Do you Blog? Or read those who do?

[drainbamage]

Just what the question asks- Do you/would you like to Blog about your tank/reefing/your favorite way of dancing? And/or do you currently go to the blog section (click the Blogs button next to New Posts) and read other peoples blogs and drop comments?

Reef2Reef has a blog section that's currently getting under way and growing, so curious what people's thoughts are on it. Do you ever visit and see what's posted? Would you like people who post to start a thread attracting attention? What would encourage you to post more? Any particular types of Blogs you'd have more or less interest in?

Let us know! Reef2Reef is all about the people who make it, so it's all your input that matters the most!



BTW- Until recently the blogs were set to default be private- if you've posted one and never got any comments, go back and make sure you had the settings changed to allow them to be viewable! The default settings are now for public viewing, so any new ones won't be hidden unless you choose them to be

 

[thewackyreefer]

I actually started one and went back to just updating my thread because I didn't think a of people were seeing it. The functionality is great, just gotta get people on board.

If there's a way to add recent blog posts to the home page that may help too!

 

[drainbamage]

Thanks JZ, I'm glad you reminded me of that. The old default was towards private only, but The Rev got this fixed recently- so any new bloggers won't have this issue, but anyone who's already created one should go back and make sure their blogs default is set towards public viewing.

If anyone is unsure how to do this, let me know and I'll get a screenshot up of it.

 

[patent]

I'm not sure what the advantage to a blog is over a thread, e.g. a build thread. I tend to just read the forums.

 

[drainbamage]

I'm not sure what the advantage to a blog is over a thread, e.g. a build thread. I tend to just read the forums.

I can see an advantage for tracking it- but that'd just be for me. I typically browse primarily via the "new posts" button, but I also subscribe to a blog or two. Getting a notice when those blogs have been updated, I can go check them out instead of missing a thread bump in the mix of all the other threads.
Another upside is the comments instead of posts- if I'm following lets say, a build thread, I can more easily browse the members build and skim past the comments. Not that reading them isn't fun and all that, but if I'm mostly wanting to see the actual persons tank/progress, just makes it easier.

Otherwise- just another way of going about it, some upsides to it, some downsides. If you have any suggestions that would make it more advantageous, by all means please toss them in. I guess I'm partial to them because I like a few of the features, so trying to figure a way to make them more useful to a larger population- or wanting enough evidence to get through my thick head to give up on liking them so much :tongue:

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I have posted a couple and think they are okay. Personally i like the lay out of threads...and honestly this recent forum contest has kept me away from them. I use to visit them more!

 

[drainbamage]

why does this thread have way more views than votes :neutral:

 

[ficklefins]

why does this thread have way more views than votes :neutral:

 

[Electrobes]

I post on the blogs, though I have to admit I am not sure why I do, as it's like a thread but with less views and responses. I think I am slowly leaning away from posting specific things about my tank and more broad topics on the tank.. like methods of filtration, ideas, etc.

 

[kellyjn]

I can see an advantage for tracking it- but that'd just be for me. I typically browse primarily via the "new posts" button, but I also subscribe to a blog or two. Getting a notice when those blogs have been updated, I can go check them out instead of missing a thread bump in the mix of all the other threads.
Another upside is the comments instead of posts- if I'm following lets say, a build thread, I can more easily browse the members build and skim past the comments. Not that reading them isn't fun and all that, but if I'm mostly wanting to see the actual persons tank/progress, just makes it easier.

Otherwise- just another way of going about it, some upsides to it, some downsides. If you have any suggestions that would make it more advantageous, by all means please toss them in. I guess I'm partial to them because I like a few of the features, so trying to figure a way to make them more useful to a larger population- or wanting enough evidence to get through my thick head to give up on liking them so much :tongue:

I don't get/understand the blogs purpose...... but as far as what you mentioned in the first paragraph, as far as tracking, wouldn't that be the same as subscribing? I guess it just wouldn't get bumped for a comment each time like a thread would?

Secondly when you speak of following a build thread, I'm very surprised this forum does not utilize a "filter" button. I've been on other forums where there is a button under each post that says "filter". When you push that button you would be redirected to a thread showing only the person's posts whom you've filtered. So if ABCreefer has a build thread, you hit the filter button under their name, and see only ABCreefer's posts in that thread, not the comments/posts of others. Is a useful feature.

Will have to start checking some of the blogs I suppose......

 

[SDguy]

I just don't think I have enough to say, or too many things imporatnt enough to say them in cyber public, to have a blog.

 

[fab1971]

I wish there was a place that I could go and look up people's collections. Say a list of what they have, what's growing out or ready and what their want lists are. I think it would be a great place for seeing pics of corals (if pics are allowed) and trading. Any want to trade posts are buried within minutes in this place. Could we use the blogs for this? WHat do you guys think?

 

[robharold]

There are blogs here????

 

[Troylee]

No and no.... I suck at writing especially when I'm talking to myself lol...

 

[Wy Renegade]

I visited and read through them once. Several are duplicates of already existing threads that were started for the contest. Many were simply random blogs started for the contest. Regardless, almost non of them seem to have any continuity. My understanding of a blog was that it should flow similar to a thread; i.e. you start it, and then people repond and your respond to them; again similar to how a thread works. And yet in the blog section, everytime somebody comments on their tank or whatever, its a brand new blog. I found it very confusing in all honesty, and somewhat redundent of the threads.

 

[Electrobes]

After reading this thread I just starting using the blogs to voice some opinions or some general reefing thoughts. Even if no one reads them I at least have a place to reference them when I need to. Maybe I'll bring more people to this website that way! ;) I've given up on the contest, and it's better organized if I keep those thoughts and what not in the blog section.

 

[drainbamage]

I just don't think I have enough to say, or too many things imporatnt enough to say them in cyber public, to have a blog.

See, I always figured you with your tanks a prime example of a person I would enjoy following a blog done by. A diverse reef, a targeted FOWLR, and a very high level of knowledge would make a weekly blog from you something I would presume to be a really good read.

I visited and read through them once. Several are duplicates of already existing threads that were started for the contest. Many were simply random blogs started for the contest. Regardless, almost non of them seem to have any continuity. My understanding of a blog was that it should flow similar to a thread; i.e. you start it, and then people repond and your respond to them; again similar to how a thread works. And yet in the blog section, everytime somebody comments on their tank or whatever, its a brand new blog. I found it very confusing in all honesty, and somewhat redundent of the threads.

I'm guilty of that one- On a few threads I started, I blogged them so I could have an easier way to go back and find them for my own sake. I know a 'subscribed' thread would work just as well, but without a way of filtering the subscribed threads, I have like, 4-5 pages to look through to find an older one. With a blog, I can just go to "my blogs' and bam, there's the list. Admittedly once I blog enough, there will be a similar problem, but for now it's easier.

That said- you can add a comment to a persons blog, and then reply via a comment as well. Additionally, I believe there's a way of having a blog be linked to a previous one (as in continuing from an earlier blog) but not sure, I'll check it out and maybe Da Rev can add such a feature. That said- a blog is what it is- just whatever the person feels like writing about. In my case, it's going to be whatever hits my mind that I feel like writing about, so they jump around quite a bit. In other peoples case, it'll be about something specific.

After reading this thread I just starting using the blogs to voice some opinions or some general reefing thoughts. Even if no one reads them I at least have a place to reference them when I need to. Maybe I'll bring more people to this website that way! ;) I've given up on the contest, and it's better organized if I keep those thoughts and what not in the blog section.

Yea, I did that after a lot of the lineage threads and crud. Instead of trying to put my thoughts in each one (though i did anyways) I wrote up a general thought dump that at the least allowed me to focus my own thoughts a bit.

 

[melev]

I do all my blogging on ReefAddicts since that is my site. ;) The nice thing about blogs is I can go back through my own entries to find content that someone is asking for information from. People can subscribe to a blogger and get email notifications each time they make a new entry. If you want to see any of my blogs, click on the 400g Starphire link in my signature below.

 

[drainbamage]

any more thoughts or opinions?