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Friday, December 18, 2009

GOODBYE, HALOSCAN

After 5 great years of blogging, and 5 years of using the WORLD'S BEST comment system, Haloscan, we're being told they have been bought out by a system called Echo, which you have to PAY for annually. SUCKAGE!!

I received an email alert about this today and I've been reading up on it. Haloscan users are being given 2 choices, pay up the $10 per year to "upgrade" to Echo, or say bye-bye to your existing comments forever and use something else.

For me, this means using the Blogger Comment system which I have always hated. It's so cumbersome, it looks like crap, has more freakin' steps to it than a stairway to Heaven and when using it to comment on other blogs I ALWAYS end up using many choice sweary-words at it!! LOL

However, I'm not prepared to have to pay for this service so it looks like it will have to be Blogger Commenting that I will be using in future (I've been given the Christmas holidays to make my decision before they kill Haloscan for me) unless I can find another GOOD free service.

At first I worried that some of my commenters might comment less or not at all anymore because of the very cumbersome Blogger Comments system, but then when I thought more about it there are many bloggers out there using it and they have commenters using it. So, hopefully all of you will still continue to comment here should I be forced into using it. Please!?!

I tried searching for some other good "free" systems but in a pinch couldn't come up with anything that I liked. I've got Blogger comments going, and in the attempt I found out that my blog template was an "old" one and didn't support their comments popping up on a separate window, and they were all listed here on my main page. THAT looked like crap, so I had to go find a new template! I'm just using the same one I have for the "Stardom Awaits! photo contest blog, and made my changes to it. While I was at it, I changed my blog header picture thinking it was time for something new.

Needless to say, while I was getting laundry done this afternoon this is what I've been working on the whole time. It's done now, thankfully.

I will no longer be able to reply to comments in bold type. And like my blogging buddy Bobbie, I am now missing ALL of the previous comments I had on my blog. I miss Haloscan already!

PEACE!!
Love Jude

19 Comments:

Blogger Jude said...

Sorry folks, Blogger Comments it is I'm afraid! I think I've got all the settings right so that anyone can comment (sister Linda!) but please let me know if anything needs changing.

I am SO sad that my pretty little Haloscan comment window is gone and this boring one is here, and also that I can't reply to comments in bold type anymore!!

10:55 AM, December 18, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear that, Jude. Sheesh!!! What crappola!! Well, lets see if this works! Love ya!! xoxoxoxoxoxo
Linda Lou

11:52 AM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Thanks Sis, still trying to get the comments off my main page and might have to resort to a new template, as I have the "old" style blogger..... bleh!

12:04 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Fullmoondolphin said...

That's really too bad, Judy, especially losing all your previous comments. Your new page looks great though - love the new picture and heading. I'll still comment - muah!

7:14 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Thanks Pammie! xox

7:20 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Tracey said...

The new page looks awesome! Haloscan being gone sucks =(

7:56 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

I know, doesn't it? :-(

8:03 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Dick said...

I like this photo that you have at the top and the template looks nice and clean. I've always just used the Blogger commenting. What I find to be the biggest frustration is comments that are automatically posted to sell something. I've done two things that seem to help- have all comments emailed to me by Blogger so I know when something has been put in as a comment and have it set so that a comment posted to anything that I have on my blog that is older then two weeks (you can set this time) has to be approved by me before it gets posted.

9:16 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Thanks Dick, glad you like the changes!

10:16 PM, December 18, 2009  
Blogger Bobbie said...

I miss Haloscan too! And I don't want to pay for JS-Kit Echo so I guess I'm stuck with Blogger commenting. I got a spam comment and have no idea how to get rid of it.

I like the new header, and the saying in it.

Glad your weather warmed up. Take care and have a good weekend.

1:45 AM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Hi Bobbie, and thank you! I had the same saying on my old blog template too, but I think it stands out more here.

As for getting rid of comments on your blog it's easy. There is a little "trash can" icon beside everyone's comments, click that. Blogger Help page here tells you more about it: http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=42398
You can also moderate comments, have word verification, lots of options. Good luck, and let me know if you need help ok? You can email me judles@shaw.ca

7:33 AM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger Fullmoondolphin said...

I use the word verification feature, because I had started getting quite a bit of spam. Spam's an unfortunate pain in the neck in the land of internet usage, and one that is likely here to stay. The word verification is a bit of a pain, but it's a lot less of a pain than the spam. I don't mind it when I'm commenting on other people's blogs. Yes, it's a bit irritating, but when I really think about it, it only takes a couple of seconds to type in the word and click the button. Considering all other things in life, I figure that really isn't anything to complain about. :) So I really do recommend the word verification feature - I haven't hahd any spam since I started using it.

1:13 PM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Yep, and I know it's there if I need to start using it too. Hopefully I won't but if it shows up here in my comments you'll all know why!

2:59 PM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger Janna said...

Aww, sorry about haloscan biting the dust, and I wouldn't pay for it either, but blogger comments aren't so bad. I got used to it and don't really think much about it to be honest. But then again, I know you like to write back to each person who leave comments, whereas I'm not consistent with that, shame on me (lol).

I'm liking the new template, except that the left side cuts off half of the first letter of each line on my screen. Any idea how I can adjust that?

Hey Sista, we are having snow, yikes!

4:10 PM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Snow here too Janna! As for your monitor not showing the entire screen, this should help: Go to Start, Control Panel, choose "Display", "Settings", and make sure your settings are at 1024 X 768. Let me know? I can try to make my blog body a teeny bit smaller.....

Have a warm and safe weekend Sista! xox

4:18 PM, December 19, 2009  
Blogger sydwynd said...

I didn't think it was worth $10 a year either and also couldn't find a decent free service. Oh well, life goes on.

3:10 PM, December 20, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Indeedy doody it does, as we ex-Haloscanners are now doing. Hey Rocker Guy thanks for the visit, I bet you are rockin' your studies! :)

3:59 PM, December 20, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It will all be okay. HaloScan was nice. $10 isn't too bad and then you could have all of your settings and comments back. It's like 83 cents a month. I know it's the principal of the matter and I can understand why your not paying.

The change in layout is nice! I hope all is going well for you.

Have a Merry Christmas!

9:22 PM, December 21, 2009  
Blogger Jude said...

Thanks Jer, and you're right it's the principle of it all. One more quick little stop to make and I'm ready for Christmas, hope yours is a great one! xox

6:19 AM, December 22, 2009  

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