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Page name: Comment Exchange [Logged in view] [RSS]
2006-08-20 17:41:49
Last author: wildmage92
Owner: HiddenFire
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(comment exchange banner by [jojo-kun])


Have you ever heard of a traffic exchange? The concept is simple: one visits member's sites in exchange for visits to one's own site. So in an effort to increase the exchange of comments in peoples' Elfwood galleries I, [HiddenFire], decided to start this comment exchange.

The problem:

Have you ever tried going on massive commenting runs? That's the way most amateur artists get their source of comments. They spend hours upon hours sitting in front of the computer commenting on picture after picture, hoping that a few artists will be kind enough to return the favor. What do they get out of it? Just a handful of measly comments or none at all. It's a gamble really, there is no guarantee that any artist will be the kind and curious type, and comment on your gallery in return.

The solution!

Well that's where this wiki comes in. We have taken the gamble out of it. Now it is simple to receive comments in your gallery. You are provided with links to members sites who promise comments in return!

Below is a link to the list of members. If you are starving for comments you should visit some of their galleries and leave some comments. It's not very difficult to gain comments in this way: if you only leave one comment in each gallery, that would mean you would gain at least one comment for EACH gallery you commented in. There is no guarantee you will receive more than that, but you will certainly not receive less. You actually get something for your hard work commenting. What could be better?

Or, alternatively, you could take one of the Comment exchange tours which have been put together with artwork from our members, and comment on the works you see there. You would recieve a comment back for every comment you gave out.

Constructive criticism (CC) is valued more highly than the “kool pics” comments. So leave as much CC as possible, they are more likely to return the favour with a larger number of comments in return.

You don't even need to be a member to benefit in this fashion!

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View members or sign up at Comment Exchange Members


All members are asked to submit the url of an image they would like featured in a Comment Exchange Members Tour.
Tours already put together can be found at Comment Exchange Tours!

What are the benefits of joining?


Why not just swing by and leave comments on member's galleries whenever you need comments? Well, as well as you commenting on other members' galleries and getting return from it, people would also come to you for comments if you were a member! it only takes a little more effort on your part. There is nothing wrong with simply swinging by whenever you need comments but it's extremely easy to become a member and reap the benefits.

Make sure to read the rules before going and commenting on members' sites or if you wish to join.

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We now have a page to post your updates - Comment Exchange News


Please watch that page and add to it whenever you have an update! This should help the older members and the newer members to blend a little bit better. Also, keep an eye on it for the tours! 

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Rules (ok, guidelines):

<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Members should return the favor, but are not required to return comments in the same number they were recieved
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Rude comments can be ignored (you don't have to return the favor in this case... it could lead to a feud)
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Comments are suggested to be returned in kind (if someone simply says "kool pics" then members can simply say the same on their page)
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Members should state on their galleries that they are members and what that means for those that comment on their work. Also check out Comment Exchange Declaration for some *suggested* HTML you can add to your Elftown bio. (I don't know why but everyone seems to ignore this one, this is a STRONG suggestion as it shows random stoppers by that you will return comments)
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> If you wish to join the Comment Exchange simply sign up here Comment Exchange Members
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Currently we only support Elfwood galleries/libraries. When you sign up to be a member you MUST have a link to an EW gallery/library. Failure to comply to this rule could get you (or at least the non-EW link) deleted from the members list.
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> When you sign up, try to comment on a few members' galleries, this will help to produce an internal circulation of commenting
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> Eventually your comment load may become too great, you may not have the time to return comments, or you simply consider this wiki training wheels and decide you don't need it any longer. Then simply remove your name from the list, no big deal
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417465.jpg> The rules are subject to change. Notification of the members will be attempted. If the rule is of particular importance a vote may be held. It is suggested you watch this page for any possible changes which may occur.

Many members may decide to apply their own stipulations on top of the rules here: they may add a few rules about their returning comments, or what kind they like to recieve. Those rules may eventually make their way into the official rules here if they seem to benefit the majority.

Discussion of possible new rules, suggestions, suggested chages in structure, or just gripes and complaints can be held at Comment Exchange Propositions

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Contents


<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> Comment exchange members View members or sign up!
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> http://ngal.fateback.com/random.html View a member's site at random here (requires javascript be enabled, updated sporadically)
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> Comment exchange tours View the current tours put together of comment exchange members work
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> Comment exchange members tour Sign up for the next tour here!
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> Comment exchange propositions Where new suggestions etc. can be posted
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099417659.jpg> Comment Exchange News Where you can find the latest news and add let people know about updated sites!

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Related wikis/websites of interest:


<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> *New* Elftown Comment Exchange
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> The constructive criticism club
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> Constructive Criticism Wiki
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> New Art Comment Club
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> Comments for the comment hungry
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> Wyvern's Writers United
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099418015.jpg> Fine Art Institution

Some advice about giving and recieving comments and criticism is found in these FARP articles by "Ellen Million". ~(referred by The constructive criticism club)~
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099420281.jpg> http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/guides/givecriticism.html
<img:img/drawing/80746_1099420281.jpg> http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/farp/guides/takecriticism.html

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Feel free to ask questions, add comments, express your ideas, or voice your opinion below, in the comments box. Feedback is welcomed as it would help this community grow and develop.


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Bullets and dividers by Elftown Graphics

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2007-10-13 [HiddenFire]: I've just got some tough classes right now. Once they're over, I'll be able to devote more time to other things.

2007-11-08 [HiddenFire]: Alright, I've got the preliminary skeleton of the site up and running. I should be able to set up a message board soon too. The theme is easily changed so don't go thinking that's what we're sticking with. For now we just have to get in there, dig around in the code and tweak it to fit our needs. I'm all for making anyone who wants to help fellow admins in order to accomplish this. If anyone knows a fellow artist who knows PHP and MYSQL and prefereable also WordPress and PHPBB then PLEASE try to see if they'll help out... but don't spam.

This is going to be a community, type site. I think we missed out on the whole community thing here. People just signed up to get the comments and never came back. We need to encourage people to come back on a regular basis.

Until I get the forum set up, we'll keep the discussions here.
Check out the basic site so far at: http://www.commentexchange.org

I've only got one class this session, hopefully it won't be a tough on me as last session and I can actually manage to get stuff done. I want to try to get as much done in the next 5.5 weeks as possible (because next session I'll have 2 tough classes again).

Thanks for all the support and encouragement. Lets go make something big! Let make something that matters! Let us take elfwood by storm and have them running to get to us. I know we can do it.

YAH!

2007-11-12 [HiddenFire]: Alright guys, I'm in the process of setting it all up. I've got a simple forum up and running and you can register as a user and have your url display immediately. It even sorts EW and DA users.

Right now I need to figure out ideas for forum groups and forums inside those groups. That should be fun.

2007-11-12 [HiddenFire]: Head on over to http://www.commentexchange.org and take a look at how things are moving. I need to get some registered users in the database so that I can test that everything works right. So far... it seems to behave alright... but it's just me in there.

2007-11-12 [HiddenFire]: Now that the site is up and running, I'm going to be spending time making it pretty. We need to get some more users in... so I guess we'll have to go through and send messages to each and very member on our list. Actual emails would be best, that way we'll make sure they know. Or perhaps just a simple comment on the main page of their gallery. That way, it's also an announcement that other EW/DA members will see.

Thanks for the support everyone. Lets make the best out of this.

2007-11-13 [HiddenFire]: Oh hey, just wanted to mention that because I'm just that awesome, we're ranked as the #1 page on google for the search "comment exchange" which is about as good as anyone could ask for. I don't think anyone will have a problem finding us.

2007-11-15 [HiddenFire]: I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going through EW galleries and commenting on galleries of those who have the term "comment exchange" in their user profile. I figured that these people would be the most active members (as opposed to those who joined and never added the declaration to their pages).

Feel free to do what I'm doing (I'm not done yet). Just make sure that I haven't already left the notice. and if you do leave a notice, also leave a comment about their art, that way you do not get flagged for spam.

Just thought you should know.

2007-11-15 [Estantia]: My stuff on elftown's more updated than elfwood by a LONG way, I treat elfwood more as an archive ^_^'

I'm also finding myself with a fair bit of uni work too, so that's taking up creative/commenting time too.

2007-11-15 [HiddenFire]: That's cool, the ET CE will remain here, but as a reduced Comment Exchange, Dedicated completely to ElfTown Artists. I think that would greatly increase ET Artist's commenting and traffic rates. Hopefully this move should benefit everyone.

2007-11-15 [Estantia]: of course, who know, I may eventually get my own site/gallery... somewhere...

2007-11-16 [HiddenFire]: I've got all of the above... except none on ET. I've got an EW a DA and my own site with it's own domain. Actually, EW and DA are great for sending traffic back to a main gallery site. In all honesty, for me, it's about driving traffic back to my gallery site. I consider EW and DA community sites more than gallery sites. That being said, I'm all about the community of it. I consider the CE a niche in the community. So far, we're the only one's in this niche... you can't beat that.

I'm thinking about opening up the CE to blogs as well... but I can't make up my mind. Every other aspect of the CE is about art and writing (stories)... not blog articles. The only advantages to doing so would be that traffic to the CE would DRASTICALLY increase. I'm not sure what the other effects might be... I'm just afraid that the bloggers will take over. *shrugs* I don't know. I'm still thinking about it.

2007-11-16 [Estantia]: it's your site, I'm sure you'll work something out.

2007-11-17 [HiddenFire]: Well, that's not what I wanted to hear. :P
For now, I think I'll just see how things go and work from there. We're gaining members slowly but surely. I think the advantage of using ET was the fact that we could leverage the advertising of the wiki awards. I remember our membership exploding just after we won. I'm not sure how we could get similar results. Who knows.

2007-11-18 [Estantia]: hm, i can't say i know that much myself, maybe get the word to pass around deviant art?

2007-11-18 [HiddenFire]: I think I might have to go on some massive commenting runs to help build up traffic. If I make some great comments on other people's galleries, they'll follow those comments back to mine and see what I declare myself to be, a CE member. It's possible. I'm just totally against outright advertising for that particular site. My other two sites... I'll pimp those out whenever I get the chance! ^_^

2007-11-19 [Estantia]: :P hehehe

2007-11-20 [Kshatriya Karahatay]: hate to help your indecision, but I'm not sure about adding bloggers either...
On the one hand it would increase traffic to your site, and if you had paid advertising on it, that would be the way to go to make money. The down side, like you said, is that bloggers would probably take over. I tend to think that if you really want to do something of the sort for bloggers you could create a sister site for them. I don't know, i just wouldn't want some depressed teenager who only blogs about death and suicide and can't form a sentence without cussing every other word putting garbage comments on my artwork just so I'll look at his blog so that he can feel... something.
Maybe I'm a mean person that way. But I think, as an artist, I want to help other artists and writers and be critiqued by people who are thoughtful and know what they're talking about. However, I've found that *most* (not by any means ALL) bloggers/people who join internet communities don't fall into this category. 
Hmmm... I'd better stop now before I insult someone. :)

2007-11-20 [HiddenFire]: Even if you insult the stupid whiny death obsessed kids, who cares? But I digress. Nah, I suppose I should state in the rules that the comment exchange is essentially several different bubbles... that is to say, that if a deviant art artist comments on an EW gallery... there is no oblication to return the comment. Also, if a blogger comments on your artwork, then you would not be obligated to comment on their blog.

The only time the bubbles intersect would be for EW galleries and libraries. I must admit, I don't really read much. If an EW artist comments on my artwork and they are also a writer, I will opt to comment on their artwork instead of reading their stories. I guess I'm lazy like that.

2007-11-20 [HiddenFire]: oh, and I set you up as another admin, K. You've got almost as much power over the site now as I do. You just lack ftp access, but you can still upload stuff... somewhere, I know there's a link. But that doesn't really matter. I trust you, feel free to do what you want with your new found powers... but don't delete me, that would be mean. :P

2007-12-12 [Kshatriya Karahatay]: lol!  oh, alright, I won't delete you. ;)

2007-12-12 [HiddenFire]: ^_^ I'm grateful. Heck, even if you did, all I would have to do to get access back would be to manually put me back into the database as an admin... might be difficult to do though. hmmmmm... yeah. But anyway. I'm really linking how things are going.

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