The difference between opinions paper-printed (on newspapers or magazines) and the ones posted on Kompasiana is that the later provide spaces for readers to put comments on them, while the former don’t. The comments make the writers and the readers closer and closer to each other. They have become real friends and even family members. Very often writers and readers make jokes by using the comments. It’s funny and entertaining. It sometimes can reduce the stress we face in our daily lives. However, to make the comment spaces more useful and give more value, we had better pay attention to the following thoughts:
[caption id="attachment_102836" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Winda's daughter"][/caption]
First, readers should give constructive comments towards the topic being discussed. The comments will not go far away from it. This may dig up the topic or deepen the discussion, then widen our views. Just to remind all Kompasianers, we may have a look at Bagaimana Jika Saya Bukan Yang Pertama Memberi Komentar Di Kompasiana? posted by Nocky Sakti. Personally, I don’t mind at all the Kompasianers’ comments, “Ha ha ha, kwak kwak, etc.” I myself sometimes do it. However, once I ‘kicked’ Winda Krisnadefa when she commented my posting Why English? with this: “You’re quite productive. In less than five months, you have posted 100 articles but none is in English.” And, she started writing in English. Isn’t it something constructive?
Second, readers should give some corrections to the language being used by the writer. Frankly speaking, I feel uneasy to do this. But Mr. Sjarifuddin Josuf reminded me the importance of giving corrections when he put a comment on my posting Make Kompasiana a Better Place to Share. So, I pushed myself to correct Flora’s way of using pronunciation and punctuation in Manusia Harimau, and Manusia Harimau (2). I think I will continue doing it and I won’t care whether or not other Kompasianers think I show off. In this way, we hope that writers will be better and better in the future. Then, writers in Kompasiana will no more be treated as fourth-class writers. (To know the classes in Kompasiana, please visit Kasta di Kompasiana). Third, the first and the second thoughts mentioned above are enough for now. What do you think? He he he.
