Ok, I've started a few test blogs with Apple's Weblog Server, included in OSX Server. Seems great for creating podcasts, but not many features for just a blog. So, am testing Blogger. I'm wondering right now about these features:
1. Is it free to use without any ads showing up?
2. Can images be easily loaded (a bit of a bear in Weblog Server)
3. How about video and audio clips? Formats, size limitations?
4. How does the blog transfer to a podcast?
5. Can I edit my posts at a later time?
6. Comment moderation? Getting spammed?
7. Suitability for instruction. Jean-Claude Bradley at Drexel University seems to use it pretty well.
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Notes from the trenches of instructional technology
The Digital Curriculum Center is at Connecticut College.
The opinions are mine.
The opinions are mine.
4 comments:
Frank - nice to see you are using Blogger! I think you'll like it.
1)I don't know if you can remove the ads but they are not intrusive. You probably won't notice them after a while.
2)Yes, images are very easy to load - just click on the image icon when posting. Use jpeg.
3)As far as I know Blogger does not host video or audio. I suggest using YouTube for video (10 min max) and perhaps archive.org for audio - if you have your own server even easier.
4)You can convert from blog to podcast using Feedburner. I give instructions here
5)Yes, you can edit, delete and even retimestamp any posts.
6)Comment moderation is possible. I like to let anyone comment but use the word verification to control spam.
7)As you know I love using it for classes both for student blog assignments and to post recorded lectures and class info.
Hi Jean, thanks for the comments and helpful advice...I'm new at all this. Just wondering:
1. How did you know I started a blog?
2. If I post this response, how quickly will you see it?
What is the underlying mechanism that makes this happen?
I gave Feedburner a try, but will look at your instructions to see if I did it the best way.
Thanks and cheers, Frank
Frank
1) I caught it though one of my "vanity feeds" - you used my name and it showed up on one of my keyword search RSS feeds on Blogsearch
2)Unfortunately Blogger does not yet allow RSS-based updating based on comments so I caught your reply here by checking in
3)The mechanism that makes all this work is RSS - that is why people who use RSS to keep track of each other can collaborate so quickly
4)Check out the 18 minute screencast I have on that wiki tutorials link I gave you - it will show you how to create a podcast using Feedburner
Thanks so much again.
1. I have not seen any ads yet, when do they appear?
2. Regading "blog etiquette". I got your answer both in my email and in the blog. Where best to answer you? My take is if other people can benefit from the answer, do it in the blog, if trivial, in email. Is that mostly so?
3. Nice screencast on using Feedburner, I set up a podcast. Do any Feedburner ads ever show up?
4. How often do Blogger/Feedburner update a podcast? Say I add a topic now, assuming someone updates their podcast client right away, would they see the podcast as having changed?
5. You imply that comments do not allow RSS-based updating in Blogger, is this also true if you use Feedburner to create a podcast? Does the podcast update when comments are made?
5. Is there a limit to how many images, or total upload size of them, on Blogger?
Lots of newbie questions, eh!
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