Now that the new blog is up and running, and mostly bug free (you never really know for sure until you turn it live no matter how much testing you do), I’m getting all reflective and stuff about blogging.
I don’t regret starting with Blogger. In fact, if not for Blogger I probably would not have started blogging. It was so simple to start and use that even I could do it; I don’t think I could have handled anything more from a technological perspective. And it was free, yet allowed me to post ads.
Free is good when you are not sure what you are doing or where you are going. Whatever problems Blogger had or has, it’s a great place to start.
I think it’s also important not to invest in a new website until you have a significant amount of blogging experience. I considered a move away from Blogger a year ago, and I’m glad I didn’t do it then. The good, the bad and the ugly of blogging helps one focus on what exactly one is trying to accomplish. (Notice I used the term “one” rather than “you”? I think he would be proud of my proper usage.)
It’s also important to know your limitations and to get professional help when you bump up against those limitations. For this conversion I used Ed Burns at blogrescue.com. Blogger is a funny thing, and I suspect that there will be a continuing need to clean up the remnants. I know that others who have tried to do it on their own have had to abandon their prior archives to Blogger.
The other thing that amazes me is the conservative blogosphere, and how supportive successful bloggers are of newbies. Early on I was fortunate to have been helped tremendously by Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, Michelle Malkin, and Ed Morrissey and Allahpundit of HotAir (and a lot of others), with links and exposure. No matter how brilliant you think you are, if people don’t know you are out there, it’s hard to get traction.
Most successful conservative bloggers are happy to help others, and take pride in helping small bloggers get their footing. I don’t see this in the left-blogosphere, or if it’s there, it’s not as obvious.
The other surprise about blogging is how difficult it is to sustain the effort. Many other bloggers who started around the time I did have abandoned the effort. Blogger burnout, waaaah.
That’s it for now, there’s only so much reflecting I can do without professional help.
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Comments
Just one bug – clicking on your profile: William A. Jacobson, Associate Clinical Professor, Cornell Law School – doesn’t lead anywhere, screen just refreshes to the home page.
Congratulations on the successful move.
I’ve been amazed at how smooth this transition seems to have been for you, Prof. This ‘Ed Burns’ guy must be one heck of a tech magician?
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Oh, oh? Wasn’t there a ‘Preview’ function here yesterday? I’m logged in but as I type this I’m not seeing ‘Preview’? Hmmmmm?
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With that type? If ‘we’ happen to notice something seems to amiss, who do we alert? And no, that would not be Ghostbusters!
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you can report any bugs in comments — I see them all — or emal me at …. “contact -at- legalinsurrection -dot- com” (you can do the email conversion)
I love the new site, and the new ‘log-in’ process…while I do have a ‘Google ID’ (because of school), I have deep reservations against giving them any more information about myself than necessary.
This is far better forum for you, and for us, who are concerned with the law, and politics (interlinked, for good or ill).
Congrats on stepping up in blogosphere.
…you can report any bugs in comments — I see them all…
Understood. Thanks.
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Regarding the ‘Preview’ comment. That wasn’t a complaint. In actuality even with the ‘Preview’ functionality my proofreading skills suck anyway! ;-(
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In times of reflection and stuff, who could ever forget the Korean lady at the end of this TV ad winning the Jeopardy! Grand Lifetime Prize with her answer to the clue “Blogger-Professor William Jacobson.”
,Dear Professor.
Congratulation on the move, sort of like the first time without training wheels. Love this place, now have to update all my bookmarks.
John
Do you have Iphone app? Mobile site?
I can’t find any contact information. I only ask because I sent an email last Friday and am not sure if I sent it to the right account or not.
not sure, things have been hectic, the e-mail is “contact -at- legalinsurrection -dot- com”
Congratulations on the move. I’ll have to agree with Smitty at TOM, your blog makes one want to go to law school. This is one of the sites I go to to check up all things, legal and bumper sticker wise. Between yourself, professors Volokh, Reynolds and Althouse, I know that I’ll get the correct take on things.
If I ever am elected President, I have just named my legal team and the leadership at the DOJ.
Keep up the good work. I’ve been running my own blog for a while on WordPress, The Rio Norte Line, and have been guest posting at PoliPundit – it is a challenge…
Early on, I followed a link from Michelle Malkin. You quickly became my favorite political blogger. I’m really glad you’ve stuck with it. Your hard work is appreciated.
OK – good — that’s where I sent it. I assumed, considering how busy you must be with the switch-over, that it was just sitting in a pile somewhere.
Please send it again.
Professor – two comments
1 – your site now loads much more quickly on my ‘old’ machine *__*
2 – I sense that Conservatives are mulling over that rhetorical Q you posed several months ago now … “Is it time for a knock-down, drag-out fight with the Left?”
Watching Gov Palin’s activities and listening to her statements, reading the whining, spiteful article about Gov Palin by Keller at the NYT, listening to Rick Perry speak in N.O. yesterday about it being time to stop apologising to the Left and seeing the response to that, watching Andrew Breitbart activities and listening to his insights ….. I think the stage is being set.
If the American Identity is to survive, and her Restoration is to take place, this fight must be had. It must be led by someone who really understands the power of the New Media and how to engage The Culture, (not just how to engage in the political realm) …….. a proven, fearless leader with great charisma and with a record of perseverance in the face of gale-force headwinds ….. America must have “The Undefeated”.
Hmm… Ed’s got an interesting article on “porting a large blog from blogger to wordpress.com”. http://blogrescue.com/2011/04/wordpress-import-dealing-with-large-files/
Congratulations on the move, Prof. I read you every day (sometimes more than once a day). I appreciate your following things that are important, but I don’t have time to look up myself (Wisconsin, for instance – I sent Prosser a small donation because you gave the link).
I don’t know if you all (you, Glenn, etc.) realize how important you are to those of us hungry for news (and comment) that’s not the far-left, cover-for-Obamao, MSM blather. You’re a breath of sanity in a world gone insane.
Plus, I can comment at last! (That part I’m sure you’ll regret. ;-p ) I never could get logged in to comment on the old blog, but since you signed up with WordPress, it took me only 2 days to finally get here (apparently they don’t like my hotmail account).
Keep up the good work, please.
I was stressing out believing that the “in a few minutes” site was going to eventually be the permanent new site. I finally figured it out and here I am. And you thought you shook me off! Nay nay!
Anyway, great new look and I’ll bet you’re having a good time playing with all of the new functions and features.
Congratulations on the great-looking new site, Professor! Thanks for all you continue to do.
Any thoughts re the article at the following link? http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/06/the_muslim_brotherhood_and_weiner.html
“The other surprise about blogging is how difficult it is to sustain the effort. Many other bloggers who started around the time I did have abandoned the effort.”
Some of us gave up because we just aren’t good enough.
I also have to be careful because of what I do for a living. Unsupervised blogging is a grey area for us licensed investment advisors. It seems that just about anything can be shoehorned into the “advertising” definition and get me into trouble with regulators.
Well said, Prof. Jacobson:
http://lgstarr.blogspot.com/2011/06/well-said-prof-jacobson.html
Congrats on the new site! It looks wonderful. I look forward to visiting often during the next year; 2012 is going to be a busy time for punditry. Congrats, too, on the mention by Rush Limbaugh. Finally, Happy Father’s Day!
Blog looks nice. Comments are spry. Good luck.
Good news about the move, as I greatly enjoy your blog, but Blogspot is officially blocked here in China. Even better news for you, you’ve now added over a billion potential readers. Now, if you can get every Chinese to click just once a year…
Congrats on the new site Bill. It looks great and I’m sure will lead to even better things for you. Well deserved things.
Blog looks nice Professor! Keep up the good work!
The new site is very easy to maneuver, Professor. Nice job and good luck!!!!!
Love the new digs!! The other side is stunning! The logo is a bit different…… I prefer the old one, IMHO; and, I guess those mugs I see in the cafepress ad will need to be re-done…. 😉 Oh, well. Small price to pay for such a cozy new home. As with all new homes, it will take time and tweaking to make it “just right.”
Bravo!! Wonderful job!!!
I didn’t know what I was missing until I moved from Blogger to WP, Congradulations the transistion seems to have gone smoothly
Prof,
Just as long as the “reflective” doesn’t mean tin foil, hey – count me in.
Congrats and millions of hits!
-R
[…] your bookmarks and feeds.And now, links.William Jacobson finally fled the confines of Blogger and launched a lovely-looking new site. Do check it out and change all your bookmarks and RSS feeds.What would Kurt Schlichter sound like […]
I have a local blog which I started on Blogger. Last month a nephew in law transferred me to Word Press with absolutely no problems whatsoever. I have been blogging for two years so had a pretty good archive but have not had a lot of comments so that was not an issue. I mainly moved because I wanted my own domain name(s). I have found WP to be a little harder on some things such as no highlighting, but we think we have found a work around for that. I find that using Chrome makes a cleaner look for the blog because of the shadow theme we are using.