Threading of photo comments - DPChallenge Forums

02/21/2008 07:16:07 PM · #26

Originally posted by yanko:

Here's a screenshot which I think is the gist of the idea here:

Heh, that's kind of neat, I like it. In my suggestion, there is a kind of tree view of comments, improving the current "stacking" way of doing things. This has nothing to do with connection speed, so that's not going to be affected for you, since the amount of data will be exactly the same or only marginally increased, certainly nothing that's going to slow down your connection to the Internet.

02/21/2008 07:20:21 PM · #27

Originally posted by GeneralE:

As Gordon pointed out, I think the problem is more how to get people to write and respond to comments at all than the precise order in which they're listed on the page.

It seems to me Gordon supports this... and suggests that such a change would in fact cause people to comment more, since there's the potential for a true educational dialogue to come about if there's an organized conversation presented to the viewer.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

02/21/2008 07:27:23 PM · #28

Originally posted by Louis:

Originally posted by GeneralE:
As Gordon pointed out, I think the problem is more how to get people to write and respond to comments at all than the precise order in which they're listed on the page.

It seems to me Gordon supports this... and suggests that such a change would in fact cause people to comment more, since there's the potential for a true educational dialogue to come about if there's an organized conversation presented to the viewer.

Maybe. Threads and trees might be a mechanism that that could be built upon. Doesn't have to be the only way.

I'd just rather be able to talk about images, rather than have the current hit and run style of commenting that seems more normal. But as so often people are so sensitive about their comments being discussed, the general atmosphere seems to be against it.

For example,

Pawdrix asked for input on some interesting images over here. Several people commented on those images. The thread gets bounced, mostly by Don and I's inane comments, and people comment on the images in the image comments.

Once I've commented, there's nothing to encourage me to return. I have to actively search out the image in the list of images I've commented upon, go there, and see if anyone said anything else interesting, or radically enough, responded to what I said. The site hides all that sort of thing.

Compare/ contrast to if you post in a forum thread, where the latest ones are tracked in your profile page, responses are indicated, discussion is encouraged.

So we are a photo site where the tools and tracking doesn't really encourage discussion about photos, other than in the more general sense. Even the 'specific photo discussion' threads usually end up linking to an image somewhere else, with a separate discussion/ comments section and thread associated with it.

Threads under an image might be useful, or not, but maybe having images somehow better integrated into the discussion forums or discussion tracking would encourage people to actually comment and discuss images.

I can't even easily post a large image, with exif info and shot data into the forums, for people to discuss, without a lot of manual effort.

Seems to be a disconnect if discussion and commenting on images is a valuable goal. The forums and general discussion is text-centric, not photo-centric, or conducive to being photo-centric.

Often I see someone requesting comments or asking for comments, without them saying anything at all (other than the silent mime of ticking 'helpful') What sort of comments are they looking for ? Platitudes ? Technical assistance ? Symbolic analysis ? Consideration within a larger body of work or just to be told that something is 'distracting' ? That dialog is important if someone actually wants help or something more insightful than a 'nice job' or 'I think this needs more contrast/ saturation' or 'it's out of focus'

Message edited by author 2008-02-21 19:42:08.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

02/22/2008 07:32:13 AM · #29

Gordon makes good points. I was prepared to respond, "I wish I had so many comments that I had to worry about threading them." But I think the issue is how to propagate image discussion from comments and keep it in front of people. Threading by itself isn't the answer.

Gordon makes the point that commenting here is mostly linear -- call it in and hang up. So if you want to encourage true discussion on an image, you have to post it in the forums. Now your comments are split between the image and a forum thread that will get buried in a matter of days.

I don't have the answers. One thought is to have a "Promote To Forums" button on each comment. This would place the comment and the image into a new forum post -- perhaps there could be a dedicated forum just for this purpose. Now it's more visible. That still leaves the problem of parallel commenting -- now it's occurring in the image and in the forum thread. Not sure how you would or could reconcile that.

Just some thoughts.

hanneke

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/22/2008 07:37:57 AM · #30

It might be an idea to have a section "Last 10 Photo's Commented on" on our profile page.

Just like we have a "Last 10 Forum Threads Posted To"

02/22/2008 08:13:52 AM · #31

or a 'watch this photo' option when leaving a comment. that way commenting on a bunch of challenge entries wouldn't interfere with the photos you're engaged in a discussion about. and those discussions would all be one click away from your profile or even the main page.

kind off the original idea, but might be easier to implement.

Originally posted by biteme:

It might be an idea to have a section "Last 10 Photo's Commented on" on our profile page.

Just like we have a "Last 10 Forum Threads Posted To"

Message edited by author 2008-02-22 08:15:22.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

02/22/2008 01:02:06 PM · #32

I think some sort of combination of bvy, bitme, and soup's ideas is interesting, while somehow addressing Gordon's points. That is, "Promote to forums" with a "last 10 photos" list on the profile page that works together with a "watch this photo" option. I still think the original thought of threading comments makes sense, to keep a cohesive photo discussion going that is easily referenceable, and that promotes discourse between the photographer and the commenters.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

02/22/2008 01:20:27 PM · #33

Originally posted by Louis:

I like the ideas put forth and wopuld also like to say from my stance that it would be nice to have some sort of system like the "Watch this thread" option so I could stay up on a threaded/commenting image thingie.....8>)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/22/2008 03:07:23 PM · #34

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Originally posted by Louis:
I think some sort of combination of bvy, bitme, and soup's ideas is interesting, while somehow addressing Gordon's points. That is, "Promote to forums" with a "last 10 photos" list on the profile page that works together with a "watch this photo" option. I still think the original thought of threading comments makes sense, to keep a cohesive photo discussion going that is easily referenceable, and that promotes discourse between the photographer and the commenters.

I like the ideas put forth and wopuld also like to say from my stance that it would be nice to have some sort of system like the "Watch this thread" option so I could stay up on a threaded/commenting image thingie.....8>)

That's what I was going to suggest (after not reading this thread since early yesterday) -- rather than change the whole commenting structure, make the photo threads like the forums, with the ability to "watch" a photo discussion thread; also, maybe add a section to the profile page of "Last Ten Photo Comments Made" -- similar to the last forum posts area ...

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

02/22/2008 04:04:56 PM · #35

hey ! i had a good idea ;}

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

02/22/2008 04:33:20 PM · #36

Originally posted by soup:

hey ! i had a good idea ;}

Should we be marking the date on the calendar? ;oP

iamkmaniam

Nikon D200

02/22/2008 04:43:23 PM · #37

OK so maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes, I don't understand whats being asked by the OP. Isn't the discussion of images what the forums are for.

hanneke

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/22/2008 04:45:47 PM · #38

Originally posted by soup:

hey ! i had a good idea ;}

yay, me too :D

02/22/2008 04:48:22 PM · #39

well i guess if we put our minds together - we can come up with a good idea... ;}

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by soup:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hey ! i had a good idea ;}

yay, me too :D

hanneke

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

02/22/2008 04:51:18 PM · #40

Originally posted by soup:

well i guess if we put our minds together - we can come up with a good idea... ;}

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by soup:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hey ! i had a good idea ;}

yay, me too :D

seems like it huh!

yanko

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

02/22/2008 04:56:43 PM · #41

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Maybe have a "watch this post" option and that would include any posts you make that is quoted whether it be in the forums or on a photo page.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/22/2008 06:45:38 PM · #42

i've been on a couple sites that have a feature like that. and though it does let you keep track of your posts. it gets kind of confusing because under the listing all of the 'watched' posts are lumped together - one after another. so it's sort of page of garbled text. if that makes sense...

Originally posted by yanko:

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I like the ideas put forth and wopuld also like to say from my stance that it would be nice to have some sort of system like the "Watch this thread" option so I could stay up on a threaded/commenting image thingie.....8>)

Maybe have a "watch this post" option and that would include any posts you make that is quoted whether it be in the forums or on a photo page.

Message edited by author 2008-02-22 18:46:04.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/22/2008 07:52:22 PM · #43

Originally posted by iamkmaniam:

OK so maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes, I don't understand whats being asked by the OP. Isn't the discussion of images what the forums are for.

No, really the "discussion" of any particular image should be in the comment thread which is attached to it.

bvy

Sigma DP1x

02/22/2008 08:20:45 PM · #44

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by iamkmaniam:
OK so maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes, I don't understand whats being asked by the OP. Isn't the discussion of images what the forums are for.

No, really the "discussion" of any particular image should be in the comment thread which is attached to it.

Right. Again, the point is how do you keep that discussion in front of people. I comment on a photo and never really go back to it. And if I do, I probably don't peruse the comments again. So if someone responds to a comment, I may never see it again and that's probably where it ends. Or maybe a third party shows up and makes another reponse. But the interactive part of it is gone, unless someone thinks or know to come back to it. The forums, by design, are more conducive to that type of interaction.

02/22/2008 10:41:52 PM · #45

Originally posted by bvy:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by iamkmaniam:
OK so maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes, I don't understand whats being asked by the OP. Isn't the discussion of images what the forums are for.

No, really the "discussion" of any particular image should be in the comment thread which is attached to it.

Right. Again, the point is how do you keep that discussion in front of people. I comment on a photo and never really go back to it. And if I do, I probably don't peruse the comments again. So if someone responds to a comment, I may never see it again and that's probably where it ends. Or maybe a third party shows up and makes another reponse. But the interactive part of it is gone, unless someone thinks or know to come back to it. The forums, by design, are more conducive to that type of interaction.

Having that list in the profile page of the last ten or so comments made (or a configurable number via prefs) would be a good start, especially if they light up when a new comment is added, similar to the forum thread list on the profile page.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

02/23/2008 10:08:55 AM · #46

I'm curious how many people feel that their comments are up for commenting on, or disagreeing with ?