Thursday, January 5, 2012

A few things that bother or puzzle me . . .

Here are a few things I don't understand:
  • Google+
  • What am I supposed do when I get a new follower?
  • How can I possibly follow back when the new follower has more than one blog? Which one should I use?
  • I don't understand Google Friend Connect either. Is it the same thing as following?
  • What is the best way to respond to comments?
  • Why do my photos look so perfect on my Mac and so awful on my PC? Macs are awesome!
  • Screens are getting smaller. Do my photos shrink when viewed on a mobile device?
  • Why do I keep getting all the annoying emails from people who want me to say I know them on LinkedIn? I'm not on it.
  • I'm not on Facebook either. Should I be?
  • Why do people watermark their blog photos? I'm thrilled when people copy mine.
  • Why do people publish incomplete posts requiring a 'read more' link? I usually delete these subscriptions from my reader.
  • Why am I still in my bathrobe? Leaving now to get my day going. See you later.
  • Note: a few of the things on this list were pet peeves.

25 comments:

Sunflowers With Smiles said...

I have to say the same thing...I am fairly new to blogging and still have many questions and concerns....
When someone is following me, I usually do follow them if it is an interest for me....

I am not on Twitter, or have a FB account with blog.....so I could not reply on this.....

Hope this helps!

MarianneP said...

Wish you a very happy 2012 with lots of discoveries. It always makes me happy learning something new or discovering that I don't want to know everything new(twitter f.i.)Glad discovering your blog.

YONKS said...

I love the "why am I still in my bathrobe" comment :-)

I have some of those same concerns. I think somebody should make a bloggers handbook, now there's a job for you!
Di
x

Whittron said...

Enjoyed this list a ton. I love your blog.

Kristin_Texas said...

"What am I supposed do when I get a new follower?”

I used to follow them back, to be polite, but now I only follow them if I’m interested. Besides, I’ve learned that some people only follow other blogs because they expect to be followed right back. They just want as many followers as they can accumulate. (Something I’m not a fan of personally. I don’t want anyone following my blog for some selfish reason, or even just because they’re being nice b/c I follow them).

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“How can I possibly follow back when the new follower has more than one blog? Which one should I use?”

I have several blogs, but state in my profile which one is my main blog/only updated one. Personally, I would just follow whichever blog(s) I liked the most. I certainly wouldn’t follow all of them, unless I really enjoyed all of them and they all were updated regularly.

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“I don't understand Google Friend Connect either. Is it the same thing as following?”

GFC confuses me, too. All I know is some blogs won’t allow anyone to follow them unless it’s through GFC. (Which I find annoying b/c it takes longer).

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“What is the best way to respond to comments?”

I always respond on the other person’s blog, but I have seen blogs that receive TONS of comments per post... and so they respond on their own blog. I can see how that would be so much easier in those cases. (I used to have a Xanga blog that received a lot of comments, and eventually it was just easier to respond to comments in my own guestbook. I always responded though. If someone was interested enough in a post or website to take the time out of their day to leave a comment, I felt it only good manners to respond in kind. Granted, people do get too busy to respond all the time, but speaking for myself I always get to it eventually).

Now, if someone places a link to their blog inside a comment, I still respond but in the back of my mind I can't help but think they're only making a comment to advertise their own blog. (Which is silly, seeing how a person can visit their blogs just by clicking on their profile).

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“Why do my photos look so perfect on my Mac and so awful on my PC? Macs are awesome!”

I’ve run into the same problem with my siggies that I’ve made in Photoshop. My brother told me it was just the calibration on computer monitors. They’re all different, and will never look the same. (Which drives me CRAZY, b/c I’ll spend a lot of time creating a siggy I’m proud of, only to discover it looks like the dog’s breakfast on my laptop).

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“Screens are getting smaller. Do my photos shrink when viewed on a mobile device?”

I don’t know for sure, as I don’t have an iphone, etc. All I do know is that even IE and Firefox makes my sites look different, most especially on my laptop. (On my laptop, part of the background is definitely chopped). So... maybe they might shrink a little.

Don’t know for sure though.

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Kristin_Texas said...

Cont.... (Had to divide my comment b/c it was so long).

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“Why do I keep getting all the annoying emails from people who want me to say I know them on LinkedIn? I'm not on it.”

All I know about LinkedIn is that they’re used for blog hops.

I’m addicted to those things, but have never received any emails so I don’t know why you’re getting them.

Is there an unsubscribe link?

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“I'm not on Facebook either. Should I be?”

I have a like (not love)/hate relationship with FB. I only joined to keep up with family members, and later to keep in touch with a few people on an author’s forum that I frequent. Nowadays, most everyone has abandoned the author’s message board and replaced it with Facebook. Even the author places all her updates and contests on Facebook now.

Honestly, FB is not for everyone. I’m really picky about who I’ll accept as a “friend,” so it isn’t too bad. People do have a lot of gripes about them constantly making changes though.

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“Why do people watermark their blog photos? I'm thrilled when people copy mine.”

I’ve seen this too. It’s just a personal preference for some people, as others can steal their photos quite easily and then take credit for them.

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“Why do people publish incomplete posts requiring a 'read more' link? I usually delete these subscriptions from my reader.”

I’ve seen one blog that has a ‘Click to continue reading’ link, but it’s only so that it lessens loading time for their viewers. They have A LOT of photos in their posts, and by shortening it they won’t slow down other people’s computers. In other words, if a reader decides they’re not interested in reading a particular post after all, they can just log out of that post without having to first wait for something like 10 pictures to load.

Stacey Snacks said...

I also don't like the "read more" at the bottom of most feeds, but they do it because of spam. At least I answered one of your peeves/questions. Not sure why you are still in your pjs!

Content in a Cottage said...

Stacey...That was at 10:30. I'm dressed for the outside world now. I almost never get spam because of that annoying word puzzle I make people fill out when they leave comments. Your cake looks amazing. I'm definitely making it. xo, Rosemary

Teri said...

•What am I supposed do when I get a new follower?
Smile. Seriously, I follow blogs so I can read them easily. I (personally) don't expect the blog writer to do anything.

•How can I possibly follow back when the new follower has more than one blog? Which one should I use?

I don't "follow back" unless I enjoy their blog and it's something I really do want to read. IMO, following is for the 'follower' and not the 'followed' (are those words?).

•Why do I keep getting all the annoying emails from people who want me to say I know them on LinkedIn? I'm not on it.

HATE those LinkedIn emails and I ignore every single one of them.

•I'm not on Facebook either. Should I be?

FB can be fun or a total pain. Fun if you make it do what YOU want... a total pain if you let everyone and their dog "friend" you. Personally, I have 2 FB sites. One is 'public' uses my maiden name and married name. This is the one I let acquaintances and others on. Check it every few weeks, do a little post and am gone. No drama. The other is my private FB... only family and real-live true friends are allowed on it. And anyone I think there were be issues with are 'blocked'... they can go to the 'public' FB page. Far too many people are "friend collectors" and blethers. Don't have time for that nonsense.

•Why do people watermark their blog photos? I'm thrilled when people copy mine.

So folks are professionals and might be selling articles to magazines. Photos have to be sold with rights. If someone grabs your great shot, they can sell it. Personally, I never put my best photos on my blog.

Karen said...

Well I'm glad you are thrilled with people copying your pictures - I have saved a lot of them! And I will never go on Facebook - I don't want to do what everybody else does! Your blog is one of my two favorites - the other being Susan Branch.

You just keep on what you're doing - I look forward to your varied offerings everyday. And thank you for sharing your life with us all!

Anonymous said...

you are a hoot.

Stacey Snacks said...

One of my peeves is that darn word puzzle code that I have to fill out before leaving a comment! ha!

Content in a Cottage said...

Mine too. But you can't believe the spam I get when I don't have that darned word puzzle. Sorry.

Yvette said...

Don't mind the word puzzle. It's part of the game as far as I'm concerned.

I use Facebook as a kind of extension of my blog. I leave photos and artwork that I don't put on my blog for one reason or another. Plus I chat occasionally with friends.

I was given to understand that most photos online would not duplicate on hardcopy well enough to be sold anyway. I don't know about selling stuff that only appears online. That sounds kind of wonky to me.

But I'm with you about all the watermarking. Jeez, if someone wants to really REALLY steal something, a mark is not going to stop them.

Yes, I agree, by the way, Rosemary, you ARE a hoot. :)

Kristin_Texas said...

I've noticed that about the code. A few days ago I got rid of the verification code option, and it didn't take any time at all to have SPAM coming out the wazoo. At least now I know it really works.

Bonnie said...

I have some of the same questions. The replying to comments is one I seem to battle consistently. Some I reply by email (because I usually pick up through my email) others I return to my post and reply there, and still others I head over to their place and respond on one of their post. Are you still with me? It is my wanting to please everyone all the time syndrome. I am going to have to find something more consistent.

Facebook, a waste of time. I do have an account and seldom log on. The insincerity of it wears me down.

Followers, I follow blogs I enjoy. I never expect anyone to follow me back. I will usually follow back if someone is consistently commenting, creating a dialog and/or I like their blog.

The other things I know very little or nothing about. If my post ever show "read more" please email me and tell me how to take it off. I know how to do so little.

Oh, my pictures actually look better on my mac than they do when I have them developed.....of course Walgreens is not masters at developing.

I can only dream of being in my robe at 10:00 a.m. any morning. Hugs, Bonnie

The Queen Vee said...

I think Google + is a competitor to Facebook. It isn't doing very well.

What is the best way to respond to comments?
I'm absolutely astounded that you respond to comments. I comment on other blogs and you are the only one who responds back to me. I don't expect it but I confess I love our conversation Rosemary.

I'm not on Facebook either. Should I be?
I don't think you need to be on Facebook, I don't think you would like it. I am on Facebook, I call it my Faceblog because I don't have a blog. I have a very large extended family and it's a great way for all of us to stay connected and informed. I'm very particular about who gets to be my "Friend". It works for me.

Why do people watermark their blog photos?
I know of a blog that was completely copied by another person and then passed off as their blog. I don't have any problem with people watermarking their photos and actually think it's a good idea. Rosemary you are very good about crediting everything that isn't yours.

Why am I still in my bathrobe?
I have pajama days, I get up and start on a project and before I know it it's dinner time and I'm still in my Jammies. Yesterday was once of those days. I took some Christmas stuff down to our store room and then started cleaning it. It took all day and I never got out of my pajamas. I'm glad you and Linda are the only ones on this blog who actually know who I am now that I've let that cat out of the bag.

I would never do a blog without word verification. I don't mind typing in the word, in fact I get a kick out of some of the words that actually aren't words. My word verification for this post is palin.

Anonymous said...

Of my 13.5 wakeful hours today, I have spent 5 in my pjs (4 this morning and 1 from when I returned home this evening up to this moment). I am about to click off the light and take my pj clad self to bed. But, first, my only comment directed to your impressive list of questions is that "you are my techno wizard." I simply am the visitor who would be lost without my daily visits to your Cottage and take joy that you have figured out how to beam photos and quotes and recipes into my Mac.
Good sleep, Rosemary.
Linda

QZB said...

Rosemary, you always make me smile. I don't get Google+, either. I'm on it, but I don't really understand it. Face Book is fun, but I'm not a serious blogger so I don't know how useful it would be in that arena. Just keep those iPhone pix coming, that's all I have to say. I need my Webster fix! :)

Anonymous said...

Rosemary,
This post brought a chuckle! I am not a blogger and I am having some of the same problems. It seems that if I join all of these sites...well, when would I have time for real life? Yours is the only blog I read daily...by far, my favorite.
Kathy

Karen said...

Rosemary,
This was really a fun post mainly due to the comments and answers it generated. I have two adult sons that are in tech jobs...they prod/lead me on some stuff. They both felt I should have a twitter account and facebook account tied to my blog...I hate dealing with facebook. I don't use it on the personal side and don't really know how to best use it for my blog.
Both sons invited me to join google+...I think your reader that said it is trying to be a "facebook" tool, I don't have time to deal with it.
My Linked in account is something I heard was good for business contact...I have a full time job and have never used it tied to job searches or networking so I don't think I'm using IT properly either.
Like Kristin, I tend to answer any and all comments on my site because I enjoy and appreciate any I receive and try to do the same. I guess I like to know that someone is reading my ramblings so I try to reply to encourage dialog...that said, I know a lot of my friends say they read my blog but they rarely, if ever, comment and that's okay too.
Fun and thought provoking post, Rosemary. I think we should all get a pajama day every now and then. :-)
Karen
P.S. I'm on Wordpress and one of my sons did something that seems to keep spam off my site without the puzzle.

Miranda said...

I'm with you on most of these!
Also on my list: leaf blowers (aka World's Dumbest Invention Ever)

Happy New Year,
Miranda
(NOT on facebook, NOT on linked-in, NOT on twitter... barely e-mail literate!)

Jenny Jones said...

Love this post, it's hysterical. I guess because I can SO identify with many of the questions.

I have few answers for you but can sympathize, I am mystified by all thes new Google programs. However, a 2012 goal (note, NOT resolution) is to work with a technology buddy to better understand GFC and G+. At least then I can determine if I want to be connected.

I'm with Teri re: FB, two accounts works well. But I also don't feel the need to check multiple times daily. Once in the evening, or not even that often, is plenty.

Finally, someone mentioned a blog book. I'm a genealogist, and can tell you someone has written a blogging book specific to genealogy. I'm sure, though, that several of the tips would cross over. It's called The Big Blogging Book, it's by Amy Coffin. I have no association with her other than following her blog.

Keep up the wonderful posts!

Anonymous said...

When you use word verification, you are helping to digitize books:
http://spclibraryblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/using-word-verification-to-help.html
See how clever we are?


The "read more" link also helps people with slow internet connections to browse through a blog and then load posts to read in a new tab.


Did you hear that they plan to combine youTube, Twitter and Facebook?

It will be called youTwitFace!
:)


Love, love your blog. I seldom have anything interesting to post, but I read you almost every day. Thanks for entertaining us.

~skye

Anonymous said...

P.S.
Google has more on reCAPTCHA here:

http://www.google.com/recaptcha/learnmore

~skye