I've noticed that there are lots of new members writing auto review as thier first shot at Epinions. I'm finding that I'm become extremely repetitive with comments for them... read other reviews, covers the basics, go into detail. I'm writing a 'how to write auto reviews' review covering the basics, but I'm wondering if it would be a bad thing to provide the URL when I see a new member who needs some help. I know that the member center editorials don't generate any money, sbut would it still seem kind of self-aggrandizing?

-- Bennett Campbell (apparatus@juno.com), May 17, 2002

Answers

Bennett-

The same question comes up elsewhere, too -- newbies are basically clueless.

For a long time, one member (now an advisor in books) posted a form letter to thousands of comment sections (Welcome..., you need to..., see reviews by..., and so forth). The members -- what few notice that there's a comment -- don't know it's non-unique, but it sure gets on other raters' and commenters' nerves.

If you're a slow typise, you might try a hybrid technique: a standard form comment that you can personalize by mentioning specific details such as the car model or whatever.

And no matter what anyone says, you don't need to comment on every one of them! Somebody coming up behind you can do part of the comments, and usually does.

Rex

-- Rex Knepp (scmrak@hotmail.com), May 20, 2002.