Obama: FCC should reclassify internet as a utility

Just a short one for you all.

Today was a great milestone as Obama declares his mission to instigate Net Neutrality once and for all. Finally! If you don't quite know what that is and if it's important or not, well watch this short CPG Grey video  (in short, it's stupidly important).

But what I really want to draw attention to was the comments I found paired with this content. 3200 comments on reddit, 500 comments on the Verge, and I'm sure there's more elsewhere. Drool.

For me this is what the internet should be like; experience the content and then join the discussion! It's sad that it takes such a big announcement to create conversation.

If you would like to read the comments (I highly suggest you do) the links are here:

• Reddit (in my experience r/technology generally brings new insights to content)
• The Verge 

Oh and if you didn't know, Obama actually did an AMA (ask me anything) over at reddit, with a mind blowing 24,000 comments. Making it one of the highest rated things of all time on reddit. He did a great job as well. He's doing things right when it comes to embracing the future. 

The Verge loses the marginal user.

Comments are an impulse thing, you experience something and want to react.

I think it's really important to reduce the friction between the moment someone wants to comment and the action of doing so.

I had a not so great experience recently while reading the verge online.

After reading the article and then comments section, I wanted to pass my own comment. 

I don't normally sign up for additional online accounts but I thought I'd try it out. So the registration process was pretty simple: username/ password/ email. 

But after logging in, I was told that I couldn't comment, because they need to verify my account and this would happen in a days time.

As a result, they lost my comment. 

I'm patient user and frequent commenter, so the additional wait is fine for someone like me. 

But to really popularise commenting platforms, you need to make it as easy as possible for the marginal user, for them to experience the magic moment, and for them to contribute. 

But what about all those impatient users that leave at a moments notice. The verge created an unnecessary barrier to commenting that would deter many potential users. The worst thing is that they are unmeasurable! 

If you're interested in the marginal user, watch Lecture 6 of the 'how to start a startup' series. Alex Schulz from Facebook highlights the importance they put on the marginal user rather than just the power user.