1. The landing page of the blogs doesn’t show the latest NEW posts. It shows old posts recently edited and makes it practically impossible to sift through to find the latest posts. As a result of moving all the old posts, some guys are categorising their old posts, and it now shows up on the landing page as new posts.
I don’t think this is a problem anymore after we stopped the spam blogs from automatically being enabled on registration (One has to now approve a new blog before it becomes active. See point 10 below for more detail on how to do this).
2. Any way we could get a better ”subcribe” facility? Like the basic subscribe widget on the regular wordpress platform. Also the current facility doesn’t allow a logged in member to subscribe.
Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog meeting which Jannie is going to setup. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does a better job than the existing subscribe plugin and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all blog channels.
‘Also the current facility doesn’t allow a logged in member to subscribe’ – just log out then.
3. Can an Image widget plugin be added? This will make inserting images into the sidebar far more simple. There are tons of easy-to-use Image plugin’s for wordpress!
Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does this and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all channels.
4. More options on other themes? Perhaps one where the sidebar is still visible when reading blogs (unlike the TwentyEleven theme!)?
Afraid not. We are only making this one template available.
5. If more themes are not possible then how about getting the Sport24 theme in proper working order? A few issues with it:
1. Unable to add background colour or image.
We’ll need to make a change to the Sport24 template to fix this. I’ll log it.
2. When adding a header it ends up distorted (despite correct image dimensions) plus some of it is covered by the automatic ’search’ bar at the top.
We’ll need to make a change to the Sport24 template to fix this (I’ll log it) but we not removing the search bar.
3. We don’t want to be forced to have the Sport24 Facebook plugin at the top of the sidebar. Any way we can remove it or at least have the flexibility to move it down the order?
It’s up to you (Garrin) if you want it moved down on the template but for consistency I’d leave it where it is?
4. Any chance of enabling drop-down pages in the top navigation bar? For example, if I have a ’page’ in the navigation bar called ”Rugby” can there not be some sub-options when running my cursor over it that would include ”Super Rugby”, ”Currie Cup etc.
Yes we can (see screen shot below ), however it does mean a change to the Sport24 template and if we are going to do this then it is something we’d want to enable across all channels. So you will need to raise this at the blogs meeting to get buy-in from the rest of the editors.
6. The standard automatic posting to a setup Facebook or Twitter account not available.
Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does this and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all channels.
7. RSS Feed button not enabled.
We activated the ‘Ultimate Follow Me’ widget, so they can use this to add various follow buttons (RSS, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.)
8. No email follow widget.
They can use the subcribe2 widget for this, see post from Caro on how to enable:http://blogs.food24.com/?s=subscribe
9. Captcha is frustrating. We feel there is sufficient anti spam tools to leave this out.
We added CAPTCHA because of all the spam posts we received on the earlier blog migrations we did. Yes there are sufficient anti-spam tools however we want to keep standard functionality across our blog channels so if we remove CAPTCHA from Sport we would need to do this across all our channels and unfortunately this is not something we want to do.
10. Advertising SPAM blogs are taking over the front page.
When we went live with the Sport24 blog migration, new blogs were made live without being moderated. However this setting has been changed in the admin tool so now the Sport24 blog editor needs to approve all new blogs (via the admin tool) before they go live. This should now stop all the spam blogs from taking over the front page.
See screen shot below of the new blogs awaiting approval. The Sport24 blog editor needs to approve or reject them by going to the Network admin > All Sites
11. No email notification of New comments on posts.
There was a problem with email notifications across our WordPress platform but this should be resolved now. Please ask him to check again and confirm
12. No email notification of replies to comments.
There was a problem with email notifications across our WordPress platform but this should be resolved now. Please ask him to check again and confirm
13. No repeat option for Header Image.
see screen shot below (no repeat of header image)
14. Any available “Hits” or Views counter?
See WassUp in the Dashboard for blog stats (see screen shot below). If they want to add a counter to their actual blog, then chat to Caro.
15. Tag cloud on landing page (Blogs.sport24.co.za) is blank.
Its blank because the Sport24 blog editor has not tagged any of the posts he has made. The tag cloud component only displays content posted and tagged by the blog editor. I’ve added some tags to show you it does in fact work.
Met uysh said on July 6, 2012
Guys, this was my feedback back to them now:
1. The landing page of the blogs doesn’t show the latest NEW posts. It shows old posts recently edited and makes it practically impossible to sift through to find the latest posts. As a result of moving all the old posts, some guys are categorising their old posts, and it now shows up on the landing page as new posts.
[Paolo wrote] I don’t think this is a problem anymore after we stopped the spam blogs from automatically being enabled on registration (One has to now approve a new blog before it becomes active. See point 10 below for more detail on how to do this).
[Uysh] There is still spam blogs showing up daily. They are being reported via the Report User button, but seemingly not deleted. But the main issue is that everytime an authentic user edits a blog post which can be as old as 3 years, it shows up as the most recent blog post, which it’s not.
2. Any way we could get a better ”subcribe” facility? Like the basic subscribe widget on the regular wordpress platform. Also the current facility doesn’t allow a logged in member to subscribe.
[Paolo wrote] Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog meeting which Jannie is going to setup. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does a better job than the existing subscribe plugin and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all blog channels.
[Uysh] Please will you guys discuss?
‘Also the current facility doesn’t allow a logged in member to subscribe’ – just log out then.
[Uysh] We feel its a major inconvenience to log out and back in just to subscribe. Surely this is not how its supposed to work? One of the guys commented that that advice is like a Vehicle manufacturer telling the owner of a vehicle to run start his car because his key isn’t working….
3. Can an Image widget plugin be added? This will make inserting images into the sidebar far more simple. There are tons of easy-to-use Image plugin’s for wordpress!
[Paolo wrote] Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does this and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all channels.
[Uysh] Please will you guys discuss?
4. Any chance of enabling drop-down pages in the top navigation bar? For example, if I have a ’page’ in the navigation bar called ”Rugby” can there not be some sub-options when running my cursor over it that would include ”Super Rugby”, ”Currie Cup etc.
[Paolo wrote] Yes we can (see screen shot below from Eric), however it does mean a change to the Sport24 template and if we are going to do this then it is something we’d want to enable across all channels. So you will need to raise this at the blogs meeting to get buy-in from the rest of the editors.
[Uysh] Please will you guys discuss?
6. The standard automatic posting to a setup Facebook or Twitter account not available.
[Paolo wrote] Chat to the other editors at the weekly blog. If this is something that all communities want then we will research and find a plugin that does this and enable it across all the blog channels. We want to try and keep standard functionality across all channels.
[Uysh] Please will you guys discuss? Most social networks are interlinked between the various platforms (Facebook, Twitter) and it only makes sense to have that connectivity between your blog and the social networks. There is a standard wordpress functionality that allows automatic postings to Twitter, Facebook etc.
7. RSS Feed button not enabled.
[Paolo wrote] We activated the ‘Ultimate Follow Me’ widget, so they can use this to add various follow buttons (RSS, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.)
This works great. Thanks!
9. Captcha is frustrating. We feel there is sufficient anti spam tools to leave this out.
[Paolo wrote] We added CAPTCHA because of all the spam posts we received on the earlier blog migrations we did. Yes there are sufficient anti-spam tools however we want to keep standard functionality across our blog channels so if we remove CAPTCHA from Sport we would need to do this across all our channels and unfortunately this is not something we want to do.
[Uysh] Akismet seems like a very efficient anti Spam tool. At some stage Uysh was able to install it from available plugins and have not had a single spam comment or trackback since. Whilst having captcha I still received spam trackbacks though. After disabling captcha and enabling Akismet I’ve had much less spam issues and much more interaction with my readers. Please consider this site wide? We are suggesting to give bloggers the option between Captcha and Akismet or both even.
11. No email notification of New comments on posts.
[Paolo wrote] There was a problem with email notifications across our WordPress platform but this should be resolved now. Please ask him to check again and confirm
[Uysh] Nope, still not working.
12. No email notification of replies to comments.
[Paolo wrote] There was a problem with email notifications across our WordPress platform but this should be resolved now. Please ask him to check again and confirm
[Uysh] Nope, still not working.
14. Any available “Hits” or Views counter?
[Paolo wrote] See WassUp in the Dashboard for blog stats (see screen shot below). If they want to add a counter to their actual blog, then chat to Caro.
[Uysh] The Screenshot is from Uysh’s blog an was installed when Plugins were available. Not all bloggers managed to install it though and with Plugins not available anymore, no one can install Wassup.
One other issue….Can we have on the main page (Landing page) the most recent comments on the entire site? It’s difficult to trace where the activity is without something like “Most read” or “Most commented” blogs as we’ve had on Letterdash.
markusaurilius said on July 6, 2012
I hate this new blog format! I hate wordpress
powa said on July 6, 2012
1 This is still a problem 3 on today’s front page @12h45
4 Twenty eleven is a pretty versatile theme. Better than LD anyway
5.1 & 5.2 This seems to work on the 2011 theme now
5.3 Allow new widgets to be added above facebook widget or allow to be moved by blogger
6 Ultimate follow me works for rss fb and twitter
7 Blogger can remove captcha but must activate Akismet plugin then widget to block spam comments
8 Stats are available from google but all history is lost I copied my hit counter before being moved.
All in all it is a typical answer from an IT dept. Almost like the Gov, Lots of talk but little action.
Just sign out to subscribe !!!!!! Typical couldn’t care less attitude. It’s like telling you to push start your car when the key doesn’t work. Get real!
Met uysh said on July 6, 2012
“It’s like telling you to push start your car when the key doesn’t work. Get real!”"
Hahahahah!
The Green Man said on July 6, 2012
Aside from a few other things, in relation to point 14 I don’t have a WassUp option on my dashboard. To add to that, all my installed plugins seem to have vanished. Does anyone else have this problem?
Powa said on July 6, 2012
plugins been n gone. I’m going to watch rugby this weekend and forget about this aggravation
Met uysh said on July 6, 2012
Ja, it seems they removed the plugins again. I did manage to get the Wassup on when the plugins were available.
Notice the screenshots with the Wassup on is on my blog.
The Dutchman said on July 6, 2012
At least something to guide is in the right direction.
Maybe we should tell them how to deactivate captcha…
Met uysh said on July 6, 2012
We can still deactivate it on our blogs, but we cannot get Akismet anymore for some reason. In fact, none of the PlugIns are there anymore! I think they slipped up somehow and we caught it just in time.
But reading the responses, if we can get buy-in from the other 24.com forums to ditch Captcha and get Akismet, we might be able to convince the various Blog Editors to give us that option.
Met uysh said on July 6, 2012
1. The issue is not so much SPAM blogs as it is old posts being edited. Authentic bloggers who are going back to categorise their old posts have their old posts show up as Recent Blogs on the landing page. This will probably slow down as time progresses though.
4. It seems we’re stuck with Twenty Eleven or the Sport 24 one. The header seems like its there to stay, now if they can only sort out the background issue.
14. There is also other options available like Powa and myself have on our blogs. Quite simple to install. Just a pity the stats from LD is gone!