Monday, August 31, 2009

Blog Layout Suggestions


Throughout the month of June/July, I will be updating the layout of the blog to provide for easier navigation, commenting and viewing. If you have any suggestions regarding the layout or design of the blog, please post them in this topic.

Notice: This topic is SOLELY for the discussion of the layout and appearance of the blog; please only post related comments. If you have comments regarding other matters, please use the current Weekly Miscellaneous topic.

Thank you in advance for your input! If you wish to contact me directly, you may do so at 'mherman.gny@gmail.com'.

-Marc Herman

38 comments:

hal samis said...

how about somehow numbering the comments (each new comment automatically triggers a counter) so bloggers can refer to previous comments more easily?

Anonymous said...

Put the "Jobs Wanted" ads separated from the comments on Town governance matters.

Anonymous said...

It would be helpful if there was a separate link to the job postings. Some people are not interested in scrolling through all the postings to get to the pertinent info.

Anonymous said...

How about being able to upload pictures?

Anonymous said...

1. a miscellaneous section each week consistently

2. no job postings here; make a separate blog or a separate e-mailing list

Hartsdale Home Owner said...

Requiring posters to register with a name (real or fictive) to eliminate the "anonymous" confusion.

Anonymous said...

why not add guest posts

hal samis said...

As I witness today, the new post by the Supervisor follows the weekly post.

If this portends the future, I shall be a happy camper as I consider the Supervisor's Blog a camp for adults.

To be perfectly clear what I am applauding is:

that the weekly comment section continues and
that it remain as the first topic.

With these two in place, the Supervisor can place all the help wanted postings he wants.

hal samis said...

Dear Marc,

As I witness today, the flavor du jour has reclaimed the first topic slot overtaking the miscellaneous weekly topic -- which should now be occupied by the Week of June 28 and held there for the entire week.

Consistency would be appreciated.

So far, not one of the suggestions posted here has been actualized.

Talk to us, Marc.

Marc Herman said...

Hal,

The system is scheduled to update the weekly miscellaneous post on Sunday nights, creating a new one that will remain on top for the entire week. This will now be consistently and automatically done each week. I will speak to Paul about putting job advertisements on a separate blog, I believe it is a good idea as they take up a large amount of space. Uploading pictures is not a possibility, because of the risk of freely allowing HTML tags in user posts. As for requiring registration/name usage, I will look into my options regarding such, hopefully allowing people to still post under a pseudonym without registration, but requiring them to type something other than 'Anonymous.'

-Marc Herman

Marc Herman said...

Comment numbering is now enabled when you view an individual post by clicking its title. Due to hardcoded Blogger engine limitations, they cannot be viewed from the "# comments" link, only from the post's main title link.

-Marc Herman

Marc Herman said...

As of now, there's no way to require posters to type a name rather than choosing "Anonymous" without requiring Google Accounts registration. What are people's thoughts on this?

Anonymous said...

If we have to state our name on this blog the supervisor and his henchmen will take any action they can against the writer.

Leave it as is.

We have enough trouble with this government we do not need anymore.

Marc Herman said...

I wasn't referring to a real name, I was referring to a user-chosen pseudonym rather than Anonymous to avoid post confusion. However, at this current point in time, this cannot be enabled anyway.

-Marc Herman

hal samis said...

Dear Marc,

Obviously I am someone who takes this blog seriously as an exchange of information among residents.

To this end, I do write longer pieces than most. Today I note that there is now a new maximum character count which serves to limit exposition (the history, the facts) while leaving the topic free for the undocumented snipings of anonymous writers.

In blogs where this is the rule, a counter of characters remaining is the prescription for enforcement. Here none is provided.

And given the new rules, do you really want to limit discussion which can be thwarted anyway by breaking up the post into separate parts?

Given that this is the Supervisors blog, many of the items he submits as topics exceed even my lengthy missives.

What gives?

Marc Herman said...

Hal,

As far as I am aware, no new character count limits have been added to comments on posts. If any limit has been imposed, it either previously existed or has been hardcoded into the engine by Blogger. I will look into this issue to see if there is a workaround; this is the first time that this has been brought to my attention. Blog posts run off a different engine section than comments, so they are not affected by any restriction that may exist.

hal samis said...

Dear Marc,

Already bloggers witness two new topics and the week which started on Sunday July 12 nowhere in sight.

If the Supervisor wants feed back and people, like myself, to contribute then what this writer seeks in return is consistency.

Anonymous said...

Paul would do well to learn the "blockquote" and "/blockquote" html commands. It would make it much easier to differentiate his words from the quotations and excerpts he posts from elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

What happened to the posts from Misc July 12Th?

hal samis said...

Marc,

Got the message again. HTML limits the post to 4096 characters.

hal samis said...

Dear 10:39,

Your comments whether accurate or not...how do they relate to Blog Layout Suggestions?

Marc Herman is not a Town employee but someone assisting the Supervisor run the SUPERVISOR'S blog.

"This topic is SOLELY for the discussion of the layout and appearance of the blog; please only post related comments. If you have comments regarding other matters, please use the current Weekly Miscellaneous topic."

What part of reading comprehension is so difficult for you?

If you are seeking sympathy or support, post your issues where they belong!

Marc Herman said...

Anonymous,

The comments for July 12th are still under the July 12th topic, which has been moved to the date July 12th.

Hal,

Apparently this 4096 character limit thing is a new
'feature' (I don't know why they add these things...) hardcoded into the Blogger engine. It seems many other blog owners are struggling with it as well, and there does not appear to be a remedy. Until this is removed or a way is found to negate it, posters will simply have to split their comments into two separate posts or shorten the initial post. I will let you know if a workaround is discovered.

-Marc Herman

Anonymous said...

If this blog is able to set up sections (sub files), then a number could be established, such as jobs, recreation, police, sanitation, the library, etc., so all comments on a general area might be grouped, thus sparing one of pulling down numerous topics and comments and having to scroll through material that one may have little or no interest in.

Anonymous said...

How about a limit to how much or how often a person can post. The Journal News does this. Some people go on and on and to be quite honest I can't read their posts anymore.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 7/22/2009 4:49 PM:

For the hand few who identify themselves, such as Mr. Samis, the answer is very simple: skip their postings if they annoy you. As to the anonymous posters, unless they are identified by some "name", i guess one has to open and read them all. Sorry that the free expression of ideas bothers you. You could always relocate to another society, like Iran where other points of view are not readily tolerated.

Anonymous said...

Exactly who is Marc Herman and what is his relationship to Feiner? He looks a little old to be an intern...is he being paid and if so, by whom.

Marc Herman said...

Anonymous 8:09 AM,

I do this completely unpaid. I made the blog about 4 years ago while doing some intern work over the summer for Paul. Now I just perform weekly maintenance and code updates. I'm a junior attending Binghamton University now, and I'm 19, which is a fairly standard age for internships, as I understand. I would like to remind you that this topic is solely for the discussion of improvements to the layout of the blog, not any other topic. Please post your comments about other topics to the weekly miscellaneous topic. Thanks!

Marc Herman said...

I'm working on a "tag" system for posts, so that current and previous posts will be easily accessible by clicking on a topic-related tag in the sidebar. Hopefully, once this is implemented, one can just click on a topic such as "Weekly Misc. Topics," "Town Business" or "Job Postings" and only view posts pertaining to that topic. Depending on how difficult this is to implement, it may only apply to new postings from the date of implementation onwards, but I may be able to apply it to the last two months or so of posts as well.

hal samis said...

Marc,

if the week starts on Sunday, why am I writing this on Monday?

hal samis said...

If the week starts on Sunday, why am I writing this on Tuesday August 11 for the week beginning August 9?

Is it so difficult to get a weekly topic up and running in a timely manner?

Anonymous said...

It is the start of a new week. Let's kick it off right.... please create a "Week of August 23th: Miscellaneous" section TODAY. Thanks Mr. Blogster.

Anonymous said...

After yesterdays work session i must say that we have one of the worse town clerks in Greenburghs history.

Since when does one in her position take the stance that she is always right. Does she bear any wounds on her hands ,feet or side.
Paul if there is one person that you should get rid of is her.
She is obnocious but above all very rude to her fellow council
persons
Does she think that she is above the law.

Now getting down to Lewis ,who is he to change what someone has foiled and make known that it was his decision to do so.WHO THE HELL IS HE.
Belive me you have picked two real winners that make you look like scum.
Wake up,these two are not working with any of the board members but in particular YOu PAul.

Anonymous said...

Thanks I was looking for a place to write my comments about The town clerk and the otown attorney.

What a duo !!!!

Paul it's about time that you make it you business to fire them.
I do know that the clerk was voted in but a resignation would be in order, We have never had a town clerk who interfered with government affairs as she does in front of a camers... Now the lawyer where did he study law??
He will not even make a pro bono lawyer. get rid of him he is not any help to you or to the residents of this town.

I do know that there are better men in his dept. with government savy.

Yesterdays outburst [3] by the clerk was a disgrace. She has to go.It seems that she always has to have the last word because she is always right.

SHES A DISGRACE,DISGRACE AND A BIGGER DISGRACE.

Anonymous said...

ut oh. What did she do now? I did not see the work session but I have witnessed her being rude, condescending and out of line.
C----H----I-----P

Anonymous said...

Just check the rerun of the work session and you will see how dangerous this woman is.
She is a thorn in everyone's side.
If she had some dignity she would resign.
We never had a town clerk like this one since I have been going to town meetings which I must say is many moons.
The spotlight has to be on her twenty four hous a day .
We had the honor of working with the beswt town clerk but everything comes to an end.
This one tops the cake,

Paul you should ask her for her resignation and that goes for your town attorney.
He does not have the know how the government affairs are run,so Paul you don't need him,, You have to hire outside consul because he cannot handle the problem . We pay his salary plus the consuld fee.
Smarten up Paul start being a supervisor who supervises and not a puppet.
Are you or are you not the boss. If you are act like one.
We the residents have had enough of her outbursts.
We have also had enough of the lawyer asking for outside help.

Anonymous said...

Both resignations should be on the top of your list.
Lewis and the town clerk are both bad for Greenburgh government.
PAUL,
Lets see if you have the you know what to take the first step.
By the way another one that should go is the one that does not and refuses to do her job .. Guess who... the assessor.

Anonymous said...

What has happened to the miscellaneous posting for each week? Is it gone forever and where can we post items that do not pertain to the appropriate heading? Also can you get rid of some of the old topics.
Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with the audio at town hall.
Could it be possible that what is going on is only for those in attendance.
I think it is a disgrace that we who have to stay home cannot hear the good with the bad stuff.
The fights with the town clerk would have been quite refreshing since she feels that she is the designated supervisor.
Boy she must be preparing herself for the next election to unseat Feiner.

Why does she have a job.
We never had anyone in tht position as bold,uncoutth and combative .
WHY ! WHY ! WHY PAUL