Unleashing the power of Typepad, I redesigned the template this morning. I went back to three columns, with all the book lists in the left column. I also figured out how to embed links in the book blurbs just below the thumbnail, so I can collect the posts discussing each book right below the book thumbnail. For example, links for all five posts discussion Mormon Enigma are available on one line below the book, and four links to Palmer posts are given on the same line as the link to my review of Insider's View, right below the book's thumbnail on the left sidebar. Whaddya think?
Little stuff that only seriously obsessed bloggers care about: I changed the hover-highlight color to bright blue. Took off "bold" for the sidebar links so I could stuff more text into one line. Put boxes around the blogroll titles and made them bright blue (but with small text). Consolidated "More Mormon Weblogs" into a "Second Twelve," my backup list of B'nacle sites to visit if I'm bored with the Top Twelve. Note new arrival LDS Science Review, which is the first B'nacle science-oriented blog (although Clark hits science issues fairly regularly).
Incidentally, I used my dormant alternative blog Northern Lights as a beta test for the new template settings, then copied it over to DMI when I got what I wanted. It looks good enough I plan to post there on more general law, religion, and science themes, maybe posting book blogs on topics that don't seem to elicit much interest on DMI. I can cross-list blogrolls between the two weblogs, so the sidebars and links on the two sites will have a lot of overlap.
I really like the new look Dave. Especially some of the subtle font changes. Looks especially great on a Mac.
Posted by: Clark Goble | Jan 22, 2005 at 11:33 PM
Looks cool, but maybe 'cos I don't have my glasses on I'm wondering if the sidebar font is just a tad small.
Posted by: Ronan | Jan 23, 2005 at 06:22 AM
Thanks for the comments. Going to 2 sidebars, I had to squeeze from one 300 pixel bar to two 200 pixel bars, so I had to use smaller font for the links. But I'm guessing most people don't browse my blogrolls much -- they're mostly for my own use as an easily accessible list of blogging resource sites.
I'm excited about the possibilities of the book blurbs as permanent but compact graphical displays of topical links -- blogroll lists get overloaded so quickly. The drawback of weblogs (as opposed to static websites) is posts scroll and disappear, never to be seen again. Sidebars, however, are permanent. So I guess what I'm doing is making the left sidebar into a sort of mini-website with permanent topical links; the right sidebar remains a standard collection of blogrolls; and the center column the usual running scroll of blog posts.
Now if I can just figure out how to get a banner image working properly . . .
Posted by: Dave | Jan 23, 2005 at 11:01 AM
i think it looks great. the small fonts on the side don't bother me at all.
Posted by: mike | Jan 23, 2005 at 03:50 PM
looks good, Dave, but I think you need to shrink the width of the left sidebar. Ultimately, I think you are going to be better off switching the book links to an entirely separate blog site, and cross-referencing. I think unless you do that, you are trying to cram too much content into a single spot.
Posted by: Steve Evans | Jan 23, 2005 at 04:14 PM
The sidebar fonts look much larger in Firefox than they do in IE.
Posted by: J. Stapley | Jan 23, 2005 at 09:31 PM
I think the sidebars are too big in either browser. Compare w/ BCC, which I think has shrunk the sidebars about as far as they should go.
Posted by: Steve Evans | Jan 24, 2005 at 08:28 AM
Steve, maybe you're right. I notice BCC's right sidebar seems to be at 250 (you're off the pro forma template, so you can designate your own column width) and the left at 200. Personally, I don't like unbalanced columns, so I'll stick with two 200-pixel columns for now.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 24, 2005 at 09:17 AM
Dave, fair enough -- I would wonder, though, whether at some point you'll just be better off with a sub-blog or webpage for the left sidebar content.
Posted by: Steve Evans | Jan 24, 2005 at 09:44 AM
Steve, great minds think alike: I already set one up here, but haven't really loaded it up with anything yet.
Hey--I just figured out how to embed extra links on right sidebar too. Go look at the extra line I added to my LDS.org link, giving one-click access to some popular destinations within the byzantine lds.org website.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 24, 2005 at 10:30 AM
The way the Bloggernacle is expanding, you're going to need to change that "Second Twelve" to "Quorum of Seventy". :-)
Which reminds me, my sidebar could use some updating...
Posted by: Grasshopper | Jan 24, 2005 at 11:24 AM
for what it's worth, i did give you blog a few nods in whatever mo-blog awards they're having.
Posted by: mike | Jan 24, 2005 at 03:04 PM
Thanks for the effort, Mike. I was going to post something about that little contest.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 24, 2005 at 04:12 PM
I like the changes. And I think the books should stay -- it's part of what makes DMI unique and is a valuable resource.
Posted by: William Morris | Jan 24, 2005 at 04:48 PM
WM, you suck up.
Posted by: Steve Evans | Jan 24, 2005 at 07:25 PM
Dude, whatever. I gave you tons of suggestions on how to make BCC better. And did you use any of them? Nope. It took the migration to typepad for you to even have your banner link back to the homepage.
Not that I'm bitter or anything. We all know your true love is kulturblog (and rightly so). As long as you lavish your time and design skills on it, it's all good.
Posted by: William Morris | Jan 24, 2005 at 08:33 PM