Nows Your Time To Tell Us About Bridgeblogging
We made some changes to the bridgeblogging website a while ago. It was intended to be Phase 1. Phase 2 will fix anything that didn’t quite work in Phase 1 and also add some new features, like pictures of bloggers and better titles on feeds. It also will resolves some technical challenges that should make the feeds more stable. Before we start on Phase 2 we asked our bloggers for input and we are asking you for the same.
If you don’t want to post here but have some ideas please send me an email at linda@masterpointpress.com or support@masterpointpress.com. The more you help us the better the site will be for everybody.
This is what we did in Phase 1:
We separated feeds from our own bloggers and blogs we pick up. You will see two sets of blogs on the home page and two sets of links to blogs. We did this because people were confused about why they couldn’t write comments on some blogs and why they looked different than others.
We created a place for news and put in a new graphic every week or so. This can be anything from a major bridge event to The Teacher of the Year. We think it helps the page to look more interesting and it also allows us to have a chance to focus on topics we think will be interesting to bridge players.
We changed the design to make it more vibrant with new colors and mor graphical elements.
We created the idea of featured bloggers. Featured bloggers were those we wanted to give a bit more prominence to from time to time. It could be because they were commenting on a major event or because they were new or just to give you a chance to see a new face every some often. We did run into a problem with this concept for two reasons:
a) we can only have one blog from a featured blogger on the home page at a time (without a lot of programming)
b) Some people felt that it was harder for them to easily find blogs they had read and those they hadn’t
Things we are considering for Phase 2:
- Fix featured blogger to solve problems with it or drop or change the concept
- When clicking on a home page takes you to a particular blog either see the most recent other blogs of that blogger or make it very easy and clear how to do so.
- Add pictures of bloggers whenever we can
- Fix up the feeds from other bloggers to provide a better labels and to prevent problems (we have had a few).
- Look at providing links to other sites (but not blogs) in a better way.
I am sure we will come up with some others too!
So now, it’s your turn … tell us what you think. If you liked it better before then tell us why and maybe we can combine the best of the old and the best of the new.
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Bridge-related
I can never find the comments to any of the blogs I read. Hard to believe there aren’t any
If you read Judy Kay-Wolff’s blogs you will find many comments. I don’t usually get all that many. You should see the number of comments if there are any. If you see this comment! and still think there is a problem then send me an email with more specifics.
And thanks for the comment!
Hanni:
I know a lot of people scrutinize and enjoy the popular site of bridgeblogging.com. However, from experience I have learned that although most like the variety of different bloggers, they rarely take the time or are computer-shy and do not comment on the material. Some of my blogs gets comments but more often than not, I get private emails from friends who read them but prefer not to “Leave a Comment.”
All of the bloggers on the site work so hard, whether it is a trip down memory lane, a special hand, a timely report on an ongoing tournament, criticism of some bridge situation — whatever. And, I can only speak for myself, but it is always nice to hear from someone (even with differing opinions) so that we know all our efforts are not in vain.
If there are any comments, you will immediately note them by a number to the right of the title of the blog at the top of the page. Just click it and magically the comments will appear. Then, you too, will have your chance to add your thoughts upon the subject (positive, negative or neutral).
The work involved in running this site is beyond the realm of the imagination since it has become so widespread and includes the blogs of other outside groups. Linda and I have corresponded about the change from the old site to the newer one and I gape in amazement at all of the extraneous forces involved in the categories, placement, timing, et al. It seems to be a trial and error process and hopefully it will have a happy ending for all.
Keep reading, Hanni. We need people like you.
Cheers,
Judy
This bridgeblogging centre for dozens of bloggers is truly amazing. To improve on greatness is a tall order. I feel privileged to stand alongside some great writers, and bridge intellects. I love the way that all the latest blogs get front page publicity, but I guess that because there is so much material to browse through even on a daily basis ( let alone the backlog stuff ) readers haven’t got that much time to comment. However, since there is so much great material being produced, surely Linda there is scope for a book ” The best blogs of the 21st century “. Yours John Howard Gibson ( aka HBJ )
To HBJ:
For my money, your style of blogging is so refreshing, creative, humorous, imaginative and original — you are a standout!
However, your blogs (being on a different segment of bridgeblogging.com) have presented a problem for me in responding. In fact, I just answered one of yours on huddles and the heinous aftermaths, but it is not nearly as simple as this site, where you go to Leave a Comment, compose, sign and submit. Free and Easy. A kindergarten child could handle it.
I would suggest a similar format whereas your blogs could be commented upon right here and now. Since I could not waste time and figure out what category I fit into, I just typed my name in the body and clicked Anonymous and achieved my mission. Not the proper way to comply — but time was of the essence and I did what I had to do.
I suggest, if possible, in the future that all bloggers can receive answers as I am doing now — with no fuss or detailed information. I am sure they can find a way to send it directly to your own website, reflecting the comment made right here.
As far as front page format, I prefer the ‘old’ way — what you see is what you get, printed in the time order received. It is less time consuming to see them hot off the press and not have to scour all the categories, sometimes not remembering if you have already seen and read it. I don’t think there should be a Featured Blogger Category. Let the readers decide for themselves.
Yes, it is a cute idea to have “The Best Blogs of he 21st Century” in book format (and Masterpoint Press is just the place to go) — but I do think the selections should be approved by the writer.
Linda, I am a frequent reader of bridgeblogging.com from China (which may not show too many hits on your stats). Like many others, I enjoy reading almost every post here.
One thing I am not sure if I can ask you to do is to get one RSS feed for all the posts on your site? Now I subscribe to Bobby Wolff, Judy and you in my Google reader. But I really do not want to miss anything interesting from others. So can you create an easy way for us to follow up? Other than visiting the website everyday of course.
That is a great idea, Felix. We will put the idea of a consolidted RSS feed on our list of things to consider.
A combined RSS exists and has existed for years. You can get the link off the main page of the site on the top right.
Because I’m often reading that RSS feed, I don’t stop by the actual website all that often. I do like the new layout, design, and colours though.
Perhaps it would be nice to also have a comments RSS? It should probably be separate from the main RSS. Or perhaps there should be versions with and without comments.
Linda, and Felix — we already have the consolidated RSS feed. If you click above where it says “bridgeblogging home”, and then click “subscribe to RSS feeds” from the top-right menu, that will bring you to the consolidated feeds. It may not be 100% up-to-date as I type this, but I’ll make a note to check that sometime next week and make sure that it includes everything of importance.
Shaz — that’s actually on my list of things that I want to change. I also wanted to add a “recent comments” box somewhere on the main page that picks up the 5 most recent comments that were left.
Shaz and Luise, thanks for pointing out the link to consolidated RSS feed. I tried it, and it is great. But it does not have everything, e.g. Wolff’s daily column is not there. So I guess I will use it together with some other feeds.
Thanks again!
Felix – Thanks for pointing out that problem… I will correct that sometime today. If you notice any other feeds missing from that list let me know and I’ll fix that too.
Cheers,
Luise