As you may have noticed with things like the Big Board and the Activity Timeline, In All Kinds Of Weather has undergone some changes/seen some new features added to the site. Now it’s time to unveil the latest update. Credit to IAKOW reader Judah Richardson for this one.
I’m proud to introduce the Facebook Comments system, which is exactly what it sounds like (and I see a few people have already noticed and taken advantage of). Anyway, at the bottom of every article and page, I have created an additional comments box that you can activate simply by logging in through Facebook. Here’s what it looks like, in case you can’t wait until you’re finished reading the explanation to see it:
This is not in any way replacing the old comments system that was built in with the site (which is now below the Facebook comments box); if you’d like to remain anonymous, you may continue to do so with your screen name that you’ve already signed up for. But this is much easier and quicker than having to sign up through your email account and having to re-type in all that information before you comment. It also gives us the opportunity to build a larger community here, which as I remember from the old site, is essential to give you guys a place to let your voices be heard, as opposed to this site just being a place where I say my piece and that’s how it goes. The old site utilized the forum, but even that required people to keep logging in every time with their email and password. I realize that there are times when y’all disagree with me, and that’s fine; you guys just as much of a right to express your opinions as I do. That’s what a good community does.
But that good community thing goes both ways: I’d love to see more and more people coming on here to share their thoughts, but Facebook’s rules and standards apply here just the same. So, you know. No harassing or threatening other people, no racial/homophobic slurs or sentiments, no C word, all that good stuff. I’m far from a Puritan, and I may get heated when I vehemently disagree with something somebody says, but I do promise to remain civil and I will ask the same of all of you. And though I’d really rather not do it, yes, I do have the power to ban people for any of those things (or excessive trolling), and I absolutely will if I have to.
We’ve taken some major steps toward becoming the web’s premiere Gator site, and the only thing still missing is a community. Our Facebook page has 34,000 likes, we’re approaching 10,000 followers on twitter, and we’ve attracted almost a million views this past football season. So I know you guys are out there, reading my opinions on Gator sports. Now I want to read yours.
