Limit the number of words or characters in comments

1. 82

   Whitney05posted 14 years ago

   Sometimes I get great comments that are about 300 or more words, and personally that's a lot of reading for a comment in a hub.
   
   I just got a great comment, but long one that was 12 paragraphs, 650+ words, and took about 1.25 pages of a word document. I think that the comment could have been shorter and still gotten the same point across.
   
   I've had numerous comments like this, or comments where the user (hubpage member and non-hubpage member) have posted full news articles plus comments.
   
   Is there a way you could set limits as to how many words a comment could be. I hate to limit people, but in a way, good comments can be great comments if written more concise and to the point.
   
   I think if there was a limit, then people would get to the point. It makes the comment section of the hub look bad to have a few REALLY long comments and then a ton of short ones, and a few medium ones... Plus when it comes to pages, you'll have tons of pages because people want to write books in the comments.
   
   I don't want to deny the good comments because they're long, but goodness a comment that's over a page in word is excessive... *shrugs*

   replyreport
2. 77

   Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

   *sigh*...I share the spirit of your *shrugs*...
   
   I'm not in the league with you in terms of getting tons and tons of comments on my meager 27 Hubs, but I appreciate each and every one of those comments (unless they are spamming or trolling or worse, which I delete).
   
   Other Hubbers have commented to the long-winded commenters that maybe they would like to write their own Hubs on a topic.
   
   I guess I just wonder, what's the harm?  Let people have their say and be happy they feel our writings are worth saying something about.
   
   We also might learn something in the process.

   replyreport
3. 62

   Lady_Eposted 14 years ago

   Whitney, on the positive side, it means you are writing some great stuff, that really has impact on the readers.
   
   See, you got me curious now and I'm interested in reading some of your Hubs. lol.

   replyreport
4. 0

   ryankettposted 14 years ago

   Forgive me if I am wrong, but the actual text used for comments is picked up by search engines?
   
   Therefore look upon this comment as a free 650 word hub, which you have not written, and which may bring a little more traffic to your hub

   replyreport
5. 82

   Whitney05posted 14 years ago

   Sally, When they're copying news articles and posting them in the comments section, that's pulling up as you copied that info. At least I'd assume as the comments are pulled in search engines. Could be wrong though.
   
   Ryan, yes that's an extra 650 words, but pages can be too long. If the hub is already 600+ words and you add another 650 comment plus all the other comments, couldn't that bee seen as an excessively long page? Search engines do not like extra short pages, nor do they like extra long ones.

   replyreport
6. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

   Maybe we could start with a compromise, say 400 or 500 words?

   replyreport
7. 96

   Sue Adamsposted 14 years ago

   I agree that comments should be brief.  If people have so much to say, then they can write a hub and link that to the comment. There are only 24 hours in a day and having to read many long comments, then feeling obliged to respond elaborately leaves very little time to work on new material.

   replyreport