Discussions
Blogger blogs URL feature disabled
Posted by Madlabent • 2 years ago • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS]
Topics: blogging, comments
I visited some Blogger (Blogspot) blogs and noticed that the way comments are left is now different. Readers can no longer leave their name with a URL. Now, they can only leave a nickname if they don't have a google account. Has anyone seen this on their blog or on other Blogger blogs?
With all of the talk about Google punishing people for links, it is a wonder if this was a move to make it so that people cannot even leave links in the comments section, which could end up being very unfortunate for bloggers using any platform because it is a useful way that people gain readers to their own blogs or websites.
User Comments
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I have noticed that when you aren't logged in to Google or you choose "use another identity" (or whatever that option is called), it still asks for your URL but your name no longer shows up as a link.
Whatever the intent might have been, it's just as much of a disadvantage to those who DO use blogger because all comment links automatically go to your profile and you can no longer choose the "other identity" option in order to leave a link to your blog instead.
For bloggers like me, who blog on very disparate topics, that makes a difference.
It's possible, though, that it's just what Google intended, because regardless of where you're blogging, it removes the ability to create your own backlinks. -
I had not noticed this change until you posted. Thanks for the heads up. This sucks. -
Yeah, it kinda sucks. I just had another look, and they haven't disabled the old links, so presumably a blogger could add her link to her signature. But that certainly departs from the norm. -
Here's the message I posted to the Blogger user group: groups.google.com/group/blogger-help-troubleshoot/browse_thread/thread/20a9...
Perhaps they'll listen if more of us complain. -
I posted this link on another discussion, maybe it will help?
foritisi.blogspot.com/2007/11/news-for-blogger-in-draft-users.html-
What is "Blogger in draft"? A beta version?
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I've no idea but that blog has a different option to normal blogger comments when you try to leave a comment. It doesn't force you to use a google/blogger account I mean.
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Interesting options, but I plan to stick to the anyone-can-comment mode, as I just wrote on your blog post. Still, thanks for the Blogger-in-Draft tip. Maybe there're some other useful features to uncover?
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It is possible to include a URL in a comment but you have to enter it explicitly as html example at
libdronetest.blogspot.com/2007/12/post-for-comment-testing.html-
Well, a blogger ought to be able to handle that. But it is an annoyance.
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Okay, I'm going to be an idiot and propose one idea in Google's defense. I actually had a reader last week email me and say he would like to comment, but he couldn't, because he had no blog. He actually thought he *had* to fill in the URL field. I explained that was unnecessary and then he commented. Is it possible that others have run into something like this? Somehow I doubt it, but the story is at least interesting, I think.
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I have friends and family who are some what challenged when it comes to computers and have no idea how to comment
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People tend to be put off by url fields if they don't have a site or blog of their own. Especially if they haven't commented before. A couple of people have said it to me and personally, I have paused on a form before because I wasn't sure if a url was actually required.
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Surely, if this was Google's concern, this could have been addressed by simply writing "optional" next to the field.
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You'd a thunk.
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Mashable had this yesterday concerning a new option for sign-in for Blogger:
Blogger Beta Gets OpenID Support
mashable.com/2007/11/30/blogger-beta-gets-openid-support/ -
I don't like using open ID and think it pretty much a pain to bother to sign in with my google name -had have to place a link in a post to my wordpress blog. It worked fine the other way as those of us with blogs on other platforms could just fill in the blanks. I'm not sure if goggle thinks they are making it easier or if they are just trying to get everyone to use their platform but I've stopped reading new blogger blogs because commenting on my old reads tales long enough as it is.-
I have to wonder how many will like you, cooper, just opt not to read me at all due to this non-sense so that I end up being forced as Madame X has discussed to move my blog to another platform, which I don't want to do because I actually like Blogger and have an implementation that works well for me.
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I have to admit that there were a couple new blogs that I was thinking of commenting on yesterday, kind of really at the crossroads and I decided not to for the same reason.
I don't like the idea of manually adding my link to the comment body. I've never done that unless I had a relevant post to show someone. I liked the idea of getting a backlink people could use to find me without being so obvious about it. That way, I donno, seems like blatant self-promotion. Blah... what to do?
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Hey...you can still leave links in the comment section using HTML tags, linking directly to your blog home page or to any post in your blog. Cumbersome and tedious, but it works. -
I'm with libdrone. I want to stay with Blogger because I don't feel like moving to WordPress (at least not yet). If not for this new development, I would have no reason to consider leaving Blogger. Geez, I got into blogging to write, not learn new software. It was chore enough moving to my own domain.
I intend to post on my blog what's going on with this new commenting system, and hopefully provide my users with an easy way to leave links. I'm almost certain people who can't easily use OpenID will not want to go through the hassle of creating an account just to leave a comment.-
Even if they can, they're still going to be leaving links that don't lead back to their blogs, which really cuts down on the ability to converse back and forth among blogs (among other things).
Please shout me a link when you've posted. I made a post about this on What's Wrong Around Us? last night, but I'm gathering up links to add to the bottom of it. -
I suppose we could write posts and then place sort of obvious link to them in the sidebar of our blogs entitled "About Commenting" or "How to Comment." --- Hard to choose, because the experienced bloggers don't want to read a howto and the inexperienced might not be attracted to the "about" link.
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Does anyone know the proper code for entering href codes that WON'T then show up as actual links? I want to give my readers the code for how to make their blog addresses show up as clickable links in comments: This is how, but I don't want this to translate to a clickable link in my instructions (ignore the leading period).
.text to click on
I know I've read somewhere how to do this, but I can't find it right now. Thanks.
MadameX, I'll post a link to my post when I get it published. I do like the idea of "How to Comment" in my sidebar. I'd probably do that. By no means a perfect system, but at least I'm announcing the problem somewhere. That's more than Google can say. -
Sorry for the confusion there. My href text did translate itself. This is what I want to do: airplanepilot.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-to-post-website-in-comment.html
Show the formatting without it rendering, once posted. -
All -- I found out how to display plain text URLs so they won't be clickable.
Here's my post about this sad state of affairs:
www.junkdrawerblog.com/2007/12/googles-being-poopy-head-too.html
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Here is the page to make Feature Requests to Blogger. If someone can articulate what is needed, maybe we could all make the same suggestion individually to give it momentum.
help.blogger.com/?page=wishlist-
It's really simple, actually.
We need the URL field that turns the name on a comment into a link back;
We need people who leave comments to have the freedom to put any web link in there--blogs on other platforms, static websites, etc.
And those with blogger accounts should be free to choose to link back to one specific blog rather than just their profile pages.
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On a related note, anyone know how to go about integrating Digg into an individual post on Blogger? I wanted to do it with this post, and found the instructions on Digg and followed them carefully, but I keep ending up with the Digg button going back to the blog itself rather than the post--even though the Digg URL for the post is right in the code.
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You can add the code to one specific post on your blog. I've done that on at least one of my posts on Clio and Me. No time to go back and figure it out, just at the moment, but it isn't too hard to find on their site.
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I did find it on their site and thought I followed the instructions exactly, but I did it twice and it didn't work. I tried it with another post, too, just in case I was getting some kind of glitch with the link, and got the same result. I remember someone else (Alan?) encountering the same problem and thought maybe someone had found the way to fix.
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It works for me when I do one post only. It starts getting fickle when I do more than one post.
You can also use feedflare from Feedburner. That works for me on my first page, sort of, but then if I go back to another page with the "earlier posts" link the feedflare disappears.
Terrence Chang has suggested simply using your own links without the javascript, in order to avoid slowing down your blog's load time. He might have a point.
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Here are some Digg and StumbleUpon links for Tiffany's post and one by Chris (aka crkian and Matt Nutts). If you blog with Blogger (aka Blogspot), please use them. If you want to help out fellow bloggers who use this platform, please use them too. This subject deserves hundreds of clicks, not just dozens. Maybe then Google would pay attention.
digg.com/tech_news/When_Brilliant_Men_Have_Dumb_Ideas
digg.com/tech_news/Google_Lets_Down_The_Bloggers_Digg_Against_Google_and_Bl...
www.stumbleupon.com/url/whatswrongaroundus.blogspot.com/2007/12/when-brilli...
www.stumbleupon.com/url/mattnutts.com/2007/12/02/google-lets-down-the-blogg...
Thank you! -
Thanks for providing these links
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That mattnutts one is badly written -
Well, what do you expect from someone who is nuts?
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Mark, thanks for posting those links. Right now, both of these posts are on the first page for Technology on Digg and Chris's is on p. 4 overall (and only about 30 votes behind the bottom post on the front page). A little push could easily put him on the front page.
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Another relevant post on this subject I've started on a BC group that deals with social media: www.blogcatalog.com/group/blog-straight-talk/discuss/entry/a-possible-case-...
By the way, there's a Blogger group here, but I haven't been impressed by its activity. Is anyone a member? Does anything happen over there? -
This really hurts the folks who write on Blogger the most. If had been using it, would definitely change now.-
It hurts other bloggers too. Presumably others will still want to communicate with Blogger users. Or would they just blow off all of us because Google got stupid? That would be a pretty short-sighted blogging and communication strategy.
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Stoneman,
Well as much as people hate to sign up as a user to comment, they hate to be forced to learn things even more. If they feel the choice is between learning html 'a href' tags or not to comment at all (and let's face it some people are just not tech savvy) there are going to be plenty of people who will do the latter.
I may just be pessimist but some people don't want to do anything that's not quick and painless. I think this can have a very bad negative effect on blogger blogs and if ever there was a time to jump ship, now might be it. -
Antibarie is right. I had to laugh when I wrote my post with href instructions. I assume no one's going to want to do that, but you never know. It is a way for non-Google account people to get the word out about their blogs. I might be surprised how many users try it and get used to it. I know, it's a very poor substitute for the former system. But it's a substitute nonetheless. I'll find out pretty quickly how many people will use the technique. What I'll never know is how many new readers I lose because of this change.
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Commenting on Blogger blogs has always been a pain. You'd think they could figure this out...-
It has only been a pain on those blogs that choose to use that word verification system. I choose to make it easier, and Blogger's settings allow that.
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This may be off-topic a bit but is in response to an earlier comment in this thread regarding readers who think that they HAVE to add a URL when commenting, but may not have a blog. They could always add the URL to their Facebook, Myspace or another page that they may have online. MadameX has a good point about Google adding "optional" to that field.
It would be unfortunate if other bloggers stopped commenting on the blogs because the URL link on the name is removed now. I agree, adding the link to yoru blog manually is tedious but can still be just as effective, if not more effective, in getting people to click on the link and read your blog as well.
This new change may take a while getting used to, but it may not work out in the favor of bloggers on either side of the spectrum (The readership side and The Author's side) It is so much easier to leave a comment on wordpress blogs because they have a form that just sit there for you to fill out and hit the send button. However, being that I am a blogspot user too, I still hope that many readers can get over the hump have posts or websites that they want people to read and visit. -
I like using Blogger, but Wordpress is looking sweeter and sweeter to me everyday. No more Adsense if and when I finally switch, so why I will see about pay for hosting. -
I think this was such a poor decision by blogger! If anything it isolates their users to only other "blogger" readers and commenter's. What's the use in that? Closes doors instead of opening them.
To sbpoet's comment:Commenting on Blogger blogs has always been a pain. You'd think they could figure this out...
I agree...most of the ones I routinely visit and comment on use the word verification system and 9 times out of 10 I have to type the letters a second time, sometimes even a third! That's ridiculous in my opinion. -
It was a poor decision, but we don't have to accept it as a done deal. We can complain. Please use the above stumble and digg links. If you blog about the topic, please add your link here so we can help create buzz about it too. Google will change this back if people register their discontent loud and clearly.
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As I mentioned above, I don't use Blogger, I use WordPress. But, I really feel for all my friends who do use Blogger!
I wrote a short post on this Google power play with a link back to this thread.
Please visit the link below and digg and stumble the post. Then if you have the time and interest, write one of your own and link back here so we can visit and do the same. The more internet noise that is made over this, the better the chance that Google will take back the change.
Thanks - Will
willtaft.com/blogging/google-drops-bomb-on-blogspot-blogger-blogs/
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Done.
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openID is awesome! I've enabled it and in fact makes commenting easier for non-blogspot users! Do check this post of mine
joel-robinson.blogspot.com/2007/12/no-holds-barred.html
Ps: I was kind of shocked seeing quite a lot of people disagreeing to it! :o-
Joel, I responded to your comment on my blog with this question, but you probably haven't seen it--does the openID "solution" allow people to attach the link to a particular blog? That's one of the biggest issues for me (and, I suspect, a lot of others who use Blogger)
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Not that I see. That's my problem too.
And I don't see why Google needs to be adding extra protection to my blog when I didn't ask for it. Why not just make this thing an option? -
They're not adding extra protection, Mark. That's a nice story to spin, but the truth is that this change provides more benefit for Google than it does for any user--the biggest one being that it eliminates the ability of a blogger to create his own backlinks by commenting on dofollow blogs.
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Guess the 'any openID' option should work since it asks for the blog/website URL alone.
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Nope, it definitely doesn't, Joel. It's asking for your openID URL, and it won't accept anything else.
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Thanks for that Joel, but this is not a very good solution for some. I just tried to make a non-anonymous comment on your blog and could not unless I went through the process of setting up an open url account or something, or used a Google account. Forget it! I also have never liked the "popup" commenting system used on some Blogger blogs. The better commenting system used by many, if not most, Blogger sites does not have the dropdown box your popup comment system does.
I realize I have more of an aversion to power grabs by huge internet companies than some. I hate the fact that Google Reader does not allow you to delete items after you read them. But Google will not make that available because they are big and don't have to to respond to requests like that to be successful.
I think the real solution is to get Google to rescind the change or to move your blog from Google.-
And even if you did all that, WT, I suspect that you would end up leaving a link only to your applicable profile, not to a relevant blog. That's a problem for bloggers on both ends, because blog owners can't follow links back to the relevant blog if similar conversations are taking place, can't tell where their referral traffic from comments they've left on other blogs is coming from, and can expect greater attrition because of the extra click between the link and the blog.
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You don't have to set up an openID account, you can use your existing wordpress account(it will ask you to specify your blog name).
For those using typekey it will be their member name, username for livejournal and screen name for AOL/AIM.
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Above Antibarbie asks "what to do?" I'll keep trying to promote this problem for a little while, but I'm also going to think about my options.
My old semester ends in a few weeks and the new one begins a month after that. Any changes I make for blogs my students read need to happen by then. -
Another user pointed out this blog post from Blogger in Draft (a beta version of Google) that might be useful:
bloggerindraft.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-feature-openid-commenting.html
I've got to subscribe to their RSS, at least for as long as I'm with Blogger. -
Ok Joel,
I just tried leaving a comment at your blog using the drop down menu and choosing wordpress, then leaving my blog url. Sent my comment and received the comment "incorrect opening ID". So this does not work.-
No, it doesn't, Lainey. That field is intended for your openID URL (though I suspect that a lot of people are making the same erroneous assumption that Joel did, and that's why the response has been so positive)
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It's not the blog URL(if your using your wordpress account), it is your blog name.
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non-blogspot bloggers can experiment with the mentioned post of mine, my community bloggers are fast asleep! and even people with multiple blogs can try a specific URL(in the 'any openID' option). Your comments are much appreciated.
The only difference I could find is that they have complicated the 'other' option with enabling users form different platform comment by signing in with their existing account.-
Well, Joel, you can "experiment" and "try" a specific URL in there, but they don't work. Your openID URL works in that field, nothing else. And Blogspot bloggers still can't include the URL for a specific blog.
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you will have to log out of your blogger/google and any other account in case you are using the 'any openID' option
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But that's part of the point. More hoops. And no field for the commenter's blog URL.
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Joel, I did log out of my Blogger account, chose the "any openID" option, and the URL field appeared--it's a field intended for your openID URL. I'm very curious about why you keep suggesting things that "should work" as solutions here and adamantly supporting the change without taking three seconds to test them out--what's your interest in glossing over the bugs and selling this change?
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Joel -- Even if I logout of my Google account, I get no field for a URL (OpenID or not). Too many hoops. Even my very faithful readers may not want to do all that. What a nightmare this is.
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You won't get it now, JunkDrawer--it's in draft. I've enabled the beta on my Whats Wrong Around Us? blog for testing, but the OpenID field does not solve the problem we're discussing.
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I have enabled it in my blog, though I see it's still in draft. I know the OpenID field doesn't solve the problem. It creates more confusion, I'm afraid. My readers might think they can put a link to their blog in there. I see no way around this other than to move to WordPress. That's not what I wanted to do, but I feel forced now. This discussion is great, btw. I'm sending a lot of people over here. Concern abounds!
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oops MadameX! I actually thought that any openID is for the blog URL, but it looks like it is for a profile URL(any profile)
That could be the problem(displaying a profile and not a blog URL), but as for wordpress users they can sign in using their account and the blog their blog URL comes as a link
Guess once all this is sorted out, it will be flashing on blogger dashboards! But I don't think the option of displaying a blog URL will be given if openID goes public-
and I think if Google goes through with removing the ability to include back links in comment signatures there will be a Huge defection away from Blogger to other platforms. (The thought of migrating makes me want to go to bed and pull the covers over my head and forget I ever heard the term 'blog'.)
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the only available option will be using HTML codes in the comment page which commentors must get used to.
Hope blogger comes with an additional option along with openID naming it as any URL!
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I've signed up with Wordpress.com to keep my options open. Unfortunately, this means changing the first part of my URL in some cases, even though those URLs no longer seem to exist on Wordpress.com. I'm also going to experiment by migrating my youngest blog over, which is not listed here and doesn't yet have much of an audience and even. But this will be slow. Darn it. It is nearly the end of the semester and I've got a ton of work to do. Mountains of papers.
And then there will be the issue of pulling over other blogs and keeping PR, assuming I move all. Now we get into the business of why I don't have my own domains. Pain in the behind, but I can't afford them right now. This isn't a for profit venture.-
I have a test blog in WP, privately hosted, but the learning curve feels Huge to me and it clearly will never have Blogger's drag and drop ease of use for me. IMHO, the people who love WP all Think in HTML and for them it is easy and great. I Really don't Think in HTML and I fear WP will Never feel natural and easy to me.
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I meant to say, "even less PR" instead of just "even."
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I'm talking Wordpress.com, not Wordpress.org. There's a big difference, as near as I can tell. But you're right. Google has a good product in Blogger. Would be nice if they knew how to keep it that way.
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Alan, WordPress might not be an option for you, because it doesn't seem to allow ads or many, if any, affiliate links.
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Mark, I believe that only applies to the free web version. I'm pretty sure my host would allow me to use ad plug ins. My problem is with Learning to use plugins. (sighs)
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The plugins are easy install and use but they are addicting...just upload them to your plugin folder with ftp and activate them on the plugin page. With widget ready sidebars it's kinda like the blogger drag and drop...of course the header and footer are a different story but I'm sure you'll get a handle on it fast.
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Can I just say WOW after reading all of your responses! So blogger is no longer letting people leave their URL's? that is completely stupid. how are bloggers to comminicate, too find one another If no URL is available?
hb~-
On Word Press I suppose. I definitely don't want to lose any comments and don't want to lose any regular readers over this, so I have set up a mirror of my blog on a WP platform, where you can definitely get a link back for commenting. (Of course it's a link back from a brand new blog with no juice that looks pretty much like a brand new out of the box standard template, rather than something I've invested hundreds of hours into tweaking...can you tell I'm still bummed?)
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oh. and I guess I should mention the WP mirror is at libdrone.info
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Harley, the supposed new grand plan is to let everyone log in with whatever ID they have...Blogger, Google, WordPress, OpenID, etc. However, the default seems to be to create a link to the profile, not to a particular blog, and there's no opportunity to change the URL. So it will be possible to find the person who left the comment if you're diligent enough--and he or she has an open profile...and his or her blog is listed on that profile page. Of course, once you finally make your way there, he/she won't be able to tell where you came from (if he has a Blogger blog), because the referrer showing in the stats will always be the profile, not the blog the visitor originated from...
It's no good. And unfortunately, since the OpenID thing was unveiled without mention of what they were taking away, there's a lot of positive buzz around it right now.
Alan--what you've described above sounds very dangerous in a "get all your search placement stripped away overnight" kind of way.
[edit] For anyone who is interested in testing/playing with it/trying to work up some way to get what we want out of it, I've implemented the "draft" version of blogger's comment feature on What's Wrong Around Us?
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Argggghh. Does that mean if I am going to do this I should publish Only on WP until it becomes clear if the switch is temp or perm?
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I was just at your blog Madame X
I went to post, than all my windows shut down. Hum I wonder if there is going to be a "wide spread panic" amoung blogger people who are going to want to jump ship? I donot get alot of comments, so I'm not worried in that aspect, but in traffic? I'll wonder were the comments are coming from if any and how will my blogs be found in the future?
hb~ -
Another post on this topic, this one explaining to the users of one of my blogs how the new system works:
onmymac.blogspot.com/2007/12/commenting-on-this-blog.html
When I get time I'll repeat the exercise on my other blogs. Then I can add a link about commenting to my side bar after the post gets old.
Meanwhile I'm playing with Wordpress.com. I'm impressed on many levels, and unimpressed on others. If ads are important to you, Wordpress is not an option. If some of your widgets matter to you, you might find they cannot be easily implemented on the Wordpress.com templates, which have much more limited options. If commenting is of paramount importance, you might find you love Wordpress, which also looks pretty darn good. If customizing your CSS matters, you might not like Wordpress, because it only lets you do that for a fee that works out to about $14.00 per year.-
Stoneman, why is WP not an option if ads are important? I have two WP blogs and I run all kinds of ads at various times. I know some templates are more ad friendly than others if that's what you mean. I can also transfer any of the widgets I currently have in use in blogger to my WP blogs. It sounds like you may have a very limited template. Some templates (there are soooo many!) are very restricted and some do everything. Are you using the latest version of WP? -
Wordpress.com is what I am talking about, not Wordpress.org. And they say no to a lot of common affiliate links as well as to Google Adsense.
Also, I'm going by the TOS, not by what might be really happening.
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I installed Haloscan and it works very well in addition to adding a little more functionality and the choice to choose a comment template. I wrote about it here onaridge.blogspot.com/2007/12/i-installed-haloscan.html and see it in action by leaving a comment, especially if you aren't from blogger. The only downside is you lose all of your previous comments. It is very easy to install, it is pretty much automatic and it takes about two minutes. No tech savvy needed at all as long as you know how to browse. If you set up a blogger blog you will have no problem installing Halsocan. This was my solution until I migrate to Wordpress. I also made a note under my "subscribe" feed so people know they can leave comments with links. There is also a nifty recent comments widget you might like, which may encourage more commenting. You can see that in action as well.
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Perhaps haloscan will sit up and take notice, if they produce the ability to import all your old comments for $5 they could be onto something.
Why do I mention money for importing, well if I was haloscan I would do that. -
Sure, and that would be a lot of money given their numbers, and the fact that they only charge $15.00 per year for advanced features anyway.
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It looks like the difficulty with OpenID has been sorted out here. One thing that seems to get confused though, is some people refer to a WordPress blog meaning WPdotcom, but others mean a self hosted WP blog. Very different things both in how they work and the maintenance needed for each.
And - @ Alan - If it is any encouragement, I use stand alone WordPress and definitely do not think in html! Sometimes I wish I did though! It is possible to maintain a stand alone WP blog without being proficient in html, css and php. I am proof of that. But it sure would be easier if I could learn a bit of all three so I understand what you mean.
And thanks to all who read, commented, or dugg my post on this. Keep up the noise and Google might just take this goof back! They really should be encouraging people to comment, not making it more difficult.
willtaft.com/blogging/google-drops-bomb-on-blogspot-blogger-blogs/
-Will-
Hadnt seen that post but I have added a link to my post
mattnutts.com/2007/12/02/google-lets-down-the-bloggers/
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At least they could included the OpenID option along with anonymous posters. Unless I am mistaken, it is one or the other. And this doesn't even begin touch on how passive and even negligent the communication has been.-
It's not one or the other. If you use bloggerindraft, you can select "anyone" for who can comment. Users will still get the option to login when they comment.
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I still think its part of a bigger picture that google have planned, they want everyone to use google services so why not discount backlinks from any blogs comment areas and force bloggers to set up openid support on their blogs, wordpress/typepad e.t.c
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This is certainly one of the worst communication roll outs; it makes the MBL/Yahoo transition look good.
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Yeah. They should have told us and also tried to convince us that it was a good move. Silence on such an issue is stupid. Maybe their employees should spend more time being regular bloggers and hanging out around places like this, "keeping it real," as you've said recently, Rich.
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Yeah Chris, this is what REALLY gets me mad about these sorts of power plays by huge companies like Google. It is frustrating to think that they just might be big and controlling enough to successfully do what you suggest and not affect their bottom line.
And thanks for the link back from your post. Everyone who reads this thread should make a point to visit the links to articles on this and digg and stumble them.
If we can create enough of a fuss, fast enough, Google just MIGHT listen. At times they can be responsive to a big enough uproar. (he says hopefully)
-Will-
Going won't listen I've asked for a job at least 5000 times via email. If that isn't fuss I don't know what is.
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That should be google not going ? not sure why I put that.
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I fear that expecting Google to listen to its end users is more wishful thinking than anything else. And much as I admire you and Chris and Mark for fighting the good fight, my focus now is on migrating to WP. (And thanks for the encouragement that I Can do a WP blog despite not being a techie. When I am rested and have time I am going to RTFM and master plugins and widgets. Once I do, I think I have figured out a migration scheme that will work for me.)
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Maybe "Going" is the name of the secret evil empire with which you plan to take over the world, Chris?
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Libdrone -- I echo your feeling about this. I'm afraid it's looking pretty grim. I'm on my way to WordPress. Like you, I need to educate myself before the move. That's what I hadn't felt like doing, but I see no other way to cope with this problem. And I really want to get back to blogging about something else as soon as possible. Good luck on the migration!
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I had a blogger blog for a year and have a WordPRESS dot com and a self hosted.
The self hosted is really the best option for anyone who has been blogging awhile, but the the dot com is satisfactory and impressive on many levels getting netter every so often. Not for ads though so people who are trying to make money will not find it useful.
If you are going self hosted then I think you will love it. I am not techie at all and I find it quite easy and the options for plugins and themes are endless. If you need any help yell. -
Alan, if Google doesn't change this, they will at least be forced to clarify their position and do some PR for this platform. You might be right, but only if everyone adopts the same attitude.
Of course, none of us is actually organizing, but who knows?
One thing in Google's favor: Blogger is such an easy platform to work on. Too bad I can't encourage 150 new students to get involved on it next semester. I'm shopping around at the moment, also considering Wikis.-
Mark, I think if Google was going to respond and do something about it they would have done so today. From what I heard it sounds as though enough people have fussed enough directly to them that they Have to be aware of the issue. It looks to me as though they are banking on the defectors being more than outweighed by all the new users they can corral with this. And who knows, they may be right. The more people who stay with them waiting for an answer and will maybe become less concerned by this as time goes on, the better for them it seems to me.
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I think you're way wrong, Alan. I can't say for sure, of course, but given the fact that the new comment system is still in draft and hasn't officially launched yet, they definitely have time to make tweaks without ever admitting to having mucked it up and launch the finished product with the features we're complaining about. I think we won't know until they roll out the new system for real.
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We might be seeing something new here: Google has grown so fast, so quickly, that I wonder how it's decision-making structures work. Also, do we even know to what extent Google messes around with Blogger? How well-integrated are all its possessions?
To put it differently, Google might seen all-powerful, but it might have some information-flow and cultural issues that we know nothing about. -
Only problem is, Tiffany, that missing URL field did not only happen to Blogger in draft.
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No, it didn't, and they've clearly been sneaking this up on us. The URL field actually stopped WORKING a few weeks before it disappeared. No question whatsoever that they intended to remove it. But since they claim to still be taking comments on the NEW system, they can easily opt to pretend that they had provisions for this in mind all along if they so choose. Even if they were going to be honest and simply say, "Okay, we tried...we didn't know you'd get so up in arms about it...we'll put it back..." it wouldn't make much sense to change the old system back to the older system with the new system waiting in the wings.
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I don't like blogger.com anymore. -
I think I'm going to switch to Wordpress now. Google is going to far, they are probably trying to penalize dofollow blogs-
I'm pretty sure that if I hear the word "penalize" with regard to Google one more time, my brain is going to explode.
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I don't see how do follow blogs have anything to do with it. I'll bet such blogs make up a minority of Blogger bloggers.
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you may be right Tiffany. I thought Saturday's announcement was the launch. And Mark may be right too that they are confused and overwhelmed rather than Machiavellian as I suggest. My brain has Already exploded over this mess and I am not as objective about it as I would like to be. For the sake of all my friends who can't or won't switch I certainly hope that Google does fix this during beta. They've already lost me.
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an interesting info on openID
openid.net/ -
Here's my take on Google/Blogger communication, which could have prevented most of this: "The new rules of communication for Internet conglomerates seem to be: if you have a great idea, host a press conference. If you aren’t really sure, bite your tongue, flip a switch, and see what hits the fan. BLOGGER!"
copywriteink.blogspot.com/2007/12/communicating-change-blogger-hits-fan.htm...-
Excellent analysis as usual, Rich. I was able to leave an "anonymous" comment on the blog post (to which I signed my real name and included a link to my now non-blogspot blog) but I have to think that more casual commenters would have given up rather than jump through the hoops required to do this.
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Rich - I read your great article. I was going to comment there, but your Blogspot set up requires signing in with an open ID or something similar. No anonymous or nicknames. Oh well. That is a good example of how Blogger discourages commenting. I think even most new visitors who might have been inclined to comment, look at that and just go on by. I know it was easier for me to just come back here to thank you for the publicity on this issue.
-Will-
Thanks Will.
I will post your comment. This is exactly what concerned me. Thank you.
Rich -
Thanks again Will.
It seems Blogger has merged the ability to have OpenID and anonymous comments. We'll see if that will fix some issues to ensure bloggers do not lose people who might comment. It still doesn't excuse the communication.
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You should be able to permit anonymous comments, Rich.
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Hey Mark, I can now but wasn't able to for some time. When I set to allow anonymous comments, the drop down menu wasn't available. I can now, but it doesn't change the fact that there is a steep learning curve for readers.
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I wrote a post about this Sunday:
lifecruiser.com/archive/blogger-sucks-more-than-ever-not-allowing-extern-bl...
It's also a matter of the fact HOW they do things without proper information. Not professional at all!
I urge everybody to protest by sending a request to Blogger here:
help.blogger.com/?page=troubleshooter.cs&problem=&contact_type=wishlist&Sub...
(Scroll down and fill in a new request that you want the extern link feature back)
I've also written a post about:
lifecruiser.com/archive/3-ways-of-moving-from-blogger-and-issues-involved/
I'm not at all pleased with an OpenID solution. It doesn't sound smooth enough, I would have wanted to see which blog address visiting me at once. Besides that, wouldn't that send them to my OpenId page? And what if I have several blogs?-
Lifecruiser -- For what it's worth, you can make your OpenID point directly to your blog. I don't know what you'd do about having more than one blog, though. Here are the instructions I followed today to create my OpenID account that points to my blog. blogpond.com.au/2007/12/04/how-to-get-an-openid-and-link-it-to-your-blog-ur...
I can use the OpenID on Blogger blogs that have it enabled. This way, when people click on my name, it goes to my blog.
Now, I've done it. But what about my readers? Do they even know it's possible? Probably not! This thing is still a mess for me, and I've made the official decision to move to WordPress. I wanted to hold out longer, but I just can't.
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I'll try that JunkDrawer and see what I think. It may be a weak solution for posting on blogger sites. I liked the external link feature because depending on the topic I was posting a comment on, I sometimes used links to pages deep in my site, not the top blog page or the home page.
-Will-
WT -- You're right. I used to sometimes leave a link to an article, rather than my blog's homepage. Yet another reason I can't live with this. I see there are more negative comments coming in at Blogger in Draft: bloggerindraft.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-feature-openid-commenting.html
I reiterate -- I do NOT want to go to WordPress unless I have to. I'd even pay a monthly fee if Google brought it back and made other improvements. It's THAT important to me that I not have to get up and running with a new platform.
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Hi JunkDrawer! Thanks. I have a couple of comments in moderation at your site explaining why, but your solution did not work for me. The openid registration part went fine, but inserting the code into my header file might have broken the link. It causes a fatal Blogger error when I try to post. I think it might be because my theme does not use a standard type of header.php file, but I don't really understand all that. It has no header or /header, but instead uses divs. You can see what I mean at the link below where I posted some of the code from my header.php file.
wordpress.pastebin.ca/806695
-Will -
Thanks for the suggestion JunkDrawer. It might work, I'm not sure I'll try it though. I don't like a solution that means I have to add things to my theme files. I switch themes now and then and this means I'd have to add it to the new theme every time. Not a solution I'd call good.
I also like to leave link to particular posts of mine too, that relate to the subject I'm commenting and this rather often are old posts. -
I worked on JunkDrawer's instructions some more and got past that Blogger error, but it stll will not verify my openid. I went over everything several times and I am pretty sure I have it all right, but it will not work for my openid. I think I have wasted enough time on this for now. I just can't believe Google has created such a problem for Blogger sites.
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Hi! Excuse my ignorance. Just found out that comments left at my blogger blog do not get forwarded onto my Hot mail address as they have in the past. However when I reply to the comment, this comment does get sent to my email address. Is this part of the new upgrade in blogger blogs? Thanking anyone for a response - signed - Confused.-
Hi, Peter. What you've described is the newest wrinkle in the Commenting Saga. I only get email notifications when I reply to a comment. This just seals the deal for me. I have to get off Blogger. I can check my posts for new comments left there, but how long can I do that? And what if someone leaves a comment on an older post.? I mean, I can't possibly check over 100 posts a day looking for new comments. Sigh.
I've been checking the Google Help board, and there is a flurry of discussion about this problem. So plenty of people are up in arms about it. Perhaps all the noise we're making will light a fire under someone. -
We have to check for comments now? You have got to be kidding.
I hope I misunderstood, but here goes me to Blogger to login and look. Ugh.
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Hi! Kathy. Thank you for the reply. I went into my Google account and from what I can work out is that they want me to create a gmail account. My hotmail address will then be my secondary address. I suppose then that any comments made might then be forwarded to my gmail address. Obviously they're forcing everyone to use nothing but google products and has the stink of unfair monopolization. Regards Peter
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Peter -- You should test that. For instance, I can leave you a message on your blog as Anonymous or perhaps just using something in the Nickname field. Then you can see whether you get notification that someone other than you commented. If you set up forwarding from Hotmail to Gmail, maybe you'll get them. I don't know. Now I think I'm confusing myself. Anyway, I'll be happy to test with you if you need someone to throw you some comments.
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Hi! Kathy. Thank you for the reply. Your comment came through to my hotmail address. I'll have a look at changing my address to a gmail account. Thanking stoneman and MadameX as well for their response - regards Peter.
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Well I'll be damned. Three comments waiting to be moderated, and I never would have known. Thank you!
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I, on the other hand, have a gmail account for my notification address and didn't see a blip.
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That's bizarre. I do too.
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For what it's worth, the latest commenting snafu has been resolved. We should all be getting email notifications for comments now.
See: knownissues.blogspot.com/-
Yeah, I just noticed that again last night.
Now if they would only make the "quick editing" links on my blog disappear as per my settings on Blogger.
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FYI, Google just announced it's bringing back the URL field for direct links to your blog. I'm disgusted that I moved to WordPress already. It was a ton of work that I would have rather avoided. Ultimately, I don't regret the move. But I would have liked to not have done it flying by the seat of my pants.
junkdrawerblog.com/2007/12/it-would-have-paid-to-wait.html -
Yes, I saw this when I commented on a Blogger site this morning. Sometimes it pays to make a bunch of noise. A pat on the back to myself and all the rest of you who wrote about this and caused Google to reconsider!
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I'm glad to hear they reconsidered. I am Very pleased with my switch to WordPress and wouldn't dream of switching back, but would consider using Blogger again for other blogs.
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