Schelly Dardashti told me to do this two years ago ... I didn't switch from "old blogger" at the time because I feared losing over 4,000 posts. Now it's up to 5,600 posts...and Blogger was showing only 10 posts on the home page and in the weekly archives.
So today I decided to bite the bullet. I exported the file just in case something went wrong, and tonight after DearMYRTLE's webinar I clicked on the Template link and it took just minutes to make the changeover to "new Blogger." I tweaked the colors and font sizes and will probably tweak some more. I haven't figured out yet how to change the background color for the sidebar.
With this change, I now have:
* A list of Labels with the number of posts in each on the sidebar.
* A complete set of weekly archives on the sidebar.
* A background image (I may change it at some time - need to learn how)
* The blog title and post titles are active links (they weren't before)
* A search box to search within Genea-Musings.
What do you think? Do you like it? Does it work on your particular computer system and operating system? If not, please let me know in comments or email (rjseaver@cox.net).
The URL for this post is http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/02/genea-musings-makeover.html
Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2012.
The new site looks gorgeous! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteGreat Randy - and, may I say, about time! It used to look like something a kid put up years ago... Now it looks "professional" (in the best possible definition of the word). Cheers for biting the bullet and making the change! Looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLooks like I had to open a second frame to post this comment. I like your new look, and kudos for figuring out how to do it, but can't find the link to my blog on your sidebar. Did you lose me? Thanks for all you do Randy. Susans Genealogy Blog (Susan Bankhead)
ReplyDeleteThe site looks great Randy! I love it! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome, Randy! Great job.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there's a way to alphabetize your blogroll?
This design is much easier on the eye. Well done!
ReplyDeleteLove the new look, and it's clear and easy to read.too.
ReplyDeleteI'm another one who really likes your new design. Please don't change anything.
ReplyDeleteLooks nice, "cousin" Randy. Easy to follow and find everything. Enjoyed meeting you at RootsTech!
ReplyDeleteI love the new look!
ReplyDeleteI love it Randy!!
ReplyDeleteThis morning I'm viewing it on Win XP running Firefox on a 23 inch screen .... it looks spectacular. I'll check it out later on MAC and Win7.
Lisa
Yay! No more # for post links. I think you'll like the "new" interface better once you get used to it.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that you can change the side bar color with this particular template. There may be a way to hack it but it looks good now, so why bother?
The new look is very very nice!
ReplyDeleteLooks Great Randy, easy on the eyes. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteRandy it looks great. On my Dell 14 inch laptop! I am going to guess, but will try later, that it will just as great on my 17 inch desktop. I am glad you made the change, it is much more pleasing to look at. Awesome job!
ReplyDeleteWell worth the effort Randy, it looks really great. It even makes the posts more readable - as if that was possible!!
ReplyDeleteI like it so much better than your old layout! It looks great on my mac with Firefox, Chrome and Safari.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Will be easy to find anything.
ReplyDeleteLove the new look of you blog, Randy. Somehow it looks more professional. But it's your great content that we really appreciate.
ReplyDeleteLove it!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new look. I like it and find it much more readable than before.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great. I think I will change over my blogs to new blogger too.
ReplyDeleteLooks great, Randy! I really like your new look!
ReplyDeleteIt is a huge improvement - a nice bright fresh design :-)
ReplyDeleteMy comments are on the overall size of it all - with your current post of today, looking at it on a 13" MacBook Pro, all I can see of the actual content is the first line "Shelly Dardashti told me to do this years ago"...
So to see any actual content, I already have to scroll the page. If the header wasn't as tall and the fonts not quite as big more would show "above the scroll".
And the minmum width required of 1230 px means that I have to have the window full width on the 13 MacBook to see the whole page without an annoying horizontal scroll bar. That is wider than I'm normally viewing pages at.
Cheers
Roger
Why did you have to go and change things? Just kidding, I just wanted to know how those users who say that to us felt ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe new blog looks terrific, Randy!
ReplyDeleteSpiffy, Randy! It's much easier on the eyes and pleasing to view. Job well done!
ReplyDeleteThe new look is great, Randy!
ReplyDeleteLooks great Randy!
ReplyDeleteI would move the Genealogy Links and your Archives to their own page. But thats just my personal op.
Long time reader, first time comment poster.
ReplyDeleteThe blog is much more visually appealing. I particularly enjoy the new image viewer for your posts.
Very nice Randy. Good move.
ReplyDeleteCraig
I like it too. The new style does an especially good job at separating the articles. Very classy.
ReplyDeleteWell worth the effort - it looks great. And I love that the post titles are now active links - makes it sooo much easier to link to your blog!
ReplyDeleteHooray! I think it's a great improvement over your old template. It's hard to give up width (at least it was for me) but it looks so much better and it's easier to read when it's narrower. I especially like the red you chose: it's invigorating. (Because it's so beautiful, I will want to come to your blog to read your posts instead of reading them in google reader.)
ReplyDeleteThe new site is awesome and it really cheers me up. I will have to agree with a previous commenter that now I will have to visit your blog instead of reading in Google Reader.
ReplyDeleteAls0 now all the comment options are working correctly. I always had to enter twice to get the captcha to enter correctly and thre times to requests receipt of follow up comments.
Good job.
Looks great Randy. much easier to read and a fresher look.
ReplyDeleteReally great look. Like that surname cloud - hey there's Kemp/Richmond - we must be cousins - and sure enough I've learned from your posts that we are. Way to go cousin.
ReplyDeleteTom
I love your new look! I thought I was on the wrong blog.. Just kidding. It's really great!
ReplyDeleteI'm a newbie to Geneabloggers, so I didn't see your old webpage, but your new page looks great. It's a fresh and modern look, easy on the eyes and looks perfect on my screen. Congrats on a nicely done webpage.
ReplyDelete