I agree with above comments that current restrictions on commenting needs to be changed. Allow anonymous comments would be fine for me, though I recognize potential issue with spam. On my earlier non-SmugMug site I went for nearly eight years without a single spam comment. I met many great new folks around the world because they tripped into my site and left a comment.
I am not on FB myself and have many friends and family also not on either.
Just adding my comments WRT this thread. I too would like to see a sign in that doesn't require a FB or SM account. Google + would work. I noticed that when I started my site a couple days ago, I couldn't add my G+ Account for contact.
Another service I've used allowed my customers to create user accounts that would let them keep track of their orders, pick their favorites, make comments, etc. This would not be a regular SmugMug account - just a user account like what we register for when we shop at places like BH Photo or Amazon. I know this would take some more development, but I think it should be put on the list for future enhancements. It makes repeat ordering so much easier if all your personal data is stored from your previous order.
In the meantime, please allow for anonymous comments with the opportunity to turn them on or off and to moderate them.
+1 to ceasley's comment above. SmugMug should be a leader with innovations that the OTHER places copy. Right now, with the New SmugMug, they are not leaders. I stop here.
+1 to ceasley's comment above. SmugMug should be a leader with innovations that the OTHER places copy. Right now, with the New SmugMug, they are not leaders. I stop here.
Just a friendly bump and you can also vote and add your comments here:
+1 for anonymous comments! I have a gallery that is password protected and only available to one user. The gallery is being used to provide us with yearbook photos for our golf team. It is ridiculous that she has logged in to view the pictures that she uploaded but can't comment! So I need to go back and tell her that she has to upload, login to view and then login thru Facebook to comment. Crazy.
This needs to be an option that the user has control over, because it severely limits us in the things we need to do and we will need to find other ways and possible services to get things done.
+1 for anonymous comments! I have a gallery that is password protected and only available to one user. The gallery is being used to provide us with yearbook photos for our golf team. It is ridiculous that she has logged in to view the pictures that she uploaded but can't comment! So I need to go back and tell her that she has to upload, login to view and then login thru Facebook to comment. Crazy.
This needs to be an option that the user has control over, because it severely limits us in the things we need to do and we will need to find other ways and possible services to get things done.
Another vote to bring back anonymous comments and/ or sign a comment with email address.
It's pretty much the only gripe I have about new smugmug.
I use smugmug 99% for my family, and friends, and hardly anyone has facebook nor a smugmug account, or is willing to log in just to give a quick comment. It's an unnecessary hassle that's reduced comments to ZERO for my galleries. I had nice conversations going on in the comments section between members of my family, and friends. Since I have migrated I have - I repeat - ZERO comments.
What was so bad about the old system, that let viewers comment by putting dowen their email address? I mean there was even the option to wait for the site owner's approval if people were afraid of offensive comments.
Please, please.
Anonymous comments are very important if comments are to be useful at all!
Otherwise, allow login using EVERY other social networking site there is, rather than restricting it to Facebook only.
That's very restrictive and ridiculous!
I would like to reenable my guestbook but I can't until my visitors can leave comments. They are not smug customers - and I won't ask anyone to use Facebook since I won't use it myself.
If you don't want anonymous then please add support for all other social networks.
Hmm, new with Smugmug, but it is apparent, why I have entered into this thread. I find zero reaction from Smugmug being quite incomptent, espacially if we can clearly see, what ppl think about actually not allowing anonymous comments. And even more - not allowing anynymous comment for unlisted private galleries, or password protected ones, is a big design flaw. Whoever is responsible for the design of the system, should imo reconsider, as this lack of feature simply can't sustain a sanity check ...
Sorry everyone...no updates to give. We are working on identifying and adding log in through other accounts.
Michael, thank you for the update. I am sure, at some point more social media logins will be added for the purpose of leaving comments. But I really wish you can comment on and provide any details on allowing account owners to accept anonymous comments for account owner's own photographs. SmugMug already was pretty vocal and clear about javascript. Baldy openly said "no". Can you, please, provide a straight forward answer on this topic as well?
Merged Denise's two threads under the title "add support for sign in (for comments) > Google, others"
Having more ways to sign in is still going to leave a large percentage of our visitors unable to comment. Most people who are on Google+ are already on FB anyway. And most of those who aren't on either one are even less likely to be on any of the other services you may add support for.
The answer seems painfully obvious to me & is so frustrating that SmugMug can't simply listen to its users on this one: Make it possible for us to require signing in if we want that; then those who've had problems & want more security can have it. For the rest of us, (which sounds like a majority anyway) allow anonymous comments. You can always make them removable, right? We get notified...
I've never had a negative comment (suggestions & critiques, yes, & I welcome them) but I've had many comments from people who would not have any way to sign in with any services & even if they're on FB, don't want to sign in with that. I myself NEVER sign in with FB. It causes so many problems & issues that I do not need. In the next few days, I'll in fact be getting comments from someone who wants to choose some photos for a project. I don't even know of another simple way for them to list the photos for me. Thank God I'm still on Legacy, or I wouldn't be able to do this.
While I welcome the option of allowing additional social networks, my first choice is to give the Smugmug customer the option to allow and/or moderate anonymous comments. I hope merging these threads doesn't negate the many requests for anonymous comments.
Sorry everyone...no updates to give. We are working on identifying and adding log in through other accounts.
But you're not working on a user-controlled option for allowing anonymous comments? That's just ridiculous. You have a small group of members who cry about mean comments so your knee-jerk reaction is to force everyone to make their clients jump through hoops to leave a comment. Unbelievable. Adding log ins through other accounts is not the answer.
I can understand, why Smugmug does what they do - it simply fits their business model, if words are spread thru social systems. But please, pretty pretty please - allow anonymous comments at least for unlisted or password protected galleries, for the purpose of customer feedback! Those galleries tend to be strictly private, and social media is really not needed in such a case.
Of course, the best option would be the freedome to choose, per gallery, if we allow anonymous comments. The best way would be to enable to moderate such comments, to prevent some spam or in another way inappropriate ones ...
Merge all the threads you want, but these are not the same requests. Adding more social networks may bring in the small percentage of people who are not on Facebook but are on other services, but there are still very many people who don't and won't have either. Until there can be a way to leave anonymous comments (or else nothing more than e-mail verification — I would guess just about everyone on the Internet has an e-mail address), the ability to leave comments is completely useless to me. I have them turned off site-wide, even though I would love to have them.
I have to say generally I like the new SmugMug. I know there are still issues, but it seems SmugMug is working through them. I can also understand things like Javascript being removed because of its challenges from an technical implementation standpoint (even though I still miss it). However, this decisions truly lowers my opinion of SmugMug as a company. Here they have taken the position that they know better than we what is best for us. They have taken on the role of parent rather than a business trying to sell a service. I already have parents, who, by the way, can't leave comments on my little site oriented at my friends and family (it's even hidden from Google). Many of the older generation stays away from social networks for various reasons. The truth is, so do I. Because Mommy SmugMug thinks my feelings might get hurt by some loser comment, my real parents can't comment.
The short of it is this: To whom does my site really belong? If it is in fact my site, then whom I choose to censor or not censor is NOT YOUR CALL. Get off my site.
(If it's not my site, then what am I paying you for?)
I still believe we need anonymous comments plus additional social networks.
Again, I do not use Facebook and will not ask my viewers to use it.
Given that my viewers without Facebook or SmugMug accounts can't leave comments I have removed the guestbook from my site. I'd really like to add it back again.
Michael -
It's good to hear smug is working on this. Are you working on both anonymous comments and on additional social networks? Which social networks?
...To whom does my site really belong? If it is in fact my site, then whom I choose to censor or not censor is NOT YOUR CALL. Get off my site.
(If it's not my site, then what am I paying you for?)
I brought up exactly the same question a long while ago. What has happened with "new" SmugMug was pretty obvious from the start - they changed their business model and if they did offer a real hosting of your images before it is not the case now. Today, you are paying for a pretty (prettier than competitors) template with very limited customization power and the ability to display your images through this template. Exactly the business model of any other similar service on the market. Take it or leave it... unfortunately.
Comments
I am not on FB myself and have many friends and family also not on either.
Agree. Minimally, adding Google sign-in would be great. DISQUS is ok too.
How about a SmugMug commenter registration? No cost to join, but would enable spam control.
Dave
In the meantime, please allow for anonymous comments with the opportunity to turn them on or off and to moderate them.
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Just a friendly bump and you can also vote and add your comments here:
http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug/suggestions/4262376-remove-smugmug-facebook-log-in-requirements-for-co
My Smugmug Site
This needs to be an option that the user has control over, because it severely limits us in the things we need to do and we will need to find other ways and possible services to get things done.
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
It's pretty much the only gripe I have about new smugmug.
I use smugmug 99% for my family, and friends, and hardly anyone has facebook nor a smugmug account, or is willing to log in just to give a quick comment. It's an unnecessary hassle that's reduced comments to ZERO for my galleries. I had nice conversations going on in the comments section between members of my family, and friends. Since I have migrated I have - I repeat - ZERO comments.
What was so bad about the old system, that let viewers comment by putting dowen their email address? I mean there was even the option to wait for the site owner's approval if people were afraid of offensive comments.
Anonymous comments are very important if comments are to be useful at all!
Otherwise, allow login using EVERY other social networking site there is, rather than restricting it to Facebook only.
That's very restrictive and ridiculous!
(FeaturePhotography.net)
End of. Period. Sinn é. Fact.
My Smugmug Site
I would like to reenable my guestbook but I can't until my visitors can leave comments. They are not smug customers - and I won't ask anyone to use Facebook since I won't use it myself.
If you don't want anonymous then please add support for all other social networks.
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
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Michael, thank you for the update. I am sure, at some point more social media logins will be added for the purpose of leaving comments. But I really wish you can comment on and provide any details on allowing account owners to accept anonymous comments for account owner's own photographs. SmugMug already was pretty vocal and clear about javascript. Baldy openly said "no". Can you, please, provide a straight forward answer on this topic as well?
The answer seems painfully obvious to me & is so frustrating that SmugMug can't simply listen to its users on this one: Make it possible for us to require signing in if we want that; then those who've had problems & want more security can have it. For the rest of us, (which sounds like a majority anyway) allow anonymous comments. You can always make them removable, right? We get notified...
I've never had a negative comment (suggestions & critiques, yes, & I welcome them) but I've had many comments from people who would not have any way to sign in with any services & even if they're on FB, don't want to sign in with that. I myself NEVER sign in with FB. It causes so many problems & issues that I do not need. In the next few days, I'll in fact be getting comments from someone who wants to choose some photos for a project. I don't even know of another simple way for them to list the photos for me. Thank God I'm still on Legacy, or I wouldn't be able to do this.
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
But you're not working on a user-controlled option for allowing anonymous comments? That's just ridiculous. You have a small group of members who cry about mean comments so your knee-jerk reaction is to force everyone to make their clients jump through hoops to leave a comment. Unbelievable. Adding log ins through other accounts is not the answer.
Of course, the best option would be the freedome to choose, per gallery, if we allow anonymous comments. The best way would be to enable to moderate such comments, to prevent some spam or in another way inappropriate ones ...
I have to say generally I like the new SmugMug. I know there are still issues, but it seems SmugMug is working through them. I can also understand things like Javascript being removed because of its challenges from an technical implementation standpoint (even though I still miss it). However, this decisions truly lowers my opinion of SmugMug as a company. Here they have taken the position that they know better than we what is best for us. They have taken on the role of parent rather than a business trying to sell a service. I already have parents, who, by the way, can't leave comments on my little site oriented at my friends and family (it's even hidden from Google). Many of the older generation stays away from social networks for various reasons. The truth is, so do I. Because Mommy SmugMug thinks my feelings might get hurt by some loser comment, my real parents can't comment.
The short of it is this: To whom does my site really belong? If it is in fact my site, then whom I choose to censor or not censor is NOT YOUR CALL. Get off my site.
(If it's not my site, then what am I paying you for?)
Again, I do not use Facebook and will not ask my viewers to use it.
Given that my viewers without Facebook or SmugMug accounts can't leave comments I have removed the guestbook from my site. I'd really like to add it back again.
Michael -
It's good to hear smug is working on this. Are you working on both anonymous comments and on additional social networks? Which social networks?
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
I brought up exactly the same question a long while ago. What has happened with "new" SmugMug was pretty obvious from the start - they changed their business model and if they did offer a real hosting of your images before it is not the case now. Today, you are paying for a pretty (prettier than competitors) template with very limited customization power and the ability to display your images through this template. Exactly the business model of any other similar service on the market. Take it or leave it... unfortunately.