12.24.06
Posted in News, Tools & Resources at 4:38 pm by jon yang
Seems like Blogger’s always (fashionably) late to the party nowadays right? The platform largely responsible for launching blogs into the mainstream is now reactionary. Little trinkets like labels, site feeds, and password protected entries are only now entering the Blogger service through its Beta Blogger — which is now open for all.
In an ocean filled with what seems like hundreds of blog providers, Blogger may no longer innovate but when it makes changes, it makes a huge impact. I mean, when Blogger add new features, or requires users to switch to new logins (Beta Blogger requires a Google Login), millions of blogs are impacted. Big ship, that blogger.
I’d been waiting for my own beta Blogger invite to appear on my various Blogger hosted blogs. When I finally got the opportunity, I was delighted. Here were the labels I was looking for, here was drag-and-drop template customization, here was better displays for archives, I loved it.
Then, I tried to take my non-blogspot.com hosted blogs over to beta Blogger. Bad news. If you were trying to FTP to Blogger, there were huge icebergs ahead. I spent a week panicking that my blogs would be no more. Online forums reported users who had lost blogs, users who could no longer publish, users who were stuck in limbo between old Blogger and beta Blogger. I had the same problems, mainly being unable to FTP to the domain of my choice.
Blogger Help was timely and helpful during that hand-wringing week, but I think I learned a valuable lesson here: always create a test blog before converting something over to a new platform. In addition, always save copies of your stuff. But you knew that already, right?
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12.22.06
Posted in Tools & Resources, Topical at 9:23 am by jon yang
Blogs aren’t just used by (aspiring) writers, successful businesses, and your grandma, they are also being used in a variety of ways as educational resources. How many ways are they being used as educational resources? Good question, you in the back.
The answer to that qustion is “infinite” or “infinite plus one” if you want to get cheeky.
For a sampling of all those brilliant educational blogs, here’s a list of “The Top 100 Education Blogs”. The list focuses the highlight on blogs that are being used in a variety of ways; from sites focused toward the community of teachers, to blogs that ponder the impact and vision of education policies.
I wish they had blogs back when I attended college (not that long ago in my mind but a long time ago as measured by years). I’d throw up a collection of personal journal type blogs from each university. It’ll be like the Real World but told through unaffiliated individuals on each campus. We could even give it a go and try to stereotype them at first, to see how they get along. A blog like this would allow us to see a person progress from freshman to senior year — or more likely, super senior year.
You could have all these first person perspectives of what it’s like to attend a certain university and potential attendees of that particular school could take a look and gain some insight on what the experience might be like. I’ve seen a whole series of books that are thematically similar to this idea. A sort of Cliff Notes or Lonely Planet for colleges; my blog versions would be uncut, unabridged, and unedited. From the mouth of babes as it were.
Students already on campus might gain a bit from these journals as well. I’d weed out all the Xanga-licious “This is my life, omg, I just had a revelation, I want to be a psychology major!” type blogs, but aim for well composed sites that actually try to articulate the college experience as a whole, not just the (melo)drama each college student endures.
Yes, that’s what I’d do to change the world. Create a network of blogs for universities. “I have a dream…”
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12.19.06
Posted in Blogs / Sites, Book Related at 3:35 pm by jon yang
This is what blogs are for! A whole blog dedicated to reviewing and showcasing book covers. Nifty covers will definitely catch a browser’s attention so it’s important to have something that sets your book apart from the crowd. As they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” But really, who doesn’t? A great cover can really make your time spent with a book feel more impressive, or cool, or embarassing.
I mean, try carrying this thing around and maintaining the “No, this is not chick-lit” image up. During our book club reading of this particular book, someone mentioned that they had this exact problem and would have to flash the title just to make sure people knew she was reading a “real book.” These are the kinds of stories that book covers should generate. We all know that little details like knowing when to flash, or not flash, a book cover as you ride the subway or sit in a Starbucks can make or break a stranger’s first impression of you. Right?
Plus, an awesome cover can generate added excitement on your book shelf. Just as if you were to line up your best DVDs, stuffed animals, or porcelain figurines impressive-side out, you would do the same to your books right? I mean, doesn’t everyone do that?
You only have one chance for an acquaintance to check out your stuff, make it count. Make sure you get them to ask “So, what is that book with the Eskimo with a laptop on the cover?! Intriguing… Oooh, pink, I love it!”
The most exciting thing about this list of Best Book Covers 2006 is that I’ve actually read (and own) the first cover on the list. I’m so now-tro.
There’s also quite a bit to be said for the tactile qualities of a book cover, but I’ll get into that some other time.
While we’re at it, a few more interesting things to look at:
(1) Amazon Sales Rankings explained (2) .
(2) Guardian Unlimited Book’s Top Ten Literary Blogs
(3) Plug Your Book: a really great book selling and online book marketing blog.
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12.17.06
Posted in Articles at 4:57 pm by jon yang
“Writer’s block” can happen to anybody. Sitting at home wondering what channel you should be watching? Can’t commit to just one show? Feeling uninspired? Writer’s block.
Sitting at the office wondering when to take that coveted 15-minute break? Pre or post-lunch? Writer’s block.
About to start that amazing Christmas card — with a snowman, a sleigh and a gnome on the front — that will absolve you of all friendship related guilt from 2006 but can’t find anything to say? Writer’s block.
Yeah, it’s a serious problem.
For me, the key is to just get started doing something; be it writing, watching, breaking, or um, friendship resolving. Once you take that plunge into doing, the creative juices start flowing and I find that I can’t stop the task at hand.
Of course, you could combat traditional writer’s block by starting a blog, like Ooi Yang-May did, but don’t be afraid to use a blog to leap over any “writer’s block” in your life. You can prove to your significant other that you really did think about taking out the trash and doing the dishes, even if you didn’t actually do it…yet. “Check the time stamp honey!”
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12.06.06
Posted in Blogs / Sites at 4:38 pm by jon yang
Rex takes time out of his life to give us his list of the Best Blogs of 2006 that You (Maybe) Aren’t Reading. It’s quite an extensive list and he’s been doing this great feature for the past few years. This year’s list numbers 30 and includes a few blogs that I personally love, including tcritic.com and the IFC’s movie blog.
It’s wonderful what Rex, or “Fimoculous” does, giving us a list (and capsule review) of blogs that might be flying under the radar. Sharing is caring. Thanks man!
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