Many people have asked for the ability to post directly to your Journals.

[Skinner]

As most of you are probably aware, at the moment there is no way to post directly to your DU journals. Instead, if you want to post something to your journal you have to post on the discussion forum, and then click the "Add to my Journal" link.

Many people have asked for the ability to post directly to your Journals. Elad is taking a little break from programming right now, but when he gets back we'll probably make it a priority to create some sort of post-to-Journal functionality.

But first I think we need to clarify what, exactly, you all would like.

Are you hoping to be able to post to your journal *WITHOUT* also posting to the discussion forum? (Keep in mind that if there is no post on the discussion forum, other members will not be able to reply to your post. Is that what you want?)

or

Are you hoping to be able to post simultaneously to your journal and to the discussion forum at the same time? Presumably, you would still have to choose a discussion forum for your post, so this would simply remove the additional step of clicking the "Add to my Journal" link.

or

Are you hoping to be able to post to your Journal and also post to the discussion forum *WITHOUT* having to choose a forum for your post? If we did this, we would probably have to create a "Miscellaneous Journals" forum of some kind to catch all the random postings.

or

Do you have something else completely different in mind?

[Ian David]

1. I want to be able to post directly to my journal using cellphone SMS

I'm not asking for anything fancy or complex, like using speech recognition to post from a toll-free number.

I'll check back in an hour and see if it's working yet.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. Yeah, what they said!

That was priceless... :thumbsup: :rofl:

[sui generis]

speech recognition would be great

also thought beams yodeled in swahili should be able to update in English.

Hey can we reply to the Hate Mail Bag!!!!

Now that would be fun.

Okay I suppose I can live without yodeled swahili thought rays posting directly to journals, but think about the mail bag thing!

That would be entertainment and all of DU would actually look forward to the slaughter.

:silly:

[TexasLinda]

41. Didn't I use to work for you?

[Dorian Gray]

100. Definitely speech recognition....

I think that an added caveat (one that shouldn't be too difficult to add) should be a translation service, so that anybody in the world can read what we have to say with a click of a button. That type of automatic translation should be easily programmable, and think of the outreach we can do! People all over the world can read our words.

Think Elan can do that for us? ;)

[xultar]

2. I'll take the last option Skinner for $500. I want people to be able

to reply but I don't necessarily want it to go into a forum.

I wouldn't want all my posts to go automatically in my forum because sometimes I post pure crap.

Elad deserves a break because this Journal thing is pretty effin awesome.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. The only issue I can see is that when you send a post to "My Journal..."

...it's posted to the journal out of the context of the thread. Granted, there's a link provided back to the original thread, but it loses its "blog" feel by not including overall context to the post.

[Ian David]

14. Agreed!

Agreed!
Posted by IanDB1
Mon Mar 20th 2006, 05:59 PM
Read entry | Discuss (0 comments) | Remove from Journal | Edit Post | Add/Edit Intro
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/IanDB1/227

[file83]

58. What do you propose?

It seems to me that is the inherent nature of sending an isolated comment to "My Journal". There is no way around it. The only other way to keep your comment "in context" would be to have the DU servers send not only your isolated comment to "My Journal", but also the comment you were responding to and/or the Original Post those threads are tied to. I think in practice, that could get very messy. What if you responded to a thread that was 15 layers deep, how many of those other people's comments would you include to provide the "context" you so desire?

I say, if your comment is out of context to the point where it bothers you, don't send it to "My Journal". If the comment doesn't stand by itself or contain enough meaning so that someone can just read your comment and understand what you are saying, then it's not worth sending to "My Journal".

If someone wants to join the dicussion or gain greater understanding of the context to your thread, then they can click on the "Discuss" link. Makes perfect sense to me as is.

[Skinner]

69. Take advantage of the Add/Edit Intro function.

That allows you to type a brief intro to your post to explain the context.

[FatDave]

74. Didn't realize that was in there.

Awesome. That's all I ever wanted. Journals are perfect now that I know that!

Peace.

[Cooley Hurd]

77. I'll try that. Thanks!

:)

[NMDemDist2]

4. I kicked and Nominated this for more eyes to see

and respond, but I'm getting the sense reading the "DU JOURNALS RAWK" threads that folks would like to use them as a blog without having to post them first

:shrug:

[Mutley]

5. I'd like to post directly to my journal without posting in the discussion

forum in cases where there may be 500 threads on one topic, and I'd like to add my $.02 without further clogging up the forums.

[crispini]

62. Why not add your post as a reply to a thread

and then you could add your reply to your journal? :shrug:

[Mutley]

92. Well, I had just started playing with my journal yesterday...

and at the time I made that post I didn't realize you could do that. :P

[Mutley]

97. I changed my mind.

I think keeping the journals as they are is better. It forces people to put more thought into their posts since they'll want to add it to their journals. If a something is important enough to put in a journal then it should be important enough for a thread.

[Sammy Pepys]

6. Maybe something like this....

Have the ability to post directly to a journal, with a new forum that your post will appear on automatically when you update.

[file83]

61. But you would still have to select what discussion room you want your

post to be applied to. I think I get what you're saying, but it's no different from how it is now, only, you post in the Journal first and then the computer would send the thread to whichever (GD, GDP, DU Lounge, etc) forum you designate. It's just a different way to do the same thing.

[cynatnite]

7. I'd love to be able to post to my journal, but no option for replying

And send Elad some roses for the terrific work he's done. You guys certainly have gone above and beyond to make DU a much better and more interactive place.

Even if the journals are left as they are, I'd still be happy. I love that little perk!

on edit: After reading some of the posts on this issue, I still want to post to my own journal, but I'm against having the option to reply. Someone here discussed how it could undermine DU and I think that is a risk that should be taken seriously.

[file83]

63. Yes, the ability to prevent discussion goes against the entire purpose

of the DU. If people want to just post stuff and not have discussion, then set up your own blog using blogger.com

[Lochloosa]

93. TY file83. My thoughts exactly.

[Catchawave]

115. I don't have to worry about this

nobody responds to my posts anyhow :cry: :D

[Atman]

8. I *was* one of those people...but not now

I didn't write and ask you for any of those functions, but several times I simply wanted to post something to my journal without having to choose a forum, AND I wanted people to be able to post replies...BUT...this is important...

Posting to your journal without posting to a forum will kill DU.

If you want to post ONLY to your journal, and still solicite responses, start a "real" blog. Otherwise, no one will post to the forums, and individual journals will be in the same boat as bloggers who can't get any audience. People find our journals because of the posts in the forums. Once you eliminate the forum, you've got just another blog among thousands, and the "popular" posters will get the traffic, and the rest will whither on the vine, hoping their journal comes up frequently on the RANDOM button.

Count me as one vote for "leave it as it is, at least for now!"

[cynatnite]

12. I see your point, but I don't think it'll kill DU

Perhaps it would be better to be able to post to your journal, but no one is able to reply. I do think most see the inherent value of posting in the forums for the purpose of discussion and disseminating information.

The forums aren't going anywhere from what I can see.

[eleny]

13. I agree

It could create a sub culture that doesn't have anything to do with the Forums. It sounds like people want to do their blogging on the DU server. Maybe it would be better to start a blog and link to it via the sig line.

[RC]

17. You said it much better than I.

This is a BB. You want a journal, fine. but only the owner should be able to post to it.
Atman is correct, letting people post to everyone else's journal will kill DU in a few months because no one would post to the threads.

[CottonBear]

18. I agree with you. The modules are avaialble for posting anything.

Why can't people just use their modules? I've seen music audio clips, quotes, interviews, favorite website links, photos and stories. There are 4 or 5 modules so just use those. I like the journals the way they are now.

[Canuckistanian]

45. I don't think so...

The idea is simple. You can post to the forums, where thousands can see it instantly.
OR
You can post to your journal, where you can be more personal or try to attract a following on a common issue. Also, you can make it more permanent, unlike threads which drop off the earth within a few hours.

I don't think anyone wants to wade through a few hundred journals to find someone to share views with.

It certainly won't kill the forums.

[MissWaverly]

57. maybe there should be a greatest journal page

only with 30 recommendations, and then let people comment and then after it's been a celebrity, put it back on the shelf. I don't think that it's wise to do it for all the
journals, since I agree it will hurt the forum traffic and I think current events need
review but I think there should be a greatest journal page.

[Ian David]

98. Posting to your journal without posting to a forum won't kill DU

It will just give it a serious wound.

A huge, bloody gaping maw of a wound that will change it forever.

But it won't kill it.

[Nikia]

113. I agree. It would be bad for DU

The forums and high traffic in those forums is what really makes DU.

[mike_c]

9. I think what some people have expressed an interest in...

...is essentially a DU blog-- disconnecting the journals from the forums so that they can treat their journal like a blog. I'm not sure how I feel about that-- it would dramatically change the way DU operates, for one thing. It would essentially break down the forum structure, allowing people to post on any topic in their journal and then-- presumably, if the blog model is followed-- host discussions about their post, but not organized by context the way the current forum structure organizes DU. What other reason would anyone have to post directly to their journal WITHOUT posting in a forum as well?

[file83]

65. I agree. Disconnecting the "My Journals" from the rest of DU fragments

the discussion. As a community, we need to stick together, keep the conversation flowing. We would effectively be compartmentalizing our discussions into little cliques - if that's what people want to do, then why even come here? I say, if someone wants their own blog, go to blogger or blogspot and set one up. :think: Let's keep the DU UNIFIED.

[Ian David]

11. I vote NO on posting to journals without posting to forums

The journals and the forums should cross-polinate one another.

If a post doesn't belong in a particular forum, then it should just be posting in Meeting Room or Lounge or General Discussion. What can be more "Miscellaneous" than those?

The forums generate traffic to the journals.

Eventually, our DUers will go out, publicize their journals, and through those journals bring traffic into the forums.

I don't think we should do anything to sever the ties between the journals and the forums.

[brainshrub]

21. Agree totally with this point. (eom)

[annabanana]

35. my vote goes here. .. what IanDB1 said

[crispini]

64. Yes.

I think the people who are asking for the ability to post to a journal without having to post to a forum either don't quite understand how to use their journal yet or maybe don't realize the amazing diversity of forums that we have on DU. I can't think of anywhere that we can't put stuff.

[highplainsdem]

75. I agree.

[TahitiNut]

88. I fully agree.

:thumbsup:

[Tsiyu]

15. Option One with a bullet...

How about the option to post directly to blog with no forum post BUT a sticky in forums listing blogs of interest to that forum. For example, if the forum was the gungeon, there could be a thread with links to blogs dealing with guns or gun control. The blogs can be added by the people who read them and discussed in other threads in that forum.

Additionally, a blogger could choose a forum to have their blog linked to. I'm not sure if this makes sense, but it might facilitate more discussion on the forums by introducing a new steady stream of topics to the forums.

Okay, that's enough thinking for one day.....:nuke:

[Ian David]

19. People who choose Option One hate America and comfort the enemy

I have a suggestion:

How about we all take five minutes to go look at our favorite blogs, and report back which ones have the best format and look the most like what we think the Journals should look like.

And then, Skinner and Elgin will pick a winner. The winner gets to donate $10 or more extra to DU for doing such an awesome job!

[Tsiyu]

25. Ummm....okay

I just got new checks, too!

But I have to go wash dishes so you can judge for me.

[johnnie]

16. I like it as it is so far

I don't post many things that I would put there. But an idea might be a "Post to forum" option in the journals. Then you could write something without having people respond, choose to place it in one of the forums or take something you write on a forum and place it in your journal.
I guess that would be along the lines as a "Miscellaneous Journals" forum or maybe a drop down menu with the different forums on it. It would just add an option in the journal that will let you do it.

[xultar]

20. Since we're talking about it. The brown 'My Journal' button while

convienent is quite ugly. Can we get a green 'Donate' button and a blue 'My Journal' button.

or keep the blue 'Donate' and let's do a red 'My Journal' button. I guess anything other than brown would be cool.

Thank you!
X

[BlackVelvet04]

22. I thought I wanted to post to my journal without posting in a forum BUT

what I really wanted was a place to post notes for myself. There are certain things that come up regularly and I hate having to go looking for my notes all the time.

[EarlG]

32. You could do that in a custom module

I've seen quite a few people using them for things like that.

Here's a good example:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/DeepModem%20Mom

[annabanana]

36. of course! what a good idea

best of both worlds
you guys are amazing

[IsIt1984Yet]

44. THAT is very cool!

I wish I had that kind of time!!

[xultar]

56. Um aren't you supposed to be resting your brain. We don't want

you to hurt it or nothin. Your brain is PRICELESS to us.

[BlackVelvet04]

60. Thanks....

I'll check it out.

[Coexist]

79. what an awesome journal Deepmodemmom

hats off to you!

[0007]

23. I think it would be great to post to your own journal.

And to achieve certain news outs and notes

[Cleita]

24. Just a thought.

What if people stop posting on the forums and only post on their journals?

Is that what you want for Democratic Underground?

I personally wouldn't like it myself because then I as a reader would have to go through journal after journal instead of topic after topic.

[file83]

68. Exactly. The DU would then become a web within a website. It should

stay UNIFIED, the way it is now.

[rman]

26. I think what people want is a blog

that is linked to the forums in so far that it is relevant.
I'm assuming that a post directly to the journal would still trigger the "journal updated" button/message thing.
A journals forum might not be a bad idea; it would in effect be the home page of the DU user blogs/journals, a place to check out if anyone has journaled anything interesting.
If you blog about a particular thread on DU you can add a link to the thread in the journal post. Maybe there should be a visual indication to differentiate between journal posts and blog posts.

[New Government]

27. Big Problem!

If things begin to be posted to the journals without posting to the forums, it's like opening up hundreds of separate forums - and tons of confusion. People will be constantly saying they read such and such in a thread, and it was actually in a DU Journal. We shouldn't be asking DU to become a blog-host and maintaining "journals" that are completely separate from the forums. Where would moderation come in? Would they then be journals, like blogs, that are unmoderated and anybody can say anything? People would attempt to bypass DU's TOS by pointing to a journal that would say what they couldn't on the forums. DU's administrators would then be in the uncomfortable position of being accused of "censoring" journals or opening up a can of worms by giving their blessing to free-for-all journals. I think direct to journal postings would be chaos for DU's mods and admins and is a bad idea. If you want a blog, get one at wordpress.com for free or something else, but I don't think DU should have to host journals unrelated to the forums. I have a feeling I am in a minority, but I'm just thinking ahead and I see a lot of problems with journals that would work more like private blogs.

[DemExpat]

30. I also vote to keep journals linked to discussion threads

for reasons given in this post and others in this thread.

DemEx

[leftstreet]

39. I agree. Plus, the heart of the DU is discussion and debate.

Journals and blogs tend to stifle participation. I'd be cautious about anything that would distract users from the DU's active message forums.

[EFerrari]

28. Actually, Skinner, I like the setup as it is because

first we run our entry by the community and get their feedback.

If that step went missing, I might as well be writing in my fuzzy pink diary.

[truebrit71]

29. I would like to be able to do a combination of two.

Keep the ability as it is now, ie adding posts from forums onto the journals, but add the ability to post independently on the journal.

[cascadiance]

31. How about a "special" blogs forum...

That we could make either visible or hidden from top level navigation (only visible through the "owning journal"), or perhaps allow members to control whether their threads are visible or not (might be trickier to program though).

That way, we could have posts and follow up discussions but for some interests the discussion would be focused on the journal and not some wider forum.

I'm all for having a lot more visibility, and not to discourage forum posts in journals, but some threads might look a little odd if those posting in it feel they are posting to a smaller interest group in the context of a "blogger's journal" instead of the context of a wider more commonly non-journal browsed forum. If there's a special "Journal's forum", those blogging it then will know that each thread is in effect "owned" by a journal someplace, as noone could directly create a top level thread there, but one could that way bring in more "browsers" who just want to browse through various journal-specific threads there.

[babylonsister]

34. Would this fit the bill?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=311

[cascadiance]

50. That seems more like a blogger's support group, which could be different.

I was thinking of something where every subject line of a thread would be the actual name of the journal where it's located, and in effect that thread content would be what is shared between that forum and the journal.

If we had one forum like that, it might make it easier for mods to check for problematic content through greater centralization, and outsiders could navigate through the forum container instead of a given journal if they liked that instead. But in that instance they would navigate to each thread knowing that each context would be different and be journal/blog specific and not forum topic specific and their expectations would be set appropriately of what to find in each of those forums.

I have no problem with ALSO allowing other forum threads to be shown in journals the way the plan states it here, and that should probably be encouraged. But if you're trying to have something that looks kind of "blog owned" as a thread to build that journal some identity, it might look weird having that thread appear in some other forum that doesn't specifically note that those threads will be built that way.

I know that you all are trying to avoid just being a "blog hosting" service, and I think that's fine. I think there should be strong encouragement towards building the community with links between journals and forums. But it would be nice to have some flexibility to allow various journals to build personal identities and not "clutter" other forums with those identities.

[cynatnite]

33. kick n/t

[mdmc]

37. Keep everything the same

please
i

c
a
n
t

k
e
e
p

u
p

!

[Ksec]

38. IMO it would be nice to be able to post in the journal without posting in

in the MB's.

[Cleita]

40. Then shouldn't you get a blog and post the link in your signature?

eom

[Ksec]

47. i have a blog

theres a link in my profile, I believe.

[greendog]

42. ~~~What we really need~~~

What we really need is the ability to organize our journal archives by subject. It would be great to be able to browse the journal archives of our favorite posters without sifting through their cat photos, recipes, and clever uses of the Brazilian joke (unless that's what we're looking for:)).

[crispini]

66. Mmmmm. Be able to tag posts.

Niiiiiice. Yes, that's a good candidate for 2.0.

[IsIt1984Yet]

43. I was leaning towards the first, but I have an important question.

Most 'blogs' offer the author to allow anonymous unmoderated comments OR moderated by the author.

So, I guess the big question is... on the last option: Are you hoping to be able to post to your Journal and also post to the discussion forum *WITHOUT* having to choose a forum for your post? If we did this, we would probably have to create a "Miscellaneous Journals" forum of some kind to catch all the random postings.

Would it be possible in any way to allow author level moderating or would the moderating still be tasked to a 'moderator'? I'm just curious as to how that piece would be handled.

If it'd go to a moderator, and not handled at the author level, I'd lean towards your first option:
Are you hoping to be able to post to your journal *WITHOUT* also posting to the discussion forum? (Keep in mind that if there is no post on the discussion forum, other members will not be able to reply to your post. Is that what you want?)

[Ian David]

96. Why would I want anyone to be able to reply to my journal posts...

... when I am the absolute authority on everything, and nobody could possibly add anything significant to a discussion once I have made myself heard on it?

:sarcasm:

Journals feed the forums, forums feed the journals.

Journal-writers should go forth and publicize their journals, cross-post their journal entries on other boards, bringing traffic to their journals, which brings traffic back to DU which brings traffic to other journals.

[IsIt1984Yet]

109. Why pick my post to get pissy with?

Just wondering. I mean, other people have opinions, too, Ian. And, realistically, I was just seeking to clarify how the envisioned moderation of replies to journal entries outside of forums would be handled (if at all).

And, if the point is to bring (and keep) traffic here, why not offer a more 'blog-like' option? Then people would never have ot navigate away from DU to 'blog'.

Again, not sure why I got the reply dripping in judgmental sarascm... but I guess it's because YOU are the absolute authority on this topic, huh?

Thanks for the warm welcome! :sarcasm:

[Ian David]

110. Sorry, I didn't mean to get pissy WITH you... just NEAR you

Your post was just at a convenient point in the message thread.

I apologize for getting your feet wet.

In any case, you actually make some good points.

[IsIt1984Yet]

111. Whew! Thanks for clearing that up.

Seriously. I couldn't help but think, "hey, I was hardly the first or only one to lean in this direction!" and I was getting a complex :blush:

Your points are valid as well and there is something to be said about DU maintaining the "integrity" on which it was built. I am cool with whatever direction the Journals go, they are cool, and upthread Elad pointed to an incredible use of the Custom modules that could literally meet the needs of those who are the authority on certain topics ;).

But, I am still very curious as to the plans for moderating Journals if outside the DU "forums". Skinner's ignoring me :P

[Ian David]

112. I was hoping to devote my journal outside the forums to lesbian porn

But it would be political, because I would add political captions to the pictures like, "Those Weapons of Mass Destruction have gotta be somewhere..."

[IsIt1984Yet]

116. Then I assume you're fully supporting an unmoderated system.

Perhaps we should suggest a ratings system to coincide. Or install the V-chip on DU somewhere? ;)

[area51]

46. what I'd like.

Skinner said:

"... post to your journal *WITHOUT* also posting to the discussion forum."

This is the option I'd like. My reason is that I'd like to put my job skills in my DU journal (I'm currently unemployed), w/o boring people by posting it first to a forum. (I know there's my sig below, but it doesn't list my job skills.)

[crispini]

59. Why not post your job skills in

"Career Help and Advice" ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=362

With the enormous diversity of forums we have on here I have a hard time coming up with a post that I couldn't fit somewhere here.

[TrogL]

48. Direct to journal - no other forum

but still retain the current capability of linking in a post from a forum.

In other words, two methodologies:

• Post direct to journal
  
• Post to a forum and add it to your journal afterwards
  

[Sydnie]

49. I would like to add other peoples posts to my journal as well

sort of like "Guest posters" because, frankly, quite often I don't start the threads that come to mean the most to me or hold the most information that I think is important to be shared. I can contribute to them and add them that way but it really misses the point if my meager addition is the header of my journal, doesn't it? It would also facilitate "revisiting" a discussion after it has fallen into the archives and there is more info to share that could be added to that first posting to keep all the info in one place.

I think that would be a really sweet feature.

[crispini]

67. You can use the custom modules for that.

See DeepModemMom's blog.

[Sydnie]

71. but there are only five custom area's correct?

I need more than that to keep track of the things that interest me. tee hee

Hi Crispi :hi:

[crispini]

73. Yes, but you can add multiple posts to each module.

So module 1 could be Election Reform and you could add a ton of links to that, and then Module 2 could be Presidential Election 2008, and you could add links to that, and so on.

Don't forget you have bookmarks available to you too!

Hi Sydnie! :hi: How are you doing?

[Sydnie]

81. I am doing good hon .. busy lately for sure

I hadn't thought about setting it up that way. I'll have to ponder that some ...

My bookmarks are a mess. This thread has that tidbit, that thread has that one, one fact here, one there, and I can't ever seem to locate what I am looking for when I need it.

Now, if I could break up my bookmarks that way in groups that make sense to me ... :) :) :) :loveya: That would be heaven!

Hope things are well with you and yours too! :hug:

[crispini]

82. Now wouldn't that be neat.

I took a look through my bookmarks and found some good threads, but you're right, it's hard to figure out what is where.

Take a glance at my journal http://journals.democraticunderground.com/crispini and scroll down to the section great posts! ... you'll see what I mean, although I have only started looking through what I have. :D

[Sydnie]

84. Wow .. it looks great!

I haven't had much time to do much with mine yet, but I see what you mean about putting the posts there, but how can you add to them once they have been archived? I see it as a way to gather the info in one place rather than just group the posts all together.

I will have to explore it when I get more time. I am just trying to catch up tonight. Miss a day while at work and I seemed to have missed a lot!

Your journal looks spectacular!

[crispini]

85. Yeah you can't add to a thread at all once it has been archived.

Thanks for the kind words about my journal! I just started playing with it. Poof! Three hours later .... and it's bedtime. :D

[KoKo]

51. I wondered that too...when a post of mine got "corrupted" with some

kind of "line through" the copy when I posted some copy from a link. I wanted it on my Blog...but couldn't find a way to do it.

And, couldn't seem to get copy that transcribed correctly to post here and then direct to MY JOURNAL.

I don't have a problem with waiting. I'm still trying to figure it all out..but did have the problem today...wanting to post a "clean post" directly to my blog since the original was corrupted and didn't get but one reply...but I thought on my journal it might fit well. :shrug:

When you get to it...so much to learn......

[Swamp Rat]

52. I would like to upload my pix to a photo/art gallery at DU

Randi Rhodes has this feature on her website and I dream of the day when DU has a photo gallery too. :)

[DoYouEverWonder]

53. Two suggestions

In regards to posting directly to a journal - I would like to be able to post LBN stories in my journal but often someone else gets the first post. One solution, would be to let us post other people's threads at least the ones from LBN in our journals.

Second, it would be nice to be able to post replies directly to the journals, especially for old archived threads. Right now, I'm working on posting some of my old work, before I start using it for current stuff and the inability to get a response makes the thing sort of static. Maybe a Journal forum, where all journal entries are treated like a thread, so the responses are seen in the forum format and the journal format?

Other then that, I'm just starting to stumble around in this new little world you've created. Thanks.

[Catchawave]

117. A lot of LBN's are crossposted into the

other forums or groups for discussions, you could try that for your journal entry? There's many topics all this great information can be shared in !

[bridgit]

54. i'm good with the current system, it is a ++ enhancement...

:thumbsup: B-)

[Orsino]

55. Option one. (shouldn't this be a poll?)

Rather than my journal being my greatest hits, my own selection of stuff people could already find by searching on me, I'd like to add the ability to post directly (and only) into my journal. This would bypass the mods, and I'll understand if you won't enable this for that reason.

But the journals are cool as is.

[crispini]

70. Something completely different.....

I would like a Custom Module that's sort of a "Guestbook" like feature. What this would do is allow people visiting your blog to make a comment in general about the blog itself, or a short message to you, without having to post in any one of your threads. Right now, 100% of the "interactivity" is on the forums, and the blog itself is sort of static, i.e. people can reply to your POSTS but they can't really reply to your BLOG. I think it would be kind of fun to be able to bring a teensy tiny bit of interactivity onto the blog page itself.

But I agree with the others that say that the majority of the interactivity should stay on the boards. That's kind of the point, IMO. Using the journals to drive quality posts to the boards.

[file83]

72. Option #2 - let's keep the DU organized properly. If we isolate Journals

then it will be impossible to "discover" good posts if you don't already have some Journal bookmarked. Keep the Journals tied DIRECTLY to the discussion threads. If people want their own independent blog so bad, they should go elsewhere (blogger or blogspot).

If we separate, then we would be taking a step backwards in the sharing of information. The DU would effectively become an intranet of blogs WITHIN a single website. How would the search engines function? How would the ratings system function? How could we "discover" new posts? How would we keep track of news stories if the "best" posters are off in their own little blogosphere?

Keep the DU UNIFIED, don't ISOLATE!

[FULL_METAL_HAT]

76. Discussion for old entries would be nice

The journals are well worth the wait.

When I first saw the "Discuss" link in my journal items showed multiple "replies", I thought "how could people have already commented I just added this thing 10 seconds ago!?!". I realized the "Discuss" was referring to the discussion that post had gotten, not new commentary.

Will you be integrating the journal entries as new "OPs" for ongoing discussion and commentary?

And while I'm suggesting, a "Table of Contents" module at the top of the journal would be very nice, especially if the user could choose which entries could go.

Oh yeah, I couldn't find the KITCHEN SINK anywhere either! LOL

Thanks and keep up the great progress!

{B^> FMH

[sendero]

78. I was kinda excited..

... about the journal feature, until I understood how it worked. (this sounds nasty, I'm not criticising anybody, I just had a different idea of what it would be than the programmer did, and it's a totally subjective thing).

The last item in your proposal is closest to how the royal we think it should work. Here's the thing, I'd like my journal to be a collection of "essays" but I don't want to necessarily post each of these, I don't like starting threads, there are plenty already.

Of course, the ability for folks to comment would be nice. Which basically means a "virtual forum" for each "journalist" :)

It sounds big but really I'll bet it wouldn't be too bad to code, all the pieces are already there. Anyway, thanks to the folks who run the show here for working to improve the board, it is definitely appreciated.

[electron_blue]

80. oh, LOL, well that clears things up! I just wanted to learn how to post

anything in my journal and now I know. I'll deal with whatever you all decide, although slight preference for being able to post w/o having to choose a forum. Maybe make a "journal" forum for people who want that option.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

83. Hmmmm. I Do Have A Request That I Wonder If Others Would Love Too.

I love the journals and think it was an amazing enhancement. The random journal function is quite fun too. Sometimes though I come across threads that I think really stand out from the rest, that I'd be proud to host on my journal page. I know I can recommend the threads and offer my praise within them, but I know within a few days they are gone. I know I can bookmark them to call upon when I choose, but that is only of benefit to me. What I thought would be cool is if each poster's journal had the capability to have a "my top ten favorite DU threads" link. When a poster clicked on that link in someones journal, a journal page would pop up listing those ten threads in a similar journal format but in their own space separate from the owners threads. That way, each poster can share with others not only their own personal threads they cherish, but the threads of others they hold dear as well. This way a thread that really struck a chord with somebody can be shared with others who might not have come across it otherwise. Kinda like a personal journal greatest page!

Ok, that's enough of that. Thanks for all you guys do to keep DU amazing!

:thumbsup:

[Ian David]

99. The best part of DU are other people's threads and posts

I think that this is key to the success of the Journals-- spotlighting other people's posts.

If OperationMindCrime posts something great, and I want to include it in my journal, I want to have Crimey's words featured front-top-and-center in the thread-- not my post saying, "Great post! K&R! n/t."

And then, all my friends who subscribe to my journal's RSS feed (Because they're sick of getting 20 emails a day from me) will see Crimey's message, with Crimey's original topic in the header.

[Adelante]

86. One of the positive aspects of the new Journals

is that they encourage well thought out posts to the discussion forums, raising the level of discussion sitewide, possibly. I rarely start threads, but with the Journal in mind, I've been thinking about doing more of it. These are good habit kinds of things that contribute to DU's standing. So I think I would keep it the way it is, with Journal posts originating in forums, and comments going back to the original thread.

But a few mods would be great. An index function for each Journal with category creation by the blogger for one. Just now the formatting of the forum post strips out when it becomes the Journal excerpt, which is a problem. For example, a link becomes a blank space in the text and paragraphing is lost. As I mentioned in another thread, I would like to make better use of the empty space in the left column beneath the ads if it is workable and not a problem for the ads. It would also provide more personal note space, which people do seem to want. I dislike the imbalance and wanted to move a couple of modules from right to left for that reason, but additional modules for that side would work, too.

I've looked at the blogging forum and not much happens there as far as I can tell, so I don't think a new Journal forum is so necessary, but maybe we should make use of the existing one.

[Cobalt Violet]

87. I like it as is.

I can't elaborate at the moment.

[LearnedHand]

89. I'd like the journal to be like a blog

AND to put entries into it from the discussion forums also.

[liberaltrucker]

90. Leave them like they are, at least for now

Let evolution take it's course.
I, for one, am happy we have journals.
Some freepers I know are seriously pissed.
Ain't that a good thing:evilgrin:

[Skinner]

91. kick (nt)

[WoodrowFan]

94. to be able to post to your journal *WITHOUT*

to be able to post to your journal *WITHOUT* also posting to the discussion forum? (

[Ian David]

95. I want to post to my journal without having to post to a journal OR forum

That way, my posts won't be seen by anyone-- not even myself.

Yeah.

[WoodrowFan]

103. did I mention the secret code??

Seriously, I would like to be able to post an occasional piece on my journal without risking starting a flame war. Maybe just make an observatiuon, just like in a "real" journal. Besides, it'd be an additional means of posting, you could still click on the "post to my journal" button in a forum.

[Ian David]

104. You could post it in your module.

"Post it in your module" sounds dirty, doesn't it?

[WoodrowFan]

105. would I have to wash my hands afterwards?

what if my wife caught me?

[Dorian Gray]

101. Seriously....

I think of it as just a sort of journal, where I post my thoughts. (Whether political, social, cultural, religious, relating to movies, etc.) No need to reply to them. Just a sort of online blog/diary. We can still post in the forums when we want to dialog. I just assumed that the journals would be a compilation of our thoughts and our stances.

[newyawker99]

102. I would like to be able to post directly to my journal

without posting on the board.

[unkachuck]

106. this isn't directly related....

....but could you put a resetable View-Counter in Edit-Journal? This way you could see how many people have viewed your journal between your resets....thanks

[Cronus Protagonist]

107. I want the journals gone, and the graphics removed

And, if I may continue to add a voice of dissent, the new "My DU" is messy and not useful. I preferred the simple, "My Posts".

[Ian David]

108. Just put a link to your "My Posts" page in your toolbar. n/t

[harpo]

114. simultaneously...but I don't want all my posts going to my journal

and the forums IMO should be required to be used to post anything.
Does this make sense?

[Catchawave]

118. This is the reason I don't want Journal entries to bypass the message

boards...http://journals.democraticunderground.com/BobcatJH

I would have never found this journal otherwise !

[Time for change]

119. I don't know if this is practical or not

What I had in mind was that my journal would be organized in such a way that my posts would constitute a coherent narrative, rather than be simply a collection of posts.

I think that that would make it much more user friendly, so that if people were interested in reading about certain issues that I've written about they would be able to find them relatively easily.

In other words, it would be organized into sections, each section having some sort of preface that talked about the connections between the various posts. And ideally it would have a table of contents as well.

Also, in order to make it like that, I would have to be able to put new posts in the order that I wanted, rather than sticking them at the beginning or at the end.

Is any of that feasible?