September 26, 2008
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Xanga: The Blogging Community | Step 1: “Top Blogs”
A couple weeks ago we posted about getting back to our roots as a blogging community.
Today we’ve taken our first step in that direction: we’ve consolidated our entire “featured” section into a new and improved “Top Blogs” page.
What does it take to be a “Top Blog”?
It involves a lot of data – including comments, views, recommendations, and other bits of information. But in general, “Top Blogs” shows the list of posts that are currently generating the most interest and discussion on Xanga.
How is it different from the old “Featured Weblogs” page?
The biggest difference is that the new page gets updated much more frequently - the new Top Blogs page is updated every 10 minutes instead of the old every 6 hours.
What about featured photos and videos?
For the time being, you can still find them here and here. But we’ve learned that we don’t really need separate sections to show off great photos and videos – Top Blogs is where you’ll already find some of the best.
Don’t get us wrong, photos and videos are a hugely important part of blogging. But on Xanga, people tend to put their best photos and videos inside their blog entries.
What’s up with the new design?The design of the Top Blogs page isn’t radically different from our frontpage – we’ve just tried to make it less cluttered and, again, more focused on blogging. Check out the new navigation, for example:
Does it do an OK job conveying that Xanga is a Blogging Community? Or are we being too subtle
?In any event, we wanted to try any new designs on a secondary page like “Top Blogs” before mapping it onto bigger pages like our frontpage. So please let us know what you think!
And now that we’ve officially taken our first steps back toward “Xanga: The Blogging Community,” we’d love to hear if you think we’re on the right path!
Comments (143)
yay!
neat
I’m eager to see Xanga get back to its roots. I hope this strategy works. Either way, good effort, guys!
I appreciate it.
VERY COOL!
Is there an explanation for why the private posts of both wherever_we_go and my own site are suddenly “protected” rather than private?
I had to delete my protected list.
The top subjects when I went to look were boobs, oral sex, and farting. I think that about sums it up.
this is awesome! it’s like a breath of fresh air – a lot cleaner and spacious.
@moniet - well, it’s clear TheTheologian has a good handle on what people like to discuss
You are listening and incorporating that into the improvements! You are the best!
feeling cool
Xanga, The Weblog Community.
good job. =]
@fullmetalbunny - we’re looking into the issue right now… could you please message me to let me know when you think it might’ve happened and any other details you might have? Thanks!
spiffy!
@chrischoi - the juxtaposition of your comment and moniet’s is a little unfortunate, ha
@fullmetalbunny - @marc - I had the same problem yesterday. Afternoon? Evening? Can’t remember exactly when… Seeing as these privacy settings are a big deal (the biggest deal, IMHO), I’d like to be updated about xanga’s response / results.
@chrischoi - @marc - ROFL!!
I think this is significant progress….Great Job!
Looking forward to this – should be really great. Thanks guys for working hard and improving the already best blogging community out here on the intarwebz.
Another Top Job
x
very cool
interestimg, hopefully this will help ppl find good stuff, not just popluar users
The size of the font for “the blogging community” seems a bit too… modest.
But I’m being picky. Great work – I’m sure you folks will continue to evolve and improve Xanga. Thank you.
There is way too much Theo’sCafe on the Top Blogs page. Furthers my fear that this system only rewards those who are already on top.
@fullmetalbunny - oh THAT’s what that was about…
So…no more featured?
only the strong survive, here, huh? if you’re popular, you get more attention; if you’re not, you get ignored. nice. (NOT!) i’m so not liking this whole “XANGA: the poularity contest community” vibe that’s taken over my used-to-be-favorite website…. i mean, yeah, occassionally i write a post that i’d like to get noticed for, but really, i don’t see this as accomplishing that goal…. le sigh.
It seems like a popularity contest, now. I don’t feel good about it.
Looks good!
I look foward to it!!!
Although I must say that Theo’s question asking us how old we were when we first had oral sex is not exactly what I would want at the top of my blog list if I were you guys. Doesn’t exactly give out a good vibe to potential users.
Does anyone else find it annoying that Theo’s Cafe is all over the “top blogs” page? He has like 50,000 subscribers, so when he posts something and get’s 76 comments in the first 10 seconds it’s not because the post is worth discussing. It’s because a large number of people are online, at Theo’s Cafe, and constantly refreshing the page waiting to snipe the first comment position. If there was a way you could make the “top blogs” come from a specific blogger no more than once a month, or something likek that, I think it would be better.
@RaVnR - Yeah, everything’s private again. On my site, anyway.
I know of at least two other people who had that problem with their private posts. This was serious stuff.
yeah…I hope this is for better community of our Xangan people…lots of blog have good contents but people never know it…and let alone read it… anyway I see this Top Blogs still limited to people who already has lots of readers…but it’s okay I think since it would prevent from people who spam the site to be on top without quality!
I do think you’re on the right track and I’m glad to hear you guys are focusing more on blogging than anything else. I recently joined FaceBook, but it’s not for blogging, that’s for sure. I stay right here to share stuff with friends and it’s the right place to be.
One thing you wrote that really struck a chord within me is this: “Don’t get us wrong, photos and videos are a hugely important part of blogging. But on Xanga, people tend to put their best photos and videos inside their blog entries.”
You are so right! I have tried to do separate photo blogs with the albums and all, but really, when I want to share photos and all I like to do it within my blog entry with narrative — I’ve always gotten the most interaction that way, and I think that’s where folks go to look first anyway.
Wonderful, you guys
Looks great to me, glad to see the direction this place is going
@wherethefishlives - that post is clearly a sincere attempt at elucidating a real shift in our culture’s moral structure that could have profound implications on the future mental and physical health of all society. New visitors should find strength and hope in Xanga’s ability to discuss openly such profound matters.
And yes, it doesn’t exactly look good
Will my comments and traffic still be mine or will it all go to Xanga?
Will I be able to delete inappropriate comments if I’m featured?
Will everyone who reads MY post show up on MY footprints?
If Xanga as a blogging community is going to work then the traffic needs to go to the BLOGGERS and not the host site. If the BLOGGERS are losing traffic on thier MOST publicised posts, the glamour of being featured will be gone and so will much of the benefit.
Also, I still think a longer AND shorter featured time should be employed.
Waaiiiit… I didn’t see any of this.
Eh?
Oh, I got it. So, basically, TheosCafe is going to be on the top of the page every single time he posts.
Hm. Sounds amazing.
@manilajones - I know what you mean.
All the popular Xangans are going to be more popular, and the rest of us will just continue to sink below the surface.
@vwagenjetta - Exactly! People who have over a certain amount of traffic daily should not be allowed on the new page, it’s just completely unfair. Like I said to manilajones, the “Xangalebrities” are going to get bigger, and the rest of us are going to get smaller. Doesn’t really seem like a smart choice, to me.
I think it all looks and sounds great
Yeah, do some changes, look how it goes. Should be going good
Yea! I think the best part is the time rotation change!
It wont change who gets up there because the ones that were always featured are the same that are getting all the attention now. Which is why I hardly ever check out trhe feature page. But ignoring that I still say that I love how Xanga workd and I give you my utmost devotion.
Good move.
Sounds good.
I am off to see!
I keep trying to like the new look but I’m just not vibing with it. I don’t see anything wrong with how the front page looks right now!
Actually, I like the way that the front page of Xanga HK looks. I think Xanga USA would look great like that!!
is 10 minutes too frequent???
Now I can finally see who’s better than me so my Italian friends can “take care of them”.
I still prefer a more categoried approach. One list of “anything” Top Blogs makes Xanga seem like only 1 community when in reality, there are many different communities.
love the layout! love that featured questions is (out of the way) in it’s own space on the right, and that xanga news blogs are easily viewable.
are you still planning to offer the option to submit a blog for possible ‘top blog’ status? otherwise, not to complain, but it does seem like it’s always 4 out of 5 of the same people, and often on topics (as mentioned earlier in the comments) like sex, boobs, etc. not that those blogs aren’t funny, but i know there are lots of other more meaningful blogs out there that ought to be recognized but aren’t.
Awesome…….
Do you have to be starred or recommended to make it to TOP BLOG?
Sheesh, I’d like to be featured or on the front page (hasn’t happened yet). V
@RaVnR - That is what I meant also with my comment.
Off Topic here:
This Truth bullshit you people have going on? It’s bullshit. Since Truth is sponsored by the tobacco industry, might that not explain their tactics which are so profoundly retarded they actually make non-smokers want to smoke?
Please remove this bullshit off Xanga, seriously, it’s pissing people off.
Well, I like it, I suppose. But it does kind of seem like anything Dan suggests gets put into action these days. And sure, it’s nice to know xanga listens to its bloggers, but it does give off the slightest whiff of, well, you know.
will this mean that the consistantly popular blogs aren’t going to be asinine anymore?? or that only asinine blogs will be the consistantly popular ones, either question works.
i love the new design!
nice!
sweet. a new change and improvement definitely got to start somewhere. and this is a good start.
good job! : )
@HeartOfPandora - Actually, that isn’t true. Remember that I was able to pass up all those people way back then that had thousands of subscribers.
Look at youtube. There are people with over 100,000 subscribers and people pass them up every day. If xanga actually drives traffic to this it will be easier to pass a person up as top comments.
I found out that some weblogs don’t remotely deserve to be in ‘top blogs’.
They got a dozen comments, but their content is personal and not really the type that ‘generates discussion’.
w00t w00t
This sounds like a fantastic idea, hopefully this change could draw some more interest towards Xanga
@TheTheologiansCafe - Fair point, I never thought of that. And it will point out those random blogs written by “unknown Xangans”, so I suppose it might be a healthy split.
Great looking foward to whats in store!
keep up the great work!
This sounds like a great idea. Good job, guys
I just saw this, will check it out more. Thanks.
Hey,the featured photo choices on the front page are improving….thank you!
I HATE the new frontpage. Why should I care for the Top Blogs? You guys simply narrowed it down to few selected individuals. Some of us prefer to browse through the weblogs and photoblogs by their tags, ratings and subjects and you guys are making it a lot harder for us.
How do you define “blogging”? Does posting new articles with links into your photoblogs consider as blogging or journalism? Photoblogs are for albums, photos and artworks, not as an extension for CNN, BBC, Google, Yahoo, etc.
And for your information, not all photos in the photoblogs are included in the weblogs. Photoblogs are like Pulses, only with photos. For those who suffer from blogger’s block, they can use these photos as a source of inspiration.
cool,iv been trying to get in the featured blogs,so i just made a blog about how the world would be better with sissy men.lol
Cool, I was getting tired of those 6-hour rotations. Too slow.
Though, ten minutes is a quite a jump from 6-hours, isn’t it?
Thank you for your hard work and keeping it about writing!!!
please xanga team. i’m tired of having to click each picture i don’t want in my photoblog!
i wish there was a more efficient way to make a picture show up on my photoblog or not. programming a more efficient method can’t be too hard. i would like to be able to check-box all the picture in my photoblog (in the same way i “check” the checkboxes of the pictures i want to go in a specific album) and click the option “don’t show in photoblog” or “show in photoblog“
please xanga team. i’m tired of having to click each picture i don’t want in my photoblog!
thanks
The frontpage design sucks. It doesn’t stands out and whatever happen to the weblogs tags? It’s like watching cable tv minus the tv guide. All you have is these top blogs with boring topics. I like to go through weblogs by their tags or contents and not by who’s who generating the most interest and discussion.
I really like this! A lot of times I just like to cruise through various xanga sites and read what people have to say but the front page often times becomes stagnant w/ the same featured questions/blogs. I like that this is constantly adding new information to read. Kudos!!!
Comment box doesn’t work. Worked on everyone else’s site tonight… hmmm.
I expect that it will be the same old faces, hopefully it will be some new ones too and equally hopefully thetheologianscafe can be kept down to a maximum of one place in the list per week. But probably not. Those who really want to top these lists will just work out the ‘rules’ how too. Its all ego really. I used to do it so I know.
dAMN hOT!!
http://weblog.xanga.com/X_naomi_X/676228111/breaking-news.html?ref=tb
This post was on Top Blogs.
REALLY??
10 mins – that’s intense
and very neat layout, i like
i will delete you
i hate you very much
I think you’re absolutely on the right track!
Can you still be featured on Top Blog if you have xanga sign in lock on? thanks V
Folks, finding a customer service link is just this side of impossible. When I have to go through at least three links to find one…that’s two too many. How about a customer service link to speak with someone about problems? And if I’m going to report a site for a problem, it really would be nice if there was a dialogue box to tell you what the problem is.
I received this email from another Xangan and it’s…well, quite frankly, it’s disturbing. I tried to report this through the channels and can’t find a way to do so. So…posting here:
His wife should have had him castrated as soon as she met her lover. She should have ther right to be pleasured by whomever she wishes. Its none of his business, if he can’t handle it thats his problem. Someday it will hopefully be like that. He can stay on as long as he serves her at her whim. Just being in her presence should be enough reward. He should be the one bringing the grapes to them. My name is John and my email is spainjack@hotmail.com
I want to become a eunuch for a woman and to be her servant. As most men should be.
<li class=”itemtimestamp”>Posted 9/28/2008 4:17 PM
<li class=”itemsubmitter”>spainjack
<li class=”itemblockuser”>flag
<li>
<li class=”itemblockuser”>block
<li class=”itemdelete”>delete
Thank you.
To whom it may concern: You have affectively shut a lot of use out of the main stream of the weblogs. I feel this was done intentionally for a cenor of the postings that are clean were you leave the sexually explict ones to prey upon the younger teens. We have had this problem with Xanga before. I do not like this new set up, and if it is permanent, I will shut my Xamga down and tell my 178 subscribers, and 97 friends why, and advise them to do the same. I am a premium member, and do protest this cencorship! Good day. Clifton Stafford
the first change so far that i really liked. good job, xanga team.but how will it fit into your front page?
any lovely sites in particular.
cant see shit captain
I am a college student and concerned blogger, as it seems that xanga is consciously making it more difficult to find clean weblogs to visit. I have had a good friend quit xanga due to harassment because she voiced Christian values on her blog she became the subject of violent ridicule and harassment, she was threatened with sexual abuse and many gross vulgar expressions because she had voiced concerns about the ease of pornography on the internet. She tried to get xanga to respond but to no avail.
I lost a good blogging friend on xanga because someone was continuously vile and derogatory to my friend
Why didn’t xanga stop it?
Is this the kind of excellence that xanga strives for?
so im single
cool
I think photos were one of my favorite parts of Xanga… I know I’ve spent free time just surfing the recent photos to click onto an interesting blog… I like the changes though so don’t take this as hateful criticism.
Hoo-ah!!!
lol nice nice… TOP Blog.. me like =P
點解 up 唔到相 – -]
‧‧‧‧‧‧‧
‧ 陳大俠字 ‧
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DoNald**
┌┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┐
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feeling cool
?????
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0..
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我 UP 吾到 相牙 !!;禁 落去又去左你個到 !!
D 英文又吾知講乜.;[
CM.
i cant upload the photos, why?
?;`
????
GD
…
Best of luck whatever you attempt. Xanga is the best blogging system I’ve seen, and deserves to be recognised as such.
I guess I won’t ever be a top blog.
Great concept……….but not sure it works. The same people get “top blogged” time and time again. I know this for a fact because some of the people featured in top blog are the ones I have on my sub list.
How about featuring other xangan’s as well…!
Why, when I click on “More newly updated”, is it talking me to the Top Blogs? The link is not working.
Xanga is one of the best site in blogging community,iam new to this community but in less time i came to know about this blog,In this i can share photos,videos ,so i will continue in this blog.
==================================================================
jameson
http://www.wikimah.com
this morning, when I wanted to go on xange, I had a message “run error”. was that normal?
i just seem the same people over and over again.
What about us???
Xanga is quite interesting.
Question – where would I go to report or ask about a bug? For a week or two now, the title of weblog posts appears inconsistently depending on whether you are commenting on a post, or viewing it before commenting.
If you are just looking at someone’s posts, the title of each weblog entry appears inside the borders of the post. If you click to comment on the post, the title moves OUTSIDE the borders of the post – where the background colors maybe different.
Why did this change – and why should it not be consistent – with the title of the post always appearing inside the borders of the post?
Thumbs up.
This new addition has definitely made browsing on Xanga more interesting than before.
Clicking the newly updated links on the front page takes you to the Top Blogs. Where’s the list of ordinary people that have just updated their blogs? Yanno more than five listed on the front page??????
As for another comment.. This whole Top Blogs thing feels like an internet p*ssing contest. Sorry.. it just does.
Wonderful! I LOVE IT!
Last I saw Top Blogs was overrun with sites opened specifically for the purpose of Harry Potter-universe role playing….
What does it take to be a “Top Blog”?
It involves a lot of data – including comments, views, recommendations, and other bits of information.
I was curious. What are the “other bits of information?” I can’t seem to figure it out and I’ve always been a curious girl. Thanks for all you do to make this such a fun blogging community. Please stop by and tell me what’s missing?
It’s a start, but if you want to be a BLOGGING community, why not put the TOP BLOGS on the front page? I mean, that would make sense, right? Just a thought
Interesting idea.
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Great job xanga, this is my first comment and my first time being here and I think you have done a great job.
I think that this is a wounderful Idea!…. So hey can you like go read my blog for today…. It’s about fathers who WANT to pay child support.. and are getting shit on….Vs… those fathers who DONT want to pay child Support!.. and are getting it easy!!!..
Dont you think it’s time to reward those fathers who WANT to pay child Sipport.. Vs those who dont????
Thanks for taking the Time to read…
Love the Top Blogs Idea
I
think that this is a wounderful Idea!…. So hey can you like go read
my blog for today…. It’s about fathers who WANT to pay child
support.. and are getting shit on….Vs… those fathers who DONT want
to pay child Support!.. and are getting it easy!!!..
Dont you think it’s time to reward those fathers who WANT to pay child Sipport.. Vs those who dont????
Thanks for taking the Time to read…
Love the Top Blogs Idea
Love Icys mom
Excuse me, but those Harry Potter role-playing sites are still all over Top Blogs. I doubt those people even WANT public attention. Please, do something.
I like how Xanga is generating new life. Great job!!
I have found some interesting entries in the top blogs, Xangans I have never read before.
I don’t like how the various Xanga properties are mixed into the Top Blogs. On the one hand, I see the logic and like what you have done; however, the purist in my says that you should only have Xangas on the Xanga homepage, Datingish stuff from Datingish, etc. Please consider polling on this or something. I’d like to see what the rest of the community thinks regarding this issue.