Hi Steve,

As you know, the red X has been provided so that anyone logged on to the system can control the blogs they view. The exclusion of selected bloggers is not permanent and can be switched off using the facility in 'My Account'.

We are also well aware of the concerns many people have expressed of people posting in blocks of blogs and the false impression this might give of the site to a passing viewer(who isn't logged in).

We have been cogitating about how to tackle this issue without necessarily curtailing the number of blogs a person makes. So we are thinking about how many blogs we display in the 'Blogs' area, how we display them and how much history we hold - at the moment we hold every blog forever and that has a cost associated with it.

However, though we have an idea of what the solution might be one of the huge problems we have is reliance on volunteers to analyse the problems, prioritise them (remember this is only one amongst many), come up with solutions and then design and implement them. Which all takes the time and effort of our very scarce resources.

As you may know, we do not have any funding from anyone at the moment and so we cannot 'buy-in' any new development or enhancement to the system.

So bear with us and hopefully we'll be able to do something shortly.

i dont know if this is the appropriate thread for my comment, but i would like to ask admin to cap the amount of poems one poet can blog in a day.repetative blogging is definately affecting the style and standard of poets contributions with what seems to me being far less range in who posts.
I think most would accept a rule of one poem per day without any detremental affect to their writing.
hop eit gets sorted it no fun wading through 10/11 poems by one author and other poems being placed remaining on the first page for a very short time.
i hope it gets sorted, i think this problem is having a major impact of the quality and enjoyment of the site.
my red cross function doesnt seem to work.

Hi Rachel

Don't click the red X click the "Hide entries by..." bit beside it.

I would be sad to see all my poems deleted. I like to have an archive of what I have written and the comments - it has memories for me.
However, I can see it being an issue if you are storing hundreds of poems per month for people.
If it becomes an issue, perhaps you should consider charging for it - at least we'd have the option then.

I think, as has been suggested before, the best idea is to have your last 2-4 blogs showing in blogs - the rest just reverting to profile. That way anyone can see them if they wish and it gives people space to digest a selection of poetry.

On the matter of poem storage, surely anyone serious about keeping a record of their work would do so on their own computer. If they have a desire for their archive material to be available then a simple (free) blogsite can be opened on a different media with a link to it shown on their profile.
On the listing side of things perhaps a more simple reference to a poet having added a new piece of work would be better. This would then be stored on his/her profile for viewing, perhaps a maximum of ten pieces etc.
Multiple blogging certainly puts me off a lot of the stuff that is put up.

Like Isobel, I would be sad to have my poems deleted. I do have most of them on my computer but some on here I've tweaked a bit after comments, and for me, the whole look of the poem is important, the image I've used is part of it for me. Also, some of the comments from people mean something too. On the other hand, we mustn't feel that WOL is our god-given right, like the air we breath - that it's always going to be there just for us, laden down with all our poems. I don't understand the internet particularly, or websites, but do virtual poems take up any space and overload your system at WOL? It's not like having a groaning bookshelf full of poetry books that gets more and more laden til it falls off the wall surely? If you do take this route I hope you give planty of warning as I'd like to print off lots of poems by other people on here. Whatever you say, it is an archive of sorts. For me, it's been a big part of my every changing life, almost my diary.

Not to labour the point too much, I agree with Ann. Attached to our poems we have visual stimulation. Some of the photos can really add to the experience of the poem - plus the audio where you can actually hear the voice of a poet you may never have met. I store all my poems in word - it just isn't the same though.
If storage is indeed the problem, allow poets a certain number and then charge them anything over.

And if this does happen, let us choose which poems go and which stay, don't just have a time cut off. I might like to keep one from a year ago more than one from last week for instance. But I still hope you don't do it - hope we're not giving you too many ideas!

paul..i have used 'hide entries by' and listed a couple of poets but their work still shows on blogs...

Rachel
It seems that the 'hid' poets are only hid when you 'Login'
I had the same thought as you, but I noticed the poets disappeared, as required, after I had logged in.

To go back to Ann's point - I would imagine that if Admin were going to stop storing poems Ann, they would have to do it according to periods of time. The admin involved in allowing people to pick and choose would be too onerous - unless we were all deleting our own and then there would have to be checks.

Re your point, Steve, I don't think the issue has anything to do with the experience a poet has or hasn't. 'Experienced' poets are potentially capable of multiple blogging just as much as inexperienced ones. The frustration this causes often leads to people criticising that work - something which I find understandable - it is a letting off of steam. It is fair to say that writing off the cuff poetry is more likely to lead to reduced quality also.

I think that beyond encouraging inexperienced poets, it is Admin's job to administer - in a way that best suit the needs of the majority. I take your point that no-one has broken any official rules and that until rules are made, no one should be castigated.

We can all see that the site is constantly changing and improving. I am hopeful that eventually a solution will be found that suits everyone, to once and for all end the bickering over blogs. Clearly the red cross isn't sufficient. I can understand that it all costs money though and that we may have to be patient.

Rachel - you have to be logged in for the red cross to work - but it sounds like you were - so not sure why it's not working for you. It works for me - I just don't always want to be logged in...

Wow - thanks to admin for the brand spanking new solution to th'elephant

Brilliant - much improved

Red X is fine is you're logged in, but if you're just having a quick sken, then it was a pain in the arse

Muchas grassyarse

No-one ever talks about the room anymore, just the ruddy elephant.

true julian, but that is the point !