New issue: If you would like to leave a comment, and you can't find the "comments" link at the bottom of a post, it is most likely because your cursor is hovering over the "share" widget. (The share widget enables readers to share a blog post through social networking sites.) To reveal the "comments" link, just move your cursor to another area on the blog. The share widget will revert to a small link, and the "comments" link will appear below it.
And a tip: If you'd like to compose a comment, and then copy and paste it to the blog, avoid using wordperfect for that (even though wordperfect is my favorite word processing program!). There seems to be an incompatibility, so that when I copy and paste from wordperfect for a draft post, the blog crashes. If you copy and paste from wordperfect and you can't get the comment to post, please paste it into (or compose it in) Word, and copy and paste from there.
Thank you for contributing. If you are new to blog commenting, it may take a little while to figure out the first time. After that, I promise, it will be simple. And then you'll be able to easily comment, not only on this blog, but many, many others.
If you keep running into trouble...
First, wait a while and come back, in case Blogger has been undergoing maintenance. Then, if you follow all the directions, and you are getting error messages or otherwise running into trouble: at that point it would be best to ask an IT person for help, or ask a blog-friendly acquaintance to walk you through it. Difficulties with access are infrequent, but can happen. It's hard for me to help you remotely, and I am not an IT specialist. Someone on-site with you can help you more effectively.
The original post follows:
Some readers have run into a little trouble trying to post comments on this blog. It should be easy, but needing an on-line I.D. can lead to confusion. So here's a trouble-shootin
g guide. (But you don't need to read this to figure out how to comment, unless you find this helpful. Instead you can simply follow the links after you click on "comment." Come back to this post if you run into trouble or have questions.)About commenting:
- Comments are always welcome, and you can post them by clicking on the "comment" link below any post.
- Completely anonymous comments are not permitted, but you can create an alias so that you don't have to post a comment under your real name.
- Comments are moderated. This is unfortunate but necessary because when we had unmoderated comments, the blog received lots of spam comments. I approve all comments on the substance of the post. I reject spam comments and comments directing readers to third party commercial sites. Criticism of posts or of scholarship cited in posts is welcome, however ad hominem attacks are not welcome. Comments are usually approved very quickly. It takes longer when I am traveling and away from e-mail.
How to create an on-line ID so that you can comment:
- Some readers are deterred from commenting because you need to have an on-line ID. This is to prevent completely anonymous comments, which tend to attract trolls (i.e. mean people who degrade rather than contribute to the discussion). It is very easy to create an on-line ID, so I encourage you to try it.
- There are two options for an on-line ID: a Google Account ID or using Open ID. The quickest and easiest thing to do is to create a Google Account. Either way, it's free.
- To create a Google Account, you simply need to enter your e-mail address, enter a password, and enter a "Display Name." Your display name will appear in your comments. You get to decide whether to use your "real" name. Among regular commenters, Alfred Brophy uses his "real"/off-line name. "Shag from Brookline" uses an alias. I have no idea what Shag's off-line identity is. If you would like to comment without disclosing your identity to readers, that's how to do it.
- If you use Gmail, you already have a Google Account. Use your Gmail sign-in to post a comment. (If you don't use Gmail and don't want to, you don't need to have a Gmail account just because you create a Google Account.)
If you get a Google Account, will Google spam you?
- No. Entering your e-mail address to create a Google Account does not cause you to receive spam from Google. I was very worried about that. But in over 2 1/2 years since I created my Google Account, I have not received one message from Google.
An alternative: Open ID.
- Rather than a Google Account, you can sign in via OpenID. That service is described as eliminating "the need for multiple usernames across different websites, simplifying your online experience."
- When you click on "How do I get an OpenID," you get this answer on the website: "Surprise! You may already have one. If you use any of the following services, you already have your own OpenID." You can use your sign-in for AOL, Yahoo, Flickr, and other services to use OpenID. Follow the links from this page.
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