Well I just received a couple of feedbacks…. well, sort of. They actually just took one of my articles and linked it onto their blog and then gave me a linkback (I think.) I can only assume they either liked, or found something useful in the article to refer to it. Thanks!
It has given me time to think though, that I am not getting any comments on most of my postings, except for linkbacks and so I decided to investigate it a little further. Could it be that I have tied down the security on my site just a little too tight?
My technical background covers a lot of ground, but a good part of its history involved ensuring strong computer and web security. To that end I have always erred on the side of security rather than usability. All that being said, however, a blog that makes comments impossible to make, is no fun at all.
I did test, when I originally set up, giving feedbacks and managing them. However, I realize now that I did it while I was logged in as the blog manager and thought that maybe I had should try doing the same as a normal user… I got quite a surprise! 
I had assumed ( a very dangerous word, especially for me ) that since users needed to register first before leaving a comment, a form would pop up requesting just that ( if you hadn’t) and then return you to your normal viewing….. boy was I wrong!
What happened was that it, after entering all your comments (not before – sorry), an insult of a window pops up saying that you have to login and/or be registered before you can do anything. The first thing that I said to myself ( in user mode and after calming down ) is HOW?!
It took me a couple seconds to figure out that I had to click on the Login option off of the left sidebar and then it took me two tries to see, in fine print, the small register link sitting below the huge WordPress login screen. I couldn’t believe it, it’s MY blog, and I had trouble figuring it out!
So I set up a user account so that I could do my testing. I chose to log in first, and then comment (seemed logical to me anyways). Upon logging in, I received a little profile that I could then edit and modify which then led to a listing of postings and other tools that I could use.
It appeared to me as if I was looking at the blog from the inside out, instead of enjoying all the nice formatting, menus and other goodies that were put in place! It has taken me a while to get used to all of the concepts behind WordPress, and I don’t expect, nor want, any of my readers to have that experience!
After seeing this, and due to the lack of comments; I have decided to remove the current registration requirement before commenting on any articles. This will hopefully make any future comments easier for you the reader.
I will be monitoring the blog much closer, and possibly turning on a couple of other ant-spam utilities to ensure that only real comments are added. This may, from time to time, also require my authorizing your comment/reply before it actually appears on the blog.
Please let me know if you have had any issues with posting previously, and whether my recent changes have either fixed, or exacerbated the situation. If posting a comment doesn’t work please send me an email. Registration is still available to those who wish it, for some the extra tools may be worthwhile. For now it “should” be your call.
Thanks for your patience shown during my learning curves!
Having blogged a few times myself, I came to the realization that it’s not that people aren’t reading my blog ( I was actually surprised by how many people were reading my blog) but simply that they feel intrusive sometimes when leaving a comment. Almost as if they’ve stumbled upon someone’s diary, and feel as though they should leave it as pristine as when they found it. So don’t feel bad that no one has left any comments, because I can tell you that I know of at least TWO people who are avid readers! 🙂 kitten
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