Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 12:11 AM CST

For discussion...

MacJams started as a site where home recording artists could share their Mac creations; the impetus behind it, I suspect, was the arrival of GarageBand.

Though this is still the reason we all come here, I reckon it has become more than that now. We've all found artists who we are truly fans of, and friends with.

Perhaps the time has come to make our homepages more than they currently are.

I for one loved scrolling through the "MacJams Photo Album" thread and putting faces to all the names that have become so familiar to me. I also love reading threads, like the current “Song Writing” thread, to get an idea about how people go about their creations.

I’m not suggesting for a moment there can be a substitute for the great discussions that take place here.

What I was thinking of was incorporating a few new features into the homepages. I was thinking of two things, specifically: a small photo album, and a blog-like-facility, for people to write about what’s coming, what they’re working on, etc.

There are artists at this site whose homepages I would regularly check for such additions.

I’m often prompted at various sites, and things I’m signing up for online, to nominate my website/homepage. I always think about putting my MacJams page (I don’t have any other website), but to outsiders, at first glance it’s basically a list of songs.

What do you reckon?

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 12:20 AM CST

The MJ home pages are pretty strong. You don't have to screw around with BB code to add pictures and links to other things on them; real HTML will work. Check out Alimar's page for an example. I had mine pretty heavily built-up too but I went the other direction and focused on my actual home page on my Web site rather that developing a bunch of them. My MJ home page links to that if anyone wants to find out what I'm doing, etc. And that's what's cool about MJ home pages: you can do pretty much whatever you want with them.

The biggest inhibitor to developing the MJ home page is that you need to have a personal server from which you can load resources such as pictures, movies, sounds, etc. Is your comment directed toward finding some way to facilitate that as in perhaps MJ could provide some storage space for those kinds of resources for those who do not have personal Web servers?

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 03:37 AM CST

Yep. I was thinking limited sized pics and blog/journal entries wouldn't take up much room compared to the song files.

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 03:56 AM CST

What about an easy way to add syndication from an outside blog? I'm sure even Blogger and those kinds of outside things (many of which are free!) offer RSS feeds... That would be easier for admins to put in place than adding a blogging feature specific to MJ at least.

But an expanded photo gallery would be great for sure!

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 05:11 AM CST

Quote by: Nolan Yep. I was thinking limited sized pics and blog/journal entries wouldn't take up much room compared to the song files.

That's sounding quite a bit like myspace. It's getting blamed for everything from sex crimes to invention of the common cold. All of that is almost certainly being blown way out of proportion as it seems to be a fairly good place for kids to play but do you really want MJ to look like that?

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 08:51 AM CST

I dont want Profilepages that look like Christmas threes!!

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 09:48 AM CST

I'm fairly satisfied with out artists pages as they are. I think they have enough flexibility to do what they need to do. I don't have an actual "webpage" but use different sites for different things, like Myspace, Blogger, etc. I don't think those features would necessarily go well with the MacJams mission, however.

One thing I do wish we had, and I've seen this mentioned before. is a comments section connected with our main artists page. I guess kind of like a "guestbook," but where you could have just general comments pertaining to an artist and their music as a whole, in addition to having the song by song comments.

I think this would be a great additional feedback tool and also a great way to learn more about an artist and their work beyond the artist page profile.

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 10:50 AM CST

these are some good ideas, though may be more then what mj is designed for as stated. the photo album seems like a pretty good idea to me, the blog may be too much. but, fans often like to go and see pictures of the artists. also, i like the general comment page. that's a pretty good idea. maybe make this one open to guests as well? and have the ability to delete comments that are rude? so its as stated more like a guest book? a place for the fans sort of?

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 11:34 AM CST

Quote by: screamalexz these are some good ideas, though may be more then what mj is designed for as stated. the photo album seems like a pretty good idea to me, the blog may be too much. but, fans often like to go and see pictures of the artists. also, i like the general comment page. that's a pretty good idea. maybe make this one open to guests as well? and have the ability to delete comments that are rude? so its as stated more like a guest book? a place for the fans sort of?

Setting up a blog for your artist page is easy and it's free. Go to Blogger and set yourself up a blog. It's an easy thing to do and it's pretty simple to use. After you do that, put the link to it on your artist page. If anyone needs any tips on HTML that will do that, let me know.

As to pictures, we'll have to wait for the Admins to chime in on that piece.

(You may want to consider other blog types such as WordPress, etc. MySpace isn't really a blog; it's more of a circus ... kind of like a blogger pinball machine or something. But, who knows, you may like it. Take a look and then link to it from your artist page.)

Re:Homepages
Thursday, March 09 2006 @ 01:10 PM CST

Quote by: alanfraser Quote by: screamalexz these are some good ideas, though may be more then what mj is designed for as stated. the photo album seems like a pretty good idea to me, the blog may be too much. but, fans often like to go and see pictures of the artists. also, i like the general comment page. that's a pretty good idea. maybe make this one open to guests as well? and have the ability to delete comments that are rude? so its as stated more like a guest book? a place for the fans sort of? Setting up a blog for your artist page is easy and it's free. Go to Blogger and set yourself up a blog. It's an easy thing to do and it's pretty simple to use. After you do that, put the link to it on your artist page. If anyone needs any tips on HTML that will do that, let me know. As to pictures, we'll have to wait for the Admins to chime in on that piece. (You may want to consider other blog types such as WordPress, etc. MySpace isn't really a blog; it's more of a circus ... kind of like a blogger pinball machine or something. But, who knows, you may like it. Take a look and then link to it from your artist page.)

yes that would be a good idea, im attempting not to use my blog on myspace really much anymore for reasons, i have a deadjournal i never use lol. its nice of you to offer help if someone wants to add there blog onto there page. im currently in internet&html learning to do all that stuff. once i have my music video made that i get to do next assignment ill find a way to post it online