More on Comments 2.0: Come on out of the Shadows

By now you know that we've rolled out a new comments system here at Chicagoist. After a week, it's working pretty well for us, we have to say.

Now, one of the things you might be noticing is "guest" comments are posting in a lighter font that those of registered commenters (James, our copy editor, says this is the correct spelling, but we're gonna have to dust off a couple dictionaries to be certain). This post is a friendly reminder to everyone that we really want you to register and create a profile for Comments 2.0.

The main goal behind this system is to generate better comments, sure. But we're also trying to foster a sense of community among our readership. Registering in Comments 2.0 will give you more of a presence on Chicagoist. We're also hoping that it brings everyone together to produce more meaningful comments about our content, dialogue with our staff and each other; no more re-reading which "guest" said what before you fire off a reply. Registering in Comments 2.0 will also have some added benefits as we roll out more new technological features here at Chicagoist in the coming weeks. It's a minor hassle right now, but it comes with lots of benefits.

• You have to register once, and only once.
• It takes less than a minute to sign up and confirm your membership, from start to finish. Seriously.
• You're identified by the name of your choice when you post a comment on an article rather than as a "guest."
• There's no annoying "CAPTCHA" (those things where you have to type in what letters or numbers you see in a box) if you want to comment, even as a guest, and our system is way better than some other sites': across Gawker Media sites, for instance, you can't simply register — you have to post a comment that the administrators really, really like and only then will they approve your account.
• You stay logged in, both on Chicagoist and across the Gothamist network.
• You get your own fancy-dancy profile page that lists your recent comments (and responses to those comments). Like this. Or this.
• If you already had a Typekey account that you used to comment on Chicagoist, you can simply import all your old comments made under it to the new system.
• It all but cuts off comment spam, which is good for us, but even better for you — comments should show up much quicker, and there shouldn't be any of those frustrating delays or double-posted comments.

Ultimately, what we're asking for is that you not be strangers. You have the right to register as a "guest," but it's our opinion that registering in Comments 2.0 will build a stronger community of staff and readers. Please don't be shy.

Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" album cover image courtesy of Wikipedia. Classic album, by the way.