frequently asked questions

Q: When and how is si.blogs list updated?
New blogs submited through the form are included in the list as soon as I find the time. Blogs are checked every two hours. The schedule is not very strict and can change any time. So don't really count on it.

Q: How long does it take for a site to become "dead"?
A: If the blog doesn't have any posts in more than 91 days, it's declared dead. If the site and the feed are still available, it will still be checked for new posts. If they appear, the site will become "alive" again automatically. If a site is dead for a longer period of time it will not be checked for posts anymore.

Q: What does "new" after a blog name mean?
A: This is use to mark blogs that were added to si.blogs in last 14 days. After 14 days on the list the "new" mark will dissapear.

Q: What does "updated" after a blog name mean?
A: A blog is marked updated when the author changes the title, URL or feed URL. It means you should check your subscription if it matches the updated data.

Q: What's the default sort order? I would like to see alphabetical order as default!
A: I named the default order "appearance". I used to call it FFFL (first found first listed) on the old list. It means that blogs are listed in order they were added to si.blogs list. There is a feature to save your own default sort order and your own default filter. Next time you come by siblogs.com the blogs will be automatically listed in that order. This feature uses cookies so they have to be enabled in your browser. You will have to save setting in every browser and computer you use.

Q: What's with the error icon?
A: The error icon means, there was an error when the blog's feed was accessed. It basically means that the site is inaccessible or that the blog's feed is not valid. The RSS and Atom feed must be formed according to some strict rules. If they are not, the software that tries to read them will probably fail. If your feed has an error icon, check the feed URL. If it is ok, try to validate the feed using FeedValidator.org. You can contact me and I will try to help you. I'm also working on my engine to be more forgiving when it comes to non-valid feeds.

Q: How can I add my blog on the map?
A: It's quite easy. All you have to do is add location information to your blogs HTML headers and the si.blogs engine will do the rest. You can use ICBM and/or geo.position meta tag.

First, find out your position. If you have GPS, this should be a no-brainer. If you don't have a GPS, I recommend using Google Maps to locate your position:

open Google Maps (use satellite mode for Slovenia)
zoom and pan the map so that you find your location
double click on your location so that it centers on the screen, be as precise as possible
now click on the "Link to this page" link in the upper-right corner
the URL in the browser now contains a long link with your position encoded, for example:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=46.048693,14.509163&spn=0.101866,0.240704&t=k&hl=en
The numbers in bold are your position. The first one is latitude and the second one longitude
Put those numbers in ICBM and/or geo.position meta header. You can also write down the name of the location and you get something like this:

<meta name="ICBM" content="46.048693, 14.509163">
<meta name="DC.title" content="Your blog title">
<meta name="geo.position" content="46.048693;14.509163">
<meta name="geo.region" content="SI">
<meta name="geo.placename" content="Ljubljana Castle">

Now insert this bit of text in the <head></head> section of your blog template. If you are using WordPress there is a nice plug-in called Geo Plugin that saves you from digging in the HTML. I'm not aware of similar plug-ins for other blogging engines, but if you find them, let me know so I can't point them out here.
Now refresh you blog in the browser and view the source. If you see location meta tags you are done.
Siblogs engine will scan the blogs once a day and generate a map of all blogs with location information. If you want to see your self on the map faster, send me a note and I'll refresh the map manually as soon as possible.

Q: What is OPML file?
A: OPML stands for Outline Processor Markup Language. In our case it contains the complete si.blogs list and can be used to import the feeds in the aggregators. Just right click on the link, save it to a file on your computer and find an Import command in aggregator of your choice.

Q: Why is blog marked with yellow icon if the author posted only 2 days ago?
A: The color key is confusing for some visitor. If the blog has a green icon it means it was updated during last 24 hours. The yellow icon means that it wasn't updated in last day but sometime in last 7 days. So if it was udpated 2 or 3 days ago it clearly falls in the yellow category. If it was updated more than a week ago but less than a month, it is marked red. And so on... If you have any idea how to explain this better, please contact me.