Sorry about the disappearing photos. Google Blogger, the host for this blog, has no good way of showing a blog's traffic, especially because many people use blog aggregators or blog readers to access blogs. I use a little third party tool called Sitemeter to try to get an idea of who's reading this, but it too only shows direct accesses through the top page. According to that, only a tiny handful of people were reading this blog. I took its reports at face value.
I've been using a free Photobucket account to host most of the photos shown here. Photobucket allows 25gigs of data transfer a month. Somehow, in the first 6 days of October, we blew through the 25gb limit, so Photobucket suspended the free account.
I paid for the Photobucket "Pro" upgrade today, so the photos are back. But I'm still a little stunned at the data transfer amount. The largest photos stored there are already resolution-reduced to 1024x768, so each photo consumes only about 300-500kb. Racking up 25gb of data transfer in 6 days suggests there are a *lot* more readers here than I had any idea of.
I'm slightly embarrassed at that, but also somewhat humbled. It's not the first time you folks, my readers, have stuck with me through a rough spot and been generous with your time and attention.
Some of you may remember the early days of my original newsletter when there was a new problem with almost every issue as I tried to build a do-it-yourself publishing system. My favorite worst memory of that time was when a combination of my inexperience with live online publishing (we didn't call them "blogs," then) and the very rough tools of the day resulted in one newsletter going out, getting "I'm away" notices in reply from several readers, and then rebroadcasting the away messages to the full reader list. Of course, the rebroadcast messages generated a fresh crop of away messages, which were then re-re-broadcast to the full list, generating another round of away messages.... The system kept looping and was so choked with messages that it became unresponsive to external commands. It was my own personal HAL 9000 experience with the software refusing to open the pod bay doors in an emergency that was flooding my readers' mailboxes with copies of the original mail and an ever-expanding tail of away messages. Tens of thousands of bogus emails were sent.
It's funny now, but I had about 4 hours of raw cardiac-arrest panic before I was finally able to kill the system. ("Fred. I can feel my mailing list going. Fred.... Stop. Daisy... Dai..sy... give me your an..swer, do....")
So, for those of you who have stuck through it all, then and now: My heartfelt thanks.
As many of you have heard, I've begun writing again for windowssecrets.com. It's a weekly column, answering reader questions. The first two columns are in the can; the first new column will appear this Thursday.
Brian Livingston, the publisher of Windows Secrets, has decided to run my column in the "Plus" or paid section of his newsletter, but readers can pay whatever they wish for the subscription fee. There is no set minimum or maximum: You simply pay whatever you think it's worth; a kind of publishing honor system. That's a pretty remarkable approach to publishing, and it certainly lowers the barriers to getting the full, paid version of the newsletter. I don't want to and won't turn this blog into an ad, so if you're interested, let me point you to Brian's info: You can subscribe to the free version of his newsletter here: https://windowssecrets.com/info/ and to the full, "Plus" pay-whatever-you-feel-it's-worth version here: https://windowssecrets.com/contrib.php
OK, enough of that. I'll give you a quick heads-up about each new Windows Secrets column as it appears, but otherwise I'll leave this blog more or less what it's been: mostly fun and nonprofessional stuff. Some of you have written asking me to cover Windows- and computer-related questions here; if you have such questions, please ship 'em to editor@windowssecrets.com (or use the form at https://windowssecrets.com/contact/ ) and specify that the question's for me (Fred) either in the subject line or the body of the message. The staff at Windows Secrets will send me those letters.
Once again, thank you all for your patience. You folks are an amazing bunch!
Now we get the best of both worlds - this entertaining and informative blog and at least a bit of the LangaList I for one have missed.
ReplyDeleteFred,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your personal challenges. It certainly makes the sequence of events understandable.
As you have seen in other blogs, you have some very loyal readers.
You relevant and clear writing was always a pleasure to read, and my appreciation for your newsletter grew even more after switching to Brian's offering and seeing the difference in the quality of content and writing.
If you ever decided to resurrect LangaList for paid subscribers, count me in!
Count me in at triple the price, half the content, and ads in the paid format if that is what it takes to get a quality newsletter back in circulation.
All the best.
E
I agree with anonymous - that is such a common name isn't it but why parents name their children that I do not know :- )
ReplyDeleteI subscribed to Windows Secrets because you wrote there, after reading the Langa list for years. I am pleased to see you back writing, although I wish, for your sake that it were under different circumstances.
Have you tried Google Analytics to monitor your blog stats. Replacing the blogspot default feeds with Feedburner will provide you with plenty of stats too.
If you want any more info on these please contact me and I will be glad to help.
Great news that you're getting back into writing a tech column.
ReplyDeleteFor many years I was a paid subscriber to LangaList and really looked forward to each issue.
When you moved to Windows Secrets, I subscribed but found myself reading only *your* part of each issue.
I understand that having Windows Secrets' support staff takes a *huge* administrative burden off your shoulders, but I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that you'd do just as well (if not better) by returning to a scaled-down (i.e. easier to produce) version of LangaList.
One of the things that Windows Secrets was never able to capture was the ongoing *dialog* that you had with your readers. Each issue of LangaList seemed to include a response to what your readers were thinking/trying.
Hopefully you're not getting tied into another non-compete so that, once the dust settles, you might consider branching off on your own again.
I know I'd pay *more* for a LangaList subscription than a Windows Secrets subscription.
Anyway, good to have you back :-)
.../j
I don't like to post me-too messages but I agree with tim, anonymous "E", Sueblimely (is that a cool name or what?) and jch. Wholeheartedly!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised and delighted. It will be great having you back. Hope it will be as good for you as it is for us.
ReplyDeleteFred,
ReplyDeleteI for one will not be reading Windows Secrets. I have never liked the format or the style of it.
Basically I was shocked to hear you went back to it considering what they have done to http://www.langa.com/archives.htm.
I understand that everyone needs to make a living and I wish you well.
Ed
Fred,
ReplyDeleteI'm another -- I don't care for Windows Secrets, and quit receiving it.
YOUR writing, however, is another matter! I'll pay, as I have before... Just let us know when! Any schedule will do; you have a loyal following, Fred!
Dennis
Mister Fred Sir,
ReplyDeleteSimply put, we love you. I feel a little awkward saying that, but it's true. We think the world of you-and more.
You are one of the finest people I have ever known and we are delighted that you share part of your life with us.
All the best to you!
How could you doubt your loyal readership? I am sure they are many, many who paid for Langalist but gave up on windows secrets. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteIf you write it, I will read it ...
ReplyDeleteI am delighted you are back writing for "Windows Secrets", and extended my subscription immediately. But, since that is such a limited format, I hope you keep up this blog. I never know what I may learn!! Thanks, Bo Ward
We're Amazing bunch? For what? For recognizing an amazing human being? Thank you Fred. Not to downgrade the quality of your readership, YOU are the one who is Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI too miss your LangaList. And, appreciate so, so much all I learned and was able apply to the technology part of my life. What a gift you have in your clear delivery! I too am going to go back to w.s. just to read you.
Thank you again.
For most of my career in IT I've been reading you and Woody. I was sorry to hear that you'd quit, and if the announcement about your divorce is accurate, then I'm sorry to hear that you're obliged to step back into harness.
ReplyDeleteThat's tough.
But do know that your work is hugely appreciated, and in my world, your name is legendary as someone who's opinion can be trusted.
I was on the point of cancelling my WS subscription when I heard that you are coming back. I've now renewed the sub for another year! Welcome back, Fred, the place hasn't been the same without you :-)
ReplyDeleteMikeB
UK
Just got home from six weeks in China to the wonderful news that Fred is back! Yippee! Can't wait to read my backlog of Windows Secrets. Welcome back, Fred! We missed you!
ReplyDeleteGavrielle