The Family (Or most of them)

The Family (Or most of them)
The Family

April 7, 2007

ALL HAIL GOOGLE

OK, I submit.

I surrender.

I apologize (well, no, I don't apologize).

Google is an amazing company...I think there's little disputing that.


When Google took over Blogger and made a mess of trying to force us all to make the transition to its new way of doing things, I was among the frustrated whiners, and there was good reason to complain.
And, like some others, I considered giving up blogging altogether or going somewhere else.
When I finally relented to the pressure to switch over to the new Gloogler (Google Blogger), almost nothing worked, you had to sign on to do every little thing, and those who didn't switch over became alienated from those who did.
Blogging became a bore. It became a chore.
But eventually, it started getting better.
And the company that made every other Web search engine obsolete finally made the necessary changes to actually improve blogging rather than make it more difficult.
So after slagging Google in some earlier posts, I now feel it's only fair to salute Google for making blogging quicker, more user-friendly and, potentially, more entertaining and open to the imagination.
You might see I've added some of these new features to my blog on a trial basis.
They're called widgets and if you haven't made the switchover yet to the newer layout system from the old template system, I urge you to try it. You can always go back to your original blog because they save it.
It makes adding new elements to your sidebar or to the bottom of your blog possible more than ever before, at least for a computer imbecile like me, and it also makes it super easy to do, once you get the hang of it.
Follow the directions on your dashboard to change from template to layout. I'm convinced you'll be glad you did, even if you don't use the YouTube bar or the newsreel bar.
Adding pictures is a snap and so is adding other elements.
On a bit of a different track, however, as a journalist and as a consumer of information, I have to say that this line in little type at the bottom of my Google News homepage is a little disconcerting:
"The selection and placement of stories on this page were determined automatically by a computer program."
Eek. When a computer starts choosing which news stories I should and shouldn't see, I start to become a little redundant...

17 comments:

  1. Whatever you've done, your blog is loading faster and that's a plus.

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  2. Yes, it does seem to "fire-up" more quickly. I'm still such a techno-duffer (despite being, in this household, known as hi-tech chickie-babe!)I am timid to the point of paranoia about changing.
    As for a computer "choosing" the news...is that any worse than the current spin-doctoring?

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  3. But won't it steal your soul?

    (BTW when I opened your page I thought my stomach was gurgling awfully loudly but it was just your current video starting up. You moved it down the sidebar!)

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  4. I've resisted making theswitch to layout. Now that you've recommended it, I'll give it a try. At least I'll have someone to blame if it goes horribly wrong. ;)

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  5. I am sticking to the old one as of now. I did change it but didn'tlike it much. So switched back. Maybe I like doing things manually..:D

    Talking of connections, I think we do need your deemed presence on our lowly blogs one in a while..

    Not that it makes much difference. I will any way visit here to banter with you.

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  6. MJ:

    Hey, if that's a side benefit, I guess I'm all for it...

    Dinah:

    So you're both the hi-tech chickie babe and the techno-duffer...OK, whatever works.

    I suppose the computer choosing the news shouldn't really be any surprise, really...

    Andrea:

    What, Google, you mean? No doubt, maybe it already has stolen my soul and ordered me to write this post as pennance for my previous criticisms.

    I've now changed the vid so it doesn't sound like stomachs rumbling in chorus...

    Anna:

    Oh no, gulp...I should have added the tag line: "Within Without is not responsible for lost blog posts or computer hard drives."

    Gautami:

    Manually is always the better way to go...and your banter is always welcomed here, although I'll get back to visiting soon.

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  7. Hey Technoboy,
    if you're such a hotshot how come you still have your penal colony inmate (#12345666) photo for an avatar?
    Gbloogler does seem to be working but there is no way that I would dare tempt fate by adding something to the sidebar...besides visitors barely have enough time to read a couple of paragraphs never mind laze around and read all of my what-not add-ons.
    My site is already a big cluttered mess so I'll pass...and put your music video closer to the top so that I can shut it off faster...either that or stick to Richard Cheese.

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  8. I have been using the layout format for some time now. I hadn't noticed the widget thingies until you mentioned them in this post, so I followed your brilliant directions and now have news on my sidebar.

    Thank you!

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  9. Homily Escapeons (in honour of Easter):

    Well now I'm thinking of running a contest to pick WW's avatar, although I have been told by some that they like it...

    It's good to know you shut off my music vids quick; that gives me the motivation to continue playing them for you and others who can't both read and listen to music at the same time (ha ha ha).

    What I WILL consider doing is putting the vids on and leaving it to readers, if I have any, to press a "play" button.

    You've got so many rolling messages and other subliminal and non-subliminal messages on your sidebar, I can see why you wouldn't want more.

    Me, I'm just tryin' it all out.

    Laurie:

    Way to go, girl. You rock.

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  10. I'm glad I stopped by from Laurie's blog! I've been hesitant about the new template option. I've been blogging for only a few months and Blogger was so nasty and unfriendly that I've been afraid to try anything new. Maybe I'll suck it up and give it a try! Thanks.

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  11. Anonymous10:23 p.m.

    My big thing is the new dash board, it is a joy to use... Google must now be on a diet as it has stopped eating every second comment and post...

    Although you cannot search by interest any more... i found a lot of interesting people that way..

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  12. I would like an avatar of you wearing a dress, please.

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  13. I am enjoying the benefits of the new blogger. Though I have a love hate relationship with You tube now.

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  14. Mary:

    Welcome! It's a long way from Montana's Mountains to Manitoba's flatlands, hope it was a good journey.

    Good luck with the new-fangled gadgetry. Blame Laurie if it doesn't work out...

    Aidan:

    The dashboard is super easy, huh? I had never tried that search by topic thing...maybe I'll check it out.

    MJ:

    OK, I think I need to start a contest, then. I'll make my avatar of me wearing a dress if you'll just have an avatar, period.

    Menchie:

    Yeah, the thing I can't figure out with the new blogger is how to put a YouTube vid right into a post, which is what I'd like to do.

    Where there's a will, there must be a way. Or not.

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  15. It's easy to do that. Videos in You Tube (if permitted by the person) can be embedded in a post. I just did it with my kids video.

    Just go to the video you want and look for the embed code. Just copy and paste it on your blog post (in the edit HTML part) and voila!

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  16. if you're such a hotshot how come you still have your penal colony inmate (#12345666) photo for an avatar?

    HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

    I am still on the fence about Google, kind of in a Matthew Shepherd way. I like the old way better.

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  17. Menchie:

    OK, girl, I'll try that YouTube thing and see how it goes. Thanks!

    Shelley:

    Yeah, that Home-cooked Escapeons is a funny man, ain't he? Watch for my "pick WW's new avatar" contest, coming to a blog near you.

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