The Jamestown Sun's website is now featuring readers' comments, using a significantly upgraded comment system with improved features and user options.
The system, based at the website topics.areavoices.com, has been under testing at inforum.com for several weeks and has been expanded to all the newspaper websites throughout Forum Communications Co.
With this system, a story on which commenting is allowed will have an embedded link that takes readers to that individual story's commenting page. The system provides a single hub for commenting on stories on all these websites, including those at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, the Grand Forks Herald and The Dickinson Press, in addition to The Sun. This will allow commenters to find and discuss stories of interest to them from several newspapers in the region, as long as they also have an account with any Forum Communications newspaper.
Here are a few answers to the questions you may have about the new comments system, which will be accessible from www.jamestownsun.com .
Q. Will I have to reregister to comment at the new site?
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A. Yes, but very little information is required -- just your name, e-mail address, gender, birth year and zip code.
You will also be able to upload a profile photo to help you identify yourself to other users.
Q. What are the rules for commenting?
A. Commenters must stay civil and stay on topic; avoid profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs and personal attacks.
People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked from the site.
Q. What are the site's new features?
A. All readers of topics.areavoices.com can "Like or Dislike" any comment, giving them either a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. They do not have to have an account to rate comments.
If a comment receives many negative ratings, it is hidden, marked "Hidden due to low comment rating," and readers must click on a link to see it.
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If a comment receives many negative and positive ratings, it is marked "hot debate" and given an orange frame.
If a comment receives many more positive than negative ratings, it is marked "well-loved" and given a green frame.
Over time, the system tracks how many positive and negative votes that users' comments receive, and displays a graphic illustrating their overall rating with every comment they make.
The new comments system also features threaded or nested comments, which means that commenters can reply to an initial comment and have those replies grouped together under the comment instead of posted at the bottom under other comments. This makes it much easier to follow discussions.
Comments will also post much more rapidly in this new system than they did previously on The Sun's website.
The new comments page also includes several social-networking tools that help commenters connect with each other, such as a directory of all members, a private messaging system and the abilities to "friend" other commenters and to see all their comments listed on their profiles.
Q. What about obituary guestbooks?
A. Obituary guestbooks will still be located on The Sun's website at www.jamestownsun.com
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Q. How can I register to comment on the new system?
A. Click "create an account" at the top right of the page at http://topics.areavoices.com/ .
Q. What are the terms of service for the new system?
A. For a full list of the terms of service, visit http://topics.areavoices.com/tos/ .
Any questions not addressed above can be sent by e-mail to Sun Assistant Editor Logan C. Adams at ladams@jamestownsun.com .
