Day 549: Do You Agree With Jonny?
ByG’day Shredders,
Two days ago I received a comment from resident Mid-West Shredder, Jonny: In The Arena Blog.
Here is a transcript of Jonny’s comment:
Comment by Jonny Childress on May 8, 2008 8:17 pm
Adam,
Dude. Love the new blog home. The old blog was getting really slow. This one is nice and speedy. I’ll definitely be able to keep up with the Shreddersphere with greater ease. Thanks man.
JC
Do You Agree With Jonny’s Comment Above?
Thank you for your input Jonny, that is great to hear. My question for the ShredderSphere (and silent visitors!) is this, do you agree with Jonny?
Should RTP Blog 2.0 (This version) Be The New “Home” Of RTP?
The reason I ask is because I still am not 100% sure whether I will commit to this RTP Blog 2.0 version as the “official home” of RTP yet.
As you may know the reason this 2.0 Blog exists is due to Blogger Lock-Out No.3 at the original RTP Blog 1.0 (URL http://www.12weekphysique.blogspot.com).
This Blogger Lock-Out is still ongoing with no word from Google as to when it will be unlocked.
“So, Why Did Blogger Lock You Out?”
Some new visitors may wonder why I am “locked-out” of posting to my RTP Blog 1.0 hosted by Blogger as “lock-out” implies I did something “bad”. The truth is I don’t know why I am “locked out” because RTP Blog 1.0 contains 550 posts of original content with no banner ads, pop-ups or anything else annoying.
550 Posts Of Unique Content On RTP Blog 1.0
In other words all posts, images, videos and comments are unique which does not make sense as blogs that usually get “locked” are those “automated” blogs with content “ripped off” from other sources and usually the only way to “escape” is by clicking on a Google Adsense Ad (ironically).
The thing that is slightly frustrating is that RTP Blog 1.0 has already been “human reviewed” by a Google Employee twice already who have both times given me the “green light” to start posting again (after the two previous “lock-outs”).
Why I’d Like To Get Your Feedback First
However, back to my original point! I’d really like to get your feedback on this RTP Blog 2.0 version before I invest the hundreds of hours necessary to bring it “up to speed” as it stands in relation to RTP Blog 1.0.
Fonts, Formatting, Categories, Tags, Sidebar & Videos!
For example, to make this blog easier to read and navigate I would have to go through and each and every post and clean up the fonts, formatting, categories and tags.
A “Paid Upgrade” Would Be Required
I would also have to upgrade to the “paid version” of WordPress in order to get the “HD Videos” across because unlike Blogger, WordPress does not allow Flash or Java based videos. There are also many things I would have to do with the sidebar for ease of navigation as well.
Brutally Honest Feedback Needed!
So, before I invest this amount time into RTP Blog 2.0 and make it the “official home” I’d like to get your brutally honest feedback on all of these specific questions listed below.
The 6 Questions
1) What do you like about this 2.0 Version?
2) What don’t you like about this 2.0 Version?
3) How does this 2.0 Version (thus far) compare to the 1.0 Version in terms of: layout; ease of navigation; design and general appearance?
4) Does this 2.0 Version load faster than the 1.0 Version? Was the 1.0 version slow to load for you?
5) The big one! Should I make this 2.0 Version my “permanent home” for RTP Blog?
6) If yes to to Qu 5, What suggestions do you have for me to improve this 2.0 Version?
Thank You In Advance
If you could place your answers in the comment section numbered out in the same order as the six questions above I would very much appreciate it. If you don’t have a comment to a specific question you can just say “n/a”.
For those Shredders (and visitors) who do give feedback in the comments section I’d like to say thank you in advance as I very much appreciate it.
Until tomorrow…
Eat Clean, Shred Hard, Think BIG!
Cheers,
Adam Waters, NESTA-CPT
P.S. Thanks again Jonny for your feedback 2 days ago, I appreciate it man! Be sure to visit Jonny’s In The Arena Blog and check out his new personal training studio in Indianapolis!
P.S.S. Stay tuned for a “bumper edition” of Shredder Sunday tomorrow and perhaps a couple of surprises!
P.S.S.S. Below are RTP Blog Day 549 Pics for May 10, 2008: Mission 5 Pre-Shred. This pic was taken before my “protein recovery mission” in downtown Shinsaibashi. It was quite cold today!
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1) What do you like about this 2.0 Version? Looks much nicer, like the 4 columns, speed much better and the overall look is much nicer
2) What don’t you like about this 2.0 Version? When you click on the comment you have to scroll through the whole post again to reach the comments section, only minor though
3) How does this 2.0 Version (thus far) compare to the 1.0 Version in terms of: layout; ease of navigation; design and general appearance? I prefer, the layout, navigation is easy and general appearance is much nicer
4) Does this 2.0 Version load faster than the 1.0 Version? Was the 1.0 version slow to load for you? Yes it loads much faster, v1.0 was getting very slow especially the side bars
5) The big one! Should I make this 2.0 Version my “permanent home” for RTP Blog? Yes, but I don’t see the need for you spend hours on it either, people can quite easily see your journey and I wouldn’t worry about fonts and taggin the whole past as it is now that counts and I am sure you have lot of other things you could be doing. As I said peoplee can find the information quite easily if they want to.
6) If yes to to Qu 5, What suggestions do you have for me to improve this 2.0 Version? None, but I am no web designer!!
Take care,
Andrew
Hi Adam,
I have only one glitch…I couldn´t find your daily blogs until Debbie told me where to go. Doesn´t seem very clear to people like me. Otherwise, I think you should do what you want to…especially what is EASIEST for you. You don´t want to spend you life with some blog! I love it if you do. All have been great and have enjoyed them all. You make them all special.
Lynda
well, I can pretty much ditto what Andrew said.
1) What do you like about this 2.0 Version?has a professional look to it. i like the tabs at the top.
2) What don’t you like about this 2.0 Version? i liked how blogger sends you email with new comments made.
3) How does this 2.0 Version (thus far) compare to the 1.0 Version in terms of: layout; ease of navigation; design and general appearance? overall i like this one better.
4) Does this 2.0 Version load faster than the 1.0 Version? Was the 1.0 version slow to load for you? Yes, even with high speed internet. all the videos and pics in nav bar took too long to load and i think you were starting to repeat a few things in the nav. bar..
5) The big one! Should I make this 2.0 Version my “permanent home” for RTP Blog? i think you should. the professional appearance helps. with the council boardroom upcoming. and any new things up your sleeve a professional appearance is a sticking point.
6) If yes to to Qu 5, What suggestions do you have for me to improve this 2.0 Version?
If wordpress has an option for it, I’d suggest using a dropdown menu for things like “categories,” “archives”, and maybe “recent posts”. it is hard to say eliminate anything as I know all of these items are important to you and your journey, but i think some things are repeated too much. you already have an “about” tab and a “timeline” tab, maybe eliminate those graphics and have included in those tabs. if people are anything like me, they will click on those tabs to see what is there, so why repeat it in your side bar, too? if it is even possible, only put up graphics for what you feel is most important and most pressing as in your current mission stats and graphics and such. and maybe just have one graphic for your timeline, instead of three. my vote would be for the “bfl era/rtp era graphic” as it shows both your april 1,2000 to april 1, 2008 with milestone pics inbetween.
ok so just my thoughts. and just like Andrew said, I’m no web designer.
and no matter what you decide to do I’ll be here following your every move!
well, I can pretty much ditto what Andrew said.
1) What do you like about this 2.0 Version?has a professional look to it. i like the tabs at the top.
2) What don’t you like about this 2.0 Version? i liked how blogger sends you email with new comments made.
3) How does this 2.0 Version (thus far) compare to the 1.0 Version in terms of: layout; ease of navigation; design and general appearance? overall i like this one better.
4) Does this 2.0 Version load faster than the 1.0 Version? Was the 1.0 version slow to load for you? Yes, even with high speed internet. all the videos and pics in nav bar took too long to load and i think you were starting to repeat a few things in the nav. bar..
5) The big one! Should I make this 2.0 Version my “permanent home” for RTP Blog? i think you should. the professional appearance helps. with the council boardroom upcoming. and any new things up your sleeve a professional appearance is a sticking point.
6) If yes to to Qu 5, What suggestions do you have for me to improve this 2.0 Version?
If wordpress has an option for it, I’d suggest using a dropdown menu for things like “categories,” “archives”, and maybe “recent posts”. it is hard to say eliminate anything as I know all of these items are important to you and your journey, but i think some things are repeated too much. you already have an “about” tab and a “timeline” tab, maybe eliminate those graphics and have included in those tabs. if people are anything like me, they will click on those tabs to see what is there, so why repeat it in your side bar, too? if it is even possible, only put up graphics for what you feel is most important and most pressing as in your current mission stats and graphics and such. and maybe just have one graphic for your timeline, instead of three. my vote would be for the “bfl era/rtp era graphic” as it shows both your april 1,2000 to april 1, 2008 with milestone pics inbetween.
ok so just my thoughts. and just like Andrew said, I’m no web designer.
and no matter what you decide to do I’ll be here following your every move!
opps, didn’t mean to post my comment twice!!
Hi Adam!
I discovered your blog just this morning. I do not have problems with my weight but I am amazed by your dedication. It seems you are helping a lot of people in achieving their fitness goals and you do practice what you teach.
I was actually almost late to my class (I am also an English teacher but in Bangkok). Your blog is just full of information. You have too much though and the links are overwhelming. Maybe you can devise a way to archive the information to bigger categories like “Media apperances” “My Progress Pics” “Shredders’s Corner”.
Anyway, take care of yourself and I hope you reach your goals.
Dex
The 6 Questions
1) What do you like about this 2.0 Version?
Loads much faster and looks better.
2) What don’t you like about this 2.0 Version?
Nothing springs immediately to mind!
3) How does this 2.0 Version (thus far) compare to the 1.0 Version in terms of: layout; ease of navigation; design and general appearance?
I really like the layout of this blog.
4) Does this 2.0 Version load faster than the 1.0 Version? Was the 1.0 version slow to load for you?
This loads really fast and yes v 1.0 took a fair amount of time to finish loading.
5) The big one! Should I make this 2.0 Version my “permanent home” for RTP Blog?
Yep, keep it here!
6) If yes to to Qu 5, What suggestions do you have for me to improve this 2.0 Version?
Not sure for now, but I’ll let you know if I think of anything.
Adam, I really do prefer this site over Version 1.0 and I hope that you remain here. Keep up the good work and I’m looking forward Shredder Sunday this week!
Cheers,
Mike
Hi Adam
If you are not yet committed to 2.0 – Are you checking out other alternatives as comparison? One thing for certain is not to go back to 1.0~
I have to agree with everyone else’s comments in that regard.
Hi Adam
the new blog is definitely nice, but if you keep doing what you have done with the old blog (heavy images, lots of images in header and content, heavy html code, embedded videos, etc) things here on the new blog will end up with the same problems the old blog had (slow loading times, page sizes almost taking down low-end PCs, getting blocked by whoever runs your blog, etc).
If you want a solution for good, you may investigate running your own WordPress server (or any other blogging software). They come with import scripts that allow you to take content from your old blogs, but I don’t know what happens if you want to import content from two different blogs such as your V1 and V2. Some manual work may have to be done. Also, these solutions are fully under your control (no more lock-outs), can be customized the way you want, people can be found on the internet that can help you setting it up or upgrading to new layout and/or software, etc. and you always have a backup of your stuff just in case if you do it right.
Lastly, you’d use your own domain name which will always be yours and all your traffic stays with you even if you change hosting company, blog software, etc.
Whatever you do, I also suggest that you don’t waste too much time to get the old content into perfect shape when you import it to a new blog. Focus on today and the future.
It’s really a pity that these blogger spambots and people keep wasting your time with their lockouts :/ Just imagine what could be done with all the time you use for fixing problems that they cause…
Alex
Sorry for spamming Adam, I just took another look at wordpress.org and wordpress.com and it seems if you stick with WordPress their paid service is really the best for you. You could also try to contact them and solve all your problems by having them work for you if you convince them to give you free VIP hosting:
http://wordpress.com/vip-hosting/
It seems to me that it is worth a shot for you, especially with your history and your youtube views etc. Oh, and if you look at the picture in their about section on wordpress.com, it seems that not only one of them needs a bit of education in transforming their physique
Alex