UMW Blogs http://umwblogs.org A publishing platform for the academic community of UMW Mon, 05 May 2008 12:52:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en 10 Ways to Use UMW Blogs http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/05/05/10-ways-to-use-umw-blogs/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/05/05/10-ways-to-use-umw-blogs/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 12:52:08 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/05/05/10-ways-to-use-umw-blogs/ We recently put up some support material outlining the numerous ways faculty, students, and staff are using UMW Blogs. Take a look at some of the unexpected and innovative ways the UMW community is using this publishing platform here.


Image of 10 ways to use UMW Blogs wiki page

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/05/05/10-ways-to-use-umw-blogs/feed/ Embedding Flickr slideshows on UMW Blogs http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/embedding-flickr-slideshows-on-umw-blogs/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/embedding-flickr-slideshows-on-umw-blogs/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:48:48 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/embedding-flickr-slideshows-on-umw-blogs/ Did you know you can embed a Flickr Slideshow on your UMW Blog? Below is an example, along with a quick how-to:

It is a three step process assuming you already have a set on Flickr you want to embed.

1) Copy the full URL of the photo set on Flickr and then paste it into the flickrSLiDR application found here. After that, click on the create SlideShow button and copy the code generated (which will be an iframe).

2) Then go to your UMW Blog and activate the Google Maps plugin which will allow embedding iframes on your blog.

3) Finally, create a new post, and paste the code generated by flickrSLiDR into the Code tab of the text editor (not the Visual tab) and your slideshow should appear magically ;)

Enjoy!

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/embedding-flickr-slideshows-on-umw-blogs/feed/ 2 More Themes http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/2-more-themes/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/2-more-themes/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:41:19 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/2-more-themes/ Andy Rush keeps the themed hits coming, in addition to the 7 New Themes for UMW Blogs we just released for UMW Blogs, there are two more new themes you can demo below. And while these themes are certainly attractive, as of yet do not have the option for a customized header image. Rest assured, however, that we are currently working on that feature, for nothing says “great theme” more than putting your own image in the header.

Economics

Click on image above to view live demo.

Collaboration

Click on image above to view live demo.

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/30/2-more-themes/feed/ 7 New Themes for UMW Blogs http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/seven-new-themes/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/seven-new-themes/#comments Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:46:48 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/seven-new-themes/ Thanks to the hard work of the ever industrious Andy Rush, UMW Blogs has tested and released seven new, very attractive themes designed by the inimitable Sadish.

Many of these themes offer a more traditional “website” feel, which may come in handy if you are thinking of your UMW Blogs space as a site, portfolio, public resource, etc. Another huge bonus is that they all have the ability to load a customized header image, which really allows you to make the site your own. So, without further adieu, here they are…

Beachland

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

BlueSky

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

CityScape

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

iLoveMusic

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

MotherNature

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

SeaShore


Click on the image to see the theme in action.

TechLand

Click on the image to see the theme in action.

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/seven-new-themes/feed/ GRavatars are now available http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/gravatars-are-now-available/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/gravatars-are-now-available/#comments Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:11:28 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/gravatars-are-now-available/ We will be rolling out a number of additional themes and plugins over the next few weeks, so the News blog will be picking up some steam. But until then, we added one quick feature that may help some of you who already have a Gravatar account, or who can’t get the existing avatars in UMW Blogs to work correctly.

Using GRavatar is a two step process:

1) Go and sign up for a GRavatar at their website here, and associate an image with the e-mail you are using on UMW Blogs.

2) Go into the Presentation –> GRavatar subtab and check the enble GRavatars on your blog and update these new options.

Just like everything else with UMW Blogs, eeeeeeeeeasy!

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/03/28/gravatars-are-now-available/feed/ Video Tutorials http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/01/17/video-tutorials/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/01/17/video-tutorials/#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:27:22 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/01/17/video-tutorials/ For a larger version click here. How to change your password For a larger version click here. How to use the Flickr Albums Plugin [kml_flashembed [...]]]> Check out the following two three four video tutorials by Andy Rush dealing with the finer elements of UMW Blogs.

Creating a UMW Blog

For a larger version click here.

How to change your password

For a larger version click here.

How to use the Flickr Albums Plugin

For a larger version click here.

Installing the Spam Karma Plugin

For a larger version click here.

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2008/01/17/video-tutorials/feed/ Upgraded to WPMu 1.3 http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/12/29/upgraded-to-wpmu-13/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/12/29/upgraded-to-wpmu-13/#comments Sat, 29 Dec 2007 11:59:04 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/12/29/upgraded-to-wpmu-13/ UMW Blogs has been upgraded to WordPress Multi-User version 1.3.  Everything seems to be running smoothly, but if you have any problems please contact using the contact form here.

Now to experiment with tagging!

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/12/29/upgraded-to-wpmu-13/feed/ Are your blog posts easy to edit? http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/11/02/are-your-blog-posts-easy-to-edit/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/11/02/are-your-blog-posts-easy-to-edit/#comments Sat, 03 Nov 2007 00:48:03 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/11/02/are-your-blog-posts-easy-to-edit/ Can you see a user-friendly text editor when writing your posts like the one pictured below?

If, for some reason, you don’t see a visual text editor then you have to enable this option in the Users tab in the My Profile section.

In the top-left hand corner of the My Profile page there is a check box that says “Use the visual text editor when writing.” Once you check this box editing your blog will prove much easier.

If this does not work, another potential cause of the problem is that you are using the MAC internet browser Safari. Try another browser (we recommend Firefox) and see if the problem persists. If you are still having problems, contact us.

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/11/02/are-your-blog-posts-easy-to-edit/feed/ Anyone can feature a UMW Blog! http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/10/04/anyone-can-feature-a-umw-blog/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/10/04/anyone-can-feature-a-umw-blog/#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:03:43 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/10/04/anyone-can-feature-a-umw-blog/ The featured blog which feeds out to the UMW Blogs homepage is a way to highlight some of the great work going on here. The only bad part about it is that I, the mad Reverend, have been doing all the featuring. And while I have impeccable taste and an eye for the spectacular, I also realize that there may be a few blogs out there I just have been able to read. So why not open this up to the community at large.

Starting now anyone can feature a blog post by signing up to be an author on the featured blog. This is quite easy, just go here and enter your e-mail in the field on the sidebar that says “feature a blog”. To become an author you have to already have a blog or username on UMW Blogs, which you can get here. Once you’ve added your username, just sign-on to the site here.

Here are a couple of guidelines we would ask you abide by:

  • The blog or post you are featuring must be within the UMW Blogs community, no outside posts please.
  • The description in your post should be relatively short and should also include a link back to the blog/post you are featuring.
  • TimetampPlease be sure not to over post! Try and be sensitive to the fact that when someone features a blog you should give that featured blog a bit of time to get some exposure, please time stamp your post at least 24 hours after the previous post that was featured. (the time stamp can be found in the right-hand column of the page when writing a post. An image of it can be seen to the left.

That said, go to it, have fun, and feature blogs all you blog ninjas.

]]> http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/10/04/anyone-can-feature-a-umw-blog/feed/ More privacy options than ever before http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/09/20/more-privacy-options-than-ever-before/ http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/09/20/more-privacy-options-than-ever-before/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:15:47 +0000 Reverend http://umwblogs.org/blog/2007/09/20/more-privacy-options-than-ever-before/ Thought it might be important to note that UMW Blogs has recently been upgraded to provide individual blogs with more privacy than ever. As always, you control and manage these settings in the administrative backend of your blog. Below is a quick overview of the new settings for accessing and changing these settings on your own.

If you go to the Options tab in the backend of your blog, you will see the following options for privacy:

Blog visibility

You can now choose from the above listed options. So while you could always protect your blog from Google searches, now you can also choose whether or not to let anyone from outside the WPMu community see your site. Prevent anyone from viewing the site who is not a registered user on your blog. Additionally, you can limit access to only yourself and the overall UMW Blogs uber-administrators.

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