Dear Medium, I wish you’d stop opening comments full screen

Dear Medium,

I don’t like to complain. Well, not about Medium, anyway. lol.

I’d much rather write about how much I love it here, because I do. The formatting is gorgeous. Easy to write. No updating, like in wordpress. The publications, and the people, and so many shades of goodness here.

But PLEASE — Can you stop opening comments full screen?

It seems to be a new thing. And it kind of sucks. Here’s why…

— I open a story and start reading it.
— I highlight a snippet and hit comment.
— Boom! Full screen.

Well — *crap* — because

(a) I didn’t finish reading yet… and
(b) I didn’t clap yet.

So then I have to go BACK to the article so I can finish reading and clap.

Which
(a) is a bit frustrating, and
(b) Might mean two views instead of one.

I don’t know for sure on B. Maybe it doesn’t. Maybe I can view the same article several times and still count as one view. But I don’t know that.

I hope that’s the case — I hope going back to the story doesn’t mess up people’s read rate. But I don’t know. And it’s still kind of a nuisance.

Because now there’s mental gymnastics

Now when I’m reading, I have to remind myself — don’t comment until I’m done reading and I’ve clapped — because if I stop to leave a comment as I’m reading, you’re going to toss me into a full screen and I’m going to have to come back.

(I know. First world problems.)

But still, it brings up 2 questions…

1) Is this affecting read rate?

It’d be nice to know. Because when I love someone’s writing, I’d like them to see that reflected in their stats. Nothing sucks more than a 20% read rate. It makes the writer think that piece didn’t resonate for some unknown reason.

I’d hate to think I’m messing up read rates because I had actual enthusiasm and wanted to comment as I read and inadvertently racked up two views and one read instead of one view, one read. So if you could let us know?

2. What’s wrong with letting us decide?

In the past, there was always the option to go full screen. It’s not like that wasn’t an option. It was right there — as a link in the comment box. Was there something wrong with giving us the choice of full screen or not?

If there’s some benefit to forcing everyone into full screen so we have to go back and load the piece to finish reading or clap, it would be nice to know.

Because for now, it’s just making me comment less and I doubt that was the point. Can’t see how that would be encouraging. You know?

Thanks.