Comments on: Blog Mistakes? Or Choices? http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/ Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and serious amateur photographer. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:33:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Markk http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1221 Markk Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:33:40 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1221 I agree with you on #5, I too browse in tabs, and if it's an external link... new tab... if it's content within my own pages I use the browsers back button... keep breaking some of those rules, have to make it "personal" to you... after all it IS your blog. I agree with you on #5, I too browse in tabs, and if it’s an external link… new tab… if it’s content within my own pages I use the browsers back button… keep breaking some of those rules, have to make it “personal” to you… after all it IS your blog.

]]> By: Miraz Jordan http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1220 Miraz Jordan Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:01:03 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1220 The long pages is another thing. I'm with you about writing a blog for my own reasons and not as a means to generate income. Posts and pages need to be as long as they need to be, and I don't like breaking posts with the more button because it means the RSS feed only has a partial post. And, as you say, it's an inconvenience for the reader. On my Learning Centre though I always break the posts because I see that site as a reference. For me it just wouldn't work to have loads of long long posts on one page. But then while I use WordPress behind that site it's not a blog. I wouldn't expect people to read every item, but instead to visit, find one item and read that. I think blogs are a bit different from more static sites. In general the caution is a good one - I've seen sites where they've tried to cram everything they want to say on to one single page and it can be a huge mess. Connection speed can also be a factor. If you have a fast connection it's annoying to click through a dozen pages to read one article. If you have a really slow or expensive connection then that night be a better approach... The long pages is another thing. I’m with you about writing a blog for my own reasons and not as a means to generate income. Posts and pages need to be as long as they need to be, and I don’t like breaking posts with the more button because it means the RSS feed only has a partial post. And, as you say, it’s an inconvenience for the reader.

On my Learning Centre though I always break the posts because I see that site as a reference. For me it just wouldn’t work to have loads of long long posts on one page. But then while I use WordPress behind that site it’s not a blog. I wouldn’t expect people to read every item, but instead to visit, find one item and read that.

I think blogs are a bit different from more static sites.

In general the caution is a good one – I’ve seen sites where they’ve tried to cram everything they want to say on to one single page and it can be a huge mess.

Connection speed can also be a factor. If you have a fast connection it’s annoying to click through a dozen pages to read one article. If you have a really slow or expensive connection then that night be a better approach…

]]> By: Miraz Jordan http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1219 Miraz Jordan Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:53:50 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2007/08/02/blog-mistakes-or-choices/#comment-1219 These rules can always be broken by choice when people, like you, have clear reasoning behind their choices. I think your choices work well. I can cast a bit of extra light on a couple. The 'new windows' thing is for three reasons: a] blind or sight-impaired people who may have no idea what's going on with a new window because you and I can *see* it happen, but they can't. b] I've sat beside plenty of 'newbies' who are just totally confused by a new window. They often have no idea what's going on or how to deal with it. By the time they quit their browser they have 20 windows open and are totally bewildered. c] I haven't had much opportunity to use 'other' devices such as cellphones etc, but as I understand it they might not handle the new window thing so well. The thing is that opening a new window is fine if you either tell the visitor that's what will happen, or give them a choice somehow. These rules can always be broken by choice when people, like you, have clear reasoning behind their choices. I think your choices work well.

I can cast a bit of extra light on a couple.

The ‘new windows’ thing is for three reasons:

a] blind or sight-impaired people who may have no idea what’s going on with a new window because you and I can *see* it happen, but they can’t.

b] I’ve sat beside plenty of ‘newbies’ who are just totally confused by a new window. They often have no idea what’s going on or how to deal with it. By the time they quit their browser they have 20 windows open and are totally bewildered.

c] I haven’t had much opportunity to use ‘other’ devices such as cellphones etc, but as I understand it they might not handle the new window thing so well.

The thing is that opening a new window is fine if you either tell the visitor that’s what will happen, or give them a choice somehow.

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