Friday, September 3, 2010

Blogger Help forum is a One Way Street

"My point is Blogger Help needs to be more a wiki and a blog; and less one of those straight jacketed answer expert places where uber-geeks become points gods on other levels than us mortals, talking down to us lowly content producers."

I had a problem; my comments to my own blog wouldn't post. That's it. No other thing wasn't working in my Firefox browser. A simple question.

I asked the question in Firefox Search which got me to Blogger Help Search.

I wrote in the search box: "I can't post a comment on my own blog"



Note the almost exact same wording gets search listed #7 -- below the fold!!

Search: "I can't post a comment on my own blog"
Result:  "I can't post a comment on MY blog"

So because Blogger Help - Search is flawed, I go to the wrong page first. This adds to the confusion coming...

Next I go to the correct page where my question has already been addressed at some unknown earlier time. I'm at a page where several self important Geeks with poor language skills are telling me slightly different things. The first one, "Martins", tells me to use another browser! I'm thinking this is 'Google' Help right? They want me to abandon the google search enabled Firefox browser? This doesn't sound right.

Of coarse Martins is eliminating possible problems starting with the simplest work around first, the browser. If the other browser does the same thing Martins knows it's the PC itself that's fcuked up - and it's off to the garbage dump we go. But he doesn't explain this clearly - brevity seems to be more important than clarity.

I say, "HA!"

Now with doubts in my mind that I'm in the right place I come across the "right" answer from the mysterious black arts practitioner "DarkUFO". (B.S. - it's only mysterious if you keep it that way)


DarkUFO gives a list of checks:

  • Do you have 3rd Party Cookies enabled in Firefox?
  • Have you tried clearing your cache?
  • Have you tried another browser like Chrome to see if it's your computer or just your Firefox?

First point is the thing, but I don't trust anyone around here. Remember, I'm convinced they're all self important weirdo's amped up on superiority amphetamines.

I go with Martins suggestion first. I open my Microsoft IE for the first time, and the comment publishes; so I know the problem is in the Firefox Browser settings. I check that my 3rd party cookies are enabled in Firefox; they are not, so I enabled them and did a test post - back to normal. I can post comments on my own blog again.


* * *

Now I want to give back. I want to relate my experience for the next guy who stupidly turns off their 3rd party permissions.

So I did, the solution to the problem with out all the cat and mouse games...

The Solution in Brief:



My point is Blogger Help needs to be more a wiki and a blog; and less one of those straight jacketed answer expert places where uber-geeks become points gods on other levels than us mortals, talking down to us lowly content producers.

imho.


Blogger Help page for: "I can't post comments on MY blog"



mh

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