If we're going to argue about something stupid, let's raise money for WhyMommy and breast cancer while we do

If you read my blog through a feed reader, then you make the decision to click through to the full post based on my snappy title and compelling first 100 words because I choose to publish partial feeds.  Lately, I've been made aware that this really pisses a lot of you off. Actually, I've known this for awhile, but given the continued back and forth between "Partials" and "Fulls," well, I figured I'd address the issue.

Here's what I have to say about that (but you're going to have to click through to see it).

OH WELL.

I never realized partial versus full feeds were such a big deal until Heather Armstrong linked me on her blog after we were on the same Today Show story about mom bloggers and one of her readers emailed me. She said something to the effect of that she liked my blog but she refused to read anyone who didn't publish full feeds so if I didn't change she wouldn't be reading my blog.

"Oh no!" I gasped. "Let me change it for you right away. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you!"

Please. Screw that.

Apparently she's not alone in her disdain for partial feeds. I hear from folks every now and then that they just can't read me anymore because I publish partial feeds.

And I've seen some pretty heated discussions on Twitter about it.

Personally, I don't care about the extra two cents (if that) that I would get from the extra view on my blog if you click over.

The only reason I publish partial feeds is because my work here has been scraped too damn many times.

And I like to piss you lazy full feed snobs off.

(Okay, not really).

It's never ever bothered me to have to click through on my feed reader to see a post. Never. I'm more than happy to give the blogger whose blog I'm reading for free a click. Maybe even a few. If I'm feeling generous, I might even click their google ads, even if I'm not looking for a sexy Asian wife.

Really?! A click is that much of a pain? Obviously so because I'm writing an entire post about it.

As a writer, I value my writing most. I actually use the partial feed as a means to challenge myself to choose better titles and really think about how I'm opening my posts.

But I won't be changing to a full feed anytime soon. No matter how many times you try to tell me you won't read my blog anymore.

Even the lovely and talented Alice of Finslippy who was rallying for full feeds a week or so ago on Twitter can't make me change, damnit.

So since I know this post will incite one heck of an awesome yet pretty trite discussion about feed readers, let's make something good come out of it. I really hesitated to post on something like "feeds" given that my dear friend WhyMommy has been diagnosed with cancer again (that's 4 times in 4 years).

But then I thought, let's channel our strong feelings about feeds into something that's actually worthwhile.

So, I will personally donate $1 for every comment up to 500 comments to Crickett's Answer, one of the many causes that Susan has helped support over the last four years. This charity provides women with free Lymphedema sleeves, something that helps ease the pain of those undergoing chemo treatment but surprise! is not covered by insurance.

If I raise $500 with 500 comments, then 5 women can get these sleeves that they might not otherwise be able to afford very easily if at all.

[Comments will remain open until Tuesday 12am EST. One comment per person per day. Feel free to say whatever you want. You can't insult me but feel free to insult those who hate people who use full feeds! *KIDDING* Better, insult cancer. Because it deserves to be insulted]

Comments

[Maile]

Cancer took my Nana when I was 16 and my best friends father days after her 18 birthday (her brother was 12). My aunt has been battling for years now and my great uncle was rushed to the ER on Christmas and has since been diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma and is on chemo and dialysis...

So yeah, feck off cancer!!

[The Estrogen Files]

I'm with you on partial feeds. Heck, if you aren't interesting enough in 100 words then too bad. If you're on my feed reader I generally like what you have to say and will click through.

Cancer sucks.

[jodifur]

I don't think I expressed how much it means that you are doing this. I feel like Susan means everything to the DC parenting blogging community.

[Lindsay]

My 32 year old friend battled breast cancer last year. You have my support on an important cause.

[jc]

No way, wa's dis gahbage?!? Eff cancer!!

[Christina]

Thank you for your generosity! Cancer sucks.

[Meg]

thanks for doing this.

[Katy YO]

Hmm, so that's why only some of the posts show up in my feeder! Ha! I learn something every day. :)

[Pam]

Feeds schmeeds.

I dedicate this comment to all those battling.

Thanks for making commenting awesome, Kristen.

[seedmomma]

People complain about this? Dear lord... take it or leave it. Or "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit"

[Nancy]

Whymommy is the best. Thanks for supporting her.

I personally use a partial feed (during the very random times that I actually happen to update my blog) because I got very pissed way back when my blog content was scraped by Bitacle. I know some people won't click through, but oh well.

[Nancy P]

Cancer sucks

[Neil]

If someone eliminates cancer from this world, I will go NO FEED! Hello, WhyMommy.

[Emma]

I'll leave a comment for a good cause. And yep, partial feeds are annoying. Just my 2 cents. Wouldn't bother to ask anyone to change, though. Your decision. Whatever.

[pamela @vampiresmitten]

fuck cancer! you're so generous!

[Sarah]

I hate partial feeds, but I hate cancer more. Count my comment, man. $$

[Redneck Mommy]

I hate Cancer. But I love you for doing this. Well, for other reasons too, but let's just stick with the charitable ones for now.

[Mir]

Hooray for telling cancer to suck it! Again!

[Her Bad Mother]

Feeds, schmeeds. We could also argue about whether it's evil to publish partial excerpts on the front page of a blog, that 'force' people to jump to the full post. Or whether Uggs are harbingers of the apocalypse, or Lady Gaga is over-rated, or raisins in cookies an act of hostility on the part of misanthropic bakes. FIRST WORLD NON-CANCEROUS PROBLEMS.

[Mr Lady]

FUCK people who have nothing better to do with their time than whine about how they are able to access my cut-rate blog, when people like Why Mommy are BATTLING FUCKING CANCER.

You rule for this.

[pseudostoops]

No horse in the partial vs full feeds race, but I'm staunchly anti-cancer.

[jp]

Fuck Cancer..........just sayin!

[Susanne]

Another thank you from Germany!

[Janina]

Here is another click straight from Germany, Europe!

[Yapo92]

Thank you for helping others.

[Stephanie]

Great reason to delurk and post a comment.

[NoR]

Alas, I have yet to try feed readers, but I do read Why Mommy...

[Steph]

I don't give a crap about feeds. If you care enough, you follow. I care enough. And I've never used a feed in my life, and don't plan too.

[Sherri]

Thank-you.

[Michelle]

Fuck cancer!
Comment, day II, just to be sure you have to spend the full $500!

[Jen]

Delurking to comment for a good cause! Love your blog and don't even know what a feed is.

[Kristen S]

Thanks for what you're doing!

[Kylee]

I don't care either way about feeds. I do care about cancer. It fucking sucks.

[dana]

418!

[Sabz]

Back again. Hello K :)

[Felicia]

One more cancer insult!

[Debbie]

I love full feeds, but not anywhere near as much as I love WhyMommy. F*&k Cancer!

[magpie]

Cancer sucks. You're awesome. (And even though I'm in the full feed camp for my blog, I still read other people who aren't. What's another click?)

[Karen N]

I read your posts when you mention them on twitter :)

[Jennifer]

Never thought about using partial feeds as a way of improving one's opening lines. Interesting idea.

[snarkiemom]

Maybe the Livestrong blog should reconsider and think about meditating to control her anguish. I was not aware of this epic battle on clicking. I won't be clicking on the Livestrong blog - see how she likes that, partial feed! :D Go WhyMommy!

[MDTaz]

I left a comment earlier, but I was using my iPhone in a waiting room and I was afraid it might not have made it into the ether and to your blog. I don't see it here.

Partial or full feed doesn't matter. I read who I want to read. My measure is good content, not convenience.

More important: I'm moved by your generosity and what I wrote earlier (and then tweeted) was this: if you get 500 comments, I'll add $50 of my own to your $500. And I'm wondering if there is anyone else out there who has the means, maybe you could add to your donation too?

[Kristen - Motherhood Uncensored]

Haha Catherine!

And yes, I'm reading these comments. They are awesome.

[Julie]

I say do what YOU want. It's YOUR blog! :) And sometimes, I like to get out of my reader!

[Kelly]

I prefer full feeds but honestly, takes a lot more energy to be mad or to complain than to just click through and read. You can do whatever you want with your blog, as long as its legal... :)

[Susan @Whymommy]

This is awesome. Thank you, Kristen.

[catherine]

I have two blogs so I'm commenting again. And when it comes to feeds, I swing both ways, baby.

[Elizabeth]

I don't like partial feeds because I mostly read at work and the full feeds are more convenient, but alas, I'm lazy like that.

Oh yeah, F cancer.

[Rocat]

I don't mind partial feeds at all. If the title and a few sentences are interesting, I can click to read more. Just like with a book, if the title and description grab my interest, I want more.
Now let's kick some cancer ass!

[Nicole]

Who cares about partial feeds or full feeds? That's so weird. Is this seriously an issue? Fuck cancer. Love you, WhyMommy.

[Susan]

For @whymommy

[Marci]

F**k cancer. You're the best.

[Melissa]

I don't use a feed reader so it doesn't matter to me. Just posting a comment for the cause :)

[Kyran]

I put in my two cents on feeds on twitter, but I'll make an exception and click through in the name of a worthy cause :-)

But, ow...I think I may have sprained my clicker finger.

[The New Girl]

We can comment again today, right? Because, you know, Cancer Still Sucks.

[Deer Baby]

Not bothered about the feeds really - I'm easily pleased. If it's something worth reading, I'd click a hundred times.

Yah boo sucks to cancer.

[annettek]

I don't care about who does what with their feeds (I got over that a looong time ago) but I do care about Susan! So glad you're doing this. :)

[mimi]

Thanks :-)

[Annika]

I really just read a whole post on feeds? How boring.
I don't care. At all.

Cancer sucks.

[Emily]

I have no clue what you're talking about. I just come to your website and the whole post is right here. but, sometimes I have to click a 'continue' button on someone's post at other websites and I have to admit that I don't stress it. I just push 'continue'. How nice to have so few things in life to stress over that your mind can dedicate brainpower to being upset about that. silliness.

also, cancer is horrible. And we should cure it. but it'd be nice if we weren't so fixated on a certain type of cancer. Breast cancer gets a lot of media attention because people like boobs. But what about bone cancer or colon cancer (okay, that one gets attention too) or other types? Let's just cure cancer - all of the types.

[cagey]

I am a Full Feeds Fan, but it doesn't anger me or get my panties in a wad. I simply choose carefully whether the blog is worth my time or not, then quietly unsubscribe if it not. Eh.

Cancer, on the other hand? Can kiss my ass.

[lisa]

I hate feed readers..I read blogs the ld way, clicking on the link in my bookmarks. You are awesome for doing this donation!

[justmom420zaks]

I dont give a crap about feeds. I always visit the actual site

[Kellie]

Supporting both your friend and this amazing charity in the face of fickle arguments over feed lengths is a wonderful idea! Obviously there are much more important things to get riled up over in life.

[ant]

I too hate partial feeds.

[lautencl]

I'll go the extra click!

[Clueless But Hopeful Mama]

I use partial feeds. But only because I can't figure out how to change to full feeds!

There's my dirty secret.

(And this "CANCER SUCKS" is for my dad, in year three of his battle with lung and brain cancer.)

[Vicky]

At this point I doubt if Kristen is still reading every comment, but here goes.

I don't like partial feeds, and have stopped reading several blogs because of them.
However - this post makes a valid point, while partial feeds annoy me - I always click through for this blog (and Mom101) - so I guess it doesn't matter.

The point of this comment though?
Fuck Cancer.

[Vicki Hoefle]

I don't use a feed. However, I tend to only read the first few lines of any story and if it hasn't captivated my by that point, I'm not going to finish reading or click over.

Thanks for the donation...very generous!

[Must Be Motherhood]

You are most excellent to do this cancer fundrasier.

[Arina]

I'm all for using controversy to fund a great cause!

[Sock Girl]

This is a fabulous cause. Cancer truly sucks.

[Jen]

Yeah, it's easier to read full feeds on my phone, but whatevs...I'll click through on a partial that has worthy content. You got me hooked with your 3-year-old post!

[Shari]

Feed however you like!

[Amber]

I'm for full feeds, but even more I'm for fighting cancer. Go Whymommy!

[Mel @ Table For Two and a Half]

Partials are fine. People need to get over it.
Cancer, on the other hand, is not okay.

[Denise]

hahahaha.

For the record, I'm in the full feed camp myself but I clicked in because your teaser rocked. And also because I love Whymommy. But really, mostly, because your teaser rocked.

And if everyone could write a decent teaser, I'd be more inclined to fall into the partial feed camp. But most people can't. Or are lazy. Or don't know why they should. Or they just don't.

Whatev.

But while I am on the full feed side of the fence and I have been known to say, I won't read a blog if it pulls partial feeds - that doesn't mean it's about "you". Or that I expect anyone to change their feeds. (I know some people say it for that reason, but I do not.) I say that to explain my life and my blog reading style.

With 900 blogs in my feed reader and dozens more sent to me in email or on Twitter or Facebook or mentioned in a phone conference, I don't have time to read anything that isn't really good (unless I write it, duh) or really compelling to me. A bad teaser tells me SQUAT about what I'm going to find if I click so - I don't click.

So there you go, my two cents and regardless of what my two cents is worth - it's your blog, do it your way and the readers will do it their way and life goes on. We keep blogging. We keep reading. People keep getting cancer. And people help them fight.

Life goes on. Thank you for this post, with this title and more importantly, with THIS teaser.

[Paula]

I had no idea this was even a concern. Partial/Full??? Shouldn't that only matter if you have dentures???

Another vote for cancer sucking.

[sweetsalty kate]

Getting scraped, to me, is much less significant than putting barriers between my writing and my readers. Are scrapers getting any traffic? Are they diminishing my own footprint at all? Do they affect my life online? No. Spam, scrapers, unsolicited email. It's all part of the parcel of being on the internet. We do what we can do avoid it, but not at the expense of readability.

[Mahreen from VeniVidiBlogi]

Raa, Raa, Ree,
Kick Cancer In the Knee!
Raa, Raa, Rass,
Kick Cancer In the Other Knee!!

You rock, Kristen. Just thought you should know that. xoxox

[Meghan]

Would it annoy you if this was only a partial comm

[Bon]

cancer can't stop love.

[ClumberKim]

I use a feed reader and always plan to click through. You're right. It's not hard. It's just another step. Another step multiplied by the number of posts I want to read starts to take time. That said, I believe in the blogger's right to do what they want with their blog. What I think doesn't matter.

So yeah, I click through and comment when I can and when the content grabs me. I love the way Mir at wantnot.net does The Bottom Line for her posts.

And I always click through to Motherhood Uncensored. Your teasers are always good, and the posts never disappoint. This is a great thing you are doing. Cancer sucks.

[Melissa]

I do prefer a full feed, but will click on a partial if the subject matter or writer interest me. Wait, you wanted my opinion, right?

[Teresa]

Screw cancer day two!

[Amy W.]

Never used a feed reader, but good for you for turning a silly debate into an opportunity for generosity!

[TinaP]

Great cause, Day 2 comment!

[facebook integration company]

I could go on how I feel, but I really do not know how I feel these days. I think drowning a little, its ok, a lot. I worked 2-3 times as much as I used it, and it is a bit overwhelming. Luke is proving to be a difficult phase.

[cmwilliams]

I don't care about feeds but I do care supporting a great charity!

[Ciara]

I don't use a feed reader, but if I did, I would click your feeds anyways. Because really, why not?? Kind of silly to me on why that would matter so much to a person.. It's not like you have to like, get up and EXERCISE or something.. :)

And I think it's wonderful what you are doing to help fight cancer. Every little bit helps. Which is what brought this lurker from out of her dark corner.. Heh.

[Sofia]

I don't think it's a big deal to click through for a blog that's worth reading.

[Kelly]

Supporting the cause!

[Jen Sinclair]

My best friend just had a fight with brain cancer, and won. I love what you are doing with the donations!

[Scatteredmom]

In the wake of a cancer diagnosis, arguing about full vs partial feeds just seems pointless, doesn't it?

Lost a friend to lung cancer in November. Love that you are doing this.

[Mom again]

Most nights I read the things in my reader that don't need clicks and then will read several days worth of posts from one or two of those that don't. Some nights it's all about you! Babe! Other nights Someone else wins my precious clicks.

Thanks for donating.

[jen]

Supporting the cause.

[Jess]

I don't mind partial feeds at all. And kudos on the fund raising, you're amazing!

[Corey]

I have no feed opinions whatsoever. I think you're doing a good thing though.

[Naomi Melnyk]

F*** Cancer!

(and I read your blog on my computer, have no idea what a full or partial feed means!)

[Jaelithe]

I don't use a feed reader to read blogs at all. I know, I know, I'm a dinosaur. But it's important to me to VISIT the sites I read. It's important to me to see the photos and the formatting because I know effort went into those. It's important to me to comment if I have time (Unfortunately, lately I haven't had much time to comment. I kind of miss being famous for GYOB comments.)

However I must confess that I've been so overwhelmed by the chaos of life recently that I've been tempted by the siren song of RSS. It WOULD make my life more organized . . .

But even if cave to using a reader I would never get mad at someone for publishing partial feeds.