you gee ell why

ByWil

Holy shit.
I just realized something.
My website is one of the ugliest things on all the Internets.
Isn’t that weird? I’ve looked at it every single day since 2001, and it just suddenly hit me this morning: I need to redesign and update the site, and I need to do it about a year ago.
So watch for some massive overhauling very, very soon.
Update: I’m not going to fill this up with stupid “bells and whistles,” as some people have feared. I’m mostly going to move some things around, optimize the site so it hopefully loads faster, and remove a lot of the visual clutter that’s all over the place right now. Don’t worry. I’m doing everything I can to ensure that it doesn’t suck.
UpdateUpdate: I also think the BlogAds have got to go. I’ve tried them out for a little while, and it just doesn’t feel right to me anymore. If I was making a huge pile of “Indecent Proposal” money with them each month, it’d be one thing . . . but I really don’t, and I think the “sell-out-ish-ness” I’m currently feeling isn’t offset by the small amount of revenue they generate. So when the current ads run out, they’ll be gone. I’m also working with my friends at igrep to get a smaller, more seamlessly-integrated search box for my site. Right now, I feel like WWdN is an explosion of advertising, and the content is struggling to get a seat at the table. The opposite should be true, and I’ll take care of that in the next week or so.
And I looked at WordPress, because it sounds like it does all the things I want to do . . . I started the “five minute” install around 10 this morning . . . and I’m still trying to make the goddamn thing work at 7:30 tonight. Which is not a comment on WordPress, at all. It’s a shining testament to how shitty my computer skills have become lately. Heh — it’s almost like my creative and techincal skills are inversely proportional to each other.
Now I have to leave and somehow make it to Hollywood for rehearsal in 4.5 minutes. Bending Spacetime is getting *really* hard, you guys.
Oh, and I keep trying to comment on my own goddamn blog, but TypeKey is acting really weird and keeps logging me out and pissing me off. So if that’s happening to anyone else, you’re not alone, and I’ll see what I can do about it.
As soon as I have time. Which I don’t. Now I have to be in Hollywood 2 minutes ago.

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124 Comments

  1. Hey Wil. Your site’s not bad. It’s better than mine was up to about a week ago and I finally did a major redesign and ALSO went with WordPress. They’re documentation on their website is TEN TIMES better than anything they’ve included in the product. It took me about a week to figure out the little things in order to code it up. I did, however, manage to get it installed in less than 5 minutes. Sorry, man. It does help to follow the getting started directions on their website step by step. I first did a beta.mysite.com to play with it and then converted the whole thing to my http://www.mysite.com main area. I was able to follow their directions on moving the site to manage the mySQL database as directed on their site, so their codex has proven the best documentation they provide.
    I do like their comment spam handling methods, and I especially like that it’s a content managment system which allows you to use your templates for full site integration. Movable Type might have similar things. Truth be told, I didn’t review MT as well as I could have as this was a move off of blogger to my own system and I decided on WordPress from the outset. The one big difference I can immediately see between the two are how Trackbacks are handled, but that might also be my inexperience with the medium.

  2. I use wordpress and I’m sure once you get it installed you’ll be a lot more impressed with it. I used to use MT but threw it out the window when I got WP.
    When doing the Extreme Makeover:Web Site Edition, get into using CSS Style Templates, it’s what I use and it makes designing a whole lot easier and better.
    As far as bells and whistles go, you can have a pretty deasant site with some simple graphic images that are extremely small in file size. Like my background that’s only a 1x30px image that’s only going across the top of the page using CSS and the teplates place holders also use css to fill in backgrounds using a simple x – y repeat css style. I bet we can expect a great site to come.
    Can’t wait!

  3. “Bending Spacetime is getting *really* hard, you guys.”
    Well no kidding! You no longer have access to an annual axionic plasma sensor NOT TO MENTION the metaphasic containment shield. Those things are in short supply and the freaking technobabble department depleted the universe of those babies years ago.

  4. I changed over to wordpress 1.5 last week. My 18 year old daughter had to help me with the change. I couldn’t figure out how to do it. It works fine but for some reason people using internet explorer can’t see the content in my side bar. The wordpress people are very helpful.
    madie

  5. Wil:
    You’re biggest problem is the ads. It looks like you’re giving Martha Stewart a run for her money!
    PLEASE DON’T HIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    😉
    Scott

  6. Wil:
    You’re biggest problem is the ads. It looks like you’re giving Martha Stewart a run for her money!
    PLEASE DON’T HIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    😉
    Scott

  7. Wil:
    You’re biggest problem is the ads. It looks like you’re giving Martha Stewart a run for her money!
    PLEASE DON’T HIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    😉
    Scott

  8. I don’t think the ads have been too bad. It hasn’t at all been a matter of the ads taking over the sight. They’re visible, but not intrusive, and definitely not “taking over”. The only reason that I was seriously aware of them was because your site and Therisa Neilson Hayden’s site was running the same “what the networks don’t want you to see” religious ad a few weeks ago for several days running.
    If you take the blog ads down (those are the ones on the right column, right?), will you still have the text ads on the left? As soon as I get my own blog going a little bit (www.craigsteffen.net/blog/) I’m thinking about putting an ad up.

  11. I’ve done three WordPress installations lately as well as a couple of upgrades to 1.5. I don’t know that I’m nerdier than you but I’m willing to scratch my head over it if you need a hand, Wil. I’m reading JAG, btw, and it’s really good.

  14. After reading comments in your last entry I decided to give WP another go. The most recent version has made some great improvements and I switched one of my blogs from MT, and plan on switching the other just as soon as I’ve given WP an extended in depth test run just to make sure I’m not missing anything. After the initial learning curve I actually found it much easier to setup and maintain than MT. In fact in my experimentations I completely uninstalled and reinstalled 3 or 4 times painlessly, which is not something I would try in MT. My other comments can be found here:
    http://heathallyn.com/home/archives/51

  15. I’d be willing to set up a basic XHTML/CSS template for you Wil, laid out in 3 columns exactly as the site is now…using strictly CSS for layout and whatnot (in other words, no table, cell, or column tags, at all). I actually have one around here somewhere already done…been validated at the W3C already. It would be up to you where to put the content but the layout part would already be done. It wouldn’t be too hard for you to modify the style sheet and allow for psuedo-skinning of your site either…if you were interested of course :}

  16. Sorry to add to the noise, but I’m one of the WordPress developers. If you’re still interested in trying to get WP going, let us know. We’ll be glad to help you out. In the end, though, the important thing is to have a tool that you’re comfortable with.
    If you want to be able to try out a bunch of different systems, visit opensourceCMS.com.
    They have demo installs of a *ton* of different blog/cms systems that you can take for a test drive.

  17. U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no aliby you UGLY!
    ***—***little itty bitty request-nessy***—***
    mr. wheaton sir, for us lowly folks sneaking a peek at your blog from the dregs of our cubicles, would it be possible to make it so that when we try to make the view screen as small as possible, the entire site doesn’t come into the little thing? it makes it impossible to read your site… in a covert way.
    thanks!
    maria contessa III

  18. Right now, I feel like WWdN is an explosion of advertising, and the content is struggling to get a seat at the table.
    I don’t get that impression at all.
    it’s almost like my creative and techincal skills are inversely proportional to each other
    Sort of like you are shifting points between your INT and CHR attributes? Remember, you have to lower one by two to raise the other by one. Don’t shift them back and forth too much.

  21. In all honesty? I’ve noticed the adverts creeping in and taking over for a while now, and that igreb search bar at the top…..eeewww! Slower page loads..annoying flash animation…..I come here for one reason only – to read your blog. I’m looking forward to an updated “This is me, Wil Wheaton” look. Keep it simple….simple is good…..just add your edge to it. Just my lame opinion.
    Sharfa

  24. I am VERY glad to hear about the Ads. :)A new look will just make WWdN even better then it already is, refreshing actually.

  25. Well, I won’t lie… I am glad to see the the ads go…. Cluttered up the place, IMHO.
    Not like I should talk.. my blog is a mess. Like my room.
    Good luck with the overhaul, Wil! I’m TRYING to teach myself HTML so I can make my blog purty as well!

  26. Wil,
    My name is Jennifer Oestreich, I work for Overstock.com Auctions. http://auctions.overstock.com/
    I have been an avid reader for years, and I was actually lucky enough to get a first edition of Dancing Barefoot! I saw that you mentioned that you wanted to sell some autographed items to raise money for your vet bills, I just wanted to direct you to our site.
    Please conact me if you are interested in auctioning off your items on our site, I will make sure you are treated well, and get’s loads of exposure.
    [email protected] (I am going to send you an email as well)
    Thanks!!
    Jennifer Oestreich
    Auctions Marketing Manager
    [email protected]

  27. I still think Google Ads aren’t obtrusive in any way, and are too profitable for you not to use them. At least try them out for a week or two and see how they do.

  28. Hey Wil,
    I’ve been watching TNG lately on Spike. It makes me realize how much fun it would have been for you. After doing musicals and plays with school, you come to appreciate the time you had just hanging out with everyone. Even if there was all this fighting and bullshit between people, there’s just so much fun to be remembered! I love TNG. It’s awesome. You were awesome, I don’t know why people hated Wesley so much. Well, I have to go. I have to keep planning stuff for my old high school’s trip to a drama festival. It’s called DTASC. Have you ever heard of it? If so, that’s fantastic! I love DTASC. Looking forward to the new site.
    Peace, Love and Donuts,
    Ruth

  29. Oh yeah, I forgot something. I finished your book, and in the back you thank Steve Jackson. My dad knows Steve Jackson through his game store in Riverside. It’s kind of weird. Like Kevin Bacon’s thing of six degrees of separation. I know my dad (obviously), who knows Steve Jackson, who knows you. Alright!

  30. WordPress is what I use, and I’m getting along with it so far. I had a friend help me set it up, though. Sorry about your troubles with it. My firewall conflicted with it, so there’s an idea to try…
    All I ask with the revamp is that you take pity on those of us still on dialup. No, I can’t afford a high-speed connection. Your site has gotten quite a bit slower to load – I’m sure it’s because of the ads. Have fun redecorating! Can’t wait to see the results!

  31. Wil,
    Please keep the blue, as I find it the perfect color with which to read your blog.
    Thanks,
    Stu
    (who enjoys a nice parenthetical expression every now and then)

  32. My only problem with the layout is the top left corner – either make the picture bigger or the border smaller. I would keep the volor scheme pretty much the same – I would imagine it’s become something of a signature for the site. But as long as the words in the middle remain the same, a bunch of colored boxes is largely irrelevant.

  33. Please
    please
    please
    please
    PLEASE don’t go for one of those microscopic font-size CSS layouts with light grey text on a white background!!!
    The current design is great in my opinion, legible text and easy-on-the-eyes colors.

  35. Wil,
    What I love about your site and especially your blog is how it’s all layed out with the big date and title and how you have what to listen to and watch on the sides. I love the look because it’s easy to read and feels homey.
    In my opinion a change is not necessary, but maybe the new design will be really far out 🙂

  36. Have you considered using blojsom as your blog software? If you need help with set-up I can vouch for the creator of blojsom. He will walk you through any problems you may encounter with the set-up. blojsom is the blog software that will be packaged with the new Apple server software in it’s next release.

  38. I have to agree that Overstock is one of the best affiliate programs out there with the best looking ads out there.
    I have added my blog in the link below, a free blogger.com one.
    Looks kinda spotty but it beats a being too plain.

  40. Dude, I just wish Doogie up there would quit staring at me. Something about his expression freaks me out.
    Have fun playing with the design. That’s what it’s for, really.
    We never really grow up…we just get better toys.

  41. Wil, I personally have no problem with you advertising on your site. That being said, I don’t care for animated gifs, and I have blogad images blocked in Firefox via adblock…but I can still see the text and links, and I’ve clicked thru several times on ones I find interesting (it’s how I got addicted to Egg radio.)
    You built the site yourself, there are costs involved in maintaining it, and I don’t think any of the regular visitors mind you making some moolah off of it. If you could find a way to do the Google ads in a low-key way I think that would be fine.
    Also, thanks for the link to the World Poker Tour video game…I bought it for my nephews as a birthday present, and I think they’ll really like it.

  42. 1. we are visual creatures
    2. what we present to the world is often reflected in what the world thinks of us.
    3. time to spice things up a tad, looking a little white-bread

  44. Wil,
    I am not a computer geek by any means. Change the site, don’t change the site, I will still come and read! Speaking of reading, I read in Entertainment Weekly recently they are rereleasing Stand By Me on DVD with extras, commentary, etc. They made no mention of you or any input you may have had. What’s up with that exactly? Were you excluded or did you choose to not participate? I would have purchased it if I thought you were involved (that’s probably the young girl crush talking there). I would love to find out about that… curious.
    Sandra
    [email protected]

  45. Wil,
    The only thing I’d change about the site—aside from the occational colour-scheme change—would be the removal of the “Civilian Deaths” scroll.  I know it’s important to keep up-to-date on such things, but currently it’s really distracting.
    That said, like most of your audience, I don’t believe WWdN need to undergo a major overhaul.  As DM I normally advocate fluff over crunch, but in this case the reverse is true.  Substance over style, any day, baby!
    ~Gaer

  46. Now I have to be in Hollywood 2 minutes ago.
    lol, sounds like me. I’m always late, just … never been to hollywood.
    Anyhow, I suggest you not listen to anyone telling you to get a pro-designer. You’re clever enough to do your own layout, that’s for sure.
    I design “professionally”, more like, I design to get some extra cash occasionally. And let tell you, most professionals will make designing your site sound a *lot* harder than it actually is.
    So, just stick it out, and if you have any trouble with scripts, ask about it on a free forum! There’s pleanty of free help out there.
    Best of luck to you, Wil!

  47. Hey Wil,
    Wordpress rocks! I think you will enjoy it very much once you get it running. It is very easy to customize, xhtml/css/xfn/etc. friendly, and pretty fast under most circumstances. The 1.5 upgrade offers huge improvements and an additional feature to easily add static pages. There are many beautiful styles available too! They are great as is, or as a starting point for cusomization.

  48. Wil, Wil, Wil…
    We don’t come to your site to be amazed at the wonderful layout & graphics. We come to your site to be amazed by the content. We love that this actor that some of us grew up with and respect is just a regular schmo, and is willing to share his thoughts and life so freely with us.
    Change it, don’t change it – whatever. I’ll keep visiting either way. Just don’t get so preoccupied with how it looks that you stop putting the real important stuff into it.

  50. I’m a web designer by trade, and I use Squarespace.com for my blog. I highly recommend them. The user interface is easy enough for a beginning blogger and flexible enough for someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s the cat’s meow, it is.
    Fingersnaps,
    Coffeegirl

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