I can’t remember who said it, but I like the quote that went something like this. “If we both agree, then one of us is redundant.”

I appreciate that you acknowledge that a blog without comments feels sterile.

Bennett’s question about writing is one of them. I might have put it differently from Bill, but one thing we share at Design Observer is a love of writing — reading it and doing it. I have been writing for print since the 1980s and the reason I started blogging was to explore the medium as another outlet for my writing, to see what blogging’s strength were, and to find out what could and couldn’t be done. That’s my primary motivation and I think my DO colleagues share it. The pieces we write on DO tend to be longer and more essay-like than those on other design blogs.

The main difference with blogs, of course, apart from the immediacy and the absence of an editor (usually), is the possibility for others to comment with equal spontaneity. The response you get in this way can be both hugely inspiring and intensely frustrating. The uncertainty is part of the blogging experience. But the fact is, on Design Observer, we do have comments and the site is a product of both its writers and those who take time to comment. When the comments are good — and sometimes they are brilliant — it’s a highly satisfying experience of a kind that printed publications simply can’t provide. Blogs that don’t allow comments feel sterile by comparison no matter how good the writing is.

I wish I could have had a chance to give a rebuttal to Rick’s political ideas, but I don’t think I could have said anything that wasn’t said the first time around. If anyone want’s to relive it, it all started here

I would still like to know what Rick’s take on Bill’s viewpoint of Design Observer being just as good without the comments. He did mention that he takes the anonymous commnetors less seriously. I would have to agree with that. I also think it is a great goal to get as many non-designers to visit design blogs as possible.

I have a question for the show. I was just wondering if you were born that smart and attractive or if it is something you really have to work at?

Ok, sorry. Nobody was throwing in questions, so . . .

Come on people. You can ask Rick Poyner, Armin, Bryony, Jen . . . any question, and they will at least have to find a creative way to avoid the question.

I was curious as to wether Rick has some of the same viewpoints that fellow Design Observer founding writer Bill Drenttel expressed in the HOW blogging session? Did he want to start DO as a place to easily publish his writing? Does he agree with Bill that DO would be as good even without the comments?