ncblogs's blog

Due to the load on the site currently, as a result of hundreds of blogs cross-referenced to a half dozen categories and the database activity this entails, we'll be temporarily disabling blog categorization. This should relieve the stress on the server and allow the site to load more quickly, and we hope to re-enable this feature as soon as feasible. Thanks for your patience and support!

We're working on resolving a database issue that will require a few hours to a few days of offline time. Apologies for the inconvenience!

If you use Blogspot as the host for your blog, you may notice occassional errors, such as your feeds linking to only one post at NCBlogs, or containing odd words such as "false" in the middle of the entry. This is as a result of a change to their links it appears making the link many people registered with different from the new blogger rss feed.

If your blog's syndication feed (RSS/Atom etc) has recently changed, please send us a note to let us know and we can update your entry.

We're adding categories to the blogs listed here at NCBlogs.

Currently, due to the sheer number of blogs and bloggers in North Carolina, the list has become so long that it's difficult for individual bloggers to find their desired audience. In an attempt to address this, bloggers can now choose to list their feed in a specific category

For now, only one category may be selected at a time. Your regional placement remains in effect, and you can select a subject category additionally should you wish to. If your blog has already been placed in a category and you wish to change it, please request the change here.

Currently (early November) there is an error in what appears to be all feeds from Blogger blogs. The word "false" is contained in the feed as a part of a hidden portion of the formatting, however for some reason it is not being hidden and is therefore appearing as the last word in all posts.

I believe this is an error related to Blogger changes that are occuring, since it has not been happening for a long time and is fairly new.

We'll be checking into possible solutions, but in the meantime, please be aware this is not intentional, it's coming from the original blog feed. If you have a blogger blog, you can double check it by going to the web address of your feed and selecting "view source" in your browser.

The Events Calendar is now up and available for users. Registered users can now create events for activities in their area, which will be viewable on the calendar for all users of the site.

Registration is required for access control to this feature to prevent automated/spammed event creation.

Once you have registered and logged in, you will find your user panel at the right side of the screen. Select "create content" -> "event". Enter the information and select the category of the item in the appropriate region.

NCBlogs is finishing up the transition to a new look with some new features.

On the left, you'll find a set of 'recent headlines' from bloggers in each region -- to see more, click on the more button in the box to see the regional items only.

Below this is the familiar list of NCBlogs -- it's a big list right now, and we're working on ways to organize this a little better. Next to each blog name is a link to their feed. If you'd like to subscribe to a blog directly, you can copy or select their feed to add them into your feed reader.

NCBlogs is currently in a state of transition. We're working on bringing the site along with some new features, revised look, and more functionality. Please bear with us as these changes occur.

EZ

Original Date 4/1/06 by Mark Tosczak

We appear to be having some problems with our aggregator. Specifically, only some blogs are having their posts displayed on our aggregator display. I'm not sure why this is, but we're working on a solution. Please bear with us.

Original Date 2/22/05 by Mark Tosczak

OK, this really isn't a trick. But it's occurred to me that perhaps folks using NCblogs.com, the aggregator Evan Zimmerman and I run, don't know about this feature. Looking at the site, I realize it might not be totally obvious at first glance. In addition to the statewide aggregator function and blogroll on the main page, you can also read aggregated posts (and see the blogroll) for each of the six individual geographic areas we've split the state into. Thus: Charlotte area Eastern North Carolina Triad Triangle Western North Carolina Hope this is helpful for some folks.

Original Date 2/7/05 by Evan Zimmerman

Please note: We have recently been made aware of clearly inappropriate content listed here under the guise of an NC blog link. It has been removed and we apologize if anyone came across it in the meantime. We check each blog as it is registered for a basic level of appropriateness based on our judgement.

Content that is clearly not by NC Bloggers, pornographic, designed to generate traffic to commercial websites alone, or otherwise objectionable will be removed without notice or other explanation at our discretion. We do not aim to censor any person or any viewpoint, but we will make judgements based on the kind of content this site is designed to promote.

Original Date 12-21-04 by Evan Zimmerman

Following up on the recent aggregator change, we're now offering region-specific pages at NCBlogs.com. Each region page contains an aggregated stream of all current blog posts for that region, as well as a link list containing only that region's blogs. *Note:* A blog that appears on the left as a part of the list _does not_ necessarily also appear in the aggregator. Only those bloggers who have asked to have their posts included will be aggregated. Some prefer only to have their site listed. The regions list at the top continues to function as an index of all of the blogs by region on one page together.

Originally dated 12/20/04 by Evan Zimmerman

We've recently resolved the technical issues involved in automatically aggregating blog posts at NCBlogs.com. When a blog was registered, if it included a "Feed" address, that blog is now posting to NCBlogs as well the blog home page whenever a post is made.

How it Works: We include only 200 characters of a post with a link back to the blog website in the aggregator. Visitors wishing to read what's written beyond the "teaser" must still go to the original site to continue reading. There is a delay between when a post is made on the blog's site, and when that post actually appears at NCBlogs. The delay varies, but it can be several hours. The posts appear in chronological order, so a post may not appear at the top necessarily every time if it was posted around the same time as someone else's, due to the delay. No blogs or posts have priority -- everything is strictly chronological.

Originally Dated 12/6/04 by Evan Zimmerman

NCBlogs.com is an aggregator of weblogs, commonly called "blogs", that are written about or whose writers reside in North Carolina. Links to N.C. bloggers' websites will appear on the front page, and for those who wish, a link to each post with a title and excerpt can appear on the main page as well. Visitors will then see a sample of what N.C. bloggers are writing about at the moment, and be able to discover new voices from the Tar Heel State.

If you're not familiar with blogs and want to know a little bit more about them, you might try Rebecca Blood's essay on the history of weblogs. If you want to start a blog of your own, Blogger is a free and easy service to begin with, but there are quite a few other options out there.

Original Date 9/28/04 by Evan Zimmerman

We've activated the "Regions":http://ncblogs.com/regions page at NC Blogs, accessible from the link in the title bar above. Each time someone registers to have their site listed and/or aggregated, we ask that they give us their geographic region as well. This allows us to offer a breakdown of where in the state bloggers are located, and allows readers to find other bloggers in their area. If you see that your site is listed, but that you are not listed on a regional level, that means we don't know for certain what part of the state you're in.

Please contact us at "ncblogs at gmail dot com" and let us know your blog's name and region, and we'll add it.

Original Date 9/8/04 by Evan Zimmerman

The "Piedmont Blogger Con":http://radio.weblogs.com/0107946/stories/2004/08/15/piedmontBloggersConference.html went off very well, by all accounts. Detailed "notes":http://greenespace.blogspot.com/2004/08/piedmont-blog-conference.html have already been posted, as have a number of "personal":http://anonymoses.blogspot.com/2004/08/legend-of-piedmont-bloggers-as-told-to.html "accounts.":http://jlthigpen.blogspot.com/2004/08/blog-conference-at-witherspoon-art_29.html Tara Sue and Ross Myers have "video.":http://www.tarasue4u.com/2004/08/29#a891

For my part, I've posted an audio recording of the entire event in 2 parts, and some photos taken during the conference. *Update: Audio was removed for bandwidth considerations. If anyone would like it but has not had a chance to download, contact me directly.*

Originally Dated 8/25/04 by Evan Zimmerman

As we gather links and tweak the aggregator, a number of sites have already noticed NCBlogs.com. "Ed Cone":http://radio.weblogs.com/0107946/ "noted":http://radio.weblogs.com/0107946/stories/2004/08/15/piedmontBloggersConference.html that we're getting started, but he's having a "bit of trouble.":http://radio.weblogs.com/0107946/2004/08/21.html We're working on that. "Greensboro is Talking":http://www.greensboroistalking.com/ was kind enough to make mention, as have "Lex Alexander,":http://home.earthlink.net/~lex.alexander/2004_08_01_archive.htm#109301454514409431 "MAMA,":http://www.manilasites.com/bigMAMA/ and "Mark Binker":http://home.earthlink.net/~beyonddeadline/ among others.

Originally Dated: 8-13-04 by Mark Tosczak

Today we're starting the beta version of this site and we've asked several North Carolina bloggers to start sending trackbacks to the site. We hope the site will become a launching point for bloggers and blog readers who want to get a sense for the amazing variety that North Carolina bloggers bring to the web. That being said, we are still in beta mode here. So let us know about any weird glitches or annoyances with the site, and we'll try to fix what we can. Also, feel free to send along questions, if you have 'em, about what this site is all about and what possessed us to start it.