The Real Blogger Status

Back in December 2008, Google was finishing the process of deploying the new Google Apps DNS servers - a set of 4, to replace the old set of 3 . Around that time, Blogger Support had (unofficially) stated that they would inform us when the old 3 servers had been officially retired, so bloggers everywhere who used the Custom Domain Asymmetrical DNS Configuration would know, definitively, when it was essential to update their DNS setup. It's now 9 months later, and we have still gotten no official word. In the mean time, almost weekly, we see problem reports with attempted use of the old 3 servers (all long offline) being the center of the problem. Enough. In my opinion, all bloggers using the old 3 servers, for their domain DNS, need to update their DNS setups. You need to have your domain using the 4 new Google Apps DNS servers . For the record, I will now state this. Anybody with a custom domain using a DNS setup of mydomain.com. 3600 IN A 64.233.179.121 mydomain.com. 3600 ...

Some bloggers have a custom domain, and think that the domain is only good inside Blogger. How do I use a non Google web site in my custom domain? or Can I use a domain name registered via Blogger in another webhosting, if I quit Blogger? as if custom domains are something mysterious, and only work on a Google server. But, this is far from reality . One of the advantages of having a domain, that uses DNS hosted on any registrar on the Internet, is that you can include any blog or web site, in your domain, that you wish. You can have any combination of Blogger blogs, WordPress blogs, Yahoo blogs, and any web sites that use DNS to direct traffic to them, in your domain. You will have to know how to access the eNom or GoDaddy DNS Management wizard (for a custom domain setup by Blogger), or your third party DNS manager wizard (for any custom domain originally setup by you). And, you will need specifications from any third party content host , as to what DNS settings are required for th...

We've seen a few reports of problems uploading a video, since that option was added to Post Editor. Please contact Support, and include the following information: Blog Id:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Video Id:vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv or possibly even Please contact Support, and include the following information: Blog Id:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Video Id:FAILED Upon further investigation, sometimes by the blogger and other times by a helper in Blogger Help Forum , we may find that the video is too long (100M is the maximum length), the video is of the wrong format (only AVI, MPEG, QuickTime, Real and Windows Media are accepted), and in one case, the video was detected as copyrighted material and refused. Apparently, the video upload process doesn't provide a lot of diagnostic information. Maybe that's one reason why the new Post Editor didn't include video upload , for a long time. >> Top

Have any of you seen this sort of offer, when looking at third party accessories, and contemplating installation? You don't do a thing! For Blogger blogs, we offer "EZ Install"! Just give us the blog URL, and an account name and password, sit back, and let us do the work! and maybe later, you're posting in BHF: Something Is Broken Somebody is posting spam posts on my blog! or Where did these ads come from? I didn't put them there! or worse yet Why is my blog deleted? I don't post malicious script! All of these concerns have been noted, in real problem reports, and were caused by real mistakes.

Recently, Blogger added acknowledgment of Terms Of Service to the image upload wizard in the post editor. Unfortunately, this addition is not immediately obvious to everybody - and to some, seeing it comes as a revelation . This is how I fixed it: When you get one of the upload dialog boxes, there may be a check box next to the UPLOAD IMAGE option at the bottom. It is one of those "I agree to something xxx" that you have to check. Once I checked it, the UPLOAD IMAGE button became activated. My mother would call that a "snake", as in If it was a snake, it would have bitten you already. In this case, it would simply bite you once, then quickly crawl away. This is what you will usually see. Except for one time. Look carefully, to the right of the "Upload Image" button! Do you see it? Take a good look right now - after you check the box and upload, you'll not see it again. Probably most folks see it once, check the box, upload, and they never see it ag...

Magic shows have been around for centuries - the world is full of magic, when we don't understand what's going on. URL redirection is a Blogger magic trick , similar to the disappearing quarter - a common sleight of hand trick in stage magic performances. Another Blogger magic trick, and one which not all bloggers or blog viewers appreciate, is the interstitial warning display. Interstitial warnings pop up like magic, where you (or your prospective viewer) would least expect them. In front of a "private" blog, where you have to identify yourself to continue. In front of a blog that contains (or is reputed to contain) objectionable material (naughty pictures or such). In front of a blog that is (or appears to be) published off site. In front of a blog that has been blocked, for TOS violation, or maybe for hosting hacking content.

It's so simple to setup a Blogger blog, and publish posts . A "stock" Blogger blog takes maybe 5 minutes to setup, and half of that involves choosing an available blog name , and writing your first post. Generally, after you have published a few posts, you should start to think about the fun stuff - such as making the blog more attractive, or about getting more readers. And now, you have a chance to learn, about blogging in general, and about Blogger blogging specifically. And if you want to learn, Blogger Help Forum: How Do I? is a great place to start. Just keep an open mind. Learn how to ask for advice, accept advice, and ask intelligent questions about advice provided . Please, when you ask for advice, don't start with I need more traffic to my blog. Please make simple instructions, as I don't want to learn anything - I just want a checklist. or I want my blog published to a working custom domain. I bought my domain from Domains-R-Cheap, and it d...