The Matrix

Recently I had teach HTML / CSS to some of my Info architecture collegues. I was teaching them the basics first and then I told them that the fun actually starts when you get into the advanced mode of using CSS to do the layouts. They couldnt even understand me saying doing layouts with CSS. I told them that on an advanced level we should consider all html tags as just boxes and change the behaviour using style sheets and I threw a funda at them...

HTML / CSS is like The matrix. Once Neo knew that The matrix is not real but some code world, he could do anything with it. Like that here once we get the CSS layout box model clear in our head, we can do anything with it.

I agree that its too much of a funda, but i really liked it.

The breakthrough

Quoting UX Matters

Give users something familiar to hang their hats on. When designing a digital product, you may sometimes need to downplay the truly breakthrough aspects of your product, which may be harder for users to understand initially.

I think what Google did for Gmail is the same. They just underplayed the breakthrough aspects and advertised the 1Gb storage capacity of it and allured people to use it. Once they signed up to Gmail, they could discover all the other things it could do. I started using Flickr just to put in some photos and share it with a friend. But once I started using it I discover all the cool things it could do.

How to setup the Blog comments feed for blogspot blogs ?

A lot of my friends use blogspot for their daily blah-blahs and only few of them know that blogger has finally come out with the feeds for comments in their beta version. It is better late than never. I hope the below step by step, how to guide will help to set up the blogger account (beta) to publish the comments feed.

Step 1 - Time to switch your blogger account to beta

Only a few users of blogger now have the previlege to switch to beta. If you are lucky enough, you'll see a blue box in the sidebar of your blogger dashboard highlighting the new Blogger in beta. Click the learn more link and blogger will walk you step by step on switching you to beta. If you don't find it, don't regret. Remember that it is still in beta.

Also see Blogger's help page on switching to beta .

Step 2 - Time to change the site feed settings

Click on settings and click Site feed. Select yes under "Publish Site Feed". It is upto you to decide on the content to be syndicated. You can either leave it full or short. Full will put the entire content of each post in your site feed, while Short only includes an excerpt from the beginning of each post. The None option turns your site feed off entirely. Click on the Advanced mode link. In Advanced Mode there are options for three different types of feeds. They are Blog posts feed , Blog Comment feed , Per-Post Comment Feeds. Select Full or Short depending on your preference and save the settings. You are almost done. :-)

Also see Blogger's help page on How to change the site feed settings?

Step 3 - Time to Publish these site feeds

You have setup the feed for blog posts, feed for blog comments and also per-post comment feeds. It's time to show the world that your feeds are ready to be subscribed.

Following is a example URL for the Blog comment feed

The URL for the Blog comment feed is:

http://www.beta.blogger.com/feeds/comments/full

where your blogger account will replace the beta.blogger.com

For example,

Comment feed URL for netcraze.blogspot.com .

Also, add links of the Blog post feed and Blog comment feed in your sidebar to help people subscribe them easily.

pass the word to your blogger friends. :-)

Orginally posted at karthickraghavan.com