I share your sentiments about the new and improved MyDD vs the old MyDD that we all so dearly remember... perhaps there has also been a drop-off in enthusiasm which accentuates the differences, and there have been many drop-outs (voluntary and otherwise) of enthusiastic and exciteable participants wo are sorely missed (if only in retrospect). Whatever combination of events and ingredients which have caused the recipe to change, I personally think the current result is blander, and to my taste, too bland, with a hint of malaise.

I am glad that every diary isn't immediately stuffed with a 100+ comment flamewar, but I agree, it would be nice to see more active commenters.

My advice is to write the diaries you want to write. A thoughtful, substantive diary will attract more commenters than a few sentence long rant.

While I appreciate the new formatting tools, the new MYDD has been inconvenient to use in other respects. THe whole Preview comment thing doesnt work sometimes and my screen gets frozen. Once we encounter a few failed posts, we just give up.  Also on some hot button issues of the day, I find myself loooking for more expertise - such as financial reform and the current oil spill. I can't seem to find much to gain on MYDD on the oil spill issue.

Hate to say it. BUt MYDD seems kind of dead these days. I used to avoid going to DKos back inthe day because of the noise. But, that's where I tend to do go. Also the search functions help navigate for older posts more easily.

I have thought carefully about this - and imho the reason myDD is taking a hit is more to do with their layout and the look and feel - than anything else.

There is alot to be said for look and feel. There are alot of banner ads on this site, now...

shores up the concept that myDD is no longer .. comfortable... we are trying to tell Jerome something, but he's just not listening.

IMHO the way to go with this kind of a site is to stop trying to force as many ads into it as possible and let it regain its status as a kind of Craigslist for policy and political wonks..

if I didn't talk to myself, no one would listen.

Nobody comments on most contributor diaries and as there are only five that can be shown at one time, they are off the frontpage in a short time anyway.

I still can't seem to get the HMTL function to work and so photos and videos are no longer an option.

Sadly, I have also noticed a sharp reduction in daily visitor stats.

Leave well enough alone. I left Microsoft for the same reason. Its improvements proved to be a big pain in the ass.

The blog tends to do that in the off season. I shut it down for 2003, took off from blogging during 2005 until 2006. So 2010 is dead. I don't really care that much about whether its getting traffic or not, comes and goes.... one man gathers what another man spills.

But, the tech still is a bit bulky. The upgrade here is still about a month off. Should bring it around the corner. Content-wise, look, the reality is that the energy of the netroots is either into being a flack like cheerleader for this middle of the road administration, a disgruntled progressive, or a malcontent that wants to piss inside the tent at others that are disgruntled. Whatever to all of the above.

This blog has always been about Presidential politics, especially primaries, so I wouldn't be surprised if I don't think too much about blogging as a regular addiction for another couple of years; if I don't abandon it all to go live on an island before.

The irony of this being the most commented diary is rich.

The new format feels like it's still in beta, and maybe it is.  I agree that it plays a role.

I fear we shall never return to the good old days when every diary featured 200 comments arguing over whether Hillary is a racist.

that's what happens when Jerome bans everyone who hurt his feelings. 

less visable than the once did.  The elimination of a reclist for the diaries has significantly reduced the traffic they are getting.

Reply to this comment with specific technical issues with the site that I can address.  There is a big upgrade coming that will improve the platform MyDD runs on about a month from now.