io9: Comments

Nevermind the Lolcats Here's Cthulhu

Kevin Kelly — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:40:32 PST

The only kinds of kittens we've really referred to here at io9 have been War Kittens, although there was a Laser Kittens entry that popped up during our Terminator photo contest, and we told you about Sex Kittens Go To College. However, as cute as they are, we've been dying for a meme to replace the lolcatz that have swept the nation. We need fret no longer. Check out a meme destined to spew forth from the bowels of other dimensions and onto our screens.

There's just something so perfectly absurd about combining a shambling horror with a cutesy saying that gets to us. It might be hard to take a tentacled beast that has come for your soul seriously after seeing some of these, but we wouldn't mind seeing them pop up as comments from time to time. There's a bunch already up at the Lolthulhu website, and you should feel free to make your own. Of course, it's a lot easier to find a picture of a cat doing something strange that it is to find a photo of a Shoggoth. [Thanks, Kit!]

io9 Comments -- Now With Video!

Annalee Newitz — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:23:19 PST

If you include a Youtube link in a comment, the clip will automatically be included with your text. Now you can wow us with your own found footage. The feature is still in beta, so your feedback is appreciated.

Become a Voice in the Machine with io9 Comments

Annalee Newitz — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:56:00 PST

You are not just a puny human to io9 — you're also a valuable member of our community. That's why we've made it easy for you to comment obsessively on every post you read, and to make friends with your fellow commenters.

How to Become an io9 Commenter

If you want to comment on a post and you aren't already a registered user, you'll need to be approved by our alien overlords. Here's how. First, sign in as a new user. Then, you'll be prompted to make a comment. An actual alien from another world will evaluate your comment for signs of mind control or nano-contamination. If you are clean, the alien will approve you as a user, your comment will be published, and you can comment freely from then on.

Our alien overlords also reserve the right to terminate your comment privileges if you are an asshat. See Lifehacker's excellent guidelines to commenting on blogs if you wish to avoid asshattery. Got a problem with that? This is what we say to you.

How to Make Friends with Other Commenters

Next time you see a comment that makes you go "squee!" or "hmmm" or "how brilliant," you should start following the other comments of the person who wrote it. Click the "Follow Commenter" link next to it, which looks like a plus sign. From there on in, each time that person comments again, you'll get a little inline notification so you can collect even more gems. The folks you're following will be listed on your profile page.

You can also friend commenters, and their names will show up on your commenter profile page.

How to Be Anonymous on io9

You can't leave anonymous comments on io9, but you can leave pseudonymous ones. We don't ever require you to give your real name or any identifying information when you sign up as a new user.

To keep your privacy intact, pick a name that can't be traced back to you. Don't make comments that reveal where you live or where you work. Don't use your friends' real names in comments. To learn more about anonymity in the blogging world, read this handy guide from our pals at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.