New MyBlogLog Widget: Ugly, Clunky
MyBlogLog is a relatively popular service among the blogging community and it’s always been a simple service. If you don’t already know, MyBlogLog is a social networking site for bloggers to communicate and a way to promote their blogs. Whenever a MyBlogLog user visits a blog with a MyBlogLog widget, the visitor leaves a picture behind (in hopes to bring users to their blog). The old widget was very customizable and would fit with almost any blog, but the new widget is the exact opposite.
The new widget seems to go against the MyBlogLog theme. It’s not only ugly, it’s clunky. The rollover profiles are obtrusive and annoying; completely opposite from the original single linked text. What makes this widget even worse is that there is no option to use the old widget, so keep the widget code in a safe place.
The reason for this new look? In early 2007, Yahoo purchased MyBlogLog and is now giving it a new look, for better or worse. If Yahoo hadn’t purchased MyBlogLog, the widget probably would have kept with it’s simple style. Too bad money trumps user wants.
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:02 am
Sorry you don’t like the new blog – oh well, different strokes. . .
If the flyouts annoy, you can disable them on the configuration page by selecting “none” on the Flyout orientation dropdown.
Also, the old widget is still there for those that want to customize the CSS. Look for the link in the red box on the top of the widget configuration page.
FYI, we’ll be adding instructions in the near future on how you can customize this new widget too.
Ian
Product Manager, MyBlogLog
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I also don’t like it and haven’t yet chosen to use it on my blog. Not one of the colour choices would look right on my blog and as you say – ugly and clunky.
Lets hope it becomes more customizable very soon!
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I don’t think this would be a problem if MyBlogLog still offered the old style widget. I think they will lose users because of this design blunder.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I like it!
September 8th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
The old widget code is there via a link to “Looking for the old-school Recent Reader widget? Find it here.” up at the top of the page behind your blog community’s link for “widgets”
http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/r3fresh/widgets/readers/v2/
Ian
September 8th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
@Ian Kennedy
Yeah, this post is a little old and at the time they didn’t have the option to choose the old one.
Thanks!