Smart Disorganized

What do people think about the Grazr widget along the side here? I introduced it using an OPML outline of my online life to explore the evolving OPML ecology.

But that’s turned out be pretty inflexible compared to the gutter-tools that blogger is starting to offer. The OPML went out of date, (although I like the collapsible aspect). And the fact that the widget takes up a lot of room even when showing only the highest level, makes it kind of clunky.

So maybe I’ll remove and replace by blogger list. Or should I give Grazr another chance?

Update : Cool! Mike from Grazr solved one of my issues. Read comments. Grazr stays for the moment.

Update 2: And I refreshed my OPML file too.

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3 responses to “”

  1. mikepk Avatar
    mikepk

    Hi Phil,

    Here are a couple of solutions to your issues. First, you can use the argument ‘exp=1’ in the embed code and it will automatically expand the first node on loading (so you get more of the outline).

    This link will take you to the config page to generate embed code for your widget with that option.

    http://grazr.com/config?exp=1&theme=milk_white&view=o&file=http://www.nooranch.com/synaesmedia/blogrolls/synaesmediaBlogroll.opml

    You can also add additional ‘exp’ arguments if you want more of the outline expanded. exp=1.4,1.6 (node 1, followed by child 4, and node 1 followed by child 6) will expand all of the folders.

    For the stale blogroll issue, there are several ways to use live OPML exports from services like newsgator and bloglines to keep your subscription lists in sync with your blogroll / grazr widget. Send me an e-mail if you want details on how to do this.

    Regards,
    Mike Kowalchik – CTO Grazr

  2. phil jones Avatar
    phil jones

    hi Mike,

    with a fast response like that, you win a reprieve 🙂 Thanks.

    The exp option should certainly help with one of my big issues.

    As to the “stale” OPML issue, that’s obviously my fault. But FTPing the file from my machine to my site is often inconvenient.

    You know what I’d *really* like to see? An *online* OPML editor. I’d like to use OPML more (especially as I have a whole programming language based on it!) but I live so much in the browser, that the Blogger alternative comes more easily to hand even though it’s less flexible long-term.

  3. mikepk Avatar
    mikepk

    Phil,

    Ironically, we have exactly what you asked for, an online OPML editor. If you create an account on Grazr.com you can use it to host OPML files (we call them reading lists) as well as edit them. Most people think of Grazr as our publishing widget, but we have a whole suite of feed processing and opml editing tools.

    The editor is fully drag and drop with wizards to add feeds, social networking sites, and other content. There are some tutorial videos on the site that touch on using the editor. I can give you more pointers on how to use the editor as well if you’re interested, it has some neat features that are tough to describe in a comment.

    -Mike

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