Blog section

[YM]

Just wondering how many people even know it exists..

 

[Nineaxis]

I know it exists, but it seems kind of off to the side... and I can't use it. I do look sometimes.

 

[TheBladeRoden]

I tend not to read anything that doesn't show up when I hit the New Posts button

 

[grazr]

I check it out sometimes. I tried to make one once but it must have been the day after everyone was given contributor status for a weekend or something, cause i saw a lot of people giving it a go but was unable to myself. I think it's really cool.. It's a way to update people on your stuff without having to do it in an open thread with everyone critting it when you don't need it yet or what ever. Like generally updating work progress or projects or even life stuff.

 

[YM]

I personally think they should show up in the new posts section because as roden says if its not there I don't see it easily. It would definitely increase traffic to that part of the site

 

[YM]

Another thing I'm not sure people realise exists is the 'tags' I'm sure you've all seen the huge DISPLACEMENT thing at the bottom of the main page? well those are generated by what people search for most and by the contents of the thread. Another big way those are made is by the tags we input at the bottom of a thread, right below this posr there's a tags line, it says 'blog' and 'developer blog'. if enough threads have those tags at the bottom it will appear on the main page as something we talk about often and people can click those to find threads about blogs.
The great thing about the tags is anyone can add them. If you made the thread you can add up to five and if you're just reading it you can add up to two. I've added round about 70 or 80 tags to threads now, most of them not my own and its paying off, usefull phrases are appearing in that bottom bit rather than the useless ones automatically generated like "(please" or "heeeaaaaaalllllp" (thanks to josh for that one) or "question"

So go and start adding tags to the threads you read, if it suggests a tag to you whilst you type use that rather than making one that is slightly different so we can easily keep track of things.

Oh, and one thing newer users miss is the thanks button I'd rather you didn't make a post saying "thanks thats great" but just hit the thanks button instead. of course both is good as well

 

[Vander]

I check the blogs daily.

 

[DigitalReaper]

It's a bit unclear that you need to 'donate' before you can have your own blog =/

Also I think that if more people could have their own blogs (ie. make them free) they'd be more likely to read other peoples blogs.

Making the blogs show up as a forum would probably help things too.