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I Like the New Comments Format!

By Brian Schulman

Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA RS134746A

February 21, 2009 04:43 AM

I'm proud of my new ActiveRain Rainmaker badge! Thanks to the AR raingods for creating this classification. It's a mark of accomplishment, symbolizing many hours of local contributions to our real estate blogging platform, and associating me with a group of remarkable and talented professionals.

I'm not sure why sometimes our photo seems to be included in the comments, and sometimes not included. Personally, I like the photos included - I can attach a face to comments on my blog without having to leave the post. It also makes it easy to scroll quickly to my own comments on other members' blogs, so I can check whether the writer has responded to my remarks.

What are your thoughts about including our photos in the comments section?

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Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

I am not sure I do like the comment format. It looks so different.

I'll get used to it. Or it will change again.

I like the blue life saver.

Photos are OK. I like others photos not mine.

Feb 21, 2009 04:55 AM

Tony Grego, 317-663-4173 #1 Trade Association for Alternative Inv

REISA - 317-663-4173 - Indianapolis, IN

Do not have one yet. Not sure. I am 50/50. Who does it serve?

Thanks for your post

Tony

Connie Betz

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate - Omaha, NE

Top Omaha Realtor - Omaha Homes for Sale

I like the photos. They are automatically included for the rainmakers.

Feb 21, 2009 05:19 AM

Jason Sardi

Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC

Your Agent for Life

Brian - I like the badge, for the most part. But I noticed today that there is a whole lot of jazz going on and it seems harder to follow comment threads. Perhaps I will get used to it....

Feb 21, 2009 05:25 AM

Brian Schulman

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA - Lancaster, PA

Lancaster County PA RealEstate Expert 717-951-5552

Maureen, I'm my own worst critic on my photos, too! Still, they do brand us in a personal way.

Tony, I suspect it serves both the writer and the reader, providing a more personal connection.

Connie, I like the photos, too. Thanks for commenting!

Feb 21, 2009 05:26 AM

Jason, good to hear from you! You're right, it takes a little getting used to, to follow the threads. Ask me in a month how I like it...

Feb 21, 2009 05:28 AM

Debi Ernst

St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO

GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Brian - I like being able to see who's commenting on my posts, too. I'm not sure why some people's faces aren't showing up, though... :)

Feb 21, 2009 11:05 AM

Hi Debi,

I wonder if it has something to do with whose blog the comments are on? (i.e., top 500, paying member, etc.)

Feb 21, 2009 01:58 PM

Wolfgang Leonard

Jacksonville, FL

Brian, the "RainMaker" logo shows you're a paying member here at ActiveRain ?

Otherwise, the photographs attached to our comments are called Avatars in some Forums and Discussion Boards. They help identify your posts on blogs and web forums, and here at ActiveRain put a "face" to your comments.

The next evolution is a gravatar, or globally recognized avatar, which is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you are participating in a gravatar-enabled website. I think WordPress just made a major move to this; maybe Plaxo. (more info about gravatars at gravatar.com)

Whether the avatar is a personal photo is more likely a requirement of the site you're participating in. I've seen some distinctive images out there <grin>.

I'm also posting here because I don't know what image will show up for me with the new comment format. It seems cleaner and easier to read.

(after posting, no photo showed initially, so I'm off to take a look at my profile settings ... maybe I'm not a RainMaker ... only a DreamCatcher)

Feb 21, 2009 11:01 PM

Wolfgang, thanks for your thoughts. The Rainmaker badge was granted to the 500 members with the highest points. This often resulted from early membership and steady contributions.

Whether the photos shows up or not in the comments seems to have little to do with the badges. In recent days I've seen my photo on some of my comments, and not on others.

I think a great improvement to the format is the blue background color differentiating the responses of the writer from the comments of others. If you're looking for responses, the blue is easy to pick out.

Feb 22, 2009 12:11 AM

I Like the New Comments Format!

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