CurvedSpace Forums: New Blog System! Read This For Information - CurvedSpace Forums

There is a new blog system that I had been watching, and with some requests sent to me lately with concerns, I decided to finally install it. The previous system had some flaws, including moderator concerns and another more technical issue with the coding that bothered me. Also, the previous system was lacking quite a bit when it came to integration with the forums. Apart from listing members' usernames, the previous blog didn't really have anything to do with the forums. Also, the system did not cater to those who know nothing of coding... And conversely, those who do know about coding could do some things that weren't necessarily dangerous, but provide a lot of unnecessary leeway when it comes to annoying those who view a blog.

All of those problems are solved.

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The new system is embedded within the forums. It works like the forums, parses BBCode and emoticons, and whatever else you can do in a post. Yeah, big whoop. So what else does it do?

- You can elect to force a skin on users who view your blog (this is an option, not a requirement). It works for guests as well as members. No fear about causing inconveniences... It will revert the skin back to normal for the viewer when he/she leaves the blog.

- With the current plugins, you can choose to display your latest topics, the calendar, and your photo image. They can be displayed in a left-hand bar, as well as under the content in the right-hand bar. Keep in mind that the calendar will stretch the bar, and will probably make your blog look squashed unless you collapse the portal's linkbar.

- You can create categories of blog entries. This can be great for those who write in their blog a lot.

- Of course everyone who logs in can comment, if the writer of the blog enables comments in his/her entries.

- Polls can be embedded in blog entries.

- The super moderators, global moderators, and admins can all manage blogs in the case that something bad is posted. The blogs are to be handled with leniency... Moreso than the forums.

- You can link directly to specific blog entries, just as with normal threads.

- Open statistics are kept for every blog.

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So how do you get there? The same way you got to the old blogs.

... But where are all the old blogs?

Near the bottom of the Stuff Column in the "Blog Archive".

I set the old blog to indefinitly authenticate new posts, so nothing new can be posted there. You can, however, transfer the posts to a new blog by copying and pasting them (sorry ). The blog archive is not permanent! The actual blogs will not be purged in the foreseeable future, but the old blog system will be taken offline after sufficient time has passed so the blogs cannot be accessed. If you wish to transfer posts, it is recommended that you do it sooner rather than later.

Anyway... Enjoy the new blog system

Gah I thought I'd lost that long blog entry I made today

Looks great

Looks good! I might actually use my blog again .

Oh, and the calendar is fixed and slightly enhanced... Just posting a reply here because I have a feeling that the thread I wrote for it will be buried under this for a while

Well looky there. Ain't that somethin' else.

Hi OM.

Awesome blogness.

Aaaah, Crap.

Y'know how many blog entries i've got..?

Ah well, It was needed Good job Cspace.

Hehe, cool, maybe this is a good opportunity to have another go at keeping a blog, then.

Whee... 107 entries pasted

Hehe. Fun fun

Well, I think there may be a little confusion with regards to what is eventually happening to the old system... But the archived blogs won't be available in the open forever. They'll be there a while, but the system will be disabled after enough time has passed. I would really not recommend linking an 'external blog' to an old blog there because of this.

Just a heads up

Sweet

Looks rather nice.

I also like the support for linking to external blogs.

Aye saves me time; since I tend to change blog systems so often. ><

Meh, I couldn't find all of my past entries.. only got 30 of 'em.

I miss that profile section though, like currently reading, favorite movies, likes/dislikes, quotes, etc.. Is there any way those could be re-added?

Is it just me, or is there no way to delete/edit external blogs? Like if I wanted to change the title of mine, or have it point to a different address, how would I do that?

Aye. Charlie made an external blog by mistake, and cspacey had to delete it for her to make the hosted one.

Looks like only admins can make changes that affect entire blogs, ie deleting.