Hello.

This is the fifth installment in my series on the AJAXTagger's failures. A major issue is its lack of intuitiveness. Users couldn't understand its purpose or how to use it without a demo. While it significantly reduced my tagging time, the next version needs improvements. I'm looking for feedback on how to make it more user-friendly, including better visual cues, a clearer UI, and improved documentation. Email me or comment with your suggestions! Read More

This is the sixth part of my series on the failures of my first AJAX application, AJAXTagger. While I initially hoped it would be useful for everyone, it mainly ended up benefiting just me by simplifying the tagging process for my blog posts. Although it didn't meet my initial grand expectations, it was a valuable learning experience. The next version will prioritize my needs but also consider features that could benefit other users, ultimately adding value for my readers. Read More

This is the seventh post in my series about the failures of my first AJAX application. My biggest failure? No one used it! I had these grand visions of tons of users, but it turned out I was the only one. So, I'm changing my strategy. I've started this blog to centralize all information about the AJAXTagger. My next step is promotion! I need users to try it, break it, and give me feedback. Email me or leave a comment with your suggestions! Read More

I'm launching a second blog dedicated to my AJAX Tagging HTML application, which you can find here: http://www.kinlan.co.uk/AjaxExperiments/AjaxTag Read More

I was listening to a BBC Radio 4 program about blogging, and a guest pointed out that US/European bloggers link to others more than UK bloggers. Inspired by this, I'm going to upload an OPML file so people can see the feeds I read. I'm starting to understand OPML's use in RSS feeds and online journals, planning to categorize my feeds. I'm also thinking of adding a section to my site for linking to interesting articles I find in those feeds, with my own comments. Read More

In this part of my series on my first AJAX application, I discuss how my initial hopes for AJAX as a solution to bandwidth and UI problems, and for speed improvements, weren't fully realized. The first version, which incorporated Technorati stats and Yahoo's TermExtraction API, was slow due to sequential queries and Technorati's performance. I removed these features because I wanted a fully rendered page, which negated AJAX benefits. The next version will be fully asynchronous, with a request manager for trickle filling and background processing. Check out my AJAX Technorati Tagger to see what I'm aiming for. Read More

I'm having a hard time finding content on my own website, so I'm looking for a good site search engine. I'm considering Google Site Search for potential ad revenue but don't think that is important. Any recommendations for good, free site search software? Email me at paul.kinlan@gmail.com or leave a comment if you have suggestions. Read More

This blog post, the third in a series about my first AJAX application, focuses on the disastrous visual design. While the functionality is there, the UI is frankly terrible. I've realized my design skills are lacking, and though I have a vision, I struggle to bring it to life visually. The problem is that the application's logic is tightly coupled to the UI. Moving forward, I need to decouple these components. The next version will have a UI-agnostic data structure that the UI can interrogate. This separation will allow me to work on the AJAX framework, business logic, and UI independently. Read More

In part two of this series on the failures of my first AJAX application, I discuss how my initial plan to reduce bandwidth by having the client directly access third-party web services didn't work out. Due to cross-domain scripting issues in Firefox and IE 6/7, I had to implement proxy scripts on my server. This means all client requests now go through my server, increasing my bandwidth demands. While using a proxy server offers benefits like hiding security information (like Technorati developer tokens) and enabling data manipulation/request merging, it comes with the major downside of increased bandwidth usage and the need to create/maintain proxy scripts. I hope to support cross-domain data sources in the next version to mitigate these issues but acknowledge there might still be scenarios where proxy scripts are necessary. Read More

My Technorati ranking has finally improved thanks to an incoming link from another blogger! Feeling grateful and a little guilty after past criticism of the service. Read More

While spell-checking my latest blog post, Blogger suggested "Degenerate" as a correction for "Technorati." I found this amusing, given the generally poor quality of Blogger's spell-check. It doesn't even recognize words like "blog" or British English spellings. At least it keeps things interesting! Read More

I checked my website logs using AWStats and noticed a few searches from Google and MSN, but none from Yahoo. One search caught my attention: "does blogging make money." I tried searching this phrase on both Google and MSN but couldn't find my blog post within the first 15 pages of results. If the person who searched for this and found my blog is reading this, I'd love to know how they found me! And to answer the question, no, blogging doesn't make me money (yet!). Read More

I'm continuing my rant about Technorati. While my posts eventually get indexed, I agree with Zoli Erdos's point about their terrible communication. Technorati desperately needs better customer support, including a FAQ or knowledge base. Emailing the CEO shouldn't be the only way to get a response. While I appreciate Technorati's free service and API, the lack of support is a major problem. Read More

I encountered an issue where my FeedBurner RSS feed wasn't displaying any article content. I've implemented a fix, and you should now be able to access the feed through the FeedBurner icon at the top left of the title. Alternatively, you can subscribe to the ATOM feed at http://www.kinlan.co.uk/atom.xml. Read More

Start.com's AJAX web portal, which displays web feeds in an HTML interface, has been promoted to the main site. However, a persistent issue remains: the inability to cancel the close event on RSS feed panels, a problem previously highlighted and still unresolved. Read More

In this follow-up post, I want to clarify the issue I had with Technorati. While some of the search results I was looking for are now appearing, my main concern remains the lack of communication from Technorati Support. A simple email explaining the situation, such as a blacklisting, a temporary problem, or an indexing issue due to site downtime, would have been sufficient. Despite this, I still appreciate Technorati. Read More

Technorati is experiencing performance issues and support backlogs, impacting users like myself. Despite sending a support request weeks ago, I haven't received a response. While I appreciate Technorati's free service and its positive impact on my blog's readership, they need to address these support issues. I'll continue using the platform regardless. Read More

This post introduces my uncle's recumbent bicycle business. Recumbent cycles offer a unique riding experience with a reclined seating position. My uncle, Andrew Kinlan, is passionate about recumbents and has chosen to partner with Rainbow, a Dutch manufacturer known for quality. He aims to provide a wide selection of recumbent cycles for people to try and buy in England. Visit his website at http://rainbow-recumbents.co.uk to learn more and contact him for test rides. Read More

I uninstalled Google Desktop Search Beta 2 because it was slowing down my computer. I kept the search index, though, just in case I decide to reinstall it later. My computer's speed is back to normal now. Read More

This post discusses the shortcomings of my first AJAX application. While it successfully implemented Technorati tags, it failed to provide related search functionality, which I believe is crucial for offering readers valuable external resources and further learning opportunities. I aim to address this in the next version by incorporating related searches via Yahoo's API and relevant quick links, enhancing the overall user experience and educational value of my blog. Read More