Minimum word length in comment before voting?

1. Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #1

   Just a thought that a minimum word length in the body of a comment be enforced before people are allowed to submit a vote. (Maybe just 10 words or so minimum?)
   
   I've seen too many people (and had one admit to me) that they only skim the piece and then give a vote based off 1 min or less of reading, often with no comment, or something utterly unhelpful to the user such as "good sub, I like it." (obviously you like it in a positive or negative context to a certain extent or you wouldn't have bothered voting?)
   
   Enforcing some sort of word limit would perhaps encourage people to make more of an effort at posting something resembling worth while feedback, and at the very least give us the option to click the - button on comments that are unproductive. (currently if someone just vote's without submitting a comment you can't vote - to discourage this behavior.)
   
   Oh, and to prevent any misunderstandings, posts that amount to "I agree with what member x who posted before me said." I do consider useful, since it tells me that more than one person felt that way about a particular piece, giving the original comment/advice more weight in my mind.

2. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #2

   What she said. :)

3. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #3

   I'm good with this!

4. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #4

   I am sure this discussion has come up before and perhaps a forum search could reveal it.
   
   Current system.
   -You can vote but not comment
   -You can comment and not vote
   -If you comment there is a min character requirement
   
   I believe, at the time, it was thought that forcing a comment may limit some people from voting. I can't remember, but I think in the olden days if somebody voted and didn't comment then there was no comment block saying there was a vote...it was just a mystical vote with no tracking. Then we thought we needed ownership of the votes so we started showing the votes but still wanted to allow straight voting and not require commenting in order to get more votes on submissions. The force of a comment may act like an inhibitor and stop some people from commenting and voting. With the commenting not required there is no pressure and most will put in a short comment anywat even if they don't have anything to say.
   
   But the site flows as the current of desire washes upon it and if the tide brings in forced commenting with a vote, the who am I to stop the movement of the ocean?

5. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #5

   I dunno, I'm sort of hesitant about this.  Sometimes I vote with no comment, if I've already given my feedback to the author in another way (chat, pm, whatever).  I'll also vote without commenting if I can't think of anything constructive to say.  I don't think a word-count thing will enforce feedback, I think it'll result in subs being spammed by wordier versions of "nice sub".

6. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #6

   Here's the deal, there is a minimum word limit on comments as it stands, no more one word responces, no more gratuitous bumping. If you comment, you get XP, sometimes 1 XP, sometimes 2 XP depending on the length of your comment. You are rewarded for commenting thusly. If you only vote, you do not receive any XP.
   
   There are a number of reasons that a person will not submit a comment with their vote.
   
   1. Nothing pertinent to add to the submission, and rather than spell that out, they let their vote speak for them, be it a good submission they cannot think to add to, or a submission that was mediocre and they do not want to comment. Be thankful you recieved your vote.
   
   2. Niche Material - I see this one alot, Standard Fantasy gets a good amount of attention by Sci-Fi, western, and cyberpunk gets a good bit less. Why less? Because fewer people play these games, while Standard Fantasy is steak and potatoes to gaming. The voter has nothing to add since they dont play the material and they did take time to leave a vote.
   
   3. It's Boring - This too happens, sometimes you as a writer have an absolutely brilliant idea and no one comments on it, or even votes. Somewhere between your head and the submission something was lost, or the idea wasn't quite as great as you might have thought it was. It is easy in these instances to blame others for not understanding, but the truth of the matter is more often than not a failure on the part of the writer. When I write one of these posts, either I fix it, or I delete it. Everyone writes a bomb from time to time. No need to get upset about it.
   
   4. It's Just Meh - Similar to Boring this is a rather plain submission that is either entirely to world specific, to dependent on other material, or whatever reason. The reader is neither impressed, nor disappointed when they read the submission.
   
   When I was in a speech and writing class I was told that you have to hook your reader with the first sentence. The citadel is quite generous, if sometimes slow, in that most submissions will get a few comments and votes.
   
   

   In summary:
   
   Did you get a vote?
   
   Did you get a useful comment?
   
   If you answered yes to either question, congratulations, skimming or otherwise your material has been read.

7. Re: Minimum word length in comment before voting?

   #7

   we don't need forced comments. In fact, we don't want them.
   
   As for skimming and barely reading: I've only once not read the entire sub I commented on, because I was disenchanted with the 30 lists, and I said so in the sub (which backfired on me, but that is another matter).
   
   I encourage everyone to read what they vote for. I mean, c'mon people! Really!

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