Details, Details
By Mitch Berg
I’ve been running this blog under its old design template for (checks watch) 16 years, now. Not just the visual design (more in a bit) but the code that runs the whole thing in the background. I’ve been patching it and updating it for literally a decade and a half – longer than most blogs last in any way shape or form – but the wheels were slowly coming off.
I couldn’t schedule posts, for starters – which in theory shouldn’t be a huge inconvenience now that I’m not carefully following traffic patterns, like I was in the 2000s.
But I’m very much driven by two diametrically competing forces – 23 years of habits (writing something just about every morning, and having the stuff appear when I want it to) and serendipity (wanting to write whenever and however I want to, and have it appear, again, exactly when I want to).
Anyway – I’m hoping that updating the template to something that was built after the George W Bush administation will fix some of the technical bugs.
As to the visual design bugs – oy. I’d forgotten how much of that is involved in spooling up a WordPress blog. I’ll be working on ’em as I go, here. Enjoy the incongruence while it lasts!
September 3rd, 2025 at 9:07 am
Not a big fan of the new format. For one, no reply counter. I’m a creature of habit and still think older, simple sites are easier to navigate and get info you want at a glance. For another, everything now requires extra clicks. But hey, if you get paid by the click, you’ll become a hundredeir in no time.
September 3rd, 2025 at 12:11 pm
I know Merg is big mad at me☹️, so I don’t expect a response, but I don’t understand hanging on to an old and busted platform when Substack is so superior in all aspects.
I am not sure how it works, but I do know existing content can be imported from and exported to other sources.
In addition to a much friendlier user interface for writers, it can be monetized. And content moderation is solely at the discretion of the author…
September 4th, 2025 at 6:03 am
I’ve thought about Substack. I still may do it.
September 4th, 2025 at 6:04 am
JPA,
Reply counter could still happen. I just haven’t had a ton of time do devote to the rebuild.
September 5th, 2025 at 7:22 am
It needs some color, some photos.
It’s kinda like the generic black and white beer can 40 years ago. The content is there but the can is lacking.
You gotta keep it current computer wise. AOL, Ask Jeaves, and Netscape are all gone. I’m not techie enough to tell you how to do it.
I do know you inspired my to try a blog 20 years ago and found out its hard. Hard to think of original content on a regular basis and hard to actually make it look good. That’s why I read them, nopt make them.
But you are getting big time exposure. Congrats.
September 7th, 2025 at 11:45 am
It’s a bit awkward, like anything new. I think it could use a little UX support. I know people….
September 8th, 2025 at 6:56 am
Hey, so do I!
I’m not liking it much, personally. Those responsible for sacking the designers of the last site have been sacked.
Changes coming.