The Blogger openID debate
There seems to be a huge rumbling about Blogger these days. A revolution of sorts. I'm not jumping on that band wagon. It concerns comment links and openID.
Let me step out on a limb here and say that I didn't start blogging to become the most popular kid on the block. I started blogging because I felt I had something to share with others. Nor do I comment only to have a link back to my blog. I comment because I have something to say. Either to let the poster know that I appreciate a well written post, or I have something that could be of interest to that poster and their readers. I didn't choose a blogging platform for it's ability to allow links in it's comment section.
With that being said, I do think linking is important. But not for the reason you may think. I like following links and placing links for the information shared within that link.
I will do what I always do with Blogger. Find a way. Just to make it simple for my readers, I have put this in the Comment Form Message in the comment setting section of the dashboard. Now my readers may comment and leave a link to something of interest. Or, if they wish, they can leave a link to their blog. Either way, it is there and easy to use.
I'm playing around with some of the fixes I've found, but at this point I'm not entirely clear on what I'm fixing! It all seems to work fine.
I really don't see what the fuss is about. Blogger will get it together and we will live happily ever after in Blogger Land.
Labels:
Blogger Beta,
Classic Blogger,
Comments,
Open ID
22 Comments:
You were brave to go out on the limb, however it is a stong limb you are standing on.
I had a similar message in my comment box like what you have here. I took it off today. It seems to me that it's fixed or not a problem any more and the few that visit my site, work around it. I love the feature to use nickname and I'm going to use it in this comment. I think you will know it is me. lol by my unique user name.
I love that I can leave my name and not always have my comment directed back to my site.
I was a little ticked the other day with blogger and found out in the end it was me making the mistake not them. I'm quite content with blogger and will continue to use it as my host.
I'm confident blogger had good reason for the move they made and I'm seeing other subtle changes I like as well. Always love when you post on this site.
For me the problem boiled down to the fact that it made things harder for people to comment. I think OpenID is a great idea but it is one of those techie things that the average blog reader/commentator doesn't need or will ever use. I don't really need another account and password I have to remember.
Since they removed the "other" option some of my visitors that used to comment don't comment anymore. These were bloggers that were self-hosted or just had a static website that I spent many months developing a relationship with by visiting their sites/blogs. Now they're gone and if they ever return I'll be surprised.
As a blogspot user I also often used the "other" field. I have several blogs because Blogger doesn't allow you have multiple identities under one account. So if I was commenting on a gardening blog and didn't want to sign out of my politics/personal account and sign into my gardening account I'd leave my comment using the "other" option. Now I can't do that.
There was nothing wrong with the comment section before they didn't need to fix it. If anything they could have made it like all the other blog platforms that ask for an e-mail when submitting. If they had integrated it with gmail's spam filter it could have promoted just how powerful an email program it is.
Great post Annie. I'm also at a complete loss to see what all the fuss is about.
People can still leave a nickname as before and if they really want to leave a link they simple leave the link in the comments field.
I find it very funny seeing all the whining.
The comments on my hit have nearly tripled since they allowed OpenID/Typepad/LiveJournal.
I think it's one of the biggest steps forward Blogger has done in a long time.
@janeywan, Yes, I saw you took it off of your comment area. As a matter of fact, I remember you doing something like that, and I liked it. I finally got around to putting it in mine. I'm going to leave it because I wanted readers to have an easy way to get the code for a link.
Now I see how some names in the comment section are 'links' and others are not. If you use the nickname feature, there is no link. Live and learn.
@MrBrownThumb, Those people that used the other feature...couldn't they now use the nickname or anonymous feature?
@DarkUFO, I'm glad someone else is out there with a confused look on their face.
I think the Blogger folks are always in motion, forever making changes to Blogger. We just have to learn how to live with them.
Annie,
That is the beauty of the nickname feature. You knew who I was and I really didn't want others to follow me on this particular comment. I know it made an extra step for you to get to my blog, but sometimes it isn't necessary for the follow, nor to I want blogger to feel obligated to follow. Just want to share my point of view. When using Janet (my real name it is not so simple) There are janet's all over the place. Sometimes I even think I may have been to the site before and already left a comment. Weird huh!?
I removed the code because for some it was confusing and honestly if it is to troublesome for them it's ok. Read and move on. If it's important copy my email address that's on the side bar and shoot me an email. I think the folks complaining about all this have a different agenda. I think blogger had solid reasons for what they did and undoubtedly it has something to do with stopping spam.
I blogged for years and never got a comment and it was ok. Now I find I'm a bit nervous of what I say and how I say it. The people I truly care about have my email address and I get some responders that way. That is how it transforms to a more personal level in my opinion. This blogging business to me is about friends and family. I always welcome a new friend and I love when I can click reply and they actually have email open so I don't have to go hunt for their addy. I've commented till I'm blue in the face about the importance of that and still it goes unnoticed. If it's all about them and they want to hear from me I jump through hoops to get their email address so that I can respond directly to them.
I think the folks who jumped to soon from blogger will be back. Maybe blogger wants to see who is loyal to them. For the most part Blogger is a great free service!
What's the saying, You can make some of the people happy some of the time and screw the rest of them, cause you can never make them happy. (or something like that). Well enjoy the warm weather it was -15º here this morning. brrr!
@Janeywan, I agree...Blogger is a great free sevice! Has the most flexibility of all I have looked at. I did look at WP in the beginning. They said they are free...until you actually want to work on your template, then, oops...there is a fee for that. And I'm all about working on your template. So I decided on Blogger.
Speaking of which, is this new, or did I just notice it? There is a link to click at the top of the comment window that says 'Jump to comment form'. That is really handy in posts with a gazillion comments.
You camera story was funny. But, you still got a great camera. Now, buy a lens and you are set!
Yes I see the jump to comment form. Saves scrolling down through everyone's comments. They are working on new things all the time..
Do you know how blogger makes their revenue to continue providing this service for free?
@janeywan, I don't know how they make revenue off blogger. I suspect they make loads off adsense. It is amazing that they can offer this service at all. I'm happy they do.
OpenId rocks, near as I can tell. Still testing it and of course lots to learn in using it. Now if hum,hum someone can explain it clearly in a post so that comments can understand all will be well in bloggerland again.
See the little icon next to my name in the above comment. I signed in using my openId account anyone under any host can do this. Yeah!!!
In the sign-in-using drop down box select openId and it's done and one can choose to allow for ever, one time or deny.
Cool huh!
@janeywan, good for you...you got an openID account. Fairly painless.
I know you're not hum,humming me! I don't know enough about this subject to form two consecutive sentences.
I'm off to study it. :-)
@MrBrownThumb, Those people that used the other feature...couldn't they now use the nickname or anonymous feature?
Yes but they're no longer links. I know they can add the link in the comment but as you know not everyone can or will understand how to do it.
I field question from people who want to know how I make my text links in a blog post. lol. It may seem simple and common to you and I but there are people still behind the curve out there and those people are in my blog niche.
And now that people have to link to their blogs in the comments will that bring back the spammers? I can always figure out who is commenting on mine for SEO because they always comment as anon and drop a link usually with anchor text.
U Comment, I Follow+ having to leave links in the comment section will only bring out more spammers.
Finally, a post on this subject that that is sensible. I felt there was too much uproar over nothing.
Annie,
Comments still not working on the your lastest post.
@janeywan, Hmmm....comments still not working for you on that post? I tried and it worked for me. I wonder what is up?
Annie i like blog. i always read every post. thanks for sharing
The open id is really nice but i found some problem of not taking the urls whether the url is correct.
I don't know why it happens some times.
open id is good but it is concern for the people , who want left their link with the comment.I think it also good for browse different blog.
nice shere. thank you for all...
Nice Comment Thanks For Sharing
i dont like the openid
as it takes time to login,so i prefer this simple comment box
Actually I see you've done a great job and it is logical for me to let everyone store, find your way but that is identified. I hate anonymous comments.