First Blogger Beta Post
Well - I made the switch last night. I decided to go for it because Blogger sent out a note that said if we didn't do it soon they would be switching people. I decided to make the switch on my own terms.
Late last night I started the process. The screen that popped up said it would take just a couple minutes. About 15 minutes later another screen popped up and said it was taking longer than expected, they would email me when it was converted. In the mean time my blog was still available.
After a couple of hours I couldn't wait any longer, so I went to bed. When I checked my email I had this note sent at 6:31 AM (7 hours after I tried the two minute process):
Congratulations! Your move to the new Blogger is complete.
You can now access your dashboard at http://www.blogger.com/ using your Google Account and start using the new features right away.
Happy blogging, The Blogger Team
What are the differences?
1) My blog looks the same
2) I have to log in with my 20 character email address instead of my 6 character user-id. Even though I always hit the remember me button, it never does.
3) My categories hack no longer works, whatever is categorized is all that will be categorized. I'll have to go through 440 posts and re categorize using bloggers categories. That should only take about six hours.
4) My comment edit hack doesn't work anymore. I used to be able to edit any comments on my blog, useful for replies and for adding colors/highlights/etc. That ability is now gone.
5) There is a special button to hit if you want to make template changes the new easy way. This is the message that comes with the button:
Give your blog a whole new look!
We've introduced a new tool for customizing the appearance of your blog. Before you can use this tool, you'll need to upgrade your template. By upgrading, you will lose many of the changes you previously made to your template. However, we will save a copy of your current template so that you can access it later.
I haven't worked up the courage to do this yet. I've customized my template pretty good. I have no idea what might happen to it.
6) Sometimes commenter's names change to anonymous, then back to their blogger names. I don't know if that's me or if that's Blogger.
I'm pretty hacked off about the categories and comment edit capabilities getting screwed up.
Home Email me
Late last night I started the process. The screen that popped up said it would take just a couple minutes. About 15 minutes later another screen popped up and said it was taking longer than expected, they would email me when it was converted. In the mean time my blog was still available.
After a couple of hours I couldn't wait any longer, so I went to bed. When I checked my email I had this note sent at 6:31 AM (7 hours after I tried the two minute process):
Congratulations! Your move to the new Blogger is complete.
You can now access your dashboard at http://www.blogger.com/ using your Google Account and start using the new features right away.
Happy blogging, The Blogger Team
What are the differences?
1) My blog looks the same
2) I have to log in with my 20 character email address instead of my 6 character user-id. Even though I always hit the remember me button, it never does.
3) My categories hack no longer works, whatever is categorized is all that will be categorized. I'll have to go through 440 posts and re categorize using bloggers categories. That should only take about six hours.
4) My comment edit hack doesn't work anymore. I used to be able to edit any comments on my blog, useful for replies and for adding colors/highlights/etc. That ability is now gone.
5) There is a special button to hit if you want to make template changes the new easy way. This is the message that comes with the button:
Give your blog a whole new look!
We've introduced a new tool for customizing the appearance of your blog. Before you can use this tool, you'll need to upgrade your template. By upgrading, you will lose many of the changes you previously made to your template. However, we will save a copy of your current template so that you can access it later.
I haven't worked up the courage to do this yet. I've customized my template pretty good. I have no idea what might happen to it.
6) Sometimes commenter's names change to anonymous, then back to their blogger names. I don't know if that's me or if that's Blogger.
I'm pretty hacked off about the categories and comment edit capabilities getting screwed up.
Home Email me
posted by Barbara Miers at
12/20/2006 03:00:00 PM
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29 Comments:
I made the move over to the new blogger with my art blog a couple months ago and it took me a long time to get everything back the way I liked it.
There are a number of blogger beta hacks... but not nearly as many as there were for the original blogger.
Good luck with all the labels. I remember it being a pain-in-the-butt.
You've been busy adding minutes to other people's blogs I see. You're awesome, so here's another minute for you.
And here's another
And another...
Don't stop now, back on the mill...
I think it's all "inside" stuff that changed - like speed. I don't know, I'm not on blogger anymore... but am willing to say it's internal.
Before you change templates, copy all your codes and widget stuff to Notepad. Then can paste them back into the page elements. It really doesn't take all that long.
I use Firefox.. and after I logged in, I set THAT as my homepage. Now I don't have to type all that stuff in anymore.
I use IE for other stuff.. but Firefox all the way for blogging.
I didn't get anything saying they were going to switch me... is that on the dashboard that I never use or something?
Thanks for all the minutes. I'm saving your last two for tomorrow since I'm pretty wipped out from the first 30.
welcome to Beta!
Now everyone can see my smiling Sunflower.........eh....
:-)
You know - many people who had their template personalized - special template made had problems after switching to the new version. I hope you don't have too much trouble. I am so glad that I am posting on my own server (although that has their draw-backs too)...But I like my WP blogging platform :)...
So...it went well? :)
Hi Barbara
I have not switched over yet, but guess I will have to do it soon.
I am actually dreading it!
Hope you had a good day!
We have a blizzard here in Colorado, and I am feeling under the weather...not the best time to be sick...I still have so much to do for Christmas!
Did you get an email from Blogger about making the switch to Beta?
And, as always I thank you for your kind words you leave on your visits! I do so much appreciate them!
Take care Barbara!
Margie
I haven't done it yet...am dragging my feet as long as humanely possible. I'd probably better bite the bullet and do it, though, before Blogger does it for me...but I haven't been offered an opportunity to upgrade, and I don't know how to get there on my own...
I'm dreading having to do it!! I actually tried a week ago, but it said it couldn't do it. Who knows....
I will be gone for 2 weeks and it's just my luck, blogger will get rid of my blog *sigh* because I will get that note when I dont' have access to internet...
Thanks for sharing your experience, Barbara. I don't feel comfortable with this...
Oh, well.
And here is to wish you a nice day :)
I extend my deepest sympathies to you on the switch. I've been there and done that. It does, however, get better.
I'm even more sympathetic than I was only moments ago and I just wanted to let you know that.
Yikes! I did the switch too but was fortunate for it to be quick and smooth.
I guess I did it while the rest of the US was sleeping. That made the process of switching my 300 odd posts done in about 5 minutes.
Yes, I don't understand why the need to type out my email address instead of just my User ID.
Everything looks the same, but I was getting excited about the template thingy until I read your post.
I have to work out the courage to try see whats going to happen if I did. I have not explored the new stuff yet so we'll see.
Meanwhile, you should work out a sweat on the treadmill and be fresh to venture into the Blogger's unknown. So, here's a minute for you.
I switched a few weeks back. Speed of posting photos and graphics is much improved. Layout changes are very easy. For my purposes, I think it was a good change. Of course, everybody else's mileage may vary widely.
Suldog
I swore I would not switch over until the bitter end. I guess this must be it..I really don't want to change over. It's taken me over a year to get my site the way I wanted it and I can see by your post, Blogger still has a few "bugs" they need to work out.
Think I'm going to hold out (again) and see exactly what they do to the "offenders" who don't switch willingly.
Happy Exercising, Barb!
Happy Holidays, too....
froggie - Thanks, I'll probably try the new template thing soon because I have more time over the holidays to deal with any issues. I hope it goes smoothly. I do have to admit I like the new blogger categories, very simple to use.
nicole - Thank you!
tnchick - I hope there are no more surprises for me.
Skittles - Thanks for the suggestions. I will definately make a back up before I try the easy template button. On my next computer I will use firefox. I'm hoping to get one for Christmas.
Renee - I did see the message on the dashboard. It was a little oblique. How's the exercising?
Sunflower - Thank you
eph2810 - Thank you, I hope it goes smoothly.
Mr. Fab - ummm, not too bad.
Margie - Thank you. I didn't get an email. On the blogger front page there was an announcement that they were out of beta and everyone would have to switch soon.
Jennifer - Hmmm - there's no invitation when you go to your dashboard?
Andrew - Good luck! You should save a copy of all your posts just in case!
mar - I hope blogger holds off until you get back!
Gem - Thanks for your sympathy. :))
Imran - I hope it goes well for you. Things were okay for me except for the hacks I added to my blog. I can't expect blogger to code for all the hacks out there.
Suldog - I use flickr for graphics and photos. I don't like using Blogger for those. There is no way to delete blogger photos, what if I accidently put a picture out there that I didn't mean to (not that i have any of those), but it's just the principle of it. they should have delete capability.
Carol - I feel the same way. I wanted to get ahead of a mass change. During a mass change the support group is likely to be overloaded and help could be scarce. Happy Holidays!
I don't know if this has to do with the change and you probably don't want to know but the little boxes of pics go right across the posts half way down.
Thanks for the heads up moe.
I'm just going to cryyyyyyyyy the day they switch me over. It might be my last day of blogging! I don't DEAL well with these kinds of changes! Why can't they EVER just leave things ALONE???
I feel your pain Melli. I've spent the last year and a half finagling my template. You've got that cool Christmas theme going. We're hosed.
template: just copy it into a text window (and save it), then let blogger do its thing. Of course I'm suspecting it will allow text updates of the template in the new version. I've been afraid to convert, too.
I think I will copy my current template to my test blog and see if I can make the test blog look anything I would be happy with. Then I will copy the test to production!
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