I think this is a matter of value. If someone puts work into an article, then it must be disappointing to find credit being given to a pile of dross attached to the bottom, by people who can't be bothered to think before they type.
I notice theregister.co.uk has shoved comments off onto a separate less important page. So you only follow the link when your blood is really boiling (and put yourself into a self-selecting group).
Comments work for the www.dailymail.co.uk because their articles are generally written to bait their readers, and drivel in the comments is how they measure success. Stories are marked up with how many thousand comments they have generated. The real challenge is to get your comment to the top of the "worst" rated category.
I notice theregister.co.uk has shoved comments off onto a separate less important page. So you only follow the link when your blood is really boiling (and put yourself into a self-selecting group).
Comments work for the www.dailymail.co.uk because their articles are generally written to bait their readers, and drivel in the comments is how they measure success. Stories are marked up with how many thousand comments they have generated. The real challenge is to get your comment to the top of the "worst" rated category.