11.18.2011

UPDATED: Commenting Failures, Foiled Rants, and Bait & Switch Snack Cakes


First, bloggy business: 

This blog has a web version and a mobile version. I love the mobile version, which I only discovered was available a month or so ago. I'm guessing that a lot of you guys who access your feedreader or twitter via your phones also appreciate the streamlined mobile version. But I discovered something last night. Commenting is OBNOXIOUS on the mobile version. I apologize that I didn't notice this before. The reason it is OBNOXIOUS is that it uses the standard Blogger commenting system, which includes the dreaded word verification.

On the web version, I have DISQUS installed. I don't know how you guys feel about DISQUS, but I've found it to be a great commenting program. I like that I can reply directly to comments, link to them, and moderate them on an external platform--it's more customizable than the standard Blogger system. But DISQUS doesn't seem to have a mobile version and Blogger doesn't allow me to do anything other than say yes or no to the mobile version. It does not allow me to manage anything about it, once it is in place.

This adds two problems if you want to comment on the mobile version: You have to go through the dreaded word verification AND the comment doesn't show up in DISQUS on the web version or send me any kind of notification that you commented. Which means that I am probably missing quite a few comments right now. There is a work around that is possible: I can go to DISQUS and import all the comments periodically to pick up those that were made on the mobile version. But this will most likely lead to repeat comments in DISQUS. Which is annoying. 

So here's what I need from you:
1. How do you feel about DISQUS on the web version?

2. How do you feel about the Blogger commenting system on either version?

3. A. Should I remove DISQUS altogether so that both versions are the same?

3. B. Should I turn off the mobile version so that you only have access to the web version on your phone and will therefore use DISQUS by default?
3. C. Should I leave it as is and re-import periodically and run the risk of missing and/or repeating comments?

Let me know and I'll do my best to find a solution.

Second, foiled rants:

I had this inspiration to get all ranty about those new toilet paper commercials about the "roll cover." Because having a "naked toilet paper roll" is apparently "inappropriate, dude!" Like getting a cutesy  cardboard cylinder with a cap is some kind of incentive to buy your brand of toilet paper. It's FREAKING TOILET PAPER! Who cares if it's naked. It's all ridiculous.

But when I sat down to write this, a warm kitty Satan's Cat nestled on my lap. This is unhelpful for two reasons. One, because I could not comfortably reach the keyboard and we all know ranty posts require excellent access to the keys (especially my shift key) in order to really give it that extra oomph. Two, because apparently all of those statistics and studies are right about how cats lower blood pressure and increase calmness (which I have never really understood before, because my blood pressure is usually through the roof with this cat, what with all her climbing and destroying and whining) and I got too comfortable to give it the effort it requires.

So, while I was all poised get a good RANT on, the cat muffled it with her snuggliness. She is such a rant foiler. She's gone now, but I can't seem to relocate my rant--it ran away when she did. Now all I can accomplish is: Toilet paper covers are silly, right? Just... silly... and unnecessary... and, um... silly, right?

This is probably why Temerity Jane is so much funnier than me--she has dogs. Well, that, and also an incredible wit. Hmmm... So maybe it's not about the pets...

Third, bad gifts:

Now I have nothing ranty or interesting to tell you. This post has basically been poorly disguised maintenance work. It's like a snack cake with a kind of cardboardy cookie-thing on the outside, but you bite in anyway, because you assume that the filling will be all light and tasty and sweet, but all you get is a mouthful of... shaving cream. Or spray-foam insulation. Yes, that's it.

I lured you here with the promise of a delicious and delightful snack cake and all you got was insulated cardboard. So basically, I built you a poor excuse for a house. You're welcome?




UPDATED: Rant now included in the comments, for no additional charge! Act now and you, too, can be reading ridiculous opinions on toilet paper concealment devices.  

Offer does not include shipping & handling, operations & maintenance, travelers insurance, or indemnity against stolen identities, over-crowding of toilet paper concealment devices, or loss of friends because you are lame. Batteries sold separately. Void where prohibited. Offer ends 30 days from receipt of this notice.

6 comments:

  1. Sarah Pearson11/19/11, 4:10 AM

    I like DISQUS. In fact I might be using it myself soon. I just uninstalled the one I was using and lost two months worth of comments :-(
    I only ever read your post on a pc, so I can't comment on the mobile thing, sorry.
    Toilet paper covers? What.Is.That?
    I'm on a diet, I'll take the insulated cardboard.

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  2. I like the DISQUS enough that I put it on MY blog, so, you know... I say keep it.
    Also... toilet paper covers are the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen marketed on a commercial that wasn't on SNL. Yeah, for real!

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  3. Maybe now that I've been up all night and the cat is locked safely in Sister's room, I can work myself up to a good rant... Apparently, this particular toilet paper company needs to give people an incentive to buy their product. You know, more than just "Our product is good! It will wipe your rear end better than any of the others! Blahblahblah!" I was going to say it was because of the economic downturn, since everything seems to get blamed on that lately, but NO! People still need toilet paper in a recession!

    Anyway, it seems that their newest gimmick is to "gift" you a cardboard cylinder that is slightly taller and wider than their standard roll (I'm assuming you receive one with every purchase of a certain size package, but maybe you have to send off for it, like those old cereal box prizes. I'm not really up-to-date with my toilet paper concealment devices retrieval procedures, sorry). It comes all print-designed, kind of like a tissue box. And you put your spare roll inside of it and you put on the coordinating plastic cap, so now you have what looks like a fancy hay-bale sitting on the back of your toilet.

    FIRST OF ALL: Who only keeps only ONE spare roll in their bathroom? That seems silly and inefficient. SECOND! Don't most people have cabinets or cupboards or other CLOSED storage places in which to conceal their toilet paper (if it EVEN NEEDS CONCEALING)? THIRD? If you DO only keep one roll on hand and you DO keep it out where everyone can see it, WHY THE HECK IS THIS A PROBLEM?

    I mean, your guests can already see the one that's on the rod-dispenser-thingy. So it's not like they're going to see the toilet paper on your counter and be like, "NOW I'm THINKING about POOP, DAVE! Is THIS the sort of THING you want your GUESTS to be thinking about in the BATHROOM, DAVE??! If SO, I'm not sure we can be FRIENDS anymore, DAVE!" No, no they are not. So is it that you use it so infrequently that you're afraid it's going to get DUSTY? I'm really unclear as to the functionality or desirability of this product. Plus, if you consistently buy this brand, won't you end up with 47 of these things, all crowding out your hairbrush and toothpaste and other stuff on your counter. I mean, at some point, you'd be overrun with the things, wouldn't you think?

    Ah, that's better. I knew I had a left rant in me. Take that, RANT FOILER CAT!

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  4. I don't know if this helps or not but whenever I want to comment I specifically come to the website to do it. Mostly because I like to read other people's comments and then I can see if someone already said what I was going to say.

    I think it would feel very onesided to comment without reading the others too. So even if I knew how to use the mobile one I wouldn't.

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  5. Cleats and Flip Flops11/22/11, 7:30 AM

    I think a mouthful of spray-foam insulation is a good way to kill somebody... :)

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  6. The thing i like most about Blogger is that lets you upload pictures from your desktop and post them to your blog. You can choose the basic layout and size of your images, and they’ll be uploaded to Bloggers’s server space.

    ReplyDelete