I can see how that can be an issue. For me, and this may not be true for everyone else, I would rather who is posting not dramatically influence how many votes

I can see how that can be an issue. For me, and this may not be true for everyone else, I would rather who is posting not dramatically influence how many votes they get, because I want the comments with the most votes to be the most informative and valuable. I don't agree that this is a good solution, because who is posting can be important to context. Plus I think good comments tend to head to the top, and may create conversations... that's why you can reply to comments directly. Basically you should: Don't be afraid to make comments. Vote for comments you think are good. Explain when and why you like a comment to encourage others to vote for it. I think you might have a more productive post if you submitted the issue, instead of floated a particular solution.