Damon
I believe that we should have the opportunity or whatever it is called to delete the comments that we make if we should want to as the author of them. Also as the author of the poem we should be able to delete a comment if we should so desire.

Damon D. Brewer
2010-09-29

learnings
Personally I feel happy when I see a comment on my poems. Some comments are really nice and it adds on to the meaning and the value of a poem.

My happiness will go if you delete the comments :-P, just kidding.

I think comments should NOT be deleted.
2010-08-25

The comments should be kept. We publish our poems to be read and to be shared, and the comments are the proofs that we are read.

Thanks.
2010-08-22

Stan Cooper
No doubt in my mind that the comments must be kept...
They are part of the history

Stan
2010-08-21

NicholasG
The drivel refers to my comment. Definitely not to the work being done in the background. Apologies for my humour which is sometimes born of tunnel vision :-)
2010-08-13

NicholasG
You must be careful as you are treading in a minefield. If you decide that comments must be kept, this little piece of drivel will be here until doomsday!
2010-08-12

NicholasG
Perhaps we need a random comment generator that gets triggered when nobody comments?
2010-08-12

SecretWords
Comments should be kept.
2010-08-12

ken d williams
Comments must stay.
Ken D Williams
2010-08-08

I think the comments should stay. It is an historical record of sorts. What I would like to see is a way to delete comments individually, by the person that wrote the comment. If a person writes a comment, then wants to retract it (for whatever reason: a typo, or second thoughts), there should be a way to do that. Maybe there is a way that I haven't discovered.
2010-08-05

jenks
give the remover the option
or
the commenter the option
or
comment on the removal
Or remove the comment

am i up to speed yet?

i fear im too slow for this
but am glad my peers and dears are deciding:)
2010-08-03

Rob Graber
I believe the that when someone leaves poetbay, the comments s/he made on other peoples' poems should remain. I suppose this should be made as clear as possible at the outset. When I first realized people had "unpublished" poems I wanted to reread, I felt rather cheated; such a thing is pretty well impossible with traditional publishing! But I have learned that unpublishing sometimes has its place. I just think comments on others' work should be made an exception to the right to "unpublish."
2010-07-31

Elle
Oh Flip Nick, you have left me in a connundrum lol

Elle x
2010-07-31

NicholasG
If a comment is of no constructive value, demeaning to the author, or made only to stir up trouble, I think there should be a process in place, where the editor(s) may be asked to remove a comment. In such a case there should be note applied stating that a comment has been removed, for the purpose of connecting what preceded and what came after the comment while documenting that something in between may have altered the thrust of what came after.
2010-07-31

NicholasG
I believe, if we comment on something publicly, often other comments will follow, based not only on the initial post, but on what the initial post has evoked. If a comment is removed, often it may leave following comments in limbo as to context. I also tend to believe that a comment is "given," and once given it has initiated a string of events that cannot be undone, therefore, as a respect to the author, must be left in place as part of the document, otherwise what is left is incomplete. Also, once a comment is given, there is no privacy, as it is publicized. If something is incomplete, or improperly explained, there is always room for another comment, to put the initial one into context.
In effect, is it ethical to publish a document, ask for comments which are then published, then to retract any of them?
2010-07-31

Rob Graber
Oh, a light just switched on in my head. The objection is not that the leaver takes with h/rim comments on h/ris own poems; it is the s/he takes also comments s/he had made on poems by those of us who remain. Nick: I get you now; sorry to have been a bit thick about that.
2010-07-30

Elle
I think it is a shame when comments are deleted - some comments I have received have been treasured ones and then once the member has left or changed accounts for whatever reason - it is a shame. Obviously we have to respect users rights to privacy, so I am in two minds about this question. I miss comments (special ones that old members have made) - but if their decision to leave is important and they wish for their comments to be deleted then so it should be. How about asking those who go, whether they want their comments left or not? A two choice deletion?

While the net has made everyones lives open, we should still respect the rights of privacy - we're not big brother - we're poets :-)

Ellex

Hope that makes sense
2010-07-30

Rob Graber
Nick, I am a little puzzled. When you say the comments "belong to the posted article," does that not imply--or at least suggest--that when the poems ("articles"?) disappear, so should the comments thereon? I have mixed feelings about this, and am just seeking greater clarity. Thanks!
2010-07-30

NicholasG
The comments must be written in stone! Once written, they belong to the posted article and unless the author desires them to be delete should always be part of the post. If a comment is deleted for whatever reason, its place should be taken by "Comment deleted by author of this post," and this should be counted as a comment., perhaps even "Comment by XXXXXX deleted by author."
The latter might put a larger onus of responsibility on the commenter, and leave a certain accountability.
It could be considered to have a function for the author to comment on his comments, but not be counted in the sum of comments on the piece, ie:
"Wonderful piece Zeus. Nailed it!"
Zeus: I could have been better if not for Cupid's arrow through my heart.
Nick
2010-07-30