Site Information: February 2004 Archives

Syndicating my new mini-blog Into the Ether should be a piece of cake if you're running on a server that supports PHP. (You can do it with ASP and other scripting technologies as well, but almost all web servers support PHP, and it's the best.) There are only three things you need to do.

First, download the "rightbar.txt" file (use right-click and "Save As..."), rename it "rightbar.php", and put it on your web server in the same directory as your blog's main "index.html" file. This "rightbar.php" file contains the code that fetches and displays the XML stream for Into the Ether. Take a look, it isn't very complicated, and if you want to change the way it displays the mini-blog you shouldn't have any problems if you know a bit about programming.

Second, rename your "index.html" file to "index.php", if necessary. If you're using Movable Type, go to the "Templates" control panel and click on "Main Index". Where it says "Output File", change the name to "index.php". This is necessary because otherwise the PHP code we're going to put into the file won't be executed by your web server, and it won't work. You'll also probably have to delete your old "index.html" file so that it isn't displayed by default when people visit your site.

Third, copy and paste your main index into notepad, just as a backup in case something goes wrong. Then, before you save and rebuild, decide where you're going to want Into the Ether to be displayed. The easiest location is probably in one of your sidebars, so let's use that as an example. Locate the code for your sidebars in the "Main Index" box and insert the following PHP code:

<?php
include('./rightbar.php');
?>

Now save and rebuild the index and reload your site to see how it looks! If nothing comes up you may need to configure your server to recognize "index.php" as the default loading page.

If your webserver is using IIS you can use PHP EasyWindows or some other such program to handle the PHP.

If you have any problems, email me.

I've decided to create a sub-blog called Into the Ether, and the goal is simple: coerce as many excellent bloggers as I can to participate by periodically posting small tidbits of commentary.

Into the Ether is available mainly as an XML feed, and it's incredibly easy for other bloggers to syndicate the feed and mirror it on their own sites. Thus, those who participate will be able to share some of their (short) thoughts with a wider audience and participate in a distributed-concentrated conversation with a select group of their fellow bloggers.

The syndication is simple. I've created a tiny php file that parses the XML feed for my own sidebar, and with a few modifications for formatting it should be easily adaptable to any other site that wants to carry the conversation. Posters are limited to 100 words and no HTML tags (for security reasons, mainly), and a URL is attached to every author so that readers can quickly find their way to a writer's homepage. Of course, further URLs can be embedded as plain text in any post, if desired.

Contributors will be welcome to write on any subject they choose, from just about any perspective. I reserve the right to make up guidelines ex post facto, if necessary. I'll be screening every contributor to ensure the quality of the final product, but I won't be reviewing every post. (Unruly, disruptive, or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated, of course.)

If you have a desire to participate send me an email at plasticATgmailDOTcom. If you don't want to syndicate Into the Ether on your own site you don't have to (but I hope you do!).

Update:
Similar, perhaps to Elsewhere on the right side of Tech Central Station.

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who have left such insightful comments over the past few weeks. I'm constantly impressed, and there's nothing I like more than good conversation. You're always teaching me new things and giving me new perspective, even when we disagree. Some days I can hardly find time to post anything because I'm too busy reading and responding to all the comments!

If there are any further comment tools you think would be useful, please let me know. Fomenting and facilitating discussion is one of my top priorities with this site, so if there's anything I can do to make commenting easier or more enjoyable, say so.

Some people have mentioned that it's hard to follow conversations on my site over time because blog posts are continually pushed aside. So here's a new tool to keep track of the discussions you're interested in: Recently Active Threads.

I'll put a link on the left sidebar. Don't forget there are also listings of the Most Recent Comments and the Most Commented-On Posts.