Marking  our one year anniversary and dedicated to all of our loyal members and readers, we are pleased to present to you, the new PlanetPOV website!

In addition to what we think you’ll find to be a crisper look, there are a number of cool, new features designed to enhance your blogging and viewing experience.

Before getting into the details, we want to let you know that we’re looking forward to all of your reactions, thoughts and suggestions on the new site. Please comment below to let us know what you think, we really want your feedback (and please let us know right away if you find any errors or bugs in the functionality of the site!).

It’s been a very successful and eventful first year for The Planet and we already have a lot in store for the upcoming year. The start of a new year also means it’s time  again for us to pay our annual operating expenses so if you’d like to help keep The Planet revolving and evolving, now would be a great time to make a donation. It’s quick and easy to do, you can use the Paypal widget in the sidebar to make a single donation or if at all possible, subscribe to The Planet on a monthly basis at whatever rate you choose.

Now, on with the details about the new and improved PlanetPOV!

On the Front Page:

  • A new clickable slider and list of Featured articles at the top of the Front Page with excerpts displayed. Clicking on the image of an article in the slider or on the title of an article in the list box will take you directly to it.
  • RSS, Twitter and Facebook icons/links are at the top of the page making connecting with The Planet in any of these ways quick and easy.
  • Bigger images for better viewing in the articles appearing on the Front Page.

On Each Article Page:

  • A byline for the Author of an article including their Gravatar, their Bio from their profile and a hyperlink on their name linking to all of their articles.
  • A “Click here to leave a comment” button just above the first comment on the page that instantly takes you to the Reply box at the bottom of the page.
  • An “Author” tag appears on all comments made by the author of that post.
  • A “Back to top” link at the bottom of every article page takes you to the top of the page to access the menu, reread the article or scroll down to any selections in the sidebar.

When Writing a Post:

  • A new and easy way to make the image you add to your Post, its Featured image (the image that appears with your article on the Front Page, formerly called the Preview image).

In the Sidebar:

  • A set of links in the sidebar titled “[Your username]’s links” which include instant navigation to your Dashboard, Log in/Log out, Add New (Post), Your Profile and Your Subscriptions (modify email notifications sent to you when new articles are posted).

UPDATE:  NEWLY ADDED FEATURE!!!

When Writing a Comment:

Members can now easily insert images in their comments. A new link at the bottom of the Reply box reads, “You can add images to your comment by clicking here.” Click it, a pop up appears for you to paste the link to your graphic, the code for the graphic is inserted into your comment and your image will appear when you publish your comment.

How To Use Author’s Byline and Featured Image:

Most of the new features at The Planet need no explanation though here are a few brief instructions on how best to use these two new features.

1. Author’s Byline

This is the new byline that appears on the articles you post. In your Dashboard, on Your Profile page, are the details of your account. There is a a section titled Biographical Info, what you type in here will appear in your byline.

You may enter whatever you wish here, your background, a description of your sensibilities, a quote/joke/motto, anything you’d like.  Please be aware, if you have nothing entered in your Biographical Info section, you will not have any byline appear on your articles, not even your Gravatar and Username (though your username will still appear at the top of your article in the standard byline). So, if you want this new Author’s Byline to appear with your articles, enter something in this section, if you don’t want this feature to appear, just leave this section blank.

2.  Add a Featured Image

It is part of our Editorial Guidelines at The Planet that all articles have a graphic at the top. If you don’t include one, we will be happy to add one for you (which you are always free to change if you’d like). However, we are an all-volunteer “army” so when you add your own image and Featured Image, you’re helping us devote time and energy to other areas.

In order to have an image appear with your post on the Front Page, you first need to upload your chosen graphic to The Planet (see http://planetpov.com/faq/how-to-guide-for-authors/ for step-by-step instructions on uploading and inserting graphics in your posts). The Featured Image function will not work with images that are coming from links to other sites.  If you have been adding Preview images to your posts along the way, thank you so much! This new and easier process now replaces that so no need add a Preview image again!

a. On a new post

Once you’ve saved a graphic to your computer then uploaded it to PlanetPOV, you’ll see the following popup window. Scroll down to the bottom, click on “Use as featured image” then “Insert into Post” and you’re done!

b. On an Existing Post

If you forgot to add a Featured Image on an existing post, go to your Dashboard to edit it, scroll down to the bottom of the sidebar to the “Featured Image” menu and click on the “Set featured image” link. The Media Library window will come up,  select the image in your post or any image in our library as your Featured Image as described above and voila!

Lastly, though it’s not a new feature, using Tags makes your post more popular on the web and come up more often in searches so please also remember to add Tags to your articles. It’s as easy as clicking on the “Choose from the most used tags” link as shown above and/or the suggested tags by Zemanta and clicking on the tags that apply. We will be following up with a more detailed article later this week on making your posts more popular !

Thanks again for all of your support of PlanetPOV over the last year. We hope you enjoy our new site design but whatever the case, we’re looking forward to hearing what you think!

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escribacatchoiceladyHaruko HaruharaPatsyTbito Recent comment authors
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escribacat
Member

Gosh, I go away for a couple weeks and come back and the Planet has changed! Wow. It’s gorgeous, Adlib. Can’t wait to play around with the new features.

kesmarn
Admin

Welcome back, e’cat! We can post images now! Wheeeee!

Khirad
Member

I missed you. 🙂

Pepe Lepew
Member

Hi, E’Cat!

Look what you can do now!

[imgcomment image&t=1[/img]

kesmarn
Admin

Okay, I may be dumb, but I’m stubborn-dumb, so I’m gonna try this again:

[imgcomment image[/img]

kesmarn
Admin

Yaaaaaay!!!

(Isn’t that a great looking library? Too bad they tore it down.)

A big tip o’ the hat to OUR GIRL QUESTINIA! For proving that all it takes is a teeeeeeny little subtle suggestion to get whatcha need.

Whooooohoooo! Empowerment!

bito
Member

And a bunch of help from Mr. AdLib!

kesmarn
Admin

Er…..heh, heh…..that too….. 😳

Thank you, sir….

bito
Member

k’es, you deleted it the first time before I could help. Great that pic and great that you got the hang of it.

kesmarn
Admin

Always wanted to play with the big kids, b’ito. 😀

choicelady
Member

Stunning new look and updates! Since I’ve never mastered the former methods, I look forward to, perhaps, learning these? Some of us are better adapted to antiquarian methods. Personally, I’m the Queen of the No. 2 pencil, but I soldier on trying to claw my way into the 21st C. This may improve my chances of becoming techo literate before I die…

It’s all beautiful, easy to read, and thank you as always, AdLib, for all you put into this for all of us.

Questinia
Member

Thank-you Fearless Leader!

[imgcomment image[/img]

whatsthatsound
Member

[imgcomment image[/img]

Hope this works…let’s try something…..Sexy!

Questinia
Member

That would look great on a tee shirt whatsie.

whatsthatsound
Member

hey, good idea, Maggie!

bito
Member

A PlanetPOV t-shirt for the “new and improved” site?

donate

Pepe Lepew
Member

Did somebody say sexy?

pepe

boomer1949
Member

heh, heh, heh my little flower…

Haruko Haruhara
Member

Did someone say sexy? 🙂

[imgcomment image[/img]

Pepe Lepew
Member

😯

Questinia
Member

[imgcomment image[/img]

YIPPEEE!!!

It PAYS to threaten with FRT!

BTW, this is a pencil drawing by whatsthatsound of the Infanta Margarita.

PatsyT
Member

Very Excellent, this will fun to explore!

bito
Member

Patsy, It is pretty neat and fairly easy, even I figured it out (I think 🙂 )

Questinia
Member

If our fearless leader were TRULY fearless he’d let us post pictures in the comment boxes…

Bwak.

Questinia
Member

Bwak…

Questinia
Member

OK enough. I understand. I was having a tea party moment 😐

Questinia
Member

I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁
I could post images at FRT 🙁

Questinia
Member

Bring me Buy me Take me
Bring me Buy me Take me
Bring me Buy me Take me
Bring me Buy me Take me
Bring me Buy me Take me
Bring me Buy me Take me

Questinia
Member

GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME

Questinia
Member

PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?
PLEASE?

I can get pretty obnoxious 🙂

Questinia
Member

I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images
I want to post images

Questinia
Member

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

bito
Member

Questinia,
WordPress does not have a function that allows for everyone to post images in their comments. This is understandable considering what could be posted maybe very offensive to others or prove detrimental to the integrity of the site.
I do hope everyone understands.
Please be patient, we will try to put your image link up as soon as possible.

Questinia
Member

BOOOOOO!!!

Questinia
Member

I no longer want a pony. Ponies were so last web site. Now I want a

STEED!!! Demand steeds! And for the guys…. Emma Peels.

Mightywoof
Member

LOL – and I want a Bond, James Bond – especially the latest one (and I don’t care that he’s 20 years younger than me – he can be my toy boy 😆 )

Questinia
Member

Toy boys are boys to toy with using toys of boys.

Mightywoof
Member

Wow!!!! *wandering around the new digs and marvelling at the decor*

This is a great surprise Fearless Leader and all who had a hand – this is so much easier to read and I really, really like it

Howzabout we all send youse guys the ponies 🙂 – you deserve them!!

kesmarn
Admin

Hey, Mightywoof! Good to see you here. How are things with all creatures, great and small?

Mightywoof
Member

Hey Kes, thanks for asking – we were at the vets this morning …. all things considered, Kitty is doing well – alert and interested in what’s going on. She’s just not eating very much so I shall now have to force feed her – which results in her wearing a lot of smeared cat food on her face 🙂 – hubby will have to help with this. We’ll keep on keeping on until she’s no longer willing to keep on

choicelady
Member

Hi Mighty – you are a devoted cat owner, and from all of us who care for our critters, thank you for caring. One of mine is starting the inevitable slide – kidney stuff – but so far it just requires putting a little “good” food with the “healthy” stuff she WILL eat but not all by itself. When the day comes, I think it’s I, not she, who will be wearing the food. She has a mind of her own and has made that quite clear. Good luck with all you’re doing. Cats and all creatures great and small are indeed worth it.

boomer1949
Member

x2!

kesmarn
Admin

Mightywoof, glad to hear that Kitty’s doing well. I’ve been there with trying to coax a feline with a poor appetite. Turkey? (the real stuff, not the Friskie’s variety) Chicken livers? Whatever it takes. You are a good woman to be willing to be there for your little companion, no matter what. Blessing upon ye!

bito
Member

Half-and-Half with some Ensure? Just a thought?

kesmarn
Admin

If only those finicky felines were drawn to chocolatey/fruity goodness the way we are, bito. Now– if they made “Tasty Liver Ensure”….?

bito
Member

K’es,

kesmarn
Admin

I plan to invest my life’s savings in Tasty Liver Ensure stock, b’ito.

Retirement? No worries here.

bito
Member

k’es, I have mine in GoldLine, but “Tasty Liver Ensure” could be the ticket! 😆

kesmarn
Admin

We’ll just have to make sure to cash out before the Tasty Liver Ensure bubble bursts. That could get messy.

bito
Member

All my savings out with the kitty litter! 🙁

Pepe Lepew
Member

I fear change…

HITO
Member
HITO

It’s good to have company, Pepe.

I have these new instructions on my list of “things to embrace” when I feel ballsy. Who knows when that sentiment will arise in me (these days).

🙂