We have a million comments!

May 23, 2019 • 11:00 am

Well, it’s taken ten years, but as of a few minutes ago, the number of comments on this site passed a million.

I noticed a few days ago that we were close to the Golden Number, and, if I was awake, I wanted to watch as it happened. But the comments accumulated faster than I thought, probably because I don’t notice comments on old posts.

So, when I just looked at the dashboard, I saw this:

I was going to offer a prize for the millionth comment, too, but worried that that would inspire a lot of comments that wouldn’t normally be made. So perhaps the prize is best offered post facto.

When I looked to see what was the penultimate comment, it turned out to be from a “regular” who makes a big contribution to the site (click on screenshot to see this comment in situ):

So Michael Fisher made the millionth comment, and he gets a prize: a book by me of his choice, autographed and with a drawing of his choice (contact me, Michael). I have no hardcovers left of Why Evolution is True, but a couple dozen of Faith versus Fact, so it’s your choice. Or, if you want one sent to someone of your choice as a gift, I’ll be glad to do that.

It’s an appropriate comment for #1,000,000, too.

Note that there are on average a tad more than 50 comments per post. I always told myself that when it dropped below that, I’d think about giving up the website. I don’t think I’ll do that, as I now realize that many people read the site on their phones, which doesn’t register as “hits”, and it’s harder to comment when reading on a phone.

Anyway, it’s been a good run so far, and I’m going to keep going.

Thanks to the many readers who commented over the last decade (we started in January of 2009) and to Michael, who deserves his prize because he’s made not only many comments, but enlightening ones.

82 thoughts on “We have a million comments!”

    5. Phew,
      I felt a “sad” when our lovely host was thinking of closing down his site.

      I really cannot think of a comparable site for the range of subjects (atheism, boots, cats, d*gs, evolution . . .) or the depth of critical analysis. My education on a wide range of topics has been truly enhanced.

      It is an amazing amount of work by our host and one possible benefit is to maintain his cognitive reserve for old age.

      On top of that we have a wonderful group of commenters, their range of knowledge is amazing. Eg the forensic skills of Michael.

      I pop the letter “w” into my browser’s URL bar, and voila I enter this world.

      Peter (from the other side of the world)

      1. Seconded! That’s what I love about Jerry and the site- the huge range of stuff they deal with. Science, religion, free will, politics, cats having noms- there’s something for everyone!

  2. Congratulations, Jerry! I hope a million comments in some way repays you for all the effort you put into the WEIT site. As several readers have posted recently, you have many dedicated followers who truly enjoy what you are doing here and would have a hole in their lives if you were to abandon ship. Now enjoy your time off!

  3. Too bad it wasn’t “Well glaze my nipples and call me Rita!” from the same thread.

  5. If I had won I would have chosen The Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci.

  6. Congrats on the million marker. Many of us (well me at least) are very interested lurkers reading almost every post but rarely commenting. I let others do the talking and only jump in when I can say something original or significant. Keep up the good fight!

    1. I too am an avid lurker. In this august company I seldom have anything to offer that others have not said better. Keep posting please.

      1. Another ditto.

        This site has provided me with much information from my betters and I can’t tell
        you how much it has meant to me. I hope you, PCC(E), don’t give up on us too soon.

        Since I tend to wander in my comments and my son tries to help me become more focused, I’ve tended not to comment much but, as with others, greatly appreciate what is written by others.

        Here’s to the next million!

  8. ‘Nother prize goin’ overseas to a furriner. Gettin’ so we Yanks can’t catch a break. 🙂

    Congrats to all concerned!

    1. Yes, if you have to go overseas, at least they almost speak the same language. I am sure we will get sideways many times into the future.

  9. Congratulations! I am so glad you aren’t shutting the sight down. I don’t know where I would go to learn all I learn from this website. I also learn a lot from the commenters.

    1. Ditto. Very good point. Congratulations indeed. One million comments is quite the feat. I’m curious as to what the drawing of your choice could be. I always thought it was a cat drawing. There is no end to PCC(e)’s talents.

    2. If I don’t get my daily dose of WEIT, something feels wrong, like universal physical constants are out of whack.

      PCC(E), please keep going with WEIT as long as you can, I learn so much!

  10. Congratulations, Jerry, and also to Michael.

    Glad you decided to keep going. I would miss WEIT terribly, especially the animal posts.

    L

  11. Don’t stop the web site..I read it every day!
    I would like to buy some WEIT merch!!
    🙂

    1. That would probably be a question for the publisher? Who’re more likely to expend the effort on current titles – unless there’s a reprint in the offing.

  12. Congratulations to Michael and Jerry! The number of high quality posts is pretty amazing in itself.

  13. Congratulations and a million thanks for creating this oasis of sense, intelligence and politeness (well, mostly).

  14. Congratulations. I seldom comment but never miss a day and read everything. Please keep going.

  15. A tip of my genetic engineer’s cap in celebration of comment # 1,000,000. This is an outstanding website. Had I been the lucky number, I wouldn’t need copies of WEIT and FvF, as I purchased my own copies of these excellent books some time ago.

  16. Good idea about the prize. In the past you’ve offered prizes to the most prolific commenters. I would suggest that this year you offer a prize to the most prolific commenter whose comments are most consistently ignored by other commenters. If you decide to do this I’d like the autographed WEIT copy with the cat artwork. I’ll send my address in an email.

  17. The beauty of this site is that it allows for a meaningful exchange of views on several important topics. In other words, there is a benefit for not having too many comments. If I were to comment on an NYT article, what are the odds that it would be read by others as it would just be one of a thousand? The answer is very low. Here I am rather confident that my comments are read by many if not most readers. That is why I am willing to write comments, some of which can take up to a half hour to compose.

    So, keep up the good work! I need the intellectual stimulation.

    2. And you’re likely going to get interesting replies instead of the crap you can get out in the inter webs.

      1. Methinks the facts on the ground are clear, impactful work is being done when he drags creationists and regressives alike.

  19. When you are counting hits, I trust you are aware that some of us do most of our reading on a newsreader such as Feedly, so you won’t see those numbers either. Of course, I may be unique in this.

  21. Congratulations to WEIT on its millionth post!

    And to the lucky Michael Fisher.

    And Jerry, it may just be that I don’t get around much on the internet but I don’t know of many bl . . .,err, websites that average 50 comments per post! That’s pretty impressive, especially considering the steady pace of articles you maintain.

  23. I estimate that i learn at least one thing of value everyday from weit…either from your posts themselves or from some very thoughtful and knowledgeable comments by readers or both. Glad to see the positive reinforcement, particularly when you appeared to be getting down a bit lately.

  25. Thanks for keeping WEIT going Jerry. Many people read all of the posts and comment on only a few.

  29. Not to rain on the parade, but I figure about half those comments must me having to go back to post an addendum correcting a typo or a spelling or grammar or usage error in my original comment. 🙂

  30. Congratulations – happy to see you will continue. I was worried when I saw you comment the other day. I read this site very day but rarely comment (others do it so much better).

    Keep up the good work Jerry.

  31. Congratulations from the Antipodes to both you, Jerry, and Michael. As others have said I am pleased that you have decided to maintain WEIT. It enlightens my morning coffee, and gets me off to a good start.

  35. Congrats Michael! Perhaps you can be called the Loquax of the year!

  37. Every morning I enjoy WEIT along with the regular and occasional commenters – and my coffee. Congratulations on the exceptional landmark. I thoroughly enjoy the range of topics and have learned and enjoyed a lot since I subscribed. Hope you will keep it going for a long time.

  38. The ‘Golden Number’? I was going to say, surely that’s 1.618….

    But I see that’s the Golden Ratio, so I guess I’ll just go and babble about it in Grania’s post. 😉

    cr

  39. Congrats Dr.C…you have always been an amazing individual since we first met.

  40. Congratulations, your site is my default setting. Not just 1M comments, but most of them making sense, a great feat.

  41. I am looking forward to see what will be the prize for the comment number ten millions.

  44. Congratulations Jerry! (and Michael — a very appropriate comment for the win).

  46. I cherish WEIT enormously. I hope you continue with it for a long and healthy life.

  47. Congratulations, Strong Bad, on your 100th email!

    Wait, wrong thread. Congratulations to Michael and Jerry for their accomplishments.

    Also thanks, Jerry, for a good community of discussion and thought.

  49. Well done, Jerry! I was surprised when I saw this because of how I perceived the volume of your readership. Then I remembered what a large number a million is. Tres cool!

  50. Congrats! I don’t comment much but I’m another one of those Avid Lurkers. I so appreciate the variety & quality of content here, and wouldn’t know where else to go if this place folded… because there’s only one YOU. Thank you! xoxox

  51. Thank you Jerry for the gratz & the recognition, although the committent to WEIT & the quality of the content is down to you, your bookends Grania & Greg & the clowder of cats that have gambolled across the pages over the years.

    Peace & Love from a mere lottery winner
    Michael.

    Sorry for the delay in replying – took longer than expected to wade back through my email notifications due to an eruption of iffy health. Will email when I have thought of a suitable drawing!

  52. Congratulations Dr. Coyne! Your site topics solicit and receive a diversity of intellectual comments on matters that are, as far as I can tell, of great significance to your followers. I am one admirer enriched by this site, and I am very pleased that you have decided to continue this blog.

  53. Here is an image of my PCC[E] signed FvF title page. I asked Jerry to draw The Ceiling Cat speaking words of wisdom from above [CC to choose the words of course]:

    https://flic.kr/p/2gjfnXA

    Because I already have FvF, I will send it on to niece something or other removed, Adele for her birthday. She’s the only one in my clan who ponders on these sorts of things & see reads WEIT daily.

    Thank You
    Jerry!

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