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What do you think about the blog update?

by Jason Short 20 May 2009

What do you think about the new blog layout and update?  Like it, hate it?

I am not 100% happy with the layout yet, but I am planning to make some layout changes to the main website and will update this at the same time to match more closely.  

Things that make me happy

  • This blog runs VistaDB 3.5 - We have a lot more control over the specific builds of the engine that are run as a part of our blog now!
  • Better integration with the main website
  • Search queries also show related topics (nice feature in BlogEngine)
  • Integrated buttons for social media sites and AddThis.com
  • Blog Archive includes all topics broken out historically
  • Built in quick poll system
  • Sidebar remembers you when you return and have made comments here before, gives you some update information
  • Easier RSS feed per category for user control
  • Built in Sitemap generator for Google actually increased our blog indexes in Google pretty quickly

Dislikes

  • Integrated blog stats - I have split them out in Google Analytics now so I can track blog usage separate from main website
  • No versioning of blog posts 
  • APML - I still have no idea why I would want to use it, but it keeps asking me if I want to apply my APML filter...
  • Admin panel for BlogEngine still feels clunky to me 
  • Editor does not seem to always like Chrome and tends to default to a raw HTML view
  • Adding tags to a new post does not AJAX for existing tags - I have to remember them...

Two thumbs Up!

Overall I definately give the BlogEngine guys two thumbs up.  Very easy to setup and run a blog using BlogEngine.  And I also just learned they are running on Mono now.

 

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Comments

20 May 2009 #

Ben

I like the new blog. The only thing about the layout is that the quick links and poll is below the tags. I have to scroll to the bottom to get back to the main site. Seems like it should be categories, quick links, search, poll, and then tags. Other than that, I actually like it better than the previous blog.

Ben United States

20 May 2009 #

js_vistadb

There is a VistaDB.Net button on the main menu at the top - the far right button that will send you back to the main website.  

I want to get the entire menu over here in this layout though so it matches across the top as well.  That is just a little more CSS than I was willing to do last weekend. Smile  Thanks.

js_vistadb United States

22 May 2009 #

Al Nyveldt

You should give Live Writer a try.  It is great for writing posts.  I rarely find myself in the admin panel for blogging and it handles the tags pretty nicely too.

Al Nyveldt United States

22 May 2009 #

js_vistadb

@Al - Live Writer is nice, but you can't attach files that go into the BlogEngine folder, or can you?  But it does help with the tagging quite a bit.

js_vistadb United States

23 May 2009 #

Damien White

@js_vistadb -
I use the Insert File(s) plugin for Live Writer with BlogEngine, it works pretty well.
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=b839fc2f-afa0-4728-8f54-cf4c0d3be8f5&bt=9

-Damien

Damien White United States

23 May 2009 #

js_vistadb

Thanks Damien, I will give it a try.

js_vistadb United States

26 May 2009 #

Al Nyveldt

Yep. I use the Insert File Plug in as well.

Al Nyveldt United States

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