The anti-"good hub" comment thread

1. 77

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   Had trouble sleeping, got up to look at the snowfall here in NY, grab some tea and a cigarette.
   
   Sat down to check my mail real quick.
   
   WooHoo 7 new comments since I tried to go to sleep 3 hours ago!
   
      Nothing worth approving 
   
   Do HubPage users really think they are being helpful to the writer or believe they are getting some benefit themselves from running around leaving 5 word comments that lack any substance?
   
   Your not, on both counts.
   
   If all you can think of is "good hub" "great hub" and "good information" may I encourage you to use a the rate it up button or share it with your twitter or facebook or digg friends!
   
   That would actually be helpful and take just as much effort.
   
   If it was one of my WP based sites I would be setting your IP as SPAM right now, here on Hubpages I think you may have better intentions?
   
   Comment on the content- if you cant think of two sentences worth of text, than the writing probably really didnt move you enough to comment in the first place!
   
   
   Personally, I see a bunch of short spam-like comments and off topic comments in a hub or blog post as detracting.
   
   I have a hub on a particular form of surgery that I created after a family member actually had the surgery performed. In no way does a comment from "mickeyMouse219" or "JenJentheleprechaun" saying "Great Hub" conducive to a professional presentation of the information.
   
   Now that im done ranting, I am very thankful for all those who leave informed, involved comments questions and suggestions that add value and information, but you would all be fully aware of the difference.

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      Hauntyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Well, there's always the option of deleting those comments. As far as I'm not completely blind, that would leave a maximum of 2-3 comments per hub, even on hubs that otherwise have 20-30.

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      wsp2469posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      i
      I have a question: do comments --no matter how small still help the score of the hub?
      If you have to have a minimum number of words then do we know what that number is?
      I would like to know because if I want to help someone out I would like to know how much I must write to do that.

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      1. 77

         sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         @wsp2469
         
         Your personal HubScore is increased via hubber interaction, so comments and forum posts contribute to your score.
         
         An individual Hub does gain in score from how traffic interacts with it, so a comment(no matter how small)or a thumbs up can increase the hubscore of that hub.
         
         But HUBSCORE and Hubber Score is so inconsequential, its a fun little metric when your first starting out maybe. Maybe you dont have very much traffic yet and maybe earnings arent happening, so a grade next to your name may make you feel nice.
         
         I believe my HubberScore was a 94 the first week.
         
         But,I was griping about the appearance of my hubs and everybodies elses hubs (to outside viewers) that is created by having lots of little crap comments from hubbers who are still stuck in the hubworld paradigm. In the end, all important traffic is coming from a search engine.
         
         When a hub gets a lot of traffic its score rises, regardless of whether there are comments. I would suggest after 3 months, forget there is such a thing as a Hubscore

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            wsp2469posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            So ANY comment I make technically helps someone else then, right?
            Well, all I can say now is either do not add a comment box as I have seen some people do OR just allow only the comments that you like.

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            1. 77

               sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               I am aware of my current options, im trying to add option 3 encourage fellow hubbers to interact with each other in a way thats conducive to our mutual success
               
               When an outside reader reads a couple of meaningful comments on a hub, this can be impressive. This smacks of authenticity.
               
               But, when an outside reader sees a bunch of short "nice hub" comments (whats a hub? they probably dont even know they are on a hubpage!) and little conversations back and forth..it rapidly degenerates to amateur hour - it looks like a social network or supper club, not a valid source of information.
               
               Of course, this is just my outlook, everyone has there own but I do pretty good with encouraging outside traffic to to throw pennies in my jar and I have to think some of it relates to how much attention I pay to visitor impressions and general appearance of my web real estate

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               1. 87

                  Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Exactly. Writer Rider may complain about the quality of some Hubs - bu the fact is, the average reader arrives via search engine at ONE Hub, and may not even look at any other Hubs. So the dross doesn't necessarily affect your article's reputation.
                  
                  As for animosity - most of it is in the "by category" forums, which have degenerated into a bunfight about anything and everything.  The threads in the main forums are generally polite.  Writer Rider, you were the one who jumped in with a snarky comment on this thread - before you arrived it was a polite discussion.  So if you got sniped at, it was your own fault.

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                     Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     I agree with that, of course. I should have mentioned it in a nicer way. Comments seem like such a small thing to legislate, though. They should be organic, real (but not insulting). Of course AEvans has a point that the reader wants to know why they thought the comment was "great," I agree with that. But if I don't have time I'm not going to write a long comment.

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   3. 71

      CarpetDiemposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      hi sunforged,
      Good thread.
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      I agree. If people post comments like that, there's a 99% chance they never even read the hub. They are just adding more flotsam to the internet.

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2. 0

   ralwusposted 14 years ago

   We can only hope they learn better manners or just stay away. I don't quite understand this myself. I only get a few like that and just reply thanks.

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3. 62

   EYEAM4ANARCHYposted 14 years ago

   I have very little doubt that 99% of the time this is some random cut and paste job by someone who thinks people are going to click on their link and read one of their hubs. I also have very little doubt that that rarely is the result of such lazy spamming.
   
   Even if that is their sole intention, it would be many times over more effective just to put something together to make it seem like they actually read what they were commenting on.

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4. 77

   sunforgedposted 14 years ago

   Im ok with the SPAM artists, I see, i block, delete..thats part of the game, but I genuinely think after seeing some of these users interact in the forums and their profile descriptions and choice of hub topics....that although they are acting in spammy manner, their intentions are probably more pure...like a virtual "pat on the back" ?
   
   So I just wanted to make a PSA, that at least one HubPage user, does not appreciate it and please dont be offended when your comments never get published
   
   As writers, most of us, put  a good amount of thought on our pages, what makes them think that we want to share our space with brainless mumblings and generic paste jobs.
   
   Hell, be a spammer, i dont care, just be smart about it ..pop a few keywords in there. BS a bit.

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      Duchess OBluntposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have to say as a relatively new hubber that at first, even those comments are welcomed.  But once you get into it and start writing things that take effort and have some meaning - I think we all get a little tired of the "same old". 
      I've read many great articles where the writer has obviously gone to great lengths to research the subject and present it well using all the features here.  Some are a way over my head and speak of things I have very little knowledge in.  I'd much rather rate it up and "share" it than expose my ignorance on the subject by leaving a meaningless comment.
      From the perspective of a newbie, I used to think that making comments had something to do with my own rating.  So perhaps others have the same perception?  However, I think just rating it up and sharing it has just as much to do with the rating. I could be wrong of course. I can't figure out how the rating really works, but have come to the conclusion I'm not going to worry about it.

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         Audreveaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah - but there are different skill levels and reasons for being part of HubPages. Maybe they're just trying to express some appreciation.
         
         There should be more talk about rating things up and sharing the work of other hubbers. I was on Xomba today and I was thinking, I really should post up about some great hubs I've come across by other people.

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            Duchess OBluntposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            There will always be those who are only looking for backlinks or recognition.  But I do agree, there are MANY who are trying to express appreciation.
            
            I like the way you think about sharing other people's hubs in other sites.  Think I'll have to work on that one myself.  Thanks

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5. 79

   Sufidreamerposted 14 years ago

   Good thread

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      frogdroppingposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      *snickers*

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      1. 88

         RedElfposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         nice comments
         
         Seriously though, sometimes there has been so much of value said by those who commented before me. All the main points have been covered, and it seems like there isn't a lot left to say. I know it's kinda lame, and I do try to avoid it, but some days I can't think of much else to add aside from the fact that I would like the writer to know I've read their work.
         
         my bad

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            habeeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I agree, RedElf!

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      Audreveaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      

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      cosetteposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      i don't really have a problem with that. i think sometimes people don't know what to say is all. it certainly doesn't offend me. what annoys me is when people leave links to their hubs wrapped in phrases like "I agree" or "so true" then  append it with a full price list and description of the ugg boots they have on their site.
      
      but i agree, if someone takes the time to write a really intense, personal article like the one you described, and if i can't think of anything to say, i err on the side of caution and don't say anything at all, although i will rate it up and leave quietly.

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      sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      pithy!

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      EYEAM4ANARCHYposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Great post.

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6. 76

   frogdroppingposted 14 years ago

   SF - I posted on the forum a short while ago (in another hubber's thread) about such comments. It's about the only time I get cheesed off.
   
   Irrelevant comments. To me they smack of platitudes. And cause me a raised eyebrow (just one mind) when I note that the 'witterer' has put the same on numerous other hubs - plus added a link back to their own hub.
   
   Good point SF. And hope all is well with your world, otherwise

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7. 78

   kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

   I had 3 comments the other day from someone back linking their site. The first comment was good, the second a repeat of the first and the third looked like total spam. I would not have minded if it had been one comment with the nice bit from the first one and the spammy bit from the last one. As it was I deleted all but the first, don't see the point in repeats and don't want a comment that is just hey come check out our funny t-shirts at... Blah
   
   I have read enough hubs that I just couldn't think of anything to say and left without leaving a comment. I guess we should think to ourselves that our comments are a taste of what we have to offer. If we leave a flavorless comment it might make someone think that all our writing is flavorless.

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8. 0

   Audreveaposted 14 years ago

   I think sometimes the 'feeling' is there to give pats and they just don't know what to say. They may be a little bit in awe of your skills / knowledge (seriously) - especially if it's a hub about how to improve in the online game.

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      Mr Niceposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You are right & I agree with you 100%. Majority of hubbers leave just one or two line comments which is perfectly fine with me. As you said, the feeling is there. Even if the hubbers can write, comments specifically related to the topic, who has the time to write an article about the hubpage. If we all look at our own comments, you will find the same pattern.
      Now the other concern about hubbers promoting their hubs by leaving comments is not valid because after all we all need to promote our hubs some how. Why do you think hubbers post their question's own forum? My answer specifically to promote their own hubs traffic.

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9. 79

   Sufidreamerposted 14 years ago

   It is a tough one, as some do seem genuine, but the ones who do leave short comments are usually the same ones that leave you the 'Good Hubs, now look at mine' fanmail.

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      kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Great thread post sufi, now come read one of my hubs

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         Sufidreamerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I already did and rated them all down. I have also visited the Hubs of your followers and rated them down.
         
         Now for the followers of your followers.

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            kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Right back at cha babe

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            1. 79

               Sufidreamerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               hehe
               
               This being evil thing is far too much fun
               
               Now I must go and stick some scotch tape to the cat's paws...

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                  kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Awww that poor kitty

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                     Sufidreamerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Nothing poor about him - he is concentrated evil in a furry coat. He has tried to kill me at least six times
                     
                     
                     
                     I reckon that he has life-insurance out on me and wants to spend it on catnip, women and fast cars

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                        kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        Aww he is a cutie pie! Sounds like a smart cat too! From what I can tell your pure evil! He is probably sent to protect the world from you!

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                           Sufidreamerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                           I see that he has got to you - he worms his way into your affections and then strikes. He is the Dexter of the feline world.
                           
                           I like to think of myself as a potential Uberlord of the Universe with a heart. I always help old ladies to cross the road

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                              kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              

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                           2. 89

                              mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              LOL, my neighbour's crazy kitten is called "Dexter" and keeps breaking into our house and bullying our cats until they let him eat all their food.... then he goes to sleep on our bed until his owner comes looking for him!!

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10. 0

    Audreveaposted 14 years ago

    hahahahaa

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11. 0

    Audreveaposted 14 years ago

    I have StumbleUpon but I always forget to use it. I can see myself setting a goal though that for every 10 hubs of my own I promote, I'll also promote at least one of another hubber (or something like that).

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       Duchess OBluntposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, that's a great idea!  I think I'll try the same myself.

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       Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Well, if you're promoting 10 of your Hubs on Stumbleupon, that means you should be promoting 30 or 40 other sites as well, so one Hub wouldn't seem like a big ask.
       
       Although I, for one, wouldn't be especially grateful, because Stumbleupon traffic almost never converts to a sale.

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          Audreveaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I've never actually stumbled anything. I was thinking more of Xomba with a little review / recommendation blurb. Would be a link plus unique content around the link. Should be worth something?

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12. 61

    readytoescapeposted 14 years ago

    I think that there is indeed a simple solution to your “problem” that will keep your hub pristine.
    
    Delete the comment capsule from your hubs. In that way no smarmy character can come along and deface it.

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13. 89

    Will Apseposted 14 years ago

    People make comments to boost there hubber's score. There was a hub from management a few months ago advising people to spend an hour a day (roughly) commenting, if they wanted to get a 100 on their avatar.

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       EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Can you post us a link to that hub?

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       rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I have never read that before.
       
       I leave comments on hubs that really help me or have left a good impression with their writing. I know how much that means to me also if someone leaves a genuine comment. I do spend more time reading hubs than commenting and if I like it, I give a thumbs up.
       

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    3. 92

       habeeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I didn't know leaving comments increased out hubscore! I still haven't figured out the mysterious author score - mine bounces like a bad check!
       
       As for leaving short comments - I'm sometimes guilty. I do rate the hub up, though, if I like it enough to leave a comment, and I don't leave a link to my own hub. I appreciate ANY comment - I don't mind short ones. It let's me know who on HP is reading my hubs.

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14. 59

    blue dogposted 14 years ago

    agree with most of this here.
    
    not to hijack the thread, merely an extension of it: on the other hand is the effort put into a good comment that is then ignored by the hub author.

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       Mr Niceposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       You are right and that happens all the time.

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          blue dogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          it's sort of a double-edged sword.  as sunforged suggests, it gets annoying having to respond to such drivel, meanwhile, good comments sandwiched in get overlooked. 
          
          much like the forums.

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15. 56

    Dame Scribeposted 14 years ago

    Good point. I will just give my thumbs up if everyone has said what I am feeling too about a Hub. I get annoyed with some comments too, I think you have some great Hubs, Sufi

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16. 77

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    Looks like some fun went on here last night!
    
    As many pointed out. I dont think all these little comments are made by people who are just promoting themselves. I think some think they are doing a good deed.
    
    I do recognize that when you are first publishing ANY proof that the world is reading your work is exciting. this probably equates to the desire to leave some evidence of your visit on other peoples hubs.
    
    I was hoping this thread may reach some of their eyes and perhaps spur an early change of behavior.
    
    I noticed many mentioned replies, Personally, i dont go out of my way to make a specific reply, unless it is asked for. If a comment stands alone, I dont take the time to write a comment that says "thanks"...i spend the time, reading that authors latest hub and leaving a comment that says "good hub"
    
    Well, really, I either comment, rate it up or share it in one of my networks...if relative I write a blurb and stick a link up on one of my sites.

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17. 66

    awareposted 14 years ago

    thought provokeing comments on a advertiseing hub. is there such a thing?

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18. 66

    awareposted 14 years ago

    and a one word comment is worth approveing . they looked at your crap for gods sake be happy

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       sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       No, your missing something. Our target viewers are not other hubbers. IMO, Little one word comments detract from the presentation of your information.
       
       particularly on a advertising/product hub...since its a battle to keep your original content not looking SPAMmy promotional in the first place
       
       It also a traffic level thing, if your wading through dozens of comments daily. it becomes a chore to find the genuine ones.
       
       I wasnt at this point at 3 months in? and a one wrod comment suggests they didnt "look at my crap"

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19. 66

    awareposted 14 years ago

    i looked at your hubs i clicked on a add for you i know why your here its me i think thats in the wrong place . and the crap thing im sorry wanna read crap check out my hubs lol

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       sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Well, if you dug deeper you would have seen I have many hubs that relate to art and art promotion and hubs that display my original paintings. (I read your profile and a few hubs)
       
       I dont use HubPages for my creative writing...I dont want irrelevant ads all over my efforts.
       
       I attempt to keep a balance between, fun things to research, topics I have expertise in and creative presentations of otherwise uninspiring information that research suggest may be profitable.
       
       When it works out right, I get to stay at home near my studio, or travel with no purpose...that is why I am here, I value freedom
       
       

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    awareposted 14 years ago

    and how much outside traffic you see?

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21. 66

    awareposted 14 years ago

    i hear yah  .  hay nice to meet yah . much respect . gota go . im gona dig some more

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22. 60

    Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

    I'm getting relevant comments lately and I like it.  One or two "nice hub" is fine with me, as long as its not over kill.  I don't follow someone just because they left a comment, I don't know many that do.

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23. 87

    Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

    There are definitely two different schools of thought on this at HP - one held by Hubbers like Sunforged who see HubPages as a way to make money by writing, and the other by people who see it as a way to interact with other writers.
    
    I've had long debates with people who feel it's "good manners" to reply to every comment made on your Hub, even if it means a comment that says only "thanks".  To me, that's even worse than "good Hub".
    
    So I suspect those Hubbers who insist on the "thanks" comments would also not see anything wrong with leaving "good Hub" comments in the first place. 
    
    My view - a meaningless comment is worse than no comment.  If you want the Hubber to know you've been there, at least leave a comment that includes their keywords, then you'll have done them some good.

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24. 77

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    I like the writer interaction also, I just see other Hubbers as people "in the know", as people who know about the hub platform and writing for money or can at least guess that some of us enjoy getting a couple of pennies, so if you want to "boost" the hub..than do it right!
    
    Anything less than 7 (arbitrary) words is just plain lazy
    
    Id like to see more smart hub interaction, come along and boost other hubs in an intelligent and thoughtful manner.
    
    I almost see an attitude of "be grateful" they have read your work, I, on the other hand am grateful when writers take the time to write quality content.

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25. 87

    Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

    Misty, did you post that on the wrong thread somehow???  alternatively, what are you on?

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       mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Hi Marisa, for some reason this quote didn't appear with my last post, so perhaps this explains why I made it LOL!!!

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26. 0

    Writer Riderposted 14 years ago

    I hope you don't mind my blunt response, but this is just silly.

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       Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       What's just silly?  The people who write inane comments on your Hubs or Sunforged's objection to them?

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          Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Hahahahaha. Your ridiculous comment is silly.

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27. 77

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    "College can be a daunting and fun time. It's can also be a stressful time, especially now, in our broken economy which leads use to our first problem."
    
    typos in an introductory paragraph about college are silly
    
    
    
    
    
    Using stolen images with big watermarks is kind of silly
    
    
    
    poor resolution avatars are not silly

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       Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Typos are tiny, miniture, almost insignificant problems that can be easily corrected. Having uninteresting hubs that garner you a hub score of 91 is an even bigger problem. It's funny that you mentioned that hub. It happens to be one of my most successful concerning views.

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          Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I notice you didn't comment on the stolen watermarked pic.  Don't you know the photo copyright rules?

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             Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Pics from flickr sites are not stolen. We're allowed to use them according to the rules.

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                Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Flickr doesn't use watermarks.  The image Sunforged referred to is from Orbis stock photos. It has the watermark because it's the sample image of a photo you're supposed to pay for.
                
                If you got it off Flickr, the person who posted it there stole it.  Any photo with a watermark is probably stolen, because that's why watermarks are put on these photos.
                
                Finally, you can't use just any Flickr photos.  You must do an Advanced Search and click "Creative Commons" and "for commercial use".  Then you must credit the photographer, preferably with a hyperlink to their photostream, in your Hub.  I don't see a credit in your Hub anywhere?

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                   Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   -I do credit some but credits look rather ugly. I'll make more of an effort to credit them. Or I'll create them (when I have the time and interest to write a hub). What is "watermark" by the way? How can you tell something is watermark?

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                      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                      I'm sure that if someone used one of your articles and didn't credit you because it "looked ugly", you wouldn't be impressed?  Actually I don't credit them in the caption because I can't make it a hyperlink - I put all the credits at the end of the Hub.  I know that's not directly next to the photo but hey, a backlink's a backlink!
                      
                      If you look at the photo in question, it has "orbis" written in transparent font right across it.  That's a watermark.  Sometimes they just have a transparent site logo in one corner.

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28. 81

    cindyvineposted 14 years ago

    How about, doing away with comments altogether, but having buttons where you can click if you like it enough to send the hub to Digg or Twitter or Stumbleupon or RedGage or whatever.

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       sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       That button is already there, isnt it? Share!

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29. 77

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    guess, I deserve that. Of course the point of this thread was to point out that doing things for the purpose of HubScore is amateur.
    
    If score did in fact measure how interesting hubs were these are your "best" (high scoring)
    
    http://hubpages.com/author/Writer+Rider/best/?
    
    You have a hub that is so interesting it deserves a 91, the next most "interesting" is a 85, than a 83, than all the way down to 79.
    
    On my same feed
    http://hubpages.com/author/sunforged/best/?
    
    You would have to scroll by 28 hubs in order to reach one that is of so little interest that its deserves a "79"
    
    
    
    Now, thats all crap, it means nothing and I feel dirty for even being dragged in

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       Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Don't feel dirty. Most of them are well commented on but after some time poetry (in general on hubpages) tends to lose viewership and the scores drop. Unless you add a link or something but I'm not interested in doing that. Some of those that you mentioned were in their 90s during their peak.

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          wsp2469posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Look, one thing is for sure here.
          Hubscores have little to do with the quality of the actual writing.
          This site is an American-based site.  The language we are to use is English and yet there are plenty of hubs with horrible English, spelling errors and poor grammar.  So don't stree here, people.
          I don't know much about how much comments influence scores but i do know that you can be a poor writer and have high scores and be a great writer and have low scores.

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             Writer Riderposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I'll let those in the actual professional world be the judge...you know people whose opinions mean something other than bloggers such as agents, editors the like. I don't take this place seriously because, you know what, there is so much animosity from such an amateur website. Yourself included so I really don't care about making a great hub here. However, I've worked as a journalist for the most popular paper in my city and I received a great compliment from an agent people would die to have read their work.

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30. 73

    AEvansposted 14 years ago

    When I leave a comment I tend to be lengthy but not over the top, a comment saying, "Good Hub" stops me in my tracks and I have to always ask them what is so good about it.

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    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    corbis
    
    http://www.corbisimages.com/Default.aspx

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    Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

    Thank goodness Misty, I thought you had gone on a bender....

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       mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       LOL Marisa, having a night off from benders so all is well

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    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    The little details add up. Comments are not being legislated, with or without starting this thread, I still wont approve short valueless comments.
    
    The purpose was to find out why they happen at all? To see if some hub users felt they were being helpful.
    
    It should be known that a slew of comments no matter how crappy will give a boost to HubScore. Both giving them and receiving them.
    
    But hubscore is inconsequential in the bigger scheme of WORLD WIDE WEB internet publishing
    
    So perhaps, i should have titled the thread .. "in hopes of a less provincial hub community?"
    
    On a regular independent page or site, commenst will be whatever they are, mostly blatant spam, some clever backlink  creators and every once in a blue moon, that person who feels they must add some info, challenge or ask a question.
    
    But this is a community of online writers,publishers and marketers (and a few trolls) who should know the best ways to help each other out in a united way towards our respective grail...the outside visitor (for many of us , the click-happy outside visitor)
    
    
    I dont think I can be any more clear and I now resign myself to the "deny" button
    
    *I gets lots of intelligent comments from hub users, so I know it can be done*

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       wsp2469posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I see.  Perhaps the problem is that you expect too much from HP.  There are way too many people here far too concerned with making money and people who are not really real writers at all.  Perhaps they don't have it within them to comment to the degree you hope for OR perhaps  there are so many real writers here that they don't feel the need to comment in the way you hope because they just consider themselves in a place where they are just talking to other writers.
       Maybe it's a bit of both.

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       pauldeedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       This isn't quite right.  Comments on a hub may boost the hub's score a bit because there is a positive correlation between comments and the quality of a hub, but leaving inane comments yourself is more likely to hurt your Hubber score than help it (especially if they are deleted or identified as spam).

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          sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Thats great to know, I wish it was in blinking lights at the top of the create comment button.
          
          wouldnt that be nice!

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    PB_Smithposted 14 years ago

    What I don't get is I'll post comments some times that are very appropriate to the subject matter and try to add something, and then get told my comment was to long to post. WTF is that all about? I was told the other day that a comment I made was to long and to break it up into smaller blocks and then they would post it. Doesn't that person realize that by doing that it will actually end up taking up more screen real estate?
    I have also been told recently in a hub "debate" by someone who posted a silly remark in defense of the other party that my comment responses were too long to bother reading. Then why comment against me if you didn't even bother to read what I said?
    
    I agree that comments that are just generic compliments aren't very useful. I do tend to be long winded, but I also try to add something to the discussion, because isn't that what the comments are in actuality, a discussion about the topic at hand?

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       sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       well, your welcome to swing by my hubs and add to my word count any day!

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       kirstenblogposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       As sunforged said if any of my hubs grab your interest I am happy to get long winded ones
       Nothing wrong with a larger word count

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    PB_Smithposted 14 years ago

    Thankyou to both of you, and I will definitaly give your hubs a read.

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       sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Now, i know why i recognize you! you are one of the few people I follow...I was happy to read your long winded threads rip apart that troll.
       
       Personally, i think that dude intentionally writes poorly researched , volatile hubs as a form of linkbait...which would be very intelligent..and than just gets off on incensing everyone.

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          PB_Smithposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Yeah, he sure is a piece of work.
          Too bad he had to dredge up a comment I made months ago in another thread to end it without ever answering anything I put forth.
          Just for the record I acknowledge here publicly that I did in fact misread the placement of the decimal point in the aforementioned comment that he used as reason to end our debate. I posted an apology to him about that in the LSD debate and also the Mythbusters hub. I see he doesn't want to post that though.
          What gets me is that I was essentially warned by HP staff to not attack him publicly in the forums or my hubs. Hows that for a "fair and democratic" community. I guess they just want to protect him because he does drag in a lot of views to HubPages.
          Am I the only one suspicious of how prolific he is?
          Original content? I doubt it.

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             sunforgedposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             well, i actually didnt know about all that, i just used "that dude" because I in no way want to promote his dribble...although i am entertained by the hundreds of rage filled comments he is able to produce and receive.
             
             Its amazing in its own way

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    readytoescapeposted 14 years ago

    After reading thru this entire thread I understand where Sunforged is going with this and agree on base.
    
    Perhaps instead of the comments capsule there should be a forum link, “Discus this Hub.” In that way, the hub presentation is the same for each viewer and anyone that wants to discuss the topic could be transported to another page with perhaps the hub title, Title picture and the discussion (with the ads repeated or multiplied), which I should think would also be a secondary income producing option from the original hub.
    
    I would also think it would help the original hub with Search engine placement, thereby driving even more traffic. But that’s just a guess, mainly because I’m an internet marketing fledgling.

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       PB_Smithposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       So essentially you want to produce a duplicate of the hub but in a forum? That would just use more server space and lead to increased costs for HP.

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          readytoescapeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          no, eliminate the comments capsule on the hub and utilize the forums to discuss the hub using the hub title as the forum lead. The complaint seems to be comments defacing hub presentation, this would certainly address that issue, it would appear to provide more Search engine attention for that particular title, and drive ad revenue up. An advantage for HP and the hubbers.

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             Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Ready, the complaint isn't "comments defacing Hub presentation", it's "meaningless comments defacing Hub presentation". 
             
             Sunforged's goal was to educate - to make Hubbers aware that a "great Hub" comment is worse than no comment at all.

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    readytoescapeposted 14 years ago

    Any opinions?
    
    I also think this might make the forums list more intriguing and active. In addition I think you might discover hubbers and/or readers that otherwise would have been obscure.

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    readytoescapeposted 14 years ago

    No one has an opinion concerning the above suggestion as a solution for the topic?

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    Sed-meposted 10 years ago

    Ok, so this is an old thread, but new info to me.
    I only read a few posts, but I literally just left someone a 2 word comment before I saw this. It was concise and to the point. I would have had to come up with a bunch of words as space fillers to say what I could have said best with two words. I didn't realize this was "a thing."  What is it that's bad about leaving short replies?

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       Millionaire Tipsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       There are people who go around from hub to hub and, without reading a single thing, or maybe reading just the title, leave a comment, probably in an effort to get backlinks.  They write something like "great hub."  This is unfortunate, because there have been times when I read a hub and wanted to comment that it was really great, but simply writing great doesn't help the Hubber in any way.  Now, I try to write about what makes it great, or add to the topic by adding my own personal experience, and try to throw in a few keywords just to help out.

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          Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Sorry for my ignorance. What's a backlink?

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             Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             I have a Hub explaining backlinks, you'll find it in the slider on my profile.

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                Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Ok thanks.

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