My attention span is très short these days, as is my patience. So, I don’t feel the need to research this a great deal. Instead, I’m just going to rant.
What’s the deal with the new Blogger sign-in system? It’s incredibly annoying (as if the previous one wasn’t bad enough). So many artists use Blogger and I find myself unable to make my way through that maze to figure out how to comment on their blogs.
Blogger has made me feel like I have to go back to school in order to learn how to comment. Who needs this?
Okay, I feel better now.
Seriously, is it just me?
(Update: Now that Lisa Call has taken the "Complaint Free" pledge, I’m feeling guilty about this complaint. Maybe I’ll start tomorrow on the complaint-free thing.)
20 thoughts on “What’s up with Blogger sign-in?”
Alyson, You are perfectly right… Being on Blogger myself, I am convinced that many people just gave-up and I therefore missed precious feedback and interaction. You are not the only one to – rightly – rant. Blogger knows the problem. On December 13, they published a note on their Dashboard: “OpenID Commenting December 13, 2007 — permalink After just two short weeks of testing on Blogger in draft, OpenID commenting is now available for all Blogger blogs. This means that your friends and readers can leave authenticated comments on your blog using their blog URLs from OpenID-enabled services such as WordPress.com, LiveJournal, and AOL Journals, or with their AOL/AIM accounts.” Artists with on Blogger need to make sure that they adjust their setting to “Anyone” or “Registered users” (which would include OpenID)… Let’s see if this solve the problem and remove the frustration. Happy New Year 2008 full of Art. Benoit http://myfrencheasel.blogspot.com/
I haven’t noticed a difference lately – what in particular has changed for you? Usually it’s been Google log-in or anonymous comments, with a security code thingie to check you’re not a robot – it’s been like that for a while? No more fields than I have to type in here to comment on your blog. 🙂
I could have written this post myself I am totally fed up with the blurry sign in duties. Half the time I type them in incorrectly and have to go through the entire process a second time. And speaking of going back to school—you’ve been tagged! (because I know you have so much free time on your hands these days!) But seriously, I’m sure we’d all love to hear 5 things about you that we don’t already know.
Hi Alyson, (If you’re short on time: skip to the bottom where I asterisked in the margin. There, I’ll help you the best I can so you can comment on Blogger.) Grrrrrr! I’m joining you in growling at the current Blogger sign-in system. I left Blogger because of glitches and have had a wonderful typepad acocuntfor awhile. However, I have many internet friends there at Blogger. **I’d rather not use a Google account to sign in, so here’s what I do, which is still time consuming, but at least it works! {Addendum: I posted all the info to help you and then noticed your blog doesn’t allow html when I tried to post, so please email me and I’ll give you the easy code so you can cut and paste it into Blogger to comment, plus explain what other parts to fill in or ignore.) Maybe you or others will understand what to do from this version below, since html isn’t allowed here: 1) Keep the html link coding I email you as a word doc. so you can cut and paste this into the actual comment box. This way, whatever you wish to sign as your name, or your name and Art Bix for example is what you should put in the text section of that html code, in the part >textGelGel’s Art<. 3)I suggest using the preview feature on Blogger, to be sure your link shows up, even if you've cut and pasted one that has worked before, because Blogger sometimes doesn't "read" what one writes in comments, as evidenced by many lost comments, etc, and the reason many of us, including me switched blogging hosts. 5)Underneath the comment box, you need to click "anonymous" if that feature is allowed, although a reader will only know you commented, if they actually read your comment in the thread. (Your link shows in blue at the bottom of the comment box. 6)If you don't wish to "sign" your comment at the bottom with your name as a link, you could type your link as part of your greeting to the blogger you're visiting,so it's near the top of the box, where the other links are shown. 7)I did experiment and put my name in the "nickname" place, but that links me to some blogger place. Ugh! 8) I also tried every combo for the "valid link" in the dropdown menu, but blogger is not taking "typepad" as a valid link right now. I noticed it lets one use that are for live journal, typekey, wordpress, and others, but not typepad. Maybe that will change in the future. 9) Apologies for a long comment. I wasn't sure which email address to send this info to, so I figured you'd see this here. I hope this helps you!If not, feel free to email me, and I can be clearer. As I've written to you before, thank you again for all the terrific info you impart here for art marketing and more! I read every bit of info through your newsletter and blog via feeds. Someday soon, I hope to be able to take advantage of some of your superb extra offers. For now, I've learned outstanding new tips from you. Best wishes for a peaceful and creative New Year! Artistically, Gel I wish you every success with your new book! Artistically, Gel
Hi Alyson, can only agree although I do not know how it was before – but I find blogger quite confusing – that’s why I prefer wordpress.
Blogger did apologize for their boo-boo over the past two weeks regarding sign in for comments: http://www.blogger.com/home When I first started on Blogger, I didn’t realize that I had some ability to change those sign in settings. I thought you either had to be a member of the Blogger community or not at all to sign in, and I later found out that wasn’t true. It can be changed in the settings. I wish more people would eliminate the word verification feature. That’s my biggest gripe on blogs. ~sue o’kieffe http://sacred-circle-mandalas.blogspot.com
No – not just you. I have complained on the more than 50% of blogs that I read and comment on – blogger all – and finally gave up and got myself signed in, only to discover that my signature no longer takes ones to my own blog but to bloggers page on me….it’s a plot. Even having created their own sign in, some days I can’t get in and am forced to sign in as anonymous. I would NEVER EVER use blogger just because I find this so very annoying – hear that Blogger?
I use wordpress and get to screen comments before posting. It’s easy. I must say I do find those code things to be a nuisance because they take a bit of extra time and sometimes it’s hard to decipher the letters.
Down, guilt beast, down. Your complaint is legitimate, not needless whining about your circumstances or other people. Blogs should be easy to access and comment on, and that’s such a big part of your work. I’m behind you all the way.
ever the conspiracy theorist… how else for blogger to gain access to typepad and wordpress information then forcing them to sign in within their cookies; thereby creating a cookie trail and access information??? ! I tried signing in once; now I just type in my url at the bottom of the an anonymous post
don’t look a gift horse in the mouth …
Sue: You have to have a Blogger account to get to that page! And it’s a mammoth description that your readers shouldn’t have to read in order to leave a comment. I think the solution would be that all Blogger users allow ANYONE to leave comments, but most don’t know that they can change that setting. Another rant. Another post. Sari: Are you referring to the fact that Blogger is free? What good is free if your readers can’t leave comments? Everyone knows how impatient we are these days–especially bloggers who like things easy and are used to things a certain way. This is a roadblock, not a gift horse.
Okay, I changed the settings to remove the robot gatekeeper. If I decide to upgrade to a more user friendly blog service, what happens to the years of what I consider important archived posts on Blogger?
Cynthia: Thanks for the permission to rant about legitimate difficulties.
ok, my bad …I went, I looked, you were right…I didn’t know I could do so many things …(we have a mare in foal due in April – I have horse on the brain…) apologies…
Hi Alyson, Apologies if my comment last night was too long. I see that it was not posted here and I am confused. I was trying to help you sign in to Blogger, if you so wished. My comment here was labeled as spam, and subject to your approval. I offerred my email for help w/ the html coding and process to use annoying Blogger to comment, since I thought you wanted a way to be able to sign onto the artists’ blogs who still used Blogger. Again, best wishes for the success of your book. Also, thank you again for your suggestions via your newsletter and blog.
Sharon, wordpress (and probably most other fairly large blogging platforms) allow you to import all of you posts and comments from your old blog – so nothing is lost. Alyson – The Complaint-Free World book is an interesting read and I’m definitely becoming more aware of how much complaining I do. On a few occasions I’ve been able to stop myself and each day I get a tiny bit better. The general idea is the law of attraction – creating your own reality with your thoughts – etc.
I’ll add my disatisfaction to your vote. I find the new Blogger sign in totally annoying. Commenting should be quick and easy, not a pain, as it is now on Blogger!
I have had a blog a little over a year and I have had only a couple comments. How do you find out who is signed up to read your blog? I run into friends who have comments but they say they don’t know how to post a comment. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Terry
I have blogger, and there is a lot I don’t like about it. Would be preferred be WordPress? What sets it apart?