today: a poll
my debate over what to do with this blog continues. keep it wide open or require people to sign-in to read it?
i remain undecided, because there are pros and cons to both options, so i'm looking for feedback and have posted a poll over there in the left-hand sidebar. what do you think?
do you like the freedom to read without logging in? or would you happily go through that extra log-in step to keep reading?
would having to log in be a deterrent?
please cast your vote (the poll will be open until midnight tomorrow), and feel free to leave your thoughts on the issue in the comments section of this entry.
thanks in advance!
10 comments:
I would jump through hoops to read along here, so whatever you decide will work for me.
thanks!
(is the above comment also acting as your vote? or is it in addition to a poll vote you cast? just trying to keep track... :-))
i just voted also. :¬)
I voted "don't care" - so much for anonymity! If you're getting weirdos lurking around, then go ahead and lock it down. If not, I'd say let the world bask in your fabulosity.
I voted no on subscription for a couple of reasons. First, and least importantly, I already hate typing in the v-word, so I'd also abhor an additional log-in.
But second, I love the Internet because it is pluralistic, and when we begin limiting access for whatever reason and in whatever way, we take little chips out of that amazing, baffling cyber world.
I am not so concerned that strangers or secret readers visit your blog as I am that their presence might cause you to censor or in any way limit what you say or how you say it.
Blogging strikes me as kind of like workshop where writers have submit their work to readers who then talk about the writing openly. It is a bittersweet experience, one that writers long for and fear.
I think that bloggers long for readers, but they also need to comments in order to know why the readers are reading.
thanks for your feedback, guys!
i think, lou, that my thoughts about going subscription-only stem from what you cite above: having silent readers who visit (sometimes very frequently), but not knowing who they are or why they read.
by having a login phase, it would ensure that i have a specific readership, because readers would have to be invited by me. they aren't obliged to read if invited, and i'd have no way of know who logs in when or anything, but i would know that anyone reading is someone i know. (and not, as jennifer says, a weirdo. ;-))
i feel very comfortable sharing with my friends, but i'm not so sure i'm still totally comfortable sharing personal stories with strangers.
at the same time, as i've said before, i may want to err on the side of caution but might then wind up limiting random visits (from people who'd enjoy reading here) if i do.
we'll see how this unfolds as the voting continues...
what i find telling is that many more than nine people visited the blog today, but only nine cast votes.
Recently you told us that you've been keeping yepimawriter for one year now, and I meant to say...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
two years. :-)
and thank you!
TWO!!!
Doesn't time fly when you are writing. :)
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