February 19, 2015

  • Some Updates

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    I've been so focused on getting Autisable ready, that I haven't had a chance to really address this blogs look and feel.

    This theme is what was transferred from Xanga 1.0.  And although I'm not one for a lot of change, I'm ready for when theme's become available and I can modify/update my xanga blog.

    I appreciate Eugenia for helping to get this blog at least presentable.   The old Brain Fried Network header that barelyjen created all those years ago is still here, although that website has been down for some time.

    That's the era of websites, when they work - you stick with them... when they don't, you move on.

    For me, I see Xanga moving forward.  Is it as fast as I expected it to be?  No, of course not.   But it's good to know it's still around and the team is working on improvements.

    I've always viewed the initial upgrade of utilizing wordpress as changing the foundation of a building.   With the framework, the steel beams and walls, being the upcoming theme system.   This is aspect of dealing with features that the team is on right now.

    From my conversations with John, he wants to push out some updates that we can actually see.   Which I think is a good thing, and to which I'm sure many people will say, "about dang time."

    It was pretty cool this past week that a reporter from the Washington Post highlighted Xanga has one throwback site that still around.

    Some folks in my last few updates and in messages have asked me to share on this blog what we share on Xanga's facebook page.

    I do have some good news on that note, and it doesn't require me to keep track of all the posts on the page to share on my blog...

    Now, for those who aren't on facebook - you can still view Xanga's facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/xanga without an account.

    You don't have to have an account on facebook to see all the updates we're posting.  The only thing you are unable to do is comment/like or share those updates.  We are currently making all facebook posts public, so as to make sure everyone can see all posts on the page, regardless if they have a facebook account or not.

    I am coordinating with The Xanga Team as to find and locate active bloggers on the site, and will be sharing their Xanga blog posts on the facebook page.   Even though you may not have an account on the facebook page, you can still click those links and still be connected to Xangans. :)

    This level of sharing will be much easier for us to do, rather than trying to get all status updates in a single post.   It will also allow everyone to see comments on the page, even though you may not be able to comment.

    Think of it as treating the Facebook page as Xanga's main page where bloggers posts are highlighted, at least until the team updates the main page.   Also, based on previous blog posts and conversations with John - the front page of Xanga is expected to be managed by xangans.

    There are some challenges with sharing content from xanga blogs onto Xanga's facebook page  - so I'll name a few:
    1.  many folks have followers lock on their blog.  this means that if you have your account settings are adjusted that only followers can see your blog, don't expect your blog to be shared on Xanga's Facebook page.   Beyond that, don't expect any new people visiting your blog either.   Adjust your settings if you want more people to see what you're writing/sharing.

    2. some folks have sign-in lock turned on.   This means that someone has to be signed into Xanga in order to see your blog posts.  Again, this is fine if you like Xangans to visit your blog (upgraded xanga accounts or not), but it also means we can't share your content via the Xanga Facebook page - as the blog doesn't appear on Facebook and therefore a challenge to share it to more xangans/general public.

    3. add media to your blog - search for a relevant picture for your blog post.  This is an option, but a visual prompt with a blog gets more attention then just the words.

    Use of the facebook page will change over time, but being that I'm not the only one managing the page - it will provide an opportunity for everyone to see what's going on in a real time fashion, and not have to wait on me to provide an update.

    Please let me know if you have any further questions/concerns.

    ----------Update------------

    Here's the settings in your dashboard to adjust if you want to change them...

    Screen Shot 2015-02-20 at 4.14.05 PM

Comments (20)

  • Thank you, Joel, for this update! I have just opened up my site (slmret) to public access, which I hope won't bring lots of spam, but the shared access looks like a good, but temporary, fix for the lack of community we've seen.

    • @slmret - I look forward to bringing more updates like this. Glad you opened up your blog to more public viewing. If you run into any spam issues, please let me know. There might be some ways to address that issue that we can go over.

  • Thank you. I am one of those non FB users and will try to remember to go check out the Xanga page there sometime since it will still be visible, though I appreciate that you put the news here since this is where I come almost daily.
    Im still not quite comfortable making my site public access, available to all, so my question is, will there be any way for individual friend invites and acceptance? and if so, how? There are some friends of my Xangan friends that I can see on my friend's pages, and some of their own. I can even comment on there, and after I feel comfortable with them (some I already do) I would like to let them in to be fair, but not the whole world of Xanga.
    Thanks.

    • @crystalinne - I think you ask some very serious questions that need to be addressed.

      What I shared in this post was over all settings for an account. There are individual settings for each post as well.
      I'll have to do some testing and research a bit to make sure I can communicate it effectively, but when you post, you have an option to make individual posts public/private... or password protected.

      Once I get my thoughts together surrounding this question, I'll make a blog post about it.

  • Thanks for the update!

  • I think Crystalinne is one of the pages I have tried to access in the past, but could not, because of the lock. I appreciate this update ~

    • I've come across at least 40 or 50 bloggers accounts this past week with either a followers lock, or a sign in lock.

  • Mine is sign in locked, and will continue to be so, I don't find it unreasonable to want a little control of who sees what, after my experiences. If that means I'm not on some list on FB where people who I may not wish to KNOW I have a site here are, then more's the better.

    And again, I don't see why Xanga can't have it's information shared, on Xanga, and not Facebook. What would be so complex about making a Xanga site, called something like, "Temporary Front Page" or "Meet and Greet" or whatever, and let those who want to interact, subscribe to it, and comment. Xanga needs traffic to Xanga, not redirects to FB.

    • @moniet - By all means, continue with sign in lock. Control can and should be yours in that regard.

      The issue of the facebook page being a temporary main page is due to the fact that currently we Xangans do not have control over aspects of the site yet. We do, however, have control over the facebook page. The main page is significantly lacking, and until the themes issue is resolved and installed - we're needing a stop gap to address connecting folks until the theme system/framework and main page has some work done to it.

      We're still in a transition period - and until the team has it's main page up like what we are used to... we're operating this as a temporary work around.

      Traffic will eventually reach back to Xanga, as it should. But having a central location in the meantime will make the process go faster.

  • Wow, so we're still in a "transition period"?

    Here's a problem I see - you've been assigned the "Official Liaison for XangaCorp", but it sure seems you're the one addressing the issues rather than you taking them to Xanga and having them provide the answers.

    So let's make this more formal- please have Xanga address the following questions in their next update because it's clear their updates don't match what folks are actually looking for.

    1) When do they think a blogging "Front Page" will be made available for users? To be clear, I mean stating an absolute time estimate, not a vague "after this or that is done."

    2) User's can't contact those who have their security set to "private", unlike Xanga 1.0, where you could notify someone that you were trying to contact them. When will this problem be fixed?

    3) Are they willing to put down a timeline of when users can expect to get social networking features that they can update on a regular (weekly/bi-weekly) basis?

    4) At the end of the "six month grace period" given to paid users last year that is expiring next month, will they resume charging people for continued subscriptions with no consumer visible improvements?

    5) What is the justification for continuing to charge a subscription fee for a site that has less functionality than the free blogging sites that are available?

    6) What is their estimate of completion of getting Xanga 2.0 close to the same level of social functionality and "1.0"?

    These are straight forward questions that should be easy to answer if they are willing. Not answering these questions is also an answer of sorts.

    • @soulfire - I have cut and pasted your entire comment and emailed john at Xanga with your formal questions.

  • It's been apparent now that the Xanga Team doesn't care about this site anymore. I highly doubt your copy-paste of Soullfire's message will get any response. I really wish Xanga would have just been sold/gifted to someone that actually cared about it or knew something about running a business, such as yourself. All I got from John was that they've been battled DDOS attacks for over a year, which is not even related to Xanga itself, and is supposed to be routine site maintenance.

    • @coolmonkey and @soullfire - John at Xanga texted me today in response to @soullfire's points...and we discussed that these must be addressed. It is being taken very seriously.

  • I used a bad key, sorry . My question is what will be Xanga after May 2015. I have already a personal account on Facebook . So I have not the taste to have a xanga-facebook!!
    Xanga on Facebook looks for me like to tie together the oppsites. Xanga is a blog and Facebook a stream with temporary touches quite ephemeral.
    Thanks for what you try to do and thanks to Eugenia but I fear it is soon the end of Xanga where I blogged during 14 years and made a lot of friends that are now elsewhere.
    I precise I was the only Frenchman on xanga .
    In friendship
    Michel Fauquet

    • @fauqet - no worries, I deleted the other comment as it was very incomplete (hope that's not an issue).

      In regards to what Xanga will be after May 2015, we should expect some major improvements then what it is now.
      As far as Xanga utilizing its Facebook page, the reality is that The Xanga Team never really utilized any social media outlets effectively, thereby it limited its reach in a way to market fellow bloggers via facebook and twitter.

      Most businesses market their content (share their content) on other platforms regularly - especially facebook. So it's not a far stretch that Xanga should do the same.

      The use of Xanga's facebook page as we are is to provide a temporary outlet for Xangans to gather and share their blog posts, and to have other updates be provided.
      The goal is for the main page of Xanga to take over as it should in this role, and the facebook page only highlight what's on the main page, etc...

      Xanga is expected to improve over time, and we hope everyone that has been on the site remains or returns. :)

      Also, I'm sure you weren't the only Frenchman on Xanga.

      Merci

  • I am wondering how long it takes you folks to check your Xanga bank account receipts---or access however it is, that you become alerted to subscription payments?!?!?

    ~ My annual Xanga subscrip was due to expire on Saturday, 01/31/2015
    ~ I renewed it through PayPal, on Friday, 01/30/2015

    ~ As of today, Monday, 03/02/2015, you still show (via my Xanga Dashboard page) that my account is expired...and therefore non-manipulatable AND only readable, by me.

    Please take note: I have no idea what to do about folks who don't want my money (???). (Well LOL, actually I do...but it's a pretty drastic move, and I don't really WANT to take back my $$$, or close my Xanga account.)
    (-_-)

    Please address this issue by correcting my account status, and also remedy the communication problem, respecting future subscrip renewals! :-P

    Thank you in advance, for your prompt attention to this matter! :-)

    "The Original Earthmom" here...sending Mega Earthmom hugs, blessings, and (apparently, much needed!) prayers, in you folks' direction.

    • Hello earthmom.

      As a point of contact for the Xanga team I'll be happy to forward your concerns to the Xanga team. More directly, to Eugenia at 'help@xanga.net'. She's usually the one to speak to about such matters and this should get cleared up rather quickly.

      I do see your e-mail address as part of the comment process, so I'll include that in the e-mail I send to her to she can reach out to you directly.

      Although I am not a part of the Xanga team, the fact that I am the community liaison tends to put me in this position to help clear things up every now and then.

      Let me know if there is anything else I can help you out with.
      :)

  • Thanks-ever-so, Joel...my account status is now accurate! I greatly appreciate the VERY speedy action taken on my behalf, by both you and Eugenia. :-)

    I do hope the team will do something at their earliest convenience, to address the other (related) issues I mentioned.

    I am a happy Xanga camper now, and am also very grateful for the extra Goodwill bonus I was given (possibly an "olive branch", as compensation for my troubles?).

    AWESOMELY COOL!!! :-)

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