IMO the biggest drawback about the columns that we tried here was that they removed a feeling of flow. When a community is contributing, you expect to sense a dynamic that reflects these contributions. Stacking items in columns obscures that dynamic, and reduces the feeling of participation. The impression that I get here is that I can submit something, but that an editorial decision will determine whether or not it will appear on the front page. That might not be the case, but that is the impression this gives me.
- Communities derive personality from insular thinking and like mindedness.
Yeah, but getting a broader community isn't necessarily a bad thing. When you're only seeing and hearing from like-minded people, it is very easy to be too insular where you're only seeing and hearing things from one side of the spectrum. It is a delicate balance.