dispatches from the new world of work

Comments Redux

We consider our readership our community. And we appreciate the participation of a great number of community members in the comments area of the blog. There have been some marvelous debates on complex issues. We understand all too clearly how annoying it can be when you try to add your voice by posting a comment and, once you click Post, it seems as though the computer didn't register your action. So you click on it again, and again, and finally you see that your comment has been posted three times. We've been trying to solve this issue for some time now, but with no success. So, apologies for the long wait after you click Post to submit your comment. But please know that even if it takes a long moment, your comment has been submitted. This frustrates no one more than it frustrates Tom. Thank you for your patience!

Shelley Dolley posted this on 05/14/08.

Comments

Well, if I have my own idea to be expressed in the comment I will wait until it appears in the form and there is no reason for being frustrated if it takes time for it to appear in the form. Every gadget can cause the problem, internet service is not the exception.

Posted by Inessa at May 14, 2008 2:17 PM

In this age of instant gratification and immediate response I find solice in my fathers wisdom - when impatience hits, sit back, count slowly (very slowly in some cases) to 10 and see what transpires. To this day I am amazed at how things look different after a 10 second break!

Posted by Mark at May 14, 2008 2:46 PM

Please do not make an excuse. Weâ€™re in gratitude and marveled at the possibility offered by Mr. Peters and his finest colleague. Thank you for making room to disseminate well-meant ideas in such a prominent context. Count on me to keep on blogging at www.TomPeters.com.

Best,

Andy

Posted by Andres Agostini (Andy) at May 14, 2008 5:15 PM

Hi:

I am a Software Engineer by profession and I felt I had to throw in my 2 cents! :->

FAIR WARNING: Technical jargon ahead!
Is it possible to add some client side script that says, "Your comment has been posted" as soon as the user clicks the Post button? Usually, users get frustrated when they do not get any reliable feedback after they perform some operation/action (Tip of my hat to Donald Norman).
A message that says "Your comment has been posted" instantaneously may potentially solve our problem.

Of course, I offer no warranties!

Rock on!
Radha Mukkai

Posted by Radha Mukkai at May 14, 2008 5:19 PM

Great comment Mark â€“ one of my great heroes Nicky Gumbel says when he feels frustrated or angry at someone he will write a letter to that person last thing at night. In the morning he will tear the letter up without reading it â€“ what fantastic advice!

My 78 year old academic and life supervisor Professor George Giarchi (a teenager at heart) always tells me â€˜This too will passâ€™

You are so right about our instant gratification culture - thanks for a brilliant reminder Mark.

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 14, 2008 6:09 PM

Thanks for all the kind remarks about patience, everyone. And thanks for the suggestion Radha - we'll check that out.

Posted by Shelley Dolley at May 15, 2008 7:54 AM

I am on a satellite connection at home and often things get lost between my computer and servers on the other end of the connection. I am often having to refresh or submit a form second time because of this.

I think your best solution would be to put a unique id in each comment form. Then, on your server, look to see if a post with the id exists. If it does, update it, if not add it. This would also allow for editing a comment when you see that glaring grammar or spelling error right after you click Post.

Posted by Ken Gregg at May 17, 2008 10:01 AM