Blog Post of the Month
Some of you may have been wondering what that yoke is on my side bar?
This is Damien Mulley up to his tricks again.
Is there any limit to this bloke’s ideas? He is giving an award for Blog Post of the Month, every month.
I think it is a great idea, because it gives everyone an opportunity. I have nominated one or two posts [not any of my own, I hasten to add] and I hope they are in with a chance.
I got the badge from Le Craic [with permission] and I think it is a great piece of work.
Unfortunately, I have one or two problems with it.
- It is in Flash, and Flash is something I’m not fond of.
- I’m a modest bloke, and it does somehow look like I’m pimping for a nomination.
- It takes up quite a lot of space.
It’s a pity, because I really like it. It has everything, like a mini web site. A brilliant piece of work.
But I think I’ll replace it with something a bit smaller.
When I can get off my arse to do something.
I don’t like it.
Clicking on it brings up the pop-up warning bar …. not a great thing to have associated with your (or any) site Grandad.
The idea is good …. the end result isn’t.
Paddy – An excellent point that I wasn’t aware of. I hate pop ups.
It is now [alas] gone.
Many thanks for pointing that out.
The little one I have on my blog doesn’t appear to bring up a pop-up.
I also have it bookmarked to open in another Firefox tab for nominating other sites I visit. I checked it now and there was no pop-up.
I don’t read any Irish blogs so I won’t be voting.
It’s not for everyone that’s for sure but just to be clear about the “pop up” issue. It is dependent on what browser you have AND what security settings you have on it. All it is doing is opening up a new web page, using the same actual code that is used to open a new page when you click on standard link in a blog post.
Due to the fact that is a flash applet, the warning can appear. It’s not ideal but that’s the way of the flash world.
To Paddy – I disagree with you when you say it is not something to have associated with any site. There are sites I visit that I know and trust (like this one). I’m sure Grandad’s visitors know that he would not put something on his site that was anything less than useful in purpose.
On these trusted sites I can see what I am clicking on and therefore can choose to allow pop ups from that site in future. Doing that is a small one time inconvenience but I’ve done it on lots of sites that I like and visit regularly and in a way, it’s a vote of confidence in that site and it’s owner(s).
It’s clear that this applet is for a defined purpose and it is not like an annoying pop up for a spam site or for advertising clicks which is why I wanted to clear up the issue. So really the end result is dependant on whether or not you trust a site or not. That would be my view on it.
Grandad, ’twas nice that you put it on the site anyway so thanks for giving it a whirl. I’ll do some work on a standard animated gif for you that you would just need to create a hyperlink to the voting page. Also, I don’t think putting something on the site is pimping at all. How else would the casual visitor to your site know of the award?
This is where the blogging community needs to think of site visitors beyond the “bread and butter” of the regular contributors and commenters who are part of the blogging community also.
All the best
AJ
EDIT – no need to do the gif for you. I see you’ve created one already 🙂
Grannymar – I now have my own modified version – Thanks!
Brianf – That’s OK. I don’t read your site either.
AJ – Finding your applet was like finding the car of my dreams, only to find it doesn’t fit in the garage along with the washing machine and the deep freeze!
I really loved it. It was brilliant in that it showed everything like a mini web site. Unfortunately, it slightly swamped my sidebar. On your site, it works a lot better as you have a three column theme with a lot more “real estate” [hate that expression!].
I have put up an animated GIF that I took from Globe Travel, but I mucked that slightly by resizing it 🙁 Oh, that I had the skills of a web designer!
As for the modesty bit.. I don’t like being pushy. OK, so I won a couple of awards, but I feel I have to put them at the bottom of the page rather than the top! Modesty is my worst failing! And overuse of exclamation marks!!
Yea! Yea! Well I don’t read your blog either! So there!
Now I’m off to go read an tImeall
http://imeall.blogspot.com/
🙂
I’m with you on the real estate expression 🙂 how about screen space instead?
Brianf – Best of luck!
Le Craic – Screen Space it is. There are a few Real Estates around though – Muckross? Russborough? Powerscourt?
le craic …. no offence intended.
I know the IE pop up bar only warns … my comment was in relation to it’s annoying appearance … regardless of whether I trust the site or not.
I like to browse with IE and with the least amount of interference as possible.
Even though I trust Grandad’s site …. the fact that the applet would bring up the pop-up notification bar would be enough to turn me off clicking on it.
You’re right … I’d click once but I’d have learned my lesson.
I’m not faulting your creation …. as I said I liked the idea …. twas just that the end result didn’t suit me.
I just hate too many bells and whistles …. java applets ain’t for me.
What is a blog? Explain that one! 🙂 And, where’s your next post? I’m off to Trinity. Cheers… 🙂
Paddy – I have to agree, though I must berate you for using IE [Firefox is THE MAN]. I have an instinctive dislike of any warning that pops up on my screen, even if it is a trusted site. I like my browsing to be as simple as possible, and even more important, I want peoples experience of my site to be as simple as possible.
JD [Shane??] – At last you have a decent flag on your comment 😉
A Blog is a discreet poo in a bog.
A Blog Post is what you tie your horse to, when you are having a discreet poo in a bog.
That answer your question?
Enjoy Trinity!