GrassrootsPA's dashboard

Before I begin, want to stress that I absolutely love your service, and mean no disrespect whatsoever. This is all merely about providing a through explanation specifically tailored for computer illiterate folks/laymen/old-school Wordpress commenters.

PROBLEM:

Getting all my regular commenters to signup for IntenseDebate is turning out to be a little tougher than I thought...

1) Some of my regular commenters are older and have a great deal of trouble grasping HOW exactly to signup, etc (they honestly think simply leaving ONE comment is signing up. They don't understand that they need to check the signup box and click the email verification link.

****They need VERY DETAILED DUMBED-DOWN directions****

2) Other folks have actually created multiple IntenseDebate accounts (different ones on different computers) because they don't understand how the login system works. Some legitimately think they login by leaving a non-intense Debate comment!

Remember, they are used to the default Wordpress comment system (one comment by them gets approved, all from that name, email and IP go right up from that point on)

****THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW LOGIN WORKS****

3) Others just don't understand WHY they should signup. (Whats the point in layman's terms? So they can't vote on comments, big deal. The site editor (me) eventually gets around to moderating their non-Intense Debate comment so what are they really missing out on?)

Obviously you have me sold, but these guys need to have it spelled out from a COMMENTER'S point of view (not the benefit to the site editor, just them)

They do not understand that benefits like comment by email, individual RSS feeds, promote their website with a link, etc exist, or WHY they would want to be able to use those features. They need to know specifically tailored for a LAYMAN commenters point of view, NOT mixed in with the benefits to a site editor.

****THEY REALLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE HECK THEY SHOULD SIGNUP****

4) Finally, the rest just want to leave comments the old Wordpress way and just don't want to change (one comment by them gets approved, all from that name, email and IP go right up from that point on)

These folks do not understand that even though I have "Comment author must have a previously approved comment" selected under the Intense Debate settings page, ALL non-Intense Debate comments automatically get moderated (including theirs), even if they keep using the same name and email like they used to do under the default Wordpress comment system.

Throw in the fact that some of my regular commenters use various handles (names) and you will see where I am going with all of this. (I might have one person pretending to be various commenters by using different handles)

****THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEIR COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS HANDLES, (OR EVEN THE SAME HANDLE) WHICH USED TO GO RIGHT UP, NOW GET STUCK IN MODERATION AND SIT THERE****

These various issues mean that I get plenty of comments to moderate throughout the day (all non-Intense Debate comments get caught in my moderation system)

Again, my readers are still thinking in terms of my OLD comment system. We need a section/guide that spells out this wonderful new comment system and is SPECIFICALLY tailored to a typical commenter/reader.

PROPOSED SOLUTION:

Please create a section on your website SPECIFICALLY TAILORED to JUST Intense Debate commenters (NOT Website editors, bloggers, etc)

1) Include a dumbed-down guide explaining step by step how to signup (with visuals) This way when computer-illiterate folks have trouble every step is documented and explained to the T!

2) Explain in detail how the login system works (with visuals). Explain the benefits to logging in and out of the same account from various computers. Let them know they don't need to make multiple accounts, they simply login with their existing account!

3) Include a pinpointed section explaining JUST to readers/commenters why exactly they should signup (with visuals) Your site currently makes a great case for implementing Intense Debate on one's website or blog, but the benefits to commenters aren't specifically spelled out JUST to them (they are mixed into all the other material). You have a VERY EASY sell but it needs its own section just for them!

4) Explain in these various sections how moderation works in the sense that you are encouraging folks to create one user name who gains reputation throughout all their commenting.

Guys, I'm not a fan of individuals creating a zillion different aliases and pretending to be a zillion people. Your system is essentially a leveled playing field for folks who feel they need to pretend to be different people on the same website to 'troll' others.

Spell it out that your system encourages folks to create ONE entity and REWARDS them for doing so, while discourages those who hide behind different handles by automatically moderating those comments.

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READERS GUIDE: MAKE IT AN EASY TO READ SECTION WE CAN DIRECT FOLKS TO:

How about you lay it all out at 'http://intensedebate.com/ReadersGuide'

(I'm sure you can think of a better name and url, but something tailored just for commenters/readers)

I suggest in addition to this website section specifically tailored to commenters/readers with all these points spelled out, you also (in detail) explain how to manage their account, upload avatars, pick a website link, etc

A great way to help with all of this is a serious of videos dumbed down to computer-illiterate users. This way no matter what there are resources available for all of us who want to get every one of our regular commenters to signup!

Best of all, once such a section is created, none of us will need to spend any more time explaining to computer illiterate commenters how to sign up, setup an Avatar, login, etc (we would just direct them there!)

Again, mean no disrespect whatsoever. I wish everyone was computer savy, but much of this is confusing to many moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers. There just isn't a perfect place to direct those who need a hand, and a reader/commenter specific section would benefit us all.

PROBLEM: I have a number of computer illiterate folks who signup for Intense Debate and actively comment on my website but DO NOT SELECT AN AVATAR!

I know this sounds crazy but a handful of my regular commenters enjoy commenting but don't understand how to visit a page with free avatars, download a picture, upload it on their IntenseDebate profile page. Trust me, even detailed emails to them explaining how to do this go WAY over their heads!

SOLUTION: How about you provide 20 or so DEFAULT Avatars which they can easily choose from under the IntenseDebate profile page?

Maybe you could provide a heading under Avatar which says "choose from 20 default Avatars". (Select the avatar they want to be theirs...DONE) This way if they are computer illiterate they can simply click on one!

PROBLEM SOLVED!