Atom FeedArchive of September 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Blogs Without Comments Or RSS?
OK, this is going to be bit of rant…What's the point of blogging about something and not allowing comments or trackbacks? It's one of the reasons I started PolarBlog —Personal Weblog (PWL) that it's based off of didn't have a commenting system, thus I started working on it and realized PWL wasn't going to be continued. As for trackbacks, well…I'm about to start working on that soon.
Without having commenting and/or trackbacks, you don't have a blog, you have a public journal. Which is fine I guess if that's what you want, but what's the point? You spew your opinion for everyone to read, but you have no interest in any feedback on it? How Republican of you! ;) Hell, I spew my writings which are probably better suited to a journal format but nonetheless, they are open and available for comments.
This is where I get to throw my friend Chris under the bus. You post an entry seeking feedback, but you have comments disabled. I have the luxury of talking to you on a daily basis so I can easily provide feedback. But if you're writing what is a public message and seek feedback, how would the average schmuck do that if they don't know you? Sorry Chris, you were just the best/most recent example I have seen of this behavior. :) As for feedback, yeah my site deserves to be there, but then again I'm already there 24x7x365. Thank you.
Onto my next commenting gripe…sites that require you to login to post a comment. I don't want Chris to feel alone, so I'll throw Rob under the bus with you as his site requires you to login to comment. In his case it's a bit different because he has a small community blog where several people gather to post and comment. That's cool I guess. But this is a very common thing you find on the "big sites" whom I'm too lazy to link too. You know who the players are in that arena, I don't need to tell you. I believe it's an option on most of them, but lots of people seem compelled to disallow comments and then spew from their pulpit. Their prerogative I guess, but I'm sorry I find it annoying. I don't want have to sign-up somewhere just to comment on something I may have stumbled upon. Let's face it, it's unlikely I'll be back anytime soon. Trust me. I get quite a few comments from strangers even on older entries. I doubt very many of them have found what I have to say so compelling that they are now loyal readers. I'm not stupid, I'm just one guy with and opinion and a keyboard. And so are you, get over it.
And I know the biggest argument will undoubtably be "spam". Yeah, I got sick of the spam once they found their way to my blog. At first it was the random hit now and then. Then it was somebody who obviously scripted something to post comments to any PolarBlog site. I guess I should be flattered on one hand, but on the other I know these low-lifes are just looking to spread their lame offerings. I came up with a quick fix that temporarily resolved most of it, and then the new RBL system which has been 100% effective in stopping it all without blocking any valid comments. It took a lot of work to implement, but was well worth it now that it's done and working well. I take pride in that one, because as pointless as writing my own blogging software probably is —there's lots of other more polished offerings, PolarBlog is the only one I'm aware of that offers Realtime IP Blacklisting for comments.
In a similar vein to not allowing comments are blogs that don't offer RSS, ATOM, or other syndication feeds. What's with that? It's 2006 for God's sake, if I want to read and/or follow what you have to say on a regular basis, let me pull it to someplace that's convenient for me to be notified of it and read it. If I read you regularly I'll put you on my blogroll as I'm willing to help drive traffic to your site. Oh, but I'd like to see you do the same if you read me regularly. After all, it's only fair, right?
OK, I'm stepping off the soapbox now… :)
—Comments disabled due to excessive spamming of this entry. Jackasses! September 23, 2006 @ 12:50 pm | Category: Brainwork
phpFreeChat
Everyday I come across new software, but rarely comment on them. Why? Because most of them aren't worth the effort to comment on. The site and or project is lame, documentation is thin —something that I feel is important because it allows users to get up and running quicker, or it simply is just a retread of something I've already seen. And I'm sure others feel that way about PolarBlog, after all, it's just another blogging package. And it's certainly not the most full featured, but I digress…Anyhow, today I came across phpFreeChat. It's a lot like an IRC chat room, but instead runs in your browser and uses AJAX to update your window. Very nice, very slick. Don't think I have a need for it at this time, but a brief few minutes playing with it inspired me enough to write about it! :) September 23, 2006 @ 11:58 am | Category: Software Development
Friday, September 22, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Caught In The Rain
I generally try to go for a 20 minute walk most days at lunchtime. For the most part this means a quick jaunt around the Erie Basin Marina and back to my office —The building on the left end of La Riviere Drive in the photo. Yesterday it was a bit chilly with the temperature only in the upper 50's and it had rained on and off in the morning. So looking out my window (which overlooks the marina and Lake Erie) it was grey and overcast, but not too bad. So I set off on my walk. I was about three quarters of the way out to the end of the marina when I could see it was raining out over the lake. It seemed moderate, but not moving real fast so I kept going to the end. But as I began heading back, the winds began to pickup. I made it about 25% of the way back when it started to rain. And not the moderate rain I thought I might get caught in, but wind driven, heavy sideways rain! Oops! So as I plodded onward —because there's no shortcuts on this walk unless you want to swim, I quickly got soaked. But only on one side! It stopped raining before I got back to the other end of the marina and the sun started to come out. But it was too late for me. I was drenched completely on my right side and the right half of my left leg. Needless to say, when I returned to the office a number of people had a good laugh at my new two-tone appearance. It was a cold soggy afternoon sitting in my office as I slowly dried out. Oh, well…live and learn. :) September 21, 2006 @ 12:39 pm | Category: BrainworkWednesday, September 13, 2006
42
Well, it's my birthday today. Ordinarily it probably wouldn't be special, but this one is…because I am now all knowing!
September 13, 2006 @ 07:57 am
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Category: Brainwork
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The Joke Known as Airport Security
It really struck a chord with me while reading Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback yesterday. Being someone who travels a lot, he has an "Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Note of the Week" in every MMQB article. And this week's comment really shows that the TSA's silly security rules are nothing more than a feel good moment when you travel:I am all for rules, airline and otherwise, that protect our safety. But last Wednesday, after walking through a security line at LaGuardia, I saw the total fruitlessness of this you-can't-take-gels-or-liquids-on-airplanes rule, designed to protect us from those who would take explosive liquids or gels on planes. A fortyish man, traveling in business togs, put his briefcase, laptop and shoes on the security belt and walked through the X-ray machine. No beep. He collected his stuff, walked a few steps down the line, put his laptop back in his case, and then took a tube of toothpaste out of one pocket and a bottle of contact-lens solution out of another, then put both in his briefcase. That sort of defeats the purpose of the anti-liquid rule and pretty much makes a mockery of it all.September 12, 2006 @ 12:42 pm | Category: Brainwork
