Sunday 14 January 2007

Z is peeved. Then, having let it all out, Z is cheerful

No one has taken on board my suggestion that they abandon word verification. If I weren't so fond of the sight of my own voice, I would boycott comments on all sites that used it*. It almost always rejects my first attempt and takes the second, which is extremely annoying when I know I got it right first time.

Moderate comments instead. It is the way to go. Unless days go by without checking your email.

Ah, while I'm being peeved, Blogger has it in for Mac users. First, they didn't email comments to my email address, I now have to have them sent to my gmail address which, in cussedness, I therefore use for nothing else. Now they won't let me post photos using Safari. Sodding Microsoft, as I fondly call it, doesn't let Mac users use Internet Express any more (not that I ever did if I could help it) and the only alternative is Firefox, which is not only both slower and more temperamental than Safari, but also asks me silly questions.

That's it, off my capacious chest. No need to be peeved any more.

*I still might. I wonder if anyone would notice.

19 comments:

Girlplustwo said...

ah z. i notice. and i noticed last time but i am kind of attached to my word verification. i mean, approving comments seems well, too likely to give me too much authority in the whole situation.

badgerdaddy said...

I think they might notice, y'know.

I'm a big fan of Firefox, most of the time, it's far better than Safari. And Microsoft stopped doing Internet Explorer at all for the Mac a year ago – as I ahd to explain to fecking BT.

Ah well. I have thought about what you posted, but I thought I would stick with WV for a bunch of reasons I have forgotten. Though one of them was that it can be amusing and makes up whole new words.

badgerdaddy said...

Also just went and caught up - what an eventful week you've had! Blimey!

And nice one on the chap with the fruit. Good work. Change the world with a smile and a kind gesture.

Z said...

Huh. Good job I am cheerful now, if empty-chested. You are both WRONG. You wait til you're my age and have to squint at the screen pathetically.

Eventful in a static sort of way perhaps, certainly harder work than I'm used to. I've put in a massive order for tomorrow, just as well it'll be me and not Al having to shift everything. Only polite.

y.Wendy.y said...

The problem with comment moderation is that if you are not at your PC all the time, the comments sit in your inbox.

Which is not major, but it does mean that there can be no interaction between your commenters, and often this is what makes a comment box so interesting and lively.

People should install Haloscan...solve the problem completely. They block spam.

Z said...

The only trouble with Haloscan is that you lose the comments you had with Blogger, unless you put them all in again. I know some people have both Haloscan and Blogger comments but it'd have to be awfully quick and easy to do for me to bother.

Greg said...

I think we'd all notice if you started boycotting sites.

I'm with Wendz about the interaction between commenters - plus I'm too lazy to worry about moderating comments and don't really want the level of control over things that implies.

What someone needs to do is arrange for a quality commenting service to be able to import comments from blogger. Wordpress claim to be able to do it so it shouldn't be beyond the good folks at (for example) Haloscan, should it?

stitchwort said...

Z - I agree with wendz; possible delays getting comments shown mean less interest for visitors.
When putting comments on moderated blogs, you never know if someone else has already posted the pearl of wisdom or sparkling wit that you have just offered.
And the WV can be just a game - will it, won't it?

Pat said...

Just when I was slowly getting seduced into apple for my next computer you have put me off. The thing that really sods me off is when you comment and it eats it up and you repeat it and then have at least two on show. Sooo embarassing! I'll think about word verification. Am nervous of changing anything. If it aint broke...

Anonymous said...

Ah, the joys of technology....

Anonymous said...

Blogger comments are dire.
Blogger comments with word verification are vile (and I agree that they usually make you post twice when you have got it correct the first time).

It takes me ages every time I comment on blogger comment sites as they don't seem to use cookies so you have to put all the info in every time.

The Boy said...

Yes, haloscan is a good solution, but its a pain they can't import Blogger comments to make it even more seemless.

I agree about word verification, a stain on an otherwise enjoyable experience.

Z said...

I don't want to moderate comments, I just want to avoid getting 150 spam comments in a day and having to delete the buggers. I never have altered or deleted anything, except when someone has accidentally posted twice, and that's to spare their blushes.

I love my Mac. I am perfectly willing to pay the price for a computer that suits me and I am quite happy to be laughed at by dedicated pc users who think I've got my head stuck in the sand. And Bill Gates, much as I revere his ethical soul and his philanthropic habits, has enough money already.

Thanks everyone for your comments - I'm sorry that I was out all day so you haven't been able to read each others' until now.

y.Wendy.y said...

Yes when I moved to Haloscan I lost all my comments...which is a pity.

But Oh well - a small price to pay.

And Oh! - we forgive you. ;)

Alan said...

I might notice, and will be leaving word verification on to prevent the spammers, plus I feel people should be able to respond instantly, should they wish, to whatever I have written.

Z said...

You might, Alan? Ooh, playing hard to get, I do like that!

badgerdaddy said...

I love my Mac too. *strokes Mac*

Anonymous said...

There *is* a way to keep the blogger comments and put on Haloscan for new comments, while disappearing the blogger comment line from the bottom of new posts. But sadly *I* don't know what it is... but people have done it in the past.

Z said...

If i work it out, I'll let you know. This is, of course, highly unlikely.