PLEASE READ! DIARIES! PLEASE READ!

Don't miss even more great lottery analysis and a Dr Dave poem just below, but we interrupt our regular proceedings with this important reminder:

Anyone who's heard me talk about the site knows that I think the Diaries are THE most important site feature and there's not even a close second.  I have no wish to limit your production, creativity, or the credit you get for them, but in order to make the diaries work everybody must adhere to a simple guideline:

Please do not start a new diary on a topic that's already being discussed in another diary or on the main page.

There are three important reasons:

1.  It splits the discussion on the topic, leading to people having to re-post, confused about where they should post, or abandoning the conversation altogether.  Also, selfishly speaking, it looks better for the blog to have one diary or main page post with 80 comments than 10 diaries with 8 comments.
2.  It takes credit and attention away from the initial conversation starter.  This isn't a big deal with me since I talk and get comments here all the time.  But if somebody new or someone who doesn't speak here much starts a diary in anticipation of conversation and feedback, then they come back a few hours later and their diary has two comments and someone else who duplicated their topic has eighteen, that's discouraging.
3.  This is the most important one...  There's only space for ten diaries on the main page.  You can change that with a little pull-down menu below the diary section but realistically most people won't.  That means every new diary put up bumps somebody else's off the page and in effect out of discussion.  With normal traffic this isn't a huge issue but with big news like yesterday (and hopefully as the site continues to grow) it will be.  As it stands diaries written just yesterday are now pretty much dead before most folks had the chance to read them.  And the bulk of the diaries active right now are riffs on the Oden/Durant or lottery themes, both of which are covered on the main page for just that reason.

There's no need for embarrassment or apologies if your diary is up right now...it's not a huge deal.  This post isn't directed at anyone in particular, just a general reminder.  Comment sections are for continuing discussion, diaries are for brand new topics.

Occasionally I will lift important subjects from the diaries onto the main page (always with credit to the original diary writer) if I feel the subject needs to be front and center for the community.  An example would be somebody finding out the Blazers traded Zach and posting it so we know immediately (which I very much appreciate, because I can't keep tabs 24/7).  But that's my prerogative as the main blog guy.  Please don't take that liberty in reverse, or with each other.  That way everybody's diary gets fair treatment and there's incentive to write, read, and respond to them all.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)