to hold or delete comments from regular users when they cross into flame-war territory, but I’ve always let that person know and given them the opportunity to respond. And it’s happened rarely, so no biggie.

Simple enough, right?

Again, the point is to keep this at least at the level of a nice, breezy barroom argument. Raise your voice if you like. And you can call people (me) names as long as you’re smiling.