05 January, 2013

Wordpress Woes

Welcome to the new Doesn't Speak Klingon! I've been doing this for a year now, but really dropped off in the last few months due to lack of time and privacy (to protect my anonymity). As I stated on the 31st, my intention is to post at least once a week for now. It might not be exciting with pictures and stuff at first, since I also need to catch up on all of you, but, well, Here's to Good Intentions!

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Dudes, ya’ll are bloggers. Ya’ll can tell by looking that I use Blogger (Blogspot) to manage this site. It was simple; it was there…I didn’t consider alternatives because I’d actually used blogger for an online journal in a class I took. Easy.

Well, part of my new job – yes! I’m working! – involves updating the company’s 10yo website. I am not a web-designer, I am a writer of business communications, with a reasonable understanding of online protocols. The web-designer they are using has chosen WordPress as the website home. Therefore, I am learning WordPress, too.

YUCK! My condolences to those of you who selected WordPress for your blogs and are now stuck.

ICK! The difficulties of formatting are so cumbersome!

WOW – I don’t know how those of you with photo-intensive blogs do it. Pictures are a pain in the rear.

Please don't be offended - I love reading your blogs! Maybe part of the problem is that I do not have total creative control. The web-designer is setting up the template and graphics, and I do the text and pictures. Still. I have extremely limited font type and size options. I cannot do columns. (Actually, I’ve never tried columns in Blogger, so maybe that’s an issue across the board.) Many visual tricks we want to do on just one page have to be done across the board or not at all.

At least, not being a blog, I won’t have to deal with comment-section issues that I know several WordPress users have struggled with.

I do love what I’m doing. I am the sole creative individual in an office of logicians. That’s over-simplifying, of course. What they do is creative in its way, but it’s creative within the parameters of mathematics. Likewise, I am an incredibly logical person, but my duties revolve around creating a desired image through words and pictures…a touchy-feely realm that is not a part of the jobs of those around me.

If the world needed tangible evidence of my “different-ness” from my coworkers they could just look in the parking lot. My little yellow coupe stands out among the dozen or so mid-size sedans and small SUVs that sit there parked in their shades of grey.

I am still technically on the payroll of my temp agency, so I am not filling my work-space with my personal, office fun-stuff as I had before. When I am hired on full-time, believe me, they will see!

25 comments:

  1. I didn't like word press too much either. Blogger seemed simpler to use and less pushy about advertizements. And congrats on your job thing. Earn that money.

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    1. Yeah, the working thing is pretty good! Thanks.

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  2. Before I started blogging, I checked out my options, and Blogger seemed much simpler. I know people that swear by Wordpress, but I have no desire to spend even more time than I already do, figuring it out. I like simple and spoon fed, when it comes to my blogging platform :)

    Congrats on the new job! I hope it becomes permanent.

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    1. Obviously Wordpress can't be that bad or nobody would be using it. I'm sure it's personal preference, but after Blogger, it definitely seems more complicated.

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  3. I haven't used Wordpress much. I do remember checking out the different options before choosing my blogging platform that I did not choose Wordpress for some reason. I'm with Blogger and have never regretted it.

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  4. Congrats on the job!

    I was having issues with my Sports blog that I couldn't figure out so I started a Wordpress blog and posted in both places for those that were using Google Chrome (Chrome was blocking my blogger blog) and I really hated the whole set up. I eventually figured out the issue with Chrome and deleted the Wordpress blog. I really didn't like trying to set it up and design it. It was much more difficult.

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    1. Google Chrome issues? Well that might be part of it. I've been accessing it through Google Chrome. (another platform I'm not wild about, but am learning for work.)

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  5. Congrats on the job!

    I've heard that Wordpress has a lot of issues but I never knew that much about the issues. I didn't even know that many websites to use for blogs when I got started. I only knew about Blogger and Tumblr. I'm happy I picked Blogger, especially now that I know about all of that.

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    1. ...and I didn't know Tumblr offered blogging options. Huh. Learn something new everyday.

      Then again, I've never been an internet-junkie, so only knew Tumblr when someone forwarded something to me.

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  6. I've always felt like I was slumming because I use Blogger instead of WordPress. Thank you for letting me know that I'm just being efficient.

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  7. I used blogger for my old blog, and felt there wasn't much I could do with it. I really like Wordpress, haven't had any issues, and use it for several different websites. I guess I'm in the minority:)

    So glad to hear your new job is going well!!

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    1. I know Wordpress has devout followers, so I'm assuming that it is partly the transition that is troubling me, and partly the web-designer's issues.

      And thank you - I love what I'm doing and will have a big online party when they make it permanent. :)

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  8. Good to know! I've always wondered if I should switch to WordPress (non-Blogger users tend to be a little... "judgey" about Blogger...). I've always liked Blogger though!

    Anyway, good to hear from you and congrats on the employment/loving the new job!!!!!

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    1. I seem insulated from the judgey-ness. You're not the first person to say that, though. Maybe I'm just oblivious. I'm happy!

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  9. When I first started my blog, I went to Wordpress... Holy hell was it confusing!!! I immediately switched to blogger!

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    1. It was so funny, when the webdesigner asked if I was familiar with Wordpress, I knew it rang a bell, but couldn't place it until he gave me my login and I got into the site!

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  10. I first began on Wordpress, wrote one post, and then bailed. Did not like it one bit. Then I discovered blogger and Workingdan was born, firing out of the gate on all cylinders!

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    1. I think I run in largely Blogger circles. (based on comments, anyway!)

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  11. I use wordpress, and much the same as you, I mainly stumbled upon it, not knowing of my options. I think both platforms have their issues, and I think the formatting is somewhat dependant on what "theme" you pick (background, etc.) in wordpress. I have found it relatively simple to navigate, and you know I am heavy with the pictures. I think it's just getting used to a format and using it. The font issues are a pain sometimes, as you really can't adjust the font much. This is not a big issue, so I'm ok with it. I think it's just a preference thing as to which one you would like.

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    1. Misty, you were the first person I thought of when I got into the picture thing: "How does she DO this!" I'm getting the hang of that bit. Bigger issues are that my bosses want things on the website like they see on other professional sites, but we're going through a format that doesn't support the bells and whistles.

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  12. I've been on Blogger from the start of my blog. I kept reading that eventually I'd want to migrate because Blogger isn't versatile enough, but I haven't found anything that I can't do yet. I see no reason to switch.

    Good luck with the new job!

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    1. I wonder if it's more that people who want to do business through their blog, or professional bloggers who want a lot of extras on their blog can't get them through blogger.

      Hmm...'tis a question.

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  13. Boom! J-O-B! I'm slow on the uptake, but congrats ;)

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I enjoy a good debate. Feel free to shake things up. Tell me I'm wrong. Ask me why I have such a weird opinion. ...or, just laugh and tell how this relates to you and your life.