Electrolite: User unsatisfactory.

October 16, 2003

User unsatisfactory. On reflection, I think last night’s post was stupid. Jay Allen’s MT-Blacklist is a good example of community-based tool development, in which a tight feedback loop between creator and users leads to rapid improvement in the tool. Not only did he write it (for free) in a sleepless 48-hour mad dash over last weekend, he’s also ground out two updated versions in the few days since, with an even more improved version 1.1 promised for this coming weekend. The fact that we happen to be among the users with the most problems is bad luck for us, but we should be documenting our problems and feeding them back to the author, not stomping off.

This whole business distresses Teresa and me both. But what I was doing last night is technically known as “being a jerk.” [09:07 AM]

Welcome to Electrolite's comments section.
Hard-Hitting Moderator: Teresa Nielsen Hayden.

Comments on User unsatisfactory.:

Sean Bosker ::: (view all by) ::: October 16, 2003, 12:46 PM:

Ah, the old being-a-jerk. It happens to the best of us. And the worst of us. Only the best of us admit it.

One sure way to beat the comment spammer would be having a sign-in required before someone can post comments. I use postnuke, (www.postnuke.com) completely free content management software which does just that. It would be nightmarish to get all your data from your site into a new database though.

Kathryn Cramer ::: (view all by) ::: October 16, 2003, 01:08 PM:

Good to see you both down from the ceiling.

I just added the following notice to my comments section:

NOTE: This weblog does not accept commercial solicitations (i.e. spam) in the comments. Any such will be deleted and the commentors banned. Solicitations implying illegal activities will be reported to law enforcement. Multiple instances of posting commercial solicitations will be considered cybervandalism and will also be reported to law enforcement.

No, I don't think the spambots actually read the pages on which they post. However, I put the notice there because if it's there I arguably have more cause to complain to elected representatives and law enforcement.

Claude Muncey ::: (view all by) ::: October 16, 2003, 01:36 PM:

Patrick and Teresa, as a developer (and sometimes tester) of software you have my complete sympathy. I am well known on my team for abandoning my usual soft spoken demeanor and invoking that well known Anglo-Saxon term for plowing while flipping one to the monitor when something dammit still doesn't work. A good reason for an office with a door, which I now have. For other reasons, not that. Well that too.

Kathryn -- you mind if I copy that lovely notice for my blog?

Kathryn Cramer ::: (view all by) ::: October 16, 2003, 02:10 PM:

Claude and everyone else:

Please feel free to use my notice.