Question of The Day comes to TypePad

We’ve been hard at work on features for TypePad that help you and your blog connect to your community. We’re adding in a favorite community feature from our sister service Vox: Question of the Day, making you (and your creativity) a feature in TypePad.

QotD is one of the most fun aspects of blogging on Vox. It creates an innovative, interesting connection from you and your blog to your readers. As we're launching it today, it's exactly the same feature you see on Vox. However, we want your input to make this a feature you love in TypePad, too – so let us know what you think would make it even better in TypePad. Currently, you can see QotD answers from your fellow bloggers on blogs.com, increase your blog's traffic, and discover new ways to spark your creativity.

I’ve liked QotD the most when I need to break out of writer's block. Through exploring and answering Question(s) of the Day on Vox, I've found tons of good new books to read, laughed at stories from complete strangers, and learned things about my friends that I never would have otherwise. As one Voxer puts it: "I get excited by the chance to be more creative, to tell a new story."

Just as in Vox, QotD's in TypePad are suggested by everyone: you, me, our editorial team, and by some of our favorite bloggers around the web. The questions range from current events, to thought-provoking, to just plain silly.

If you’re familiar with Vox already, you might know that occasionally there are sponsored QotDs, always with a clear "sponsored by" message.  Our editorial team writes these questions so that they’re relevant to you and your blog. Want to know more about how QotD's are submitted, chosen, and promoted? Here's the FAQ.

We're trying lots of new ways to build your blogging community as part of the vision for where we see blogging going. We want you to tell us: how would you like the QotD to work with your TypePad blog? How would you design the Question of the Day? What's a question you'd ask?

What's Following All About?

If you're previewing the new TypePad with our Beta team, you may see some new things on your Dashboard, and you might be asking yourself: "what's this following thing all about?"

The new TypePad will make it easier for you to discover great blogs, keep track of your favorite bloggers, and to help you attract and engage your readers. RSS, email, and other tools help, but we think following is a lot more fun and effective.

Your Dashboard helps you to know when someone you're following comments, answers a Question of The Day, follows another TypePad blogger, or adds a post to their TypePad blog.

Best of all, it’s fun! Being able to track what my most pithy and interesting commenters say and do is a great way to get inspired to blog even better.

"But, how do I find people to Follow?"

We’ve suggested a few folks you might want to follow as a way to show you how it works. For example, Sweetney is a great blogger, and some of her best zingers are in her comments. You can follow her to get an idea of what following feels like in your dashboard, and how it can help give you insight on ongoing conversations within the TypePad community.

Interested in previewing the new TypePad? Visit the Beta blog to find out more.

The Latest Update To TypePad

In our latest update, we made several fixes and improvements to TypePad that you've let us know were sorely needed.

A big one was fixing up how our Atom feeds were publishing - which was updating too quickly, causing some folks using TypePad as a newsletter service to be unhappy. We fixed this to update only if there was a major change to the post. Thanks to those of you who hung in there with us on that one - Gretchen from The Happiness Project, Joseph Jaffe's Jaffe Juice,  CK's blog, and Second Thoughts among a few others.

We've set your authentication settings for new blogs to default to "optional", which means users can sign in with TypePad Connect if they like, but they don't have to. Before, this was set to "off", which meant that some folks weren't getting the quality information about their community that they wanted!

We made several other fixes too:

• New feedback form
• Fix a bug with email field in new ajax commenting
• Fixed a bug with our iPhone webclip.
• Fixed a bug with the favicon not appearing in all blogs.
• TypePad Connect: some people were not able to delete comments, and this has been fixed.
• TypePad Connect: some people were unable to publish moderated comments, and this has been fixed.

We're continuing to make improvements all the time, so let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Features, Fixes, and More

The best thing about TypePad? We do most of the heavy lifting, and you don't have to lift a finger. We take your questions and feature requests that you submit with our support team, feedback from our Customer Advisory Board, and features on our roadmap, and improve the product about every two weeks.  All without you having to worry about software updates, compatibility issues, or anything else.

To kick off the new year, we focused a lot of energy on fixing issues that we researched (thanks to your feedback) and fixed over the holidays.  Here are just a few:

• Control your “Autosave". We know you love having autosave, but some people found some inconsistent behavior and requested more control. We’ve added a "Remove" link so that you can dismiss the "do you want to recover the last post" message if you know for sure you've saved it already.

• Now half a billion people can sign in and leave a comment on your blog using TypePad Connect.  Now it’s easier than ever for OpenID users to leave a comment on your blog. Anonymous comments are fine; getting to know your commenting community is way better. (Check out this great post by our own David Recordon.) It’s time to try TypePad Connect, don’t you think?

• Spiffed up TypePad Profiles. Now you can share more about your interests and favorites. Take a minute to update your TypePad profile and track your conversations around TypePad Connect-powered sites.

We've also added in a bunch of small bug fixes to TypePad. Here's a quick list:

• Fixed “date published” for approved comments
• Fixed archive calendar
• Fixed Amazon wishlists
• Improved comment notification emails
• Made the "password reset" email more clear
• “New blog” notification for TypePad Business Class blogs

And a few for TypePad Connect:

• Made “share email address” setting immediately after registration
• Leaving a comment is faster!
• OpenID improvements for the US and Japan
• Improved Profiles, so TypePad Connect profiles on your site can have your look-and-feel
• Auto-linking of URL's in comments
• Fixed “Recent Comments” link

Want to request a feature? Let us know through your account in a help ticket, or leave us a comment!

AutoSave to the rescue

We know how frustrating it is to lose a post before you've have a chance to save it -- whether to a browser window closed accidentally, a power outage that shuts down your PC, or a spilled cup of tea that shorts out your laptop. So, we're very happy to announce that we're adding AutoSave -- one of your top feature requests -- to the new TypePad Compose screen. This feature will be rolled out to everyone on the new platform over the coming week.

Here's how it works:

TypePad now automatically saves your post (or page) every 15 seconds...

If you lose a post before saving or publishing, return to the Compose screen where TypePad will give you the option to recover it...

When you click "Recover it", TypePad recovers the last saved version of the post...

There is a small group of you whose blogs are still in the process of being migrated to the new platform (we want to make sure we make the transition as smooth as possible for you) but we should be on track, as Ben predicted, to have everyone on the new platform by the end of the year.

Updating your blog's design is now faster & easier

A few months our co-founder Ben Trott explained that we’re migrating TypePad to a next generation platform and that after the switch, we’ll be able to release innovative features much faster. Most recently, we've been working on improvements to the Design screens. Those of you in the Beta program have already been testing them and your feedback has been very helpful as we've put the final touches on these features. Now time to start rolling them out for all TypePad members. (If you want to know more about the Beta program, you can learn all about it on the Beta blog.)

A faster and easier Theme Picker and Theme Builder

We know how important it is that your blog's theme reflect your personal style, whether you've chosen from one of our hundreds of built-in themes, or use the Theme Builder to create your own. To make changing your theme faster and easier, we're introducing a new Theme Picker and Theme Builder. Hans-Joerg Stangor who writes the TypePad blog ME über IT, has been testing it with us, is extremely excited about it:

“Theme Picker: Brilliant and finally it is very fast to choose a design. Theme Builder: Love it!”. It’s now dead easy to pick a theme or to create a new one! Try it by yourself, by clicking on “Design” and them “Themes”.

To try it for yourself, go to Design > Theme and chose from either the Theme Builder or One Click theme list:

A single place to select, modify and arrange sidebar modules

Many of you have asked that we make it easier to select and arrange your blogs sidebar modules and other content by letting you select and arrange them in a single place. Now, we've done just that. The new Content screen lets you see all of your option in a single glance, and configure and arrange modules with just a few simple clicks. To try it out, go to Design > Content:

Easier Advanced Template editing

You may notice that we've replaced the "Convert to Advanced" feature with the ability to start from a generic Advanced Template set. We made this change for a number of reasons, primarily to make it easier for you to get started customizing your template. Based on your feedback, we’ve removed the hidden configuration steps and tags. All the code is exposed to you to simplify making changes and we've launched a new site with detailed documentation on template tags.

There are more improvements to Advanced Templates coming soon, including additional Advanced Templates to start from, the oft-requested import and export function and much more.

 

There is a small group of you whose blogs are still in the process of being migrated to the new platform (we want to make sure we make the transition as smooth as possible for you) but we should be on track, as Ben predicted, to have everyone on the new platform by the end of the year.

New! Add a horizontal navigation bar to your blog

Today, we started rolling out the ability to add a horizontal navigation bar to your blogs (one of your top requests!). It’s dead easy to configure and can make your blog much easier to navigate. Look at how our own Michael Sippey used it on his blog:

To set this up on your own blog, go to Design > Content and select the navigation bar and click the pencil on the right:

This feature will be made available to all users on the new platform over the coming week.

There is a small group of you whose blogs are still in the process of being migrated to the new platform (we want to make sure we make the transition as smooth as possible for you) but we should be on track, as Ben predicted, to have everyone on the new platform by the end of the year.

Update 2008-10-29: This Knowledge Base article explains how to use CSS to customize the style of the navigation bar.

Blogger Jason Womack Teaches Us How To Be More Efficient

Have you ever wished you had more time in your day?

We've all wished that before, especially at the office. Last week, the staff here at Six Apart got a real treat when Jason Womack came in to speak to us about Maximizing Workplace Efficiencies. He gave us helpful tips on meeting deadlines, leading efficient meetings, minimizing distractions, maximizing technology, and reducing workplace stress. It was a diverse crowd here at Six Apart, from customer service reps to backend engineers, but we all walked away with some helpful ideas for how to be more effective and efficient at work.

In addition to being a TypePad blogger, Jason W. Womack, M.Ed., M.A., is a Professional Workplace Performance Trainer, Coach and Consultant.  We also found out he's an energetic, optimistic, knowledgeable and personable guy with a great sense of humor.  Jason handles his own full plate of business, family and triathlon training (!) with energy to spare, so we were inspired by his example. 

Just in time to start the work week, stop by Lifehacker.com today to read Jason's article "How to Kickstart a Low-Productivity Day."  Visit Jason's TypePad blog and follow Jason's Twitter account to see what he's up to on a daily basis.  And to get some of his quick tips for free right now, head over to JasonWomackLibrary.com.

Thanks again to Jason for stopping by!

Follow Up to the Compose Screen Upgrade

A huge thanks to everyone who has sent in their feedback and questions about the recent upgrade to the Compose screen!  We wanted to take a moment and address a few of the most common concerns we've heard from the community.

First off, we'd like to answer a few common questions you brought up:

• Is this a beta release of the Compose upgrade? No. Though not every TypePad member is seeing the new Compose screen yet, every member will eventually be upgraded to it over the next few weeks.  The Compose screen is no longer in beta -- as we mentioned in our previous post, it is being rolled out in phases to all members. 
• Is my browser affecting my experience with the new Compose?  For the best experience with the new Compose, you should use one of our supported browsers. If you need a free upgrade for the browser you're using, our list of supported browsers includes handy links for you.
• I already like the font I selected in my design - do I have to select this font again when I use the new Compose?  The formatting you’ve applied to your blog will stay the same unless you override it by selecting a font and/or formatting in the new editor.  You do not have to set the formatting for each and every post to match your blog’s design.
• How do I format text?  In order to use the formatting options, first type and then highlight the text, then select your desired formatting.  We understand that this is a change from what you're used to, so we're looking into a way to bring back the formatting process some of you are more familiar with.

Next, we'd like to point out a few of the issues we've addressed since the launch, thanks to your prompt feedback:

• Accented and special characters now display properly in Preview: We fixed a bug in the Preview window where characters with accents and other special characters weren’t displayed properly in the Preview window. They should now appear correctly.
• Text selection is maintained when you resize: We fixed a bug that caused only part of your selected text to be resized.  The entire selection of text should now be resized.
• Quickpost correctly handles draft posts: The quickpost tool was publishing posts meant to be saved as drafts.  It's fixed so that posts saved as draft will not be automatically published to the blog.
• Category selection errors are fixed: We fixed a bug where a small subset of you were seeing categories show up twice, or not at all.   

There are a few common open issues we're still working on:

• The Insert Image dialog doesn’t always display properly on Mac + Firefox: The dialog is sometimes cut off. We’re working on fixing this.
• Some users are experiencing slowness: Typing in the new editor is slow for some of you.  We're working on fixing this.
• Some users are experiencing formatting difficulties:  If you're having trouble applying formatting, whether the line spacing is off or formatting is not being applied correctly, some of these issues could be addressed by making sure you're using a supported browser.  If you're still having problems, please help us understand your issue by filing a support ticket describing the problem along with telling us what browser and version you're using and whether you're on a Mac or PC.
• Other issues: We have updated the Known Issues list with the full list of open issues.

Still Have Questions?  Please Reach Out To Our Support Team!
Finally, if you are experiencing any difficulty with a feature in TypePad, the best thing to do is reach out to our Support team by opening a help ticket.  You will receive a timely, personal response from one of our Support team members.  When we receive comments here on the Everything TypePad blog that describe a problem or confusion with a feature, we forward them to the Support team to make sure you get a direct response and the specific answer you're looking for.  When we have to forward your comment, it takes a bit longer for you to get into the Support queue, so your best bet for a more prompt response is to open a ticket instead.  Please be patient, we promise each new Support ticket will get a response!

Again, we thank you for all the feedback you've given us.  Though the new Compose screen was tested by hundreds of TypePad members over several weeks prior to this first launch phase, we can't anticipate the needs of every single one of our members.  Feedback from a larger group always helps us improve our offering. 

Thanks everyone!

An Upgrade to TypePad's Compose Screen

When Chris Alden, our CEO, asked for feedback last January about the improvements you wanted to see, many of you sent in fantastic suggestions for how we could improve TypePad's Compose page. We listened to your suggestions, added functionality from your top requests, and we're excited to announce the new Compose tools are ready for release.

Please note that the new screen will reach groups of TypePad users in phases over the coming weeks. Some of you will see these changes today and everyone will see them by mid-June. We are working to get them to everyone as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience while we do so.

In the meantime, here is a quick look at what's changing and what it will mean for your blog:

Text and Photo Alignment

You asked for an easier way to align images and text. Now you can do this with a single click without diving into the HTML code.

More Image Options

Editing images once they are inserted in your compose window is now a lot easier. Click on the image thumbnail to add details, like a description or website address. Or, finesse the format with customized borders.

New Font Control

Sometimes it's the little details that make a blog truly unique. The font tools have always allowed you to change the font size and text color, but now you can choose your font style too. So if your style is more Lucida Console than Comic Sans MS, your blog can reflect that.

Open Links in a New Window

Many of you wanted an easy way to set links to open in a new window so your readers wouldn't have to navigate away from your blog. Now instead of hand-coding the link options, you can just check a box.

Control Your Breaks

Extended entries present just a short introduction (or first paragraph) to show what a post has in store, and then offer a link to read more. Instead of typing your extended entry in a separate box, now you simply add an "extended entry line" into the compose window and drag it where you would like the text to be separated.

We haven't taken away any of the Compose tools you've already been using. Favorites like Markdown are here to stay.

Read the full details about the changes and watch a screencast featuring the new Compose screen in this Overview of the New Compose Editor.

A few things to note: As always, our wonderful Beta team members have helped us with testing these improvements, and have spotted a few issues that should be fixed in the next week or two.  You can find out more about them on the Known Issues list.  And don't forget, the new Compose screen is launching in phases, so don't panic if you don't see the changes for a few more weeks. We appreciate your patience as we roll out these improvements! If you have any questions, please contact our Support team.

These new features are just the beginning of many exciting developments at TypePad. We look forward to hearing what you think in the comments.