March 13, 2008
Blog Comments Pet Peeve
I've noticed something recently, and it's started to really bug me: more and more people are removing the date/time from comments on their entries. It doesn't sound like a major offence, and up until the past few weeks it didn't even cross my mind as a "blogging faux pas", but I can see now why others have nagged me in the past about having date/time on my comments.
I guess the biggest reason that it has become an issue is because I've not been around. People reply to comments I've left and I don't know when, or whether it's worth me replying — will people remember to check back for my $0.02? Am I going to reply to something no longer relevant? Am I talking to myself, ultimately?
I can't think of a logical reason why you'd remove the date or time from comments, so do us all a favour and keep it in ... at the very least the date or a mark of sorts to signify that it's not been 10 years since anyone else left their feedback. Please? :)
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Welcome to the blog of girl geek & php ninja extraordinaire 'Jem'. Web developer, mum and supreme crazy cat lady.. 
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*checks own comments page* Ah, I don't have the date / time. I don't think it really matters, because all my comments are recent to the entry. Once I post a new entry, people rarely, if ever, comment on the older ones. In fact, *you* are the only commenter of mine that goes back and comments on old posts. ;)
Why have people nagged about the date/time on comments? Maybe I'm just slow today but I don't get it. I think it's perfectly acceptable and will always have those details on mine. I think it's helpful on other blogs as well, like "support" blogs for Wordpress plugins, for example. It's one way I estimate whether a plugin is worth downloading. If the support replies date months back, then I might reconsider. I'm curious to know why some people are against it though.
@Melissa: I have been nagged in the past because I had excluded the time from comments - not because I *have* that info (just clarifying because I wasn't sure if you misunderstood..)
It doesn't really bother me, as a comment-leaver, if there's no date/time listed. Unless I'm referring to another comment - then I'd like to see when it was made. It does bother me as a site-owner though. If I go to my site and haven't been there in a few days and read the comments, I'd like to know when they were made (when reading them on my site). Does this make sense?
Yes Jem (sulks). On the brightside, my new blog has the date :), and separate trackbacks which are nofollow!
Some people use only weekday on their blog posts. I think it is even worse as the post is the main content.
The first thing I did when I read this was to run to my site and check my own blog comments. Phewww. The date and time information are there. :P
I have the date and time displayed in the comments on my site, but I didn't really consider that it might be a nuisance not displaying them. :)
Hah, I'm guilty, I'm guilty! The honest answer is I have had them there before but accidentally deleted the code when editing my comments template. It's been bothering me too. *will fix when not revising*
Good point! I never would've thought to remove it, I think, but I agree - I can't see why someone would anyway.
I didn't know people existed that had no date/time. XD I suppose that goes to show my narrow online experience! I always like to see when the last comment was; I feel weird posting a week later, and I definitely want to avoid it on debates/drama stuff because those can progress and finish rather quickly.
You can remove that. I wouldn't even have the first clue how to remove that from your comments. How rude of them.
Oh! Yeah I guess I was slow today. :P
I don't mind the time missing, but I like to know when the date is... especially if it's a controversial blog entry. No need to stir some old stuff up =P That said, I never noticed this trend (I don't follow said trend anyway ;-) )
Please to be giving me the date. It's not a blog, but I always hated how the forum on yoursite.nu don't have any date. I assume you mean relevant? I want to know the date!
Silly Jem. You know as well as I do that blogs have been popular for a few years only. And they usually have a lifespan of a few days. If a weblog has been up for ten years, it's in the unpopular zone and of course has the date/time. If it doesn't have the date/time, then it's new and you needn't worry. It's trendy. Never mind the blogs that have existed forever. They are a lie.
The template I'm using right now didn't come with dates in the comments. I had to add it myself and it looks quite ugly. Hmmm... the format on your comments just gave me an idea!
I'm with you, there! It comes in handy when you get a hit from your own comment you made weeks, months, or years ago and you read it, so you're not like "WHEN THE HELL DID I SAY THAT?!" That recently happened to me. I thought, for a second, someone was stealing my identity. Turns out, I am just forgetful. THINK OF THE FORGETFUL, PEOPLE! Please!
And this is why I want to go into HCI and all that junk (at least, if I can't make my way into natural language and linguistics). Subtle things that nobody really notices consciously when it's there, but miss when it's gone. That's my specialty.
I don't visit the forum on Yoursite, but I dislike how there's no date/time for the reviews. Maybe I just have a weird obsessive thing with knowing when something was reviewed. :/ (And dates/times for blog comments would be nice too. :3)
i love date and times. i don't see why anyone would exclude them, and i see every reason to have them. ./nods