My site is an exercise in narcissism. It’s even called Creig’s Site. Creig. That’s me! I’m the only one who writes here. I quote other people, but it’s because they said something I’m interested in. I post stuff I’d want to read if I weren’t writing my site.

Do you see how me-centric this is?

I’m beating you over the head with me (visualize that for a second) because there’s been a lot of talk on the Interwebs about sites and comments. One of my favorite sites, Daring Fireball, has no comments. On this topic, propeieter John Gruber wrote:

You write on your site; I write on mine. That’s a response.

[...]

Comments, at least on popular websites, aren’t conversations. They’re cacophonous shouting matches. DF is a curated conversation, to be sure, but that’s the whole premise.

Taking this idea and running, Derek Powazek (who’s site also has no comments) wrote:

The choice is not really to have comments on or off. The choice is: What is the level of community interaction you want to foster on your site? What’s the purpose of the site, and is community interaction part of that purpose?

Both pieces are thoughtful and fair and good. I agree with them.

Thing is, my site is a whole different beast.

Beast? More like a whole different small creature beneath notice; but that’s why I’ve got comments on. Mostly.

My site has two types of posts: links and essays. A link will have a smaller title font, and clicking on the title will take you to another site I want you to look at. Those posts generally have quotes and I didn’t really do much besides draw your attention to them. I don’t have comments enabled there because I didn’t do anything, and don’t feel that my site is really the forum on which to discuss whatever it is I’m linking to. Comment on the site I linked to instead.

Essays on the other hand, are larger, more thoughtful pieces I’ve written, generally to argue a point or make you see the world the way I see it. Most of my readers (hi, Mom!) don’t have their own website and don’t blog, so any interaction I’m going to get from them will be through comments.

I like criticism, richly deserved grammar nit-picks, and the opinions of the people who’s opinions I value (the people who read me).

Some day, if my site ever becomes popular, I may change my stance. But for now, with my limited, intimate audience, I like it exactly the way it is.