MESSAGE TO ARCHDUKE

Wonder if archduke could drop me mail via the direct link on A Tangled Web. This is connection with the plan to transform the design of the site!

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38 Responses to MESSAGE TO ARCHDUKE

  1. WoAD says:

    Don’t put up your whole e-mail address because it will get picked up by spam bots.

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  2. Millie Tant says:

    It would be great if this site had the vBulletin software. I have no idea, though, whether that would be feasible. For all I know, it may be very expensive…but it has beautiful functionality.

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  3. David Vance says:

    Woad – will change it now but archduke can get me via the email the editor link on my own main site – A Tangled Web.

    PS Anyone with tech ability who thinks they could help us get the new site up and going please contact me.

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  4. nrg says:

    If I may throw an idea in, how about a link / pro forma for making formal compliants and FOI requests and a section for displaying the responses.

    Anyone got thoughts on this?

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  5. gordon-bennett says:

    Let’s hope the new design includes numbers on posts.

    Currently, when I get the message “80 posts (30 new)” I have to scroll to the bottom and then count up 30 posts.

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  6. Geoff says:

    Interesting point, gordon-bennett, we’ll look at that one.

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  7. Martin says:

    nrg: Good point. A permanent link along with perhaps relevant email addresses etc would be useful.

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  8. David Vance says:

    Keep your suggestions coming folks – this is YOUR Biased BBC.

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  9. Gigits says:

    Numbered posts is a good idea. However, I quite like the minimalist look of this site! Don’t change it too much, please.

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  10. Millie Tant says:

    When I see “90 posts (30 new)” I calculate a rough percentage or fraction and scroll quickly down to where I think is roughly 1/3rd of the way from the bottom!

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  11. Roland Deschain says:

    Lucky you. My computer won’t tell me how many posts are new so I have to try to remember how many there were last time!

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  12. GCooper says:

    I don’t know whether this can be done automatically, but is there some way the general thread could be automatically shunted to the top, every now and then?

    And would it be possible to have a fresh one generated whenever the present one exceeds X number of posts?

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  13. xlr says:

    Millie Tant | 23.03.09 – 12:10 am

    ditto!

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  14. Martin says:

    Part of the problem of this site is keeping a running list of blatant examples of BBC bias and their involvement in promoting terrorism (like the Don’t Panic I’m Islamic disgrace and their attack on Channel 4 and the Undercover Mosque for example)

    I’d like to see some sort of link where the most blatant examples of BBC bias can be logged as part of a FAQ for newbies.

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  15. WoAD says:

    Creating a virtual renta-a-mob function could just help really irk the bbc.

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  16. Andy2 says:

    Millie Tant | 22.03.09 – 11:27 pm |
    “It would be great if this site had the vBulletin software.”

    vBulletin (Owned License) Indefinite Use: £100; vBulletin (Leaded License), One Year, £60. Phone support additional.

    https://www.vbulletin.com/order/index.php?step=1

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  17. NotaSheep says:

    I like the current minimalist (lack of) design and apart from quite liking the idea of numbered comments I still prefer your posts system to Guido’s new one.
    Biased-BBC should not be about design but content.

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  18. Chuffer says:

    DV:”Which one of you is Archduke?”

    Assembled throng:”I’m Archduke”
    “No, I’m Archduke.”
    “Hey, I’m Archduke…”

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  19. hatethebias says:

    I have both Internet Explorer and Firefox. Firefox does not show the number of “new” posts, wheras IE does, which is why I use it for B-BBc. Otherwise do as Millie Tant. Keep up the good work!

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  20. fewqwer says:

    You need to enable cookies and javascript to get the number of unread posts to show.

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  21. Millie Tant says:

    NotaSheep:
    Biased-BBC should not be about design but content.
    NotaSheep | Homepage | 23.03.09 – 8:46 am | #
    ————————————–
    Design combined with the right functionality will enhance the site by enabling the organisation, display and retrieval of content by theme. That is why the vBulletin software would help. As well as superb capability, it is also straightforward and easy for the user to navigate, search, post etc. Fabulous system.

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  22. Gosh says:

    I could put you up a site with a ‘below the fold’ or ‘click to read more’, I have done this on myh own site, which is just a simple site that I use to say what I want to say but no one will listen to anywhere else..:)

    Blogger with a wider column and on side column, or a main column of standard size with two side bars, one each side of the main column or both to the right or left of the main column.

    Blogger is easy, as its html, not css (like squarespace! 🙁 ..)

    The ‘click to read more’ is extremely handy. Videos can be put below the fold for easier loading, and links can be kept for the side.

    Basically with blogger all you are doing is editing what is already there, whereas sq.sp is css. It can be done, but not by me, now way 🙂 but the blogger I could do for you in one evening.

    If you are interested let me know, and I can send you various outlays of what I mean, and can do and have done easily.

    A photoshop of a new header is easy too, and can be uploaded to blogger like a pic. The stuff is there to allow you to do that, customise your heading.

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  23. Gosh says:

    Also that blogger at the top, the band that stretches accross the page, I’ll take that away, in two seconds flat.

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  24. Gosh says:

    Also I’ve been looking at this site, and basically all that needs done is to change the backgrund colour from the dreadful pink, go to fonts and colouts at your control panel, and change to what ever you like.

    Remove the nav bar (the blogger bar at the top – simply go to the edit html function.

    And a photoshpp of a new header….

    with click to read more for abreviated posts.

    The same simple design but updated?

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  25. Grimer says:

    I think the vBulletin idea is a good one. It would be a very good way to archive old examples of bias. One of the weaknesses of the current design is the inability to find old examples of bias and search haloscan comments.

    If people were able to create threads with a standardised format – e.g. URL, copy and paste text, screenshot (to avoid BBC stealth editing). Others could then add comments. At the end of the month, all the threads could be moved to a more organised archive – e.g. anti-Israel, Climate Change, general chat, etc. The most serious cases of bias could be made into ‘stickys’ or placed in a ‘Hall of Shame’.

    You could also have ‘stickys’ with template letters to send to the BBC complaints departments, MPs, etc.

    Also, I think you should consider a method of raising cash via the site – e.g. adverts, affiliate schemes, etc. This money could then be used to further develop the site.

    Guido can be quite shameless in plugging his sponsors. You never know, you may be able to blag some free IT kit, blackberrys, etc.

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  26. Millie Tant says:

    Gosh:
    Also I’ve been looking at this site, and basically all that needs done is to change the backgrund colour from the dreadful pink, go to fonts and colouts at your control panel, and change to what ever you like.
    Gosh | 23.03.09 – 12:57 pm | #
    ———————————

    Er…that’s not pink. It’s royal purple! Very imposing – and distinctive in the internet and blogsphere.

    Anyway, that’s not all that the site needs. It needs a way to be able to arrange, display, archive, search and retrieve content by topic.

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  27. Millie Tant says:

    Just noticed the useful info and link posted by Andy2:
    vBulletin (Owned License) Indefinite Use: £100; vBulletin (Leaded License), One Year, £60. Phone support additional.

    https://www.vbulletin.com/order/i…ndex.php? step=1
    Andy2 | 23.03.09 – 6:57 am | #
    ——————————-
    It doesn’t seem too dear, either. That’s a pleasant surprise.

    If you click on “Features” on Andy’s link (from the menu along the top), it gives you details about what the software enables you to do.

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  28. Gosh says:

    millie I’m looking at Andy’s link. Thats a different platform to blogger. Its my guess all you can work with is blogger, basic blogger. The archiving will be down to them. The new (java) blogger archives well, and links to all can be posted down the side. As for searching. All you can do is put in a search box, which blogger will give you. Check out blogger buzz for that.

    cheers.

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  29. Gosh says:

    p.s. Millie.

    It will all depend on the money they want to spend, if any. If there is no money then it’s basic blogger, if they want to spend money then the world is their option, and everything in between.

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  30. Millie Tant says:

    Gosh, Ah, I see – you were talking about if they stay with Blogger.

    Incidentally, I have also come across free software but it doesn’t appear to have the superior functionality of vBulletin.

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  31. Mesmereyesed says:

    If you are seriously considering passing through this particular pain barrier, I’d like to raise double-thumbs-aloft in the direction of vBulletin. It has so many features that would benefit this site, even in its plain vanilla form. Plus, with relatively modest PHP skills, additional functionality could be developed over time.

    An alternative worthy of consideration would have to be:

    http://drupal.org/drupal-6.10

    As this is Open Source Software, its free to download and use. Its also PHP based, modular and highly configurable.

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  32. Deborah says:

    Have to say that I am having to work hard to like Guido’s new layout – and spending less time on his site as a consequence.

    Being a girl – I do like the royal purple ‘cept I think it is pink.

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  33. Millie Tant says:

    Deborah:

    Being a girl – I do like the royal purple ‘cept I think it is pink.
    Deborah | 23.03.09 – 8:26 pm | #

    ————————————–
    Pink? Ach no, it’s amethyst.

    PS: Even curiouser, how come your post is at 8 26 pm when it is now only 7 55pm?

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  34. nrg says:

    Will we have to take up a collection?

    Now everyone stand up – you can get your hands deeper into your pockets that way.

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  35. deegee says:

    In the new site.
    :+: Bring back a way to upload pictures and videos. BBC also extends to their choice of illustration, comments made on video and caption.
    :+: Too often the same subject appears across several threads. This is particularly common in the gaps between General BBC-related comment threads. If there was some way to gather threads on the same specific issue e.g. a specific broadcast on AGW rather than general AGW bias. Perhaps tabs for the repetitive problems? A keyword facility in the comments would be helpful in this area.
    :+: A search facility within comments would be helpful. Sometimes I look for a particular comment, usually mine, to check for responses and have to open and search half a dozen Haloscan windows before I find it.
    :+: Graphics in the articles improve the appearance of the site and make search easier. Logos for topics.
    :+: We’ve said it before. A FAQ for newbies.
    :+: Mentioning no names but there are some very verbose commenters here. I scroll. If after a reasonable numbers of characters the reader could link to a ‘read more’ if he or she wished it would make the user experience of long threads much simpler.
    :+: Can’t agree more about the need for numbered comments.

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  36. The Bias Must End says:

    It would be good if you could have a wiki where we could post links and quotes of bias – a “Wikipedia” of BBC Bias if you will. eg a wiki page each on anti-Tory bias, pro-Labour bias, Islam bias, Israel bias etc. That way it would be easier to look back on the examples of bias that people have posted because all the related biases would be shown on a single page. So for example, if you were on another part of the internet, arguing with someone that the BBC was biased, but they didn’t believe you, you could point them at a page called something like http://www.biased-bbc.com/wiki/anti_tory_bias that would have a long, condemning list of quotes of the BBC’s anti-Tory bias.

    Also, a page called something like “The Beginners Guide To BBC Bias”, which could give newbies an introduction to all the various types of bias and trickery the BBC does.

    As for the design, I like the minimal design, it’s fast to load and the purple colour is distinctive.

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  37. Jason says:

    I agree that the design should be as minimalist as possible. The trouble with a lot of these vBulletin type frameworks is that they’re quite bandwidth heavy and have a lot of scripts going on, which means pages are a little sluggish in loading. There is nothing worse than going to a page and trying to scroll down straight away, but everything’s frozen while it loads some script or other. I love the way B-BBC loads in an instant, things like this really make a difference.

    Also, the heavier the bandwidth and the more involved the design, the worse it is to read on a mobile device – which many people are browsing on these days.

    Under no circumstances should you use Haloscan again. It’s unreliable. I don’t know how many times I’ve clicked on the post link and all I get is a blank window because the service is down for one reason or another. I also visit Gateway Pundit a lot and that site has the same Haloscan problem.

    But whatever comment system you use, I agree that it should have numbered posts and retain some sort of new-comment-indication.

    It would be perfect if you could combine a blog format for posts and a thread format for comments. It really helps when comments are set out in the “subject/replies” layout so you can see who’s responding to what. Have you considered Disqus for the comments? It probably one of the best I’ve seen…

    http://disqus.com/

    It’s kind of fun to be able to rate comments, to. Disqus provides that.

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  38. Jason says:

    I agree also that the really glaring examples of bias should be archived in categories. After all, that’s part of what this site should be about – a catalog of BBC bias, not just fleeting glimpses of it.

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