Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with blog and weblog

"Just add RSS"-type instablog needed

ignignokt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:47:40 -0800

Recommend a free blog provider that can use an RSS feed as a source for content, but also has a decent comment system. I know Tumblr can create blogs that translate RSS feeds into Tumblr blogs, but - by design - they don't have a robust comment system. You can try to drop in something like Disqus, but I've tried that before, and the results are ugly.

Why I'm looking for this: A friend of mine would like to take his Google Reader shared items feed and present it as a blog that strangers can comment on without too much trouble.

Wherein Whelk Wants Wonderful Words

The Whelk — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:06:07 -0800

Name My Blog! After years of creating things and then casually tossing them aside, I've decided to create a blog to put them all in. Cartoons, short fiction, audio clips, short video, etc. A bit like Lore's Bad Gods. The only problem is, I've got no idea what to call it. I'm torn between something direct like "John Did That" or something that just sounds cool, "Automatic Inspiration" was a leading contender for a while. Want to avoid anything suggesting random, junk, or trash (Even though that's what it is, the whole theme is overused). Shower me with your minds, Mefites!

float, padding, margins, wrappers, %0px1.2em!11!! oh my!

iamkimiam — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:03:55 -0800

I'm going crazy trying to adjust my blog template. It seems that when I change the browser window size, the body, sidebar, and header all move independently. If I make the window wider, the right edges of the sidebar and header do not align. If I make the window less wide, the whole sidebar crunches into body text (fine) and eventually gets kicked off the side by the body (not fine). Ideally, I'd like them all to line up, move/scale together side-to-side, and not get kicked around. I know this has to do with adjusting float, padding, margins, wrappers, percentages, and pixels. I've been tweaking with the variables, hitting preview, observing changes, for way too long. If somebody could please help me fix this, or point me towards an easy tutorial that won't take up too much of my time to decipher, I'd be forever grateful. Thanks!

Blog is in my profile, but I would be really appreciative if it were NOT linked to in this thread. Thanks!

Can WordPress and WordPress MU play nice together?

brundlefly — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:04:40 -0800

Can WordPress and WordPress MU share a database? I need to install WordPress MU on a site that already has the standard WordPress installed elsewhere, and the host has a one database limit. I know multiple installations of WordPress can share, but is the same true of MU?

A Question about Libel & Privacy Laws

interrobang — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:52:57 -0800

Does it become legal to use a person's image without their consent or knowledge, as long as you put a black bar over their eyes and don't use their real name? I cannot afford to talk to a lawyer about this. Alternately, does stop being an invasion of privacy if it's a drawing or a caricature? How about a drawing or caricature with a black bar over the eyes?

Using WordPress for Multiple Same-Site Feeds

mikewas — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 13:29:11 -0800

How can I use a single WordPress install to run multiple mini-blogs on one domain? I would like to use a single WordPress install - say at example.com/blog/ to generate multiple mini-blogs to be incorporated as .php includes in otherwise static pages throughout the site. Essentially, I'm looking to create little newsfeeds for internal use only - just headline, brief text, and a link.

I imagine the result would involve using category templates to generate .php files to be included in the other pages, but I'm not really sure how to go about it.

Has anyone done something similar?

Best WordPress setup to publish a NaNo novel on the web?

pzarquon — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:29:07 -0800

So, with NaNoWriMo coming next week, I've been looking up past questions on music to write to, novel writing and organizing applications, and ways to write anywhere. But... what would be the best way to publish your NaNo novel on the web as you go? I'm thinking WordPress. Yes, I know, there are 'first rights' and other concerns if you're hoping to do something with your NaNo novel after November, but most of my writer friends do this for fun, and we like to read along as stories come together (or fall apart).

In the past, I set up Movable Type blogs, and tweaked the template so that entries were posted to the main index in chronological order (rather than reverse chronological). Of course, that was just a kludge, and now everyone's in love with WordPress. It's adaptable, and there are a wide variety of templates are out there... so I'm thinking that's the way to go this year.

Is anyone familiar with any "novel-ly" WordPress templates or widgets? Some easy theme to turn a basic blog into a way to elegantly present serialized fiction? On look and feel, something using fonts that look very... book-like (lots of white space, larger than average serif type, etc.)? On function, something less chronology or date based, and thinking more in terms of chapters.

Or is there a better way? If you wanted to post your NaNo novel online as you churned out your daily quota, how would you do it?

2006 weblog tool market share

will — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:18:45 -0800

Looking for 2006 stats or reports on weblog tool market share. Ideally include installed systems like MovableType and hosted platforms like TypePad.

How to post large/fullsize Flickr photos to a weblog?

redshifter — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 10:18:43 -0800

Calling all Flickr ninjas: I would like to have Flickr send a large (750px+) version of my most recent photo to my weblog so I can use it as the banner. Is this possible? I hope to be able to steadily freshen the look of my site by simply snapping a photo with my cellphone and emailing it up to Flickr. The idea is that I'll have a big banner DIV at the top of my weblog. The DIV's background (so it will crop nicely, if a bit randomly) will be my most recent Flickr upload.

Theoretically, I have a possible solution in mind (having Flickr automatically post to a separate Movable Type blog set up for the header image, and including that blog into my main blog). The problem seems to be that Flickr doesn't allow the posting of custom-sized photos -- I would prefer to tell it what width to publish, or at least to be able to publish a size larger than 500px.

Has anyone done anything like this before? Alternately, if there is a simple non-Flickr way to email photos from a cellphone to weblog, I'm all ears.

Oh, SNAP!

Glitter Ninja — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 10:32:38 -0800

PhotoBlogFilter: Tips on starting a photo journal? Oh, snap! There's I've been in love with photography for ages, and am trying to work on honing my skills without just taking loads of meaningless photos. I've also tried to commit myself to blogging every other day- but that's never worked in the past. I thought a photo diary might be a great way to combine them both, so I though I'd ask for tips here- What do you guys thing the most interesting things to look at are? This diary wouldn't include pictures of me (since I'm obviously the ninja behind the camera) but I'd like to be able to tell a story about my day without using words if at all possible, save for a couple of place captions. Also, how can I commit myself to my every other day regime? I figured AskMeFi would know, if anyone would. Thanks in advance, guys, and please give me any other tips you can think of, or words of wisdom.

Best strategies for defeating sploggers who are lifting my content.

IndigoSkye — Tue, 23 May 2006 10:08:46 -0800

I've had a couple smaller splogs that gave up after a period of time. However, one splog has persisted and, through volume, is showing up higher in searches than my original posts. What can I do? It's not the lifting of the content that I have problem with, I publish an RSS feed that others pick up with a credit link back to my blog. It's the wholesale reprinting of articles without even so much as a link back to my blog.

Besides ignoring them and hoping they'll go away, what are some good strategies for getting them to stop republishing my posts? Also what ways of contacting RSS aggregation sites (like Technorati) and asking them to drop the splog feeds have worked for you?

HTML woes: Google/Amazon ads and IE display woes

jdroth — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 07:38:23 -0800

HTML woes: How can I make Amazon ads play nice with Google ads? Also, why is my web site's layout screwed up in Internet Explorer on Windows? I can't figure it out. #1 — Starting with this Sesame Street post in the blue, I was able to create an entry on my personal site that has enjoyed very high traffic (for me) over the past week. My Google Ads have worked nicely, but now I want to tack on an Amazon iframe ad in the middle of the entry. When I do, something goes wrong. Where the Amazon ad should appear, half of the Google ad appears, and the regular Google ad doesn't appear where it should at the bottom of the page. I haven't the faintest clue what's wrong. (I've taken the Amazon ad down for the time being, so there's no broken-ness to view; I can re-implement the broken-ness if that will help diagnose the problem.)

#2 — On a similar note, my site doesn't display properly on Internet Explorer for Windows. It's always been a source of embarrassment, but now I'm even more ashamed to have all these new visitors coming to look at Sesame Street videos only to find my broken formatting. Here's a screenshot of how things look on my Mac (and most (all?) Mozilla-based browsers). Here's a screenshot of how things look on Internet Explorer for Windows. I have no idea what is causing the problem. (Well, I suspect it's something in my sidebar, but beyond that I'm clueless.) Can anyone help me diagnose this problem? I've been ignoring it for almost two years.

Web Bam!!!

Smarson — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:02:32 -0800

Blogging 201: Let's kick it up a notch! Alright, I've started my blog. I've got this posting/editing/linking thing down. One of my posts even broke the 10 comment bench mark. Pretty much I'm poised to take over the blogosphere single handedly at which point, fame and/or fortune will be mine.

However, before I get really big I want to make sure I'm properly utilizing resources that are available to me. Someone mentioned Site Meter which looks pretty useful. What other kinds of tweaks are available for one such as me (a cocky upstart who thinks after a week he knows the score)? What is this Technorati thing? Show me what ya' got mefites!

Where can I find a weblog designer for Typepad?

IndigoSkye — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 11:55:46 -0800

Where can I find someone who can design an advanced typepad template for my blog for a reasonable price? I've been doing the 'blog' thing since 1999 using various platforms and hosts. But I've never quite mastered the vagrancies of CSS and MovableTyple MarkUp Language and now I don't have the time to. I have a moderately successful blog, in such that I have a lot of regular readers and am considered something of an expert in my subject, but I fear its design is holding it back. In fact, I've been getting lots of reports that it doesn't work well in Safari or Mozilla. I need someone who can take the design to the next level while still being usable across many platforms. I'm willing to pay for this service, but my budget is small. So I'd like to see examples of design work before making up my mind.

Does anyone have a designer with experience working with advanced typepad templates who they would like to recommend?

Why has my MT weblog died? Can it be fixed?

jdroth — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 15:55:43 -0800

My website is hosted by Dreamhost. It primarily consists of a Movable Type weblog that I keep for family and friends. A few others have weblogs on my MT installation. I use the Berkely DB option and MT 2.661 (for licensing reasons). Suddenly today I am unable to login. Comments result in an odd error. When I attempt to recover my password, I get an 'invalid username' error. To me, it appears the database has become corrupt. HELP! Can the database be saved? Does anyone have experience with a similar blogtastrophe?

Interesting musicians who weblog - know of any?

theNonsuch — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 09:33:33 -0800

I'm putting together a comprehensive list of interesting musicians who run their own weblogs - can you help? I've already got a bunch but I'd like to try and put together a definitive list. When I say interesting musicians, I'm talking about those that fall just slightly (or quite a bit) off of the beaten path - musicians like Bob Mould, or Mike Doughty, or even Radiohead. Basically, musicians that would be considered (and I hate using this term) "alternative", or at the very least popular musicians with something interesting to say.

Here's my list so far:

Thanks!

Anyone anonyblogging?

skylar — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 04:49:37 -0800

Is there a simple to use, high-quality weblog creation service that will allow me to blog with a reasonable level of anonymity? Blogger has always been okay but as far as I know doesn't seem to cater for categories, which is something I seek. I'm attracted to TypePad though a look at their privacy policy suggests they're collecting all sorts of information and are likely to pass it on to quite a few parties. Are there more anonymous blog apps out there?

What are the best mini blogs?

lewistate — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 21:30:02 -0800

When I need a quick fix on the web, I inevitably find myself checking a small handful of feeds in my RSS reader. Mini blogs, link blogs, sidebar blogs -- call them what you will, they all share the same characteristics: plenty of links and not much commentary. Which mini blogs do you read on a regular basis? I'm familiar with Waxy, Kottke, Little Yellow Diferent, Robot Wisdom, and a few others, but I know there must be plenty of these sites out there. RSS feeds are a plus, but not a dealbreaker. So what are your favorite quick-fix mini blogs?

Is Blogads profitable?

Servo5678 — Sun, 22 May 2005 15:33:52 -0800

Does anyone have experience with Blogads? I've been approached to join their ad program in which I'd place ads from their network of advertisers on my blog in exchange for a share of the profits. My blog gets about 700 hits per day (on a good non-Slashdotted day). Can a blog as small as mine be profitable with Blogads? Are Blogads's business dealings fair and above the table? Are Blogads's ads so annoying that most people in-the-know block them with Adblock etc.? Basically, is Blogads a good idea for my blog?

Who, in the wonderful world of personal websitery, makes you laugh?

stavrosthewonderchicken — Wed, 08 Sep 2004 01:31:50 -0800

Who, in the wonderful world of personal websitery, makes you laugh? You know, deliberately. [a few examples inside]

What's the best open source group weblog software and why?

will — Thu, 08 Jan 2004 21:43:11 -0800

What's the best open source group weblog software and why? FreeFilter and MetaPhilter look neck and neck. Scoop seems a little too oversized for the average group weblog.