January 27, 2010

• Ishes for Everyone!

  Today I’d like to talk about two specific topics, related though different. Both, of course, are about xanga, however (everybody’s favourite topic, I know.) The first part might be a bit boring for some, so feel free to scroll down to the “ishes for everyone!” part if you want.

  First, I want to go over the changes I’ve been implementing on my site. I’ve made a new header, changed some of the colours around, and I’ve limited the size of my content to 980px. I was initially reluctant to narrow my page, not only because it meant that any pictures I included would have to be strictly limited in size, but also because I felt that it wasn’t really prioritizing content. On a large monitor, it’s not implausible for there to be more background than words, and that’s not really the point of a blog, is it? However, I began to look at a number of different websites. Pretty much every site on the web from cracked.com to imdb.com to cnn.com (and even the ishes) has a content width of 980px. So, if it’s good enough for the New York Times, it’s good enough for nikbv. 980px it is.

  Here’s a picture of how things should be displayed:
  

  I’ve also changed a bunch of my links to roll-over graphics. I think it makes things look, well, nifty. However, they don’t always load perfectly on internet explorer. Not sure why, but the spacing isn’t quite right. The links are still good, though. I’ve also modified my navigation bar directly under the header to include  drop down menus. I think they look extra spiffy (I was going to say nifty again, but I didn’t want to sound repetitive) and they allow for extra options, so I’ve decided to offer a yearly archive link (a la bryangoodrich) Again, this doesn’t quite display properly in IE, so I’d suggest you get another browser if you’re still using that. Otherwise, I’d be interesting in knowing which browsers it does and doesn’t work for. If enough people don’t see it properly, I’ll scrap it and return to a more normal link bar. Here’s how it should look:

  

  II.  -  Ishes for Everyone

  And now, on to the other part of my post: the feature I mentioned having recently discovered for myself in this pulse. At least, it was new to me. When I mentioned it to Dan, he said he already knew about it. Maybe it’ll be as novel to the rest of us non-Xanga elites, as it was for me though. You know that page you go to in order to submit your posts to be featured, and the sister-page where you vote for posts people have submitted? Well, apparently it seems that everybody can have one!

  Go here: http://www.xanga.com/submit-post?user=YOURUSERNAMEHERE

  Any user need simply put in their own user name, and they have access to a complete post submit and vote system. To any random user, this appears exactly like the xanga main page thing; a submit, and a vote page. But for the person whose site it is, they see a whole bunch of options: schedule, edit, stats, manage, etc. Even more exciting, you can assign administrative authority to other users! So, you can tell your readers to submit their stuff here, other readers can vote on it, and then you or your moderators can select things they like and schedule them to be published to your site!

  What’s more, you can set up a bunch of syndication sites on and off xanga, through which you can funnel traffic if you want to.

  Here’s the important thing: all those ish wannabes (atheish, catpooish, etc) can do exactly what the ishes do.

  Users can submit posts, and vote for those posts. Selected moderators can choose posts and then schedule them to appear on the ish site.

  Now, I’m not sure of the benefit to this system for regular users, yet. In fact, I’m not even sure Xanga means for this to be available for mass consumption. It seems a little back-doorsy, but all the sensitive stuff (like featuring posts on the front page of Xanga) is locked out to regular users, so I figure it’s safe enough. In fact, right now this post is going to appear on my main site, but I’m writing it on my wordpress blog. I’ll then submit it, approve it, and schedule it from my own version of that link above.

  Now, on to where it gets a little strange.

  When I first visited this link, I put it to work publishing my most recent post on the morality of ad-blockers. After doing so, I noticed an immediate change to my blog when individual blog articles were selected. Four changes, actually:

  first, a search bar appeared at the top of my secondary column [this is the same search as on the ish sites, except it does not actually search my site specifically. Instead, it searches xanga proper];

  second, an advertisement appeared below that search bar [despite having xanga premium, and no ad on my main page]

  third, a Related Posts module appeared beneith my entry, and above the comment section (listening, Arenadi?)

  fourth, a xanga network footer appeared at the bottom of my page, as is on all xanga and ish sites currently.

  Now, I’m not sure how this happened, exactly. When I tried to duplicate these results with another account, it did not effect the same change. I don’t know why. I had been wanting a Related Posts module for a while now, because I know when I read blogs I often click on related links modules to find other interesting things to read. I’m not sure whether I think it’s worth having ads on my page, though.

  Anyway, don’t take my word for it! Try it yourself!

  URL: http://nikbv.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/ishes-for-everyone/

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  • 9:38 am
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