The Gorilla Mystery, Disney
Dear Happiness Engineers,
You’ve done it again, haven’t you?
Everything stops functioning properly, then suddenly the options we once had… and are used to… disappear. Only to be replaced by yet another ‘mobile friendly’ option that is proudly announced and slipped beneath our backsides when we least expect it.
This time it is the removal of the nice, static options at the top of the screen… the options that allowed us to ‘like’, ‘follow’ and reblog posts. Instead we have the flickering multifunction pop-up box that only bothers to do so when it feels like it… and only chooses to show the options it thinks you want.
For those who are not technically minded in the least, the loss of the static buttons makes things more awkward. Strangely enough, not everyone knows those options are available at the end of posts if you actually click into them through the title, rather than reading a scrolling window. A window that scrolls quite deliberately for the convenience of the reader, I might add, registering only one page view as a ‘home’ page, rather than an accurate count of articles read.
The winking and recalcitrant button is also exceedingly annoying, particularly as it isn’t actually there by the time you have read a post and want to do something with it…
Dear WordPress, I have news for you.
• Most of us are not social media butterflies whipping in to ‘like’ as many posts as we can merely to build an imaginary circle of ‘friends’ we don’t know from Adam. Some of us like to get to know who we are talking to and actually read their posts. Not stroll through the Reader clicking willy nilly…
• “It has never been easier to…” Every time you say that, you are proved wrong by a community that voices its opinion only to be ignored…
• Many of us are not ‘bloggers’, we are writers. We cannot and do not offer Twitter length soundbites, but actually write… at a desk… on a full sized screen; a position many of us occupy for more hours by day and by night than we should. We do not write our books… or our blogs… on smartphones. And regardless of any technological projections to the contrary… we don’t write books on tablets either. Most of us still type… on a keyboard… at a desk. Make as many alterations as you like, but leave us the freedom to choose how we want to view the sites we pay for!
Many of us… I would like to bet, most of us, are not spring chickens… eyesight deteriorates with age and a full sized screen is better for reading. Just as a full sized keyboard is easier for ageing fingers…. Given the choice, a desktop or laptop is as small as we want to go.
What may work perfectly in a fantasy world where everyone is technologically savvy, has perfect, youthful vision and fingers nimble enough… and willing… to type reams on the miniature keyboard of a smartphone, does not work in the real world for real people. We like to be able to see what we are doing and we might even edit … run a spellcheck… actually care about what we put out there….
There is another consideration too, that you may have overlooked. We, the blogging community, pay for this service… and are currently paying for changes we are neither consulted about nor require.
Don’t tell me that the blogs are ‘free’. Rubbish. A free blog has advertising which raises no income for us, the blogger who draws the eyes (and therefore the clicks) to the site. We aren’t the ones making money from that…. We are only the ones providing the attractive content so that WordPress can and does. Most of us pay to remove ads… or to increase the media storage we need… or to personalise our sites so that they work for us. The yearly fees deposited in Automattic’s coffers add up to a considerable amount. Yet, what we choose to pay for is changed beneath our feet without a by your leave. If I bought a pair of shoes and the shop gave me a handbag instead, I would not be best pleased….
You, of course, are in a win-win situation. You make money from advertising… to which we drive the traffic, or through the fee to remove advertising… a guaranteed income that does not have to rely on bloggers providing quality content to which readers… advertisement viewers…. will return.
Many bloggers are authors, artists or champions of a cause. As one of the first, I can guarantee that time spent building a blog as an author platform is not cost effective in terms of book sales. And it is time we could be working on other things. In fact, the vast sums of money writers collectively spend on blogging might be more profitably employed in placing traditional adverts elsewhere and actually working on their books…
That’s just a thought… How many bloggers without a cause would be putting their hands in their pockets or creating content that draws eyes to adverts?
I do not want to move to one of your all singing, all dancing blogs that make it harder to be part of the community here. I do not wish to change my theme any more than I want to write War and Peace on a smartphone.
But here’s something else to consider… there are a few changes many of us would welcome…
• A facility to edit our comments and correct those typos (usually made on a smartphone screen…) that creep in when we comment on another writer’s site.
• A way to schedule posts we would like to reblog at a later date. And while we are at it, allow us to choose whether the reblogged post goes out across all our social media sites or just those most appropriate… in the same way we can with our own posts. Being able to add a few keywords before we publish would be nice too.
• A sidebar that has at least some kind of presence on your dratted mobile friendly sites… After well over two thousand posts, with every book published displayed down the sidebar, duly linked and illustrated, I am still getting ‘I didn’t know you wrote books…’ from people who visit my blog daily. Why? It took me a while to work that out… because none of them are visible on the bloody mobile sites.
So please, dear Happiness Engineers… we like it here… so stop messing with things that work… and play, instead, with the things that don’t!
Disgruntled of the Daily Echo
P.S. “Howdy”? Really??
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Absolutely right. I’ve thought the same for ages about re-blogs. Using the ‘press this’ facility is time consuming beyond belief. And oh to be able to add the keywords in advance of the reblog.
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I’d love to be able to do that… and to schedule. I almost always find the ones I really want to re-blog after I’ve put out more than enough for one day!
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Tell me about it, as they say!
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😀
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Well said…because I thought I wsas going ‘mad” Last week when someone wanted to reblog one of my posts and couldn’t locate the re-blog button..I checked and double checked, messaged and told her it’s ok, well it wasn’t so she gave up..can’t say I blame her and it’s been bugging me ever since because it appears and disappears at random and now I know it’s ” The Happiness Engineers” Oh drat what else are they gonna mess with? Thank you Sue for highlighting this I will not be wasting any more valuable writing time and thinking it was me! Grrrrr Have a lovely day 🙂
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I’ve had that a lot too… sometimes, with the scrolling sites, it really is just a case of clicking in through the title, but quite often that’s a click too far… x
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I know I have tried that it is just so annoying isn’t it? 🙂
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Isn’t it just! 🙂
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Hear bloody hear, Sue! Very well said. I have grown so hacked off with the whole thing since returning from Foreign Parts that I have, on occasions, come close to gnawing off a foot in frustration. Or giving up blogging altogether. xxx
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Well the foot can go, for me… mine that is… if it isn’t going to behave… but various anatomical parts are currently challenged with gnawing… xxx
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Infuriating, isn’t it? xxx
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Bloody frustrating.xxx
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Hi, very well put entry. I agree with most of your points. However, I’m not so keen on an edit-option for comments, as those little typos you speak of actually underline the authenticity of the communication and kinda prove it’s no copypasta. “Perfect” comments are far away from how real communication works; you cannot “undo” a slip of the tongue either. A kind-of-solution to this would be an “edit history” like on Facebook. Greetings John 🙂
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Thanks, John… a valid point, though as one who ends up replying to comments quite often on a touchscreen phone whilst being digitally challenged.. I stand by my desire for at least a 30 second window to deal with the worst 🙂
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That’s also a nice idea; unless anyone gets as nervous as a bomb-defuser at 00:29..;-)
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😀 I can see that happening too 🙂
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I like using the reader on my phone (which sadly does not count towards the views I think) but on the computer it is horrible to use. I’d really appreciate if there would be one small change to the reader, be able to organise the blogs we follow into our own groups.
Besides that, I have not been here long enough to complain…
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I seldom use the Reader, on any platform, but I believe you can create lists these days… that might answer that problem… but I’m honestly not sure!
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It is very annoying with all the changes, as we never asked for, I agree.
I do use my PC for my posts, because it doesn’t function from other devices. I use Smartphone for reading posts, comment and share and my Tablet for reading, when it works.
Still I feel annoyed with all the new changes all the time. If they did function, maybe I wouldn’t be so annoyed, but WP make it more difficult to use our blogs.
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I read and answer comments on the phone sometimes, particularly when I’m away from home. It functions fine for that… posting, no so good….
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I tried to post earlier from my tablet or phone, but WP made it work one out of 10 times or so, so that stopped.
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I know the feeling… I tried when I was away… I managed two pictures, that was it…
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Absolutely! Replying to comments is about all the mobile app can cope with!
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And even that depends on whther the ‘new’ notifications thing catches them…
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Ditto, Sue. Changes simply show up without any input or explanation. It’s annoying and makes navigating so much more cumbersome. My internet is slow to begin, so every additional step is a hassle. Thanks for speaking up.
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I have the slow connection too… in fact, my whole set-up is unstable. It would be nice if things worked when you actually manage to get online!
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Great article I just spent ages trying to find the follow button only to have it flick on when I scroll up but not down. That makes no sense at all it was much easier when it was at the top. Well said!
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It really does seem rather silly… unless we are actually not expected to be really reading any posts…
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You cannot imagine how many times I have cringed after pressing ‘send’ on a comment only to find that I cannot edit or delete the comment myself. It would have been the smallest typo but most awkward ones. Most of the times mobile reader is the culprit. Now I try not to comment when I am not at desk 🙂 Thanks for sharing this post.
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Oh I can imagine 🙂 Honestly I can…
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Well said Sue, WordPress will keep tinkering with things that are best left alone!!!
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I wouldn’t mind if they actually improved things…. but even the ‘new’ notifications menu doesn’t work and dozens of comments get left off it!
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I get fed up with missing comments, and unfollows I have not done.
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I know.. it took me ages after being away to go back through recent posts and I am bound to have missed a good many on older posts… I hate being so impolite as to ‘ignore’ people too.
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I can relate to those strange unfollows, sometimes a blog that I read all the time disappears from my reader. This happened with a blog that posts more than once a day, so I noticed quickly.
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I’ve lost all my followed blogs twice now for some unknown reason… most odd…
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It is very frustrating.
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I have found comments by chance, some time after the fact, that did not show up in my notifications icon. Rather frustrating.
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Me too… lots of them. I really hate missing them too.
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As a non-technical, non-spring chicken, I agree.
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… and they will take no notice of us at all…
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True
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I hope WordPress reads this blog and acts with immediate effects. Sigh.
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Sadly, that it highly unlikely.
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Ah, Our bad.
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This has completely passed me by, Sue. I sit at my desk and comment and reblog from here. My Smartphone – with my eyesight and those little buttons? Nope – if I’m away from my study, I’m away from everything except a phone call. Pre-historic – and happy to be a dinosaur. Though catching up can be hard work when I get back.Jx
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I’m very much the same… though I may respond to the odd comment from the phone. That’s about as far as it goes. And that applies to a lot of us so why we must have the mobile version on our desktops quite escapes me…x
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I had to laugh. I thought it was just me not knowing how to find the link button anymore. Thanks for highlighting this. Makes me feel better.
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I was cursing, Kristina, and blaming my computer… the poor thing is already overworked and gets blamed for most thing 🙂
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I think that’s what a computer is for.
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Mine is 🙂
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Yes schedule and pretag reblogs. And edit comments would be fab. Well said, Sue! Im not at all resistant to change or progress, but why dont they consult their users first?
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Beta testing… that would be good… with real bloggers…
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Exactly.
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Never ever use my phone for commenting or blogging or even reading posts- it’s far too basic and slow and would never cope! I’d love to be able to edit comments; I make plenty of mistakes using a normal-sized keyboard!
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So do I.. though I prefer to blame the phone 😉
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
I thought it was just me and that my buttons would return when I reboot WordPress.. I am with you… I do wish the ‘Unhappiness Engineers’ would follow the protocol.. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The mood I am in today with online shenanigans is not one I wish to see tomorrow…..
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They are bonkers; I wonder what goes into their tiny minds when they brainstorm changes?
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I dread to think… I certainly doesn’t seem to resemble common sense…
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Thanks…. I was wondering where my Follow button went!
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So did I for a fair while… till I noticed that disappearing pop-up…
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I couldn’t agree more! These changes are not for the better! They have reduced, rather than enhanced, functionality and are the anti-thesis of user friendly. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
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My thoughts exactly!
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For every blogger that wants to bring back the ease of following, go to widgets and add a Follow button to you sidebar. It serves the same function as the static “Follow” we used to see at the top of the page. The widget description says something like, “add a wordpress follow button so that others can easily follow your blog.” I just added it if you want to see it.
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That’s fine for people who want to follow our sites, but doesn’t solve when we want to follow another… unless they’ve done it too… and the side bars don’t show at all on the Smartphone versions of WordPress 😦
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I’m hoping it will help get the word out so that others will put it in their sidebar too even though it’s not going to be as functional. Sadly, we’re stuck trying to compensate for the change, when we had a totally functional option before for all themes, phones, and browsers. Sigh.
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Tell me about it.. Grrr….
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Grrrr. At least we’re getting our grrr’s out. 🙂 I expect WP will continue keeping us on our toes with new realities. Hopefully, we’ll love the next new reality.
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That is beautifully optimistic… but on past showing, unlikely I fear! 🙂
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🙂
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Well, that was heart-felt, Sue. I don’t have a phone that can use apps so I only ever work on my computer, at my desk. You aren’t doing anythign to convince me I need a smart phone!
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I use very little on mine for WordPress… though it comes in handy for pretty much everything else 🙂
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I admire your honest approach and hope someday the glitches get “ironed out.” I was questioned about my liking posts. I work 4 nine to ten hour days at a warehouse but enjoy your posts, Sue. I miss some but wish you to know I am not breezing around liking everywhere. You are a quality snd renowned author who I admire. Glad you are “taking on” the wordpress authorities, so to speak.
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I ‘like’ a lot of posts without commenting too… I’d run out of hours in a day otherwise. Well, okay, I do anyway most days, as I work a seven day week as a carer as well as the rest. But I think the majority of bloggers hold down jobs and raise families too. The thing is, Robin, you do comment… 🙂
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So glad it’s not just me……. I would love to have the time to always figure these things out. But I work full time, have other obligations in life. I can’t keep re-learning WordPress. 😦
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You and me both… and a seven day week as a carer, so I could live without senseless changes all the time…
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Yes. I don’t have time to keep studying and relearning WP changes. I can’t keep up with what’s already there. I just want to WRITE. And I loved your reminder to the world at large that without the writers, the WP peeps would not be making money. Or generating business. Or growing. (I should say writers, artists, etc….)
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All bloggers are writers, one way or another… I wouldn’t mind if any of the changes actually made life easier …or even worked properly…
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I hear ya! Still not happy about this new reader and they’ve done nothing about labeling me a spammer! Such indignity! >:-( not to mention frustrating!
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Ridiculous! And as thingstend to come in threes, you have to wonder, what next?
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NO, no, no!!! 😉
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🙂
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Reblogged this on oshriradhekrishnabole.
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So very true!! Authors know how to do it from scratch…and we DON’T like change 🙂
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I’m all for positive change and embracing new technologies… but I’d rather they actually work for me when they are imposed…
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yes yes yes – I posted a brief complaint myself, today – where exactly is that pop-up box you mention – damned if I see it
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It is an elusive creature that flits in and out (bottom left-ish) … but only if you are at the top of the post… pretending not to look… 😉
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Sue, I agree with everything you’ve said – and I too blog from a full-sized keyboard and a desktop PC. I’m reblogging this on FATman Photos. Adrian
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Thanks, Adrian… just wish ‘they’ would take heed!
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Pingback: Disgruntled | FATman Photos
I’m so glad you mentioned the fact that many of us prefer to blog and write on a desktop. Why or why they think we all want to blog on a smart phone or tablet I’ve no idea. Somebody once said to me that tablets would be the end of desk and laptops. How very wrong they were.
A well written rant, Sue, which I know many of us are with you on. I’m voting for you at the next Election (unless Ani stands against you).
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Tablets may be the end of desktops… but not unless they come with a big enough screen and a keyboard… in which case, I see little point in changing.
Thank Hugh, Ani has little ambition beyond tennis balls and cheese.. I might be safe there 😉
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Howdy! :p
Everything they have done in the past 6 months has just been to bring the community to a slow boil of frustration, irked acceptance, and pre-postal rage…
Ironically, the pop-up button of which you speak, has just made it’s first appearance (like EVER) just now… lol
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Grrrr….
If they think they can shift us all to self hosted with their shennanigans….
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You’ve just gotten WAY too technical for me… 😀
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😀 All I know about self hosted is it costs a lot and, even with promises of customisation, doesn’t do half the things I would want it to 🙂
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Hmmrrphhh. *Not a happy bear…* 😦
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… not a happy hobbit either… 😉
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A most excellent and well needed post Sue. Don’t even get me started on ‘press this’ When I decided to self host my site, I lost the capability of the ‘reblog’ button. For a time there was a ‘repost’ plugin available that is no longer functioning. I have searched and searched and there is no plugin available for self hosted sites for readers to easily reblog my posts. I’ve written posts on the ‘press this’ tool so readers could learn how to access other blogs (including mine with it) and I use it myself to clip blogs and web material that I want to use in my posts. Having said all this, I have to ask you how you have a reblog button on your self hosted site? It’s not an available option for me. Seriously, can’t someone invent a universal plugin to reblog?
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Mine isn’t self hosted, Debby… I stubbornly cling to an outmoded template because it works. It isn’t the most elegant design, but it does what is required. I won’t self-host unless I am forced to as I can see a lot of the problems bloggers have with being almost isolated from the community of bloggers.
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You got that right! So how did you get around not having wordpress.com part of your URL?
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Just purchased the domain name.. an inexpensive fix 😉
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Wow. That would have saved me a world of grief and expense, lol. Thanks! 🙂
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There are still the costs for removal of ads and extra storage, but it works out quite well… and keeps you part of the community a lot easier too.
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Thanks for speaking for me. You are dead on!
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A lot of people seem to feel the same way..
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Reblogged this on Far Out in Africa and commented:
For one reason or another I have been mostly offline for a number of weeks. Today has been my first ‘proper’ day on WordPress and it now looks and feels like a place I’ve never been to before!
In addition to the flickering follow box (which indeed does seem to only work when it feels like it!), I now also have to re-acquaint myself with the new Reader lay-out. Good grief!
I share all the sentiments expressed by Sue – I am sure the majority of us do! – and only hope that the “Happiness Engineers” take note.
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Hear hear!
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BRAVO!! Sue. You told them in a most eloquent way. I’m also one of those typists with older eyes. 🙂
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Not that they will listen, of course… or even notice…
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