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General discussion

New user comments feature: Tell us what you think!

Oct 16, 2007 4:20AM PDT

Dear CNET members,

I'm happy to announce a complete overhaul of our user comments system, which was previously known as TalkBack. This project has been in the works for several months, and we'd like to hear your feedback on this new system.

With this change, we've simplified the entire process for you to effortlessly submit comments on your favorite CNET articles, blogs, and features areas; but we've also made it easier for you to read comments made by your fellow CNET members.

My coworkers have put a lot of thought and effort into bringing you this new updated feature, so a big shout-out to them. We truly hope you enjoy this value-added experience as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Now that you've had a chance to check out the new user comments feature, collect your thoughts and tell us what you think. Whether you love it or hate it, you can be brutally honest with us. As key members of the CNET Community, it's your feedback that counts. This feature was built for your use, and we want to do our best to make it right for you. So, please speak up--we're all ears! Thank you all in advance for your feedback!

Enjoy!

-Lee Koo
CNET Community

(For people who are reaching this message from the CNET forums here are some links to check it out:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9803265-14.html

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9802606-14.html)

Discussion is locked

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i had to move heaven and earth to tell you your feedback sys
Mar 26, 2008 10:18AM PDT

tem is dreadful; for example the character limit on the subject line is too short.

if I wasn't at home with a back back I would have never taken the time to struggle through leaving a comment and certainly not to leave this comment which required me to sign in for a second time(!?!)

the new feedback system is buggy: I'm on firefox and at first the log in wouldn't even show up. I had to shift reload the page a couple times; no idea why it finally let me log in. then when I left feedback, it thanked me but I can't find anywhere to read my or anyone else's feedback.

a bigger question is why cnet which has been around since what, 1995? has to outsource what should be a core competency and source of competitive advantage: your community and user generated comments. How stupid is your business team?

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To neerajag, post deletion.
Apr 14, 2008 6:24PM PDT

Sorry I deleted your posts.

Asking about cookies, then posting your own solution with a link to a web site that has nothing to do with cookies earns you that deletion.

Please check the Forum Policy link on the left about posting off-topic replies or posts.

Mark

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Carriage returns
Jul 1, 2008 2:14PM PDT

Is it possible to let us use carriage returns so we can break posts into paragraphs?

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Good point
Jul 1, 2008 7:57PM PDT

I thought it did, but have just tested it. Although whilst creating the post I can use the Enter key to create new paragraphs, when the post is submitted all paragraph formatting is removed.

That's annoying.

Lee should see your post and will take it on board.

Mark

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Thank you for your feedback
Jul 2, 2008 1:54AM PDT

This is something we are aware of, where line breaks are being implemented. We will definitely be looking into this among the other issues.

Thank you!
-Lee

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Carriage Returns
Jul 21, 2008 6:50AM PDT

I am able to input carriage returns by holding down the Shift key and then pressing Enter.

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(NT) This should be fixed now.
Jul 21, 2008 6:59AM PDT
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Terrible
May 1, 2008 1:05AM PDT

I truly hate the new comment system on Crave.

First, it removes any formatting to my response making me look like a 14 year old who doesn't know how to organize his thoughts in any manner other than a single run-on paragraph.

Second, it nevers displays my comment. I finally figured out that by leaving the page, clearing the cache for the domain and re-entering I could actually see what I submitted.

On other areas of CNet, I have to manually expand responses to follow the thread.

When are you going to just use a standard, threaded forum mechanism?

The old system was pretty bad, but this is much worse.

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Update
May 1, 2008 6:54PM PDT

I forgot to mention that Cnet never remembers me anymore.

I deleted the cookie and things worked for a few days, then back to the same old game. I guess I could repeat the exercise and keep up with where it is failing, but then I would be doing your job.

You are Cnet for goodness sake! One of the premier destinations on the web and these issues should be quickly and easily dealt with.

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Why did I have to login AGAIN!?
May 6, 2008 11:39PM PDT

I was going to make a complimentary post, but once again the CNET site screwed up and skewed my view. I was logged in and all I did was click reply and as usual CNET decided to make me log in AGAIN! This has been going on for years and never happens at any other site I'm a member of. Rather unwelcoming, eh?

Now, I also note that there is no longer any place to get help with site issues. Ignore them and they will go away? Now, when my 44mb download from the site takes a half-hour and then produces a corrupted (or incomplete?) file, I'm just supposed to ignore it and go away? Okay, done.

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Site issues...
May 7, 2008 4:05AM PDT

The engineering crew has been reduced to a minimum as a result of Cnet's financial predicament, but you can still report issues either here (for forum issues) or through the Help Center, to which there is a link in the bottom left corner of every page. (Note: The download.com forum is unmonitored by Cnet personnel.)

John

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Comments Repeats
May 8, 2008 1:05AM PDT

I did a few posts this last week where I accidentally repeated myself several times because it looked like my post did not go though. Today I noticed a lot of repeat posts from others so thought I should bring it up. It would be handy to actually see our own posts after the post was sent. Granted I know how it works now, but most posters are new posters and will likely repeat their posts as well.

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Thanks, we are currently working on this bug...
May 8, 2008 8:18AM PDT

We are having some load issues right now where the AJAX is failing, yet the post are going through...

Thanks for reporting it.

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It's in the blogs BTW
May 9, 2008 7:27AM PDT

The most problems I'm seeing are in the blogs where it says "Powered by Jive Software" I'm not sure where AJAX comes in or if it's related.

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(NT) The CNET blogs is what I was referring to. Thanks!
May 9, 2008 7:37AM PDT
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Comments Repeats needs acknowledging
Jul 23, 2008 11:20AM PDT

Even a sometimes poster repeats because c|net needs to acknowledge a post somewhat as Yahoo! does. I see too many double or triple repeats because a refresh brings back your comments as if they never were sent.

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Nice try
May 8, 2008 3:31AM PDT

Here's my feedback on your new system: it doesn't seem to work very well. Whenever I post (using Firefox), your system reports it was unable to complete the request. I can't be the only one having this trouble. Look at the number of multiple posts of the same comment. It seems the error message itself is an error.

I've not been your most frequent commenter, but it looks like I'll stop commenting altogether.

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Hey Pete, I deleted some of your dups :-)
May 8, 2008 9:13AM PDT

Yesterday, we just moved all CNET News.com TalkBacks to the new comments system and as you have unfortunately already experienced, is some load issue we are having with our system. Our engineer is working on fixing this as I type this post... so hopefully we'll have these issue corrected as soon as possible. We do apologize for the inconvenience and confusion.

Best regards,
-Lee

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Not Much Actually
May 8, 2008 8:20AM PDT

I have just wasted an hour of my life, and at my age I can't afford trying to post a comment. I am logged on. The comment has no profanity, ads or personal attack. The first 6 or 8 times I got "perpetual processing", the little widget just spun and spun and spun.....
I tried refreshing the page, re-logging on and nothing helped although at least for variety it would swallow up my posting in then minutes later tell me that it was not completed, try angain or go to tech support.
So no, I'm not impressed at all.
Regards,
James

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We apologize for the bad experience.
May 9, 2008 7:41AM PDT

We are still working out the technical issues with the submission process. Again we do apologize for any additional aging or gray hairs that this may have caused. Thank you for posting your feedback.

Best regards,
-Lee

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Not accepting post when signed in
May 15, 2008 7:18AM PDT

I REALLY appreciate the fact I cannot post to an article! I am signed in, but get an error..perhaps I used the wrong government initialed entity in my post! Ha!

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The comments system is currently down right now 2:21pm PST
May 15, 2008 7:22AM PDT

The engineers are looking into it now.

Thanks for the feedback!
-Lee

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Here's another one, Lee.
May 15, 2008 12:53PM PDT

From: blogm3

Subject: CNET Forums Offensive Content

Users Comment: Your new feedback system doesn't seem to allow direct contact for a response. You might provide such a link for questions such as the one below.

I submitted a comment on the following article:
May 13, 2008 6:05 AM PDT
Why does the media love Apple and trash Dell?
Posted by Steve Tobak 30 comments

I just posted a comment on this article and it was rejected. I don't have a copy of my comments but I did not include anything that could remotely be considered objectionable, in fact I would say it was positive. Many of the other comments were close to offensive in tone yet they were clearly accepted. Can you find out for me why this comment was rejected?

Thanks!
Username: tesla333
email: blogm@yahoo.com

URL: http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7598_102-0.html?forumID=51&threadID=268219&messageID=2608187#2608187

Subject: New user comments feature: Tell us what you think!

Body: Dear CNET members,<br><br>I'm happy to announce a complete overhaul of our user comments system, which was previously known as TalkBack. This project has been in the works for several months, and we'd like to hear your feedback on this new system.<br><br>With this change, we've simplified the entire process for you to effortlessly submit comments on your favorite CNET articles, blogs, and features areas; but we've also made it easier for you to read comments made by your fellow CNET members. <br><br>My coworkers have put a lot of thought and effort into bringing you this new updated feature, so a big shout-out to them. We truly hope you enjoy this value-added experience as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Now that you've had a chance to check out the new user comments feature, collect your thoughts and tell us what you think. Whether you love it or hate it, you can be brutally honest with us. As key members of the CNET Community, it's your feedback that counts. This feature was built for your use, and we want to do our best to make it right for you. So, please speak up--we're all ears! Thank you all in advance for your feedback!<br><br>Enjoy!<br><br>-Lee Koo<br>CNET Community<br><br>(For people who are reaching this message from the CNET forums here are some links to check it out: <br><br><a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9803265-14.html" target="_blank">http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9803265-14.html</a><br><br><a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9802606-14.html" target="_blank">http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3504_7-9802606-14.html</a&gtWink

Posted by: Lee Koo (ADMIN)

Forum: Forum feedback

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I QUIT!
May 15, 2008 6:01PM PDT

This has been going on a long time....I give up! Perhaps CBS can fix it.
I used to enjoy your site for technical news. Obviously you have no clue.

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I've been having problems posting
May 16, 2008 7:34AM PDT

It has been taking three tries to post a comment. It will fail twice, then succeed on the third try.

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Thanks for the feedback! We are implementing some changes
May 16, 2008 7:49AM PDT

soon to hopefully eliminate this issue.

We do apologize for this inconvenience.

-Lee

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It fails on me too, about once in every three attempts...
May 28, 2008 12:40AM PDT

I am tired of trying to post an then it telling me it failed because of terms of use. I don't use profanity. No personal attacks.

This forum is not worth my time anymore.

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Please, Please, overhaul the Jive system for comments!!!!
May 29, 2008 8:28PM PDT

It is very, very annoying as it is now at Crave, at least.
If someone tries to write a long comment [as I see comments as a "subblog"] and try to compose it carefully spacing, with propper paragraphs.

Then, once posted, it does NOT retain those paragraphs, making the read of the post very, very difficult.

Thank you very much, though, for the opportunity to write.

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YOU SUCK, CNET!
Jun 6, 2008 5:55AM PDT

UNREGISTER ME! I can't sign in OR post anything!

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Can you please give me an example?
Jun 6, 2008 6:34AM PDT

Please provide me with a URL you are trying to submit to and any details of how and where you are encountering the issue.... etc. I do apologize for the issues you are experience. I'm going to do my best to help you out, but I do need some details to go on and investigate what exactly is happening.

Thanks!
-Lee