I was just wondering if Comixpedia has ever toyed with the notion of having off-site links within articles targeted to new windows (target="blah-blah-blah") the way sites like FARK do (or even the way links posted in the forum do).
It would just make things much easier for checking out the off-site articles while still being able to navigate around the Comixpedia site. I'm just sayin'.
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I agree on this, whenever I submit a newsstory from now on I'll try to remember to make any links open in a new window.
And while were on the subject of submitting news, is there any guidelines for how you do it?
So far I've just tried to imitate other newsstories. It would be helpfull if there was a guide explaining what topic to choose, if links should open in their own window, if all links should be included in the text or if related links can be put at the bottom. Also how long the article text should be before starting the extended text and how to handle quotes.
Of course there's no guarantee that anyone submitting news will read these guidelines before doing so :).
Uhhh. I don't know if it's a good idea. many people (myself included) find new opening windows extremely annoying. I find the back / forward buttons much more useful.
I can tell you right now that the majority of people have voiced that they prefer to NOT have new windows open, hence why we have chosen to stick with the current linkng protocol.
As for news submission guidelines, I think it's just a matter of common sense, really. While I don't take care of that particular section, I can tell you that main guidelines to follow could include:
-keep it simple
-keep it to the point
-links should be part of the text (we're using the web medium, so we should be taking advantage of its capabilities)
The topics will often be chosen by the news editor, but there is nothing stopping you from choosing one yourself. If the news editor agrees that it's the best choice, he'll leave it as is. Otherwise, he'll change it to what it needs to be changed to.
You can submit a detailed article if you want -- if it's not a press release, and is actual NEWS, then you can be sure that readers will appreciate all the detail (e.g., answers to the big 6: <i>who, what, when, where, how, why?</i>)
Press releases are are better when they are shorter -- readers can smell marketing a mile away, and most won't bother reading something that's just straight-out advertising spiel. If you choose to submit a press release, keep this one question in mind:
-"So what?"
When writing your press release, always ask yourself that question -- "so what?" If your press release can't answer that question, then you shouldn't be wasting the readers' time. In other words: your press release should be to the point, and should give readers reasons WHY they should care about it. Just saying that something is happening, like "so-and-so comic is now reaching its 33rd strip" is going to have all readers saying, "so what?", unless you offer a reason as to WHY that is an important announcement. Is something different happening in the plot? Are you doing something special to mark this occasion?
Essentially, will it be worth the readers' TIME to check it out?
Anywho, I could easily babble on forever about this, so I'll just cut this short right now, by saying, use your common sense.
Keep it simple and to the point, and make sure it's worth the reader's while. Otherwise, chances are that it's not going to get posted as news.
Also, FYI:
Any news submissions with target links will have the links changed to normal hyperlinks. We want to keep it consistent, folks.
Yokay, no target links
See this is why I never read the articles.
I've been too spoiled by FARK.
snrk!
I always read the articles because it's always Xerexes in the centerfold.
Could be why Fark gets so much comments participation while Comixpedia's is a little lacking. Targeted linking the article allows people to explore the external links indepth while keeping anchored in the Fark community. I find here when I visit a link I end up just not coming back until later in the day by which time I've lost any interest in posting comments about the article. Slashdot does the same think I believe.
I think the current method is better. People who prefer having links opened in new windows need just middle-click on the link, or right-click, then select "open in new tab / window". (At least, for those using a Mozilla based browser on Windows or Unix. I am insufficiently familiar with Macs to answer about them.)
If the default behavior is for new links to open in new windows, there is no easy way for the people who prefer otherwise to get that behavior.
Generally I just read the headlines of articles and stay insite until I'm ready to leave Comixpedia then if there was an off-site article that interested me I'll go back and click it if I still remember it.
In a shocking turn of events, I actually agree with Ghastly here. I'd love it if the off-site links opened in new windows. I hate having to leave the Comixpedia site just to see what the article is talking about. Although, I suppose I could just right-click and "Open in a New Window" anyway. But still.
The thing about off-site linking is that if I wanted my link opened in another window/tab, then I right click and just put the link in another window/tab, whereas if I've already got 15 windows open and don't feel like cluttering my screen more, I often find myself cursing sites that automatically open links in other windows.
I never bother with the right click crap. I just don't visit the link until I'm done on Comixpedia and then only if I feel it's really worth the time and effort to remember to visit the offsite link.