Like the "Related Links", even with its Web-reader limitations.

Don't like the replying-to-specific-links on the Breakfast Links. Prefer keeping the comments/replies general (i.e. in a single thread) rather than split up amongst multiple sub-threads. Easier to comment on multiple links that way as well.

Thought you already had cookies enabled for pre-filling name/E-mail/website. I know it's worked for me, at least at home.

by Froggie on Mar 27, 2009 2:24 pm • link • report

I agree re: specific links vs general thread

First priority: cookies

I've reCAPTCHA'd a whole book by now.

by Squalish on Mar 27, 2009 2:27 pm • link • report

I agree with Froggie about about keeping the links posts as single threads. I enjoy reading the comments about the other topics as I comment/reply to a specific topic.

by Cavan on Mar 27, 2009 2:36 pm • link • report

We also recently rolled out the new Breakfast Links format, where each link is a separate post when you look at tag pages, and the tip submission form. What do you think?

Don't like it, personally. Too confusing.

Also, weigh in with other suggestions for the site. Here are some items I'd like to work on:

Cookies, so that each time you comment, it pre-fills your name and email (and likewise for the tip page)

Replace FeedBurner, which powers the daily emails. Lately it's been unreliable. And maybe the format can be better. (Email subscribers, any thoughts?)

Automatically post to Twitter each time there's a post here, and do other things with Twitter.

Which should I work on first? What else would you like to see?

posted by David Alpert on Mar 27, 2009 2:14 pm

I don't know the first thing about Twitter.

I like the links to past posts - that's a manageable change.

I have something weird happen to me but it happens only on my work computer. I type in www.greatergreaterwashington.org and it pulls up a previous version, like 4 weeks or 2 weeks old, or one week old. I'd cleared out my cache and history and all that, and it still happens. The only way for me to get the fresh page is to click on March 2009. (Even happens after i got a new computer at work.)

by Keyboarding Cate on Mar 27, 2009 2:36 pm • link • report

Focus on content, not on fanciness. The site has what it needs.

by Jasper on Mar 27, 2009 2:49 pm • link • report

I'm an RSS reader, and do like reading the links.

by Joshua on Mar 27, 2009 3:35 pm • link • report

i do like the related posts and the tip submission. cookies would be great.

don't like the specific link reply on breakfast links - i've found it makes it harder to follow comments when you get them by email b/c it only send the ones with the same link, and i'd rather follow the whole thread.

i'm interested to see what folks think about twitter - i do think that in order for it to be effective, we've got to have content beyond post links.

by jaime on Mar 27, 2009 3:48 pm • link • report

I definitely like the links and the cookies idea - I'm indifferent to the breakfast links change. One thing I would like to see is RSS of comments. I don't know if this is possible, but what I envision is seeing a post that I like and want to read the comments for, clicking on an RSS link and being able to pull that content into my RSS reader. As it stands today I have to leave posts open in my browser, refresh to check for new comments, and inevitably miss something when I decide to close a post because I think it's done.

That aside, thank you for all you do!

by Chris Seay on Mar 27, 2009 4:09 pm • link • report

I appreciate the input. I'll try to fix the emails so that if you subscribe to a post on the links, it'll still email you posts about all links. (I actually thought that was what was supposed to happen.)

I'll do cookies next, and good idea to make the cookies also let you skip the CAPTCHA.

by David Alpert on Mar 27, 2009 4:14 pm • link • report

I've started getting your RSS Feed rather than just visiting the site when I think about it and I really like having the "Related posts" on the feed.

I have Twitter, but don't see it's really that useful a tool and seems more a fad than a tool (especially compared to RSS Feeds)... concentrate on content more than chasing the Twitter thing I think.

Keep up the good work.

by Jess on Mar 27, 2009 5:26 pm • link • report

I'd strongly urge you to avoid using Twitter to just automatically send out a link every time you put up a new post. I've quickly unsubscribed from all the media institutions who use their accounts for that purpose. It's entirely redundant since I already subscribe to your rss feed, and I'm getting to the point where it's pretty distracting to have so many unnecessary tweets in my feed (and I don't even follow that many people).

This isn't to say that you shouldn't use Twitter for this site, just that it's most useful when there's some sort of unique content on it.

by Matt F on Mar 27, 2009 6:58 pm • link • report

I was actually considering using twitter to live-tweet events like WMATA board meetings, rather than hyper-commenting.

by Michael Perkins on Mar 27, 2009 8:24 pm • link • report

amen on the cookies...i don't like typing in my name, email, and URL every time i want to comment.

by IMGoph on Mar 28, 2009 10:52 am • link • report

What email troubles have you encountered? Late or non-existent deliveries after you've posted new updates? Let me know

by Matt Shobe on Mar 28, 2009 3:16 pm • link • report

...Sorry, unexpected comment-submit there. I meant to say, please let me know what issues you've encountered, especially related to delivery timing; we can investigate.

by Matt Shobe on Mar 28, 2009 3:18 pm • link • report

I love Twitter, but if a site like this is going to be using Twitter, it needs to do more than just post links to the articles. That's what my feed reader is for, and I don't want my Twitter clogged up with content that I already have in a richer format elsewhere. I would follow GGW on Twitter if it offered more, however. Make it more conversational, interact with your followers, and you've got a good thing. Live-tweeting events is definitely taking it in the right direction. I've just seen too many blogs, &c become lazy with their tweets and it just serves to rehash what has already popped up in my feed reader.

by hohum on Mar 31, 2009 12:27 pm • link • report