I was going to announce this for December. But things often change faster then I had planned. But sometimes it is just important to make the jump, as I did originally with this blog. Over the past year the traffic increase on this blog has been large. Way larger then I did expect when I did start this blog. With this type of growth there is a need for different ways to deal with all manners of issues.
No subscription for this blog and forum planned forever
It is my firm believe that science should be free for betterment of mankind everywhere. For that reason I am not going to change this blog into subscription forum. I also believe that access to science data should be free and open to all. As that encourages progress and new ideas. While that I can only do that here and nowhere else, so be it.
Because of this policy I am going to survive on nothing else then donations of good people and advertisements. But after a long consideration I find that to be a better option then a subscription plan for this place.
The forum is on different domain
I am going to have the forum on a different domain that I have already bought (it is not yet active. I am waiting for that now). The reason for this is to prevent confusion between the two. But they are going to be hosted on the same server anyway. But if the forum grows like this blog. I am going to start buying bigger hosting package, as this one is already getting too small when the traffic is at its highest. But with that comes increased hosting cost. This forum is going to support live chat for up to 50 users at the same time. I am going to be using Invasion Power board for this task.
I am going add the domain name here once it becomes active and when I finish setting the forum up properly. It is going to take 1 to 2 days until it is all up and ready.
name-of-the-forum-domain-is-going-to-be-placed-here.eu (it is a .eu domain)
Cost of the forum + domain
The cost of the domain was $15.99 for one year and 179.99$ for the forum for 6 month licence (upgrades). A renewed licence costs $25 every 6 months (I might take it, since updates are important for security of the forum).
Why forum ?
The reason for the forum is simple. There is a need for it. As this blog grows there are dull times that people like to chat about other things then just volcanoes and earthquakes. This blog has limited space for that due to its nature (its a blog). A forum is a way better for that type of chat. This also gives people chance to share pictures, charts and other things more easy then on this blog. The forum is however fully integrated part of this blog, even if it is on a different domain.
It is going to take some to fully set-up and work on. But one thing is clear is that a forum needs a different strategy then a blog. So I am going have to add some moderators to it with time along with Administrators as the time goes on. But it is going to take time and work as everything else.
Thank you all for the patience in this matter. I also want to thank everyone for the support and understanding in all this.
Update 1: Even if I open up forum. This blog is not going anywhere. If you think that, you are wrong. This blog is not going to be part of the forum. But it is going to be part of the same whole thing. But the blog and forum are going to be separated in therms of what is going to be discussed.
I find that some people are to are to quick to judge this. Since the forum has not even opened up yet. But I know from other large web sites that this works and it seems to work well for them.
Blog post updated at 19:46 UTC on 13 November, 2011
That sounds like a good compromise for everyone that uses the blog.
Ps people remember the adds help pay for the use too, but only if we all click them now and then, perhaps we could all visit an ad a few times a day. I believe Jon can not ask us to do this, but as a user i can. So lets help Jon out by visiting some ads and staying there for few minutes when we use the blog.
Thank you Jon for not making this a subscription site. As a person living on a very limited income, (as I am pensioner and husband disabled) I could not afford a subscription even though I would love to be in a position to support all your hard work. To learn so much about Volcanoes and Iceland as well is a wonderful release of the tension I am under as a full-time carer. Many thanks for your thoughtfulness in realising that not everyone has the financial means to keep paying subscription.
Hi Jon
Seems good to me and good luck. I love the ‘chatty’ but focused interest from this great community here and I learn so much from you and all the people on this. I can follow this in a forum easily enough. Everyone – let’s keep this wonderful community rolling!
I’ll donate when I can, but I’m more broke than the sheep right now!
I just wanted to say that a fascination of volcanoes and earthquakes brought me here, but a fascination of the people and the great mix of on- and off-topic comments have kept me here.
Every day I learn so many new things from the people here, but I also get many great laughs, which I really really need! There are so many sites that are either too serious or too unserious, too funny or too boring etc, but here I think you have managed to make something special!
Having said that, a change might not be so bad, depending on how its done and how people use it. Normally I have the blog open in a tab, and refresh it from time to time. Often people have replied to comments made earlier in the day, and I scroll back and forth to find them. An easier way to keep track of the different comments/topics could be good, and that way it would also be easier for people to jump to whatever topic interests them and everyone would be happy.
But no matter what changes are made, I really really hope that all comments and contributers stay exactly the way they are today, both on- and off-topic, because that is what makes this place so special! 😀
A big thanks to Jon and everyone else who contributes here! 🙂
Jon, have you considered using phpbb on your domain? It would be cheaper than using Invision. Is it the ability to have chat that swings you to Invision?
I did test phpbb one a test-domain that I have few years ago. It became infested with spam soon after that. So I have ruled that out for a long time now. I had to delete the test-forum because of the spam infection.
phpBB is a pain in the ass in terms of updates and spam problems. Its most likely the most widely used software for forums and there are a lot of people targeting it. Its also not very nice, if you want to change to standard look.
One other forum which might be interesting is Woltlab Burning Board. I found this quite nice in terms of configuration and security.
i had a phpbb-forum for a while, but as it was growing so did the spamming. after a few years i gave up, and switched to vbulletin.
Some times it might be worth “sleeping on it” before big changes are made…. “never change a winning concept”. Maybe its the mix of on-topics/off-topics that makes this blog extraordinary?
I hope to see all of you on these pages for a long long time!
I am for one totally against it.
Jón, this is not good for you.
Why?
For starters, you will emediatly go below the mega-click rating you have now. Being a mega-hit site makes you interesting for direct ad-buyers. And they pay per visitor.
Secondly, it is just a nuisance for us as users having to flipp back and forth.
I am convinced that it will be a loss-loss situation both for you financially and us as users.
After a long walk and think to buy milk I pondered the problem.
And the easy, comfortable and simplest solution is the same thing that will keap you up in the mega-hit league of the big blogs of the planet.
Two separate sites will only be paracitic on each other regarding hit-rates. So that is bad. Big time bad. 2 500K-hit sites are not worth half of a mega-hit site. It is worth about one tenth.
So what then is the best solution?
I still say a café-thread.
It would take you five minutes extra per week to write a post like that. All needed is to make a formal post of the small fun tidbits you normally write every week about Iceland. It could be about anything of your choosing from flying cargo-containers in Iceland to volcano pizzas.
That thread would still be on the same site, it would show up on the side-bar when someone post. We would all point away any bantering to that thread, so no need to moderate away things. It would keap the friendly atmosphere. And mostly keap you as a MEGABLOGGER.
What you are planning is the worst case scenario. It takes away all that is good, without giving a single thing back that is an improvement.
I am sorry to say this, but if this is the case I am gone.
I will be watching in absolute horror if you do this as the forum and blog dwindles to nothing.
Jón, I have a suggestion.
Do a trial run for a month of my suggestion. You do not risk anything by it, and if it does not work I will forever shut up (for once).
Please!!!
The problem with your approach is this one here. It still makes it hard for people to follow what is going on. That is the reason why I have started to push everything (mostly) into one month site news blog post on what is going on.
I want to be as much on topic my self as I can.
This thing is also that this type of discussions doesn’t stop in the intended thread. It moves along with the new blog posts. It is also a issue that comments are only open for 30 days on blog posts here (spam prevention and prevention of long silent blog post from become active again).
There are several large blog site that already do this. They do not have any issue with it in them self and it seems to work well for them based on what I have observed.
First of all, it would not, they would just go to the last volcanic thread to follow all the ontopics. And if they feel bubbly and happy and want to chat a bit, then they go to the café thread.
Try it for a while, it will take away the chit-chat from the volcano threads for sure. And I think that is the most important thing. Secondly it would keap us here hitting the site even when we feel a bit happy and want to post odd things to our online friends. And if we chat a bit there it only increases the hit rate.
There is a large benefit to it that I have not stated yet, and that is that the chit-chat thread would then have exactly the same format and everything. Believe me, as a user I would very very much prefer to do it on the same site and in the same format.
The few people who would accidentaly click into the wrong forum would quickly get the hang of it. You have among the brightest visitors on the planet after all (guess why I am here?).
Jón, guess why I and many others have left those blogs when they started separate forums?
Once again… Please!
For that reason I keep the blog and the forum separate. So if you don’t like the forum you don’t have to go there. If you want to chat about something else then people can go to the forum and chat there.
People are always switching between web sites. So I am not worrying about that.
Now, if the forum fails. It fails and had its run. End of story.
I think solarham.com (formerly solarcycle24.com) is good example of what Jon is proposing, if I understood it right. There is an informative landing page where perhaps some primitive discussion mechanism could be implemented, and for the in depth discussions of various topics, including the in depth discussion of off topic matters, you can go to the forum/message board.
Have a look around, look through the messy interface and observe the framework. I think it works.
I have no knowledge whatsoever about ads, hosting and income btw, I am just referring to the functionality.
That is one messy web site that you point to. Thankfully I believe that simple is better.
But the blog is going to be one thing, the forum another.
I certainly appreciate the problem of reactivating old blod posts. I post regularly in one of the Nikon pro forums of Digital Photography Review and we often get posts as old as 5 years reactivated by people that blindly used the excellent search system. It can be amazingly confusing.
BTW I will just say that I used to use Erik’s site many times daily but with the recent moves from host to host it became too difficult to follow any threads. The only sorting I found moderately successful on the current one is ‘newest first’ but the structure makes it impossible to develop a discussion.
I agree with Carl.
I like the way this blog works, and the friendly nature of all the posts, with very few exceptions.
I’ve learnt a lot on this blog too, about how things work volcano plumbing wise, especially from posters like Carl and Lurking.
Jon
For the benefit of us creatures from the late pre-cambrian -ie me- whats the difference between a blog and a forum. One thing does get me confused (easily done these days and yes I do believe in the hereafter – ie I go to another room and think what the hengill am I hereafter!!- is where we start on say katla, spread to el Hierro and randomly dot about between ’em!
A forum allows for more then one discussion at the same time. A posts created by people. As on a blog like this only comments are allowed. It allows people to say more how want it.
Jon, I don’t bother with the forum, as long as you keep the blog. I’m here because of the blog.
Then you don’t have to go to the forum. This blog is going to remain as it has ever been since I did start it.
I love this blog and read it avidly every day (I do try to click on the ads for you too). I think it would be a shame to break it up and, like Brian I used to visit Erik’s blog regularly but now find it too confusing and only bother to look if something really exciting is happening. Please don’t end up like that.
I think Carl’s idea would work really well?
I am not breaking this blog up in any way. If you think that, you are wrong.
Well, it seems like what I feared have come to pass.
I would therefore like to thank everybody for the time that has been.
This forum will from now on not be what I came to like. With a separate chat forum it will just get annoying.
For a time I will be over at Eriks place at Wiered, even though I do not like it there.
If anyone has any question you can put them there, but the risk is larger I will not answer them there since I will not be as active. Or you can just click on my link here, and send a mail to info (at) companyname.ending and with company name I mean the name of the company that the link goes to. The info addy goes directly to me. Who knows, if I get bored I will hire a volcanologist and host my own site, time will tell.
Have a nice one and I am going to miss the sheep. But I had it now.
To the busybodies that felt the urge to kill of the place, well, stay and enjoy the silence.
Carl
I am not changing this blog in any way. You are just being over dramatic in all this.
There is a reason (that I did fully explain) why the forum is separate from the blog. It is for the people how do not want to go there. But want to be on the blog and nowhere else.
@Carl. I think that many people come here for both your expertise and your chat. And Lurkings plots. Please don’t deprive us of them. I don’t know how Jons changes will work out, but I’m sure that if you and Lurking go elsewhere then the community will suffer. Please reconsider your decision to leave the community. Or is this just a cunning plan to renege on your Burfell promise? 🙂
I am not going to change this blog in any way. There is going to be a link to the forum once it is up. But nothing else on this blog site I would think. I am a writer and the blog allows me to write as I want. The forum does not allow that.
But the forum allows people to chat about volcanoes, earthquakes and other things without bothering the blog too much.
I am not expecting to all off-topic chat to go away from this blog. But I am offering people how want to expand there discussion on may types of subject.
Jon, I have no idea how the new set up will work but I am glad to give it a try since I have nothing pertinent to add to the high quality discussions going on here. Except maybe to post some article once in a while that is germane to what’s going on at the moment.
Everyone please just give it a try before making any decisions on whether you like it or not. Especially you Carl!!!! You are so intelligent and funny, as well as Lurking, and I have learned so much from you. Thank all you for being in this community. I would certainly feel a great loss to lose anyone here. And you know if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t, and everything will return to the way it was I am sure. Please consider this before doing anything drastic!!!
Captcha: sorted drenota lol
I agree with Jonny….. I have a really hard time following where we are a lot of the time. Hardly sequential in nature as it is with Wired.
That one too is kind of loading out and I have to go an search for the stuff thats happening on the same day that I am in.
I do recommend though Jonny that you start cutting them regardless not at 30 days but whenever it gets beyond 500 posts. Just too much stuff and mostly good stuff though.
It also becomes fairly irrelevant after a week anyway. That last one I asked you to cut was at like 1019 pops and it was a good load of stuff to boot, but I was digging to find where we were on things.
This blog post has been updated!
I love your blog, Jon and have visited it every day for more than a year. From where I am I’ve wondered why you don’t move it lock st0ck and barrel to a discussion board/forum rather than keeping it as a blog. Then you could divide it up into forum sections – Icelandic and Canarian (is there such a word) and keep a blog section for yourself. Then you could also have an off-topic thread as well. You could add sections to it as the need arises. You could keep the advertising and for those people that the advertising may annoy you could charge them to have no ads. I’ve seen this work on other discussion boards and would be income for you apart from the advertisements. I don’t see how running a blog and a forum concurrently will help the present situation.
People are people and like to chat a little and that chat helps humanise people like Carl and Lurking who might otherwise appear a tad intimidating in their knowledge to lay people like myself and allows us to post without feeling like complete nitwits. It is human nature to go off-topic in discussions and conversations.
I believe that the OTs are why your blog and Eriks are so successful – the sheep, the hat barbecuing and the e-cocktails. If you take that out, you are left with dry scientific discussions which while interesting and informative are also a little arid.
I do think you will be dividing your audience and lose quite a few if you try and run the two sites. My advice for what it’s worth would be to either stick with this as it is or go for the forum format. Whatever you do though, I’ll still be visiting as much as I can because over the past year lava seems to be replacing blood in my veins. 😀
@ Jon
Please have second thoughts about all this reorganisation – admittedly I do not understand what is to be done or for why -I’m an ancient technophobe – but I’ve a horrid feeling you may be stirring a big can of snakes and could loose all you have built up -A GREAT PITY. Can we all afford to loose the likes of carl with his monumental knowledge…………I think not.
Alan
I do not think one second that this is just going to be a dry scientific discussion here only. As I am not even so dry when I write about what is going on.
The important thing to remember in this there are always going to be people how oppose change, even when it is good (why they do it I have no idea). Now. The forum might never be as busy as this blog. But it is still a needed option. The amount of off-topic discussion here was often so high that I had starting to get emails and messages about it from people how want to stay on topic and discuss volcanoes and earthquakes.
When people complain I know that I have a problem. This is a solution to that problem. A way to allow people to speak about what they want while not disturbing the blog post comments too much.
The last blog post had around 800 comments now. Most of them appears to be unrelated to the blog post. It makes it harder for people to look for meaningful information in the comments from other readers. As new comments are added quickly and the comments are split into section to prevent to long comment threads in the blog post.
@Alan C.
Exactly what I think, too. 🙂
Wow, what’s going on?
Anyway, I really did want to know about the radon gas…sigh…
Are we only supposed to comment on the above blogpost? I am going back to lurkmode. Gonna watch the volcano blow, or not…whatever. I’ll see what the final form of the blog becomes.
Here is a link to a weather blog as an example of a new forum:
http://flhurricane.com/ If the link doesn’t work, it’s flhurricane.com.
That forum is complicated but well regulated. Those guys are so strict in their science forum I couldn’t even figure out what the infractions were, so I never posted there.
@ Carl
Please have second thoughts my friend, you’re not alone in this
Autsch. I know whatever I could say would set you up Jon. So I should shut up, but I can’t.
I think for many of us it’s exactly this thing where science meets crazyness and bantering that makes this place so exclusive. And a million hit blog is exceptional. And his here is so exceptional because of two aspects: 1. what you offer as a platform, and 2. the people that come here to share thought. Cut one and bye millions of clicks.
You have a winning formula. It’s quite hot to dare changing the way it and its community works.
No need to explain me anything more. You’re the big cheese here and do whatever you want. But admit advice from people who want you good, and just go to one more round of thinking before you take your final decision. Of course you already thought a lot, but I mean let the comments on this info come in, and then leave every bit of pride aside and do the thinking exercise once more.
So nice what you have built up. We’ll all be watching what it becomes. Handle it like eggs.
I too will be sorry to see things change but if they must then they must. I will still watch from the sidelines but as I don’t have any scientific knowledge, (apart from medical) then there will be no use in me posting anything here. I am sad tonight.
Perhaps this captcha says a lot! sin vieweak
I am geologist but never felt I risk my “reputation” by daring “easy” comments. That’s what Jon’s platform offers like no other. From a purely scientific point of view, Jon has good instincts but is mediocre, or shall I say average. I clicked in because of some interesting info he gives, but continue reading because of the quality of the community. Or let’s be honest: Carl’s fresh and fast mind, Lurking’s great views and plots. Many others very bright, of course, but that’s the two horses to put your bet’s on. Where else do such brilliant guys take time to do all this thinking for “free” and in the field of volcanoes…
I’ll miss them a lot, too, if it comes to that. That’s for sure!
This blog was just so special, a mixture of laymen and scientists, of great things to learn and laughter – to destroy that would mean a great loss.
🙂
I do not think that is going to change. Even if I add the forum.
Well, they both moved over to Eruptions this evening, so…
Honestly, unfortunately I’m not too convinced that this atmosphere is going to survive the blog/forum split, but let’s see.
I am not splitting the blog. I am adding a forum so more can be done and spoken about. More questions can be asked and answered there then here.
What they do is there own business. I am not going to stop because some people do not agree with what I am doing or because I rejected there ideas. It is not I do my work. If I did that, I would never be able to do anything.
It is also a fact that blog post often move fast here if there is a lot happening in Iceland or in Canary Islands and Spain.
I haven’t moved, I just said Hi! to Carl.
I’ve maintained a presence there since the move. I don’t post as much there, but I do lurk there.
Yay ! Lurking is still here ! I was worried you’d gone for good , along with Carl.
This blog isn’t going anywhere! Do I have to scream to make that clear ?
Of course it’s going places, a few weeks back I remember you saying “It took me 1 year to get 1,000,000 views, and then 1 month to get the next million!”
That number now stands at 2,399,421 pageloads (views) or 723,966 visits. So it is getting many visitors.
I don’ think people are worried about his blog going away, rather than losing the cosy and welcoming atmosphere in the commentary section. I’m not against adding a forum, there you can post links, pictures, etc. in a way that they are easily accessible later. I Hope this works out well.
Btw. it took me over a month to read this blog from the beginning including all comments, quite lot to read, huge load of information to digest, and many, many laughs ;), Thanks for that, and i hope there will be lots ahead…
I do not think that is going away either. Since that depends on the people how comment here. Not just me alone.
For goodness sake get a grip people!! This is an excellent blog and will remain so – a discussion forum will not detract from or negate the value of posts on the main subjects.
‘Eruptions’ and now this blog are victims of their own success – they have become too unwieldy for many users due to the volume of posting. This format was fine for the original purpose but like most things in life it needs to evolve to cope with increased visitor interest and participation.
I’m a member of several weather forums that are highly successful, they all offer off-topic/general discussion sections which are sometimes busier than the main genre.
Good luck in expanding your site – I for one will continue to read the blog and may even become a regular contributor on your new forum.
“…they have become too unwieldy for many users due to the volume of posting. This format was fine for the original purpose but like most things in life it needs to evolve to cope with increased visitor interest and participation.”
And that is why Eruptions has nowhere near the volume that it used to have… plus the interface is not conducive to making complicated cogent posts to put forth an idea. It’s nothing but a magazine sidebar now.
@Lurking. I thought you might have welcomed the opportunity of having a dedicated sticky thread for saving all the great plots that you produce. I take your point about Eruptions – do you ever wonder if that was a ‘deliberate’ mistake?
With the arrival of a new scoria cone that has to be raised and fed, the huge time sink that goes into it… you are probably correct. (newborn)
None of my plots can be saved. The only way that can be accomplished is if Jon sets up some way of pushing imagery to his server, that way they get folded into whatever archival system he has. That is a problem of it’s own and requires thought about how to deal with it.
Right now, every single one of my static plots will disappear after people quit looking at them. That’s the way that Tinypic deals with not charging hosting. They get the hit traffic in image usage and don’t become bloated with being a repository for peoples pictures.
It’s gonna be sort of futile following a six month old post that talks about something in a plot that no longer exists.
That’s just another aspect of this issue that really should be thought out. If you open up image upload for the world in general… then you fall into the problem that Tinypic was avoiding. Don’t allow it? Well, there are some ideas that are pretty near impossible to convey without an image.
I’ve used forums for highly technical discussions… and I do mean highly technical. Not that the data or subject was hard, just that it had a lot of moving parts (ideas) to be conveyed.
The Market Ticker, by Karl Denniger uses a similar approach to what Jon is proposing. Denniger makes his blog post and then points discussion to a forum. It seems to work for him. I rarely go to the forum though. Dunno if it’s because I don’t consider myself adept at slinging words with actuarial types or not… but I just rarely go.
My issue with Eruptions may have to do with the clutter of the page. At least on this site the garbage is off to one side and there is room to read and write. If it weren’t for the fact that he needs the hits, I’d block the damn ads and scripting altogether.
No need to loose good habits. Shleep well, lavalocas and lavalocos of the world!
Wasn’t that OT?
🙂
You naughty little daredevil… 🙂
Gute Nacht Nachbarin!
Guats nächtle, GeoLoco. 🙂
I was just wondering; why two different domains – why not put a forum under f.ex. jonfr.com/forum? Like this its easier to see that they are related, and it also saves you money on paying for only one domain. Like Carl mentioned, it would be one megasite much more attractive to sponsors, than two half-megasites… 🙂
A site I use a lot is cazatormentas.net. There they have similar to your blog articles on their mainsite, and they usually link to a thread on the forum (cazatormentas.net/foro), where people can discuss the story more in-depth. Like this its easier to separate discussions about f.ex. Iceland and El Hierro. There is also a separate forum for “free discussions” where you can speak about anything you like, although there is room for some off-topic comments on the other forum-threads also.
(I’m in no way related to that site, it’s just a site I have been using a lot and I think it works very good with the split they have between “blog” and “forum” 🙂 )
I did think about that. But I found it better to keep it on its own domain. As the forum is independent of the blog, even if it is connected.
Thank you Jon. I am happy to hear we will still be welcome here. Today has been one big distraction thanks to a couple of kill-joys who came in and complained.
Fox in the henhouse…
I look forward to the resumption of normal hat-eating and dalek dancing tomorrow, where Katla is cooking.
Jon, This is an excellent idea. I am a moderator on a motorcycle forum http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz and we find over half of all posts are OT. A blog is great for posting new information as it comes to hand and for discussing that information, but a forum is great for all sorts of related and unrelated topics. A forum is also easier to get answers on specific topics that may have to do with items discussed months or even years ago.
Go for it. And when I see it up and running I’ll donate the first year’s domain fee.
What a nice person you are! OT I know but just had to say that. Thank you.
Jon, I seldom post. When I do, it’s generally off topic because it’s the only conversation that I can engage in on here. I don’t know enough about the science stuff (this despite reading eruptions for a long time and being here since your first posts). I would advise listening to Carl.
Firstly, the reason I return to this blog (as opposed to Eruptions these days) is that it’s factual entertainment. The banter, the silliness (sorry Carl), the flirty stuff even…it makes this place special. That’s because the core group of posters make it really special. It feels more like a community than a blog. Personally, find it quite easy to navigate around the stuff I don’t want to read. I’d be astonished if people who come here to understand the way our planet shuffles the decks are incapable of doing likewise.
You have documented your money problems well and frequently on here (with only the occasional bit of sniping from an idiot). Carl is right, you are sitting on a very valuable potential business…it could fund all the gallivanting to Denmark or the Canaries that you desire as long as you don’t kill what you have here.
You say that this place will stay the same, but it won’t. If you want to divert off topic stuff to the forum (why else set it up?) then this blog instantly will lose what makes it special. I can also add something else that you might want to think about. The forum will need moderating…more work, which is unlikely to be rewarded. I speak as the moderator of one of the busiest football forums in the UK….it is a pain in the neck, but it has to be done.
This blog, your creation, has resulted in a nascent island being named Bob…a name which has stuck outside of this community. That’s really funny and really cool. It wouldn’t have happened without the chemistry and tomfoolery that you have accidentally got yourself here. I won’t be flouncing out in a hurry, but I dare say my visits will be less frequent if the more engaging characters have gone elsewhere.
Nx
Thanks for your words of wisdom…a few complaints from newbies and a whole community has been disrupted.
The thing is that this community has not been disrupted. Changes do happen and are always going to happen. It is how the live is and always have been.
You took the words right of my mouth, but far more eloquently Nick. Don’t fix what aint broke! 🙁
The long term problem with a lot of off-topic discussion is that it drives away people from the blog. This is something that I have been fully aware of for a long time.
The solution to this issue is a forum. It might not be right for some people. But that is all good, since they do not have to go there if they don’t want to. The people how want get more can go to the forum. For that reason it is on its own domain and not directly integrated into this blog. As I it could have been.
I would have announced the forum in December, as I had planned. All I did was to move the plan forward by two weeks. This would have been regardless of any complaints that I have been getting about the amount of off-topic chat here.
I visit this blog for the facts on earthquake, and volcano events at present. All this kumbaya I could really do without, and let Jon run his own blog how he chooses. Back to topic please
my 2 cents
I am taking a bit of heat for this. But the reason remains for this.
I am sure that this is going to be a lot of work. But so is this blog. It might well happen that the forum might not work (no users) and just die. If that happens, it happens. End of story.
But people have to release that I am getting complaints about the amount of off-topic chatter in comments here from some of the people how read this blog. I take that type of comments quote seriously.
The forum is intended to help things move along. But it is not going to replace this blog in any way. After all, forum is different then a blog, and blog is different then a forum. That is how it is.
Jon,
A small number of contributors make this blog what it is. Lose them and it will suffer badly. I agree with what Nick and many others have said – it’s a great blog as it is. Yes I have to move back and forth to see comments and keep up-to-date but I really don’t mind that. This blog is unique – I’m driving my family mad with stories I have recounted from here and hopefully have stirred some interest in them too – but please think very carefully. You know what is working now – change throws in so many uncertainties that creates a risk for the blog. I believe most people come here for the thoughts of, in the most part, educated amateurs who have unique ways of interpreting the data provided. I believe in the old adage – ‘don’t fix what aint broken’
I might actually be getting less comments because of the large amount off-topic chat (I suspect that). But what matters is what I make of this place and how I evolve it to make it better. I do not think that the amount of reading this blog gets is going to go down (volcanoes and earthquakes are always doing unique things). Even if there might be less comments after this blog peaks, as so often happens on the internet.
This is just a one step in a long journey.
It is always that some people do not want changes. Why that is I do not know. But that is just how things are in the world.
Whatever you decide to do good luck Jon, I really do like this site and its topic, but in saying that I also like forums where you can have many threads on different topics. I find I have to trawl through lots of different pages on other volcano happenings to get to the latest one here. There is no harm trying something other then this. I am a member of a music forum where the core of us have a great rapport have fun and share serious topics and we have of course the music/festival side of it. I think a forum could be the way to go subject threads could be different countries and the activities which would be easier to find. Don’t dwell on negativity, look at the positive outcomes.
I can not think of anything so they can not live a forum and a blog is not the same, I think the blog can continue with the same essence as always, everything depends on you.
The blog needs of all to survive, always thought I needed a forum that is much more fun to hang pictures, graphics and themes to separate multiple follow-up.
regards
Jose Luis
Translated by Mr. Google
My 2 cents: People are first and foremost coming here for the volcano and earthquake stuff. OT you can find anywhere. The blog is fine as it is, but maybe some could relax a bit on the OT so that we have that nice balance that there always has been here. No need to go crazy as we need a blog such as this one. Thx Jon for keeping up the good work
Jón, wish you luck. Whatever your choices might be, they are your choices.
It’s a pleasure being around and I’ll miss this blog the way it is, but I’m sure I’ll get used to the new forum pretty the same way I’m getting used to the new EB format.
Only wished I had more time and knowledge to contribute.
Waiting for the end of the month to resume donations.
Thanks again.
@Everyone:
Hey lavalocos and locas! Let us give it a try.
You know where you can find me!
Love you guys!
There are not going to be any changes to this blog. The comments depend on the people how makes them and nobody else.
But the forum is a option for more detailed questions and answers in my view. That can be used for better understanding of volcanoes and earthquakes in the long term. Something that I think we all are going to benefit from in the long term.
Thanks for the support (donations) Renato Rio. 🙂
@Jón Frímann
“I find that some people are to are to quick to judge this. Since the forum has not even opened up yet.”
I actually think that you are seeing the reaction that you are since many of the regular here due to the abrupt moves of Eruptions. Each transition of that site resulted in people having to figure out how to deal with an increasingly cramped space that became harder and harder to navigate or to follow a conversation.
So, it’s natural that people who experienced that are not gonna be happy having to go through it again… and again, and again.
Yes, the moves of Eruption blog are bit difficult to handle. Since they happen yearly or so.
But this blog is not going to move anywhere for now. But it might move on to a bigger server when the time comes.
For this blog. It is not going to happen. The forum is going to go up. It is going to get linked here, the forum is going to be linked to this blog via the rss feed (I think it can be done). That is all. Then live is going to continue as normal here. I am going to write by blog posts as best that I can as events happen in Iceland, Canary Islands and Spain.
One of the things that disturbed me with Erik’s last move is that in order to post I had to register with Disqus as I have no interest in Yahoo or Facebook. As a result when I go to have a look for the first time in a whole range of different discussion groups I find I am already logged in. If as a result of a slip up my Disqus password became public I could find someone posting in my name on hundreds of blogs that I’ve never even heard of.
Yes, that is really a big security hole. It is the same as with FB. If someone gets hold of that one you are in deep hork.
I hope Eriks next annual Hiatus will take him somewhere usable.
Hey jon. This is indeed a good idea, but if I may come with a small suggestion. When you open up this forum, you can link from the blogpost, to the forum, and we can discuss things like that. And whoever wants to comment on the blog can do that. And then we can still keep this great chatting here, and for them that thinks it’s too much, can go over to the forum:-) this blog is so great, since whenever something is happening for.ex at iceland, everyone who reads this blog will be the first to know, cause all of us help to put out the information as soon as we know. I think that everyone who has their hearts with the volcanoes will continue reading and commenting here. This is the best volcano blog there is, and that is thanks to the good work jon have done, and all the comments from readers:-)
I do agree that this is the best volcano blog there is. Whatever happens in the future, if it just keeps the politeness and kindness of the majority of posts on this blog then I will be happy. After all there is so much to be learnt and thankfully so many people on here willing to put up with new ones asking questions.
And one more thing. I think it’s only while eruptions are going on, that there will be this much comments;-)
Hey guys. It hasn’t happened yet so let’s stop worrying about it and get on with what we are all about here. Things seem to have gone quiet after an interesting weekend so can anyone enlighten me to what is happening volcano wise.
We make a difference here let’s continue to do so.
. . . And anyway I was looking forward to the blog wvwnt in July
I see a small rise in GOD tremors, slight rise again in 2 to 4 Hz, do not think it by the wind, may indicate another earthquake of M 3 or similar short time, and I saw this in the last earthquake Katla, this is an observation with little support (for now)
P. S. Not if you are well placed this comment here
I think it is just wind that you are seeing. I think that there is a new storm coming to Iceland with warm weather and rain.
There are many users on here and Jon who have contributed excellent posts, i am not going to name them all as bound to miss someone out, but i really hope Carl de strange who is one of those contributers does not leave and decides to stay. Carl many users value your posts and infact tonight with so little about volcanoes to talk about its taken seconds to catch up not half hour. Its as important for valued contributions when it goes quiet than when eruption in progress. Its now we normally start anylizing what may happen next.
Nothing exciting on any of the webcams http://www.floodwarn.co.uk/hierro_volcano.htm
Katla and whole of Iceland also seem quiet.
And a quiet day for quakes on El Hierro too – with a few shallower (15 and 14km deep) quakes even further north.
Goodnight all
Goodhight Alyson. And lets hope the storms that have taken place on the blog today have calmed down by tomorrow and that all is back to normal.
Worrying and wondering about this…
Data Update 13/11 – 23:51 UTC :
– SO2 (sulfur dioxide) emission has drastically dropped since high valued were measured on November 6.
An increase in sulphur dioxide emissions can reflect rising magma. Likewise, a sudden decline in sulphur dioxide emissions following a period of rapid increase can suggest some blockage which may result in the build up of pressure.
I feel like El Hierro is holding is breath and may let go very soon now.
It is hard to know what this means. But the gas emission might increase again without warning.
Well.. here are a couple of more tidbits of data for you to chew on.
SO2 is a product of high temperature.
H2S is a product of low temperature.
H2O drives the solubility curves for all the gases in magma. CO2 included.
As of yet, the SO2 and CO2 have not been at the levels that one would typically expect of an eruption.
How many SO2 satellite images have you seen of El Hierro’s plume? I can’t recall having seeing any.
I don’t think the show at El Hierro has even started yet.
SO2 Column over Canary Islands… October to Now.
Nothing apparent… at all.
http://wdc.dlr.de/php/quicklook/gquery2.php?startDate=20111009&stopDate=20111114&cfgType=SO2&coords=&locationList=002&FromYear=2011&FromMonth=10&FromDay=09&ToYear=2011&ToMonth=11&ToDay=14&so2Limit=&search=Search+Archive
There is a caveat there though. So far, Bob has been underwater and the acidity level of the ocean has dramatically increased in the region of the Jacuzzis.
This might be where it’s at, but with out some serious transparency on the part of IGN and the sample data, we will never know. After all, they feel that we can’t handle thinking for ourselves.
One should though remember that SO2, H2S and CO2 are water soluable, most of what is released by gassy baby Bob is going to get stuck in the ocean.
And if the PH values are true there has been one hork of a load of acidic gasses being released into the water by Bob.
If memory serves, and I guess Peter will hit me with a Battlefork of Doom if I am wrong, baseline PH is about 8 for the ocean, and that the bufferng capacity is stumping to say the least. Normally it takes quite a lot to lower a large volume of oceanic water into a neutral 7. The last number I saw in a water sample was 5,76. I am not good enough in chemistry to calculate how much it would take to make an entire hork of ocean acidic, but it is a lot. Quite a lot.
But I agree, the numbers ontop of the island is still very low compared to what they should be if there was an eruption there. Last figure I saw an CO2 count that was 4,35 times above baseline. That is nothing. To put it into perspective, it would be ten times above El Hierro baseline to be at the same value as Paris.
The SO2 is about the same as you get if you live close to an oil-furnace driven powerplant.
So gasses are really not that much to hang up in your Christmas Tree.
Could someone who is creative make a batch of Sheep, Meathat and Dalek shaped Christmas ornaments for me?
I will be…
Well first of all, thank you for the onehundred plus emails I’ve gotten during the evening. Among half of them from people that I have never seen posting in here. I never knew how many actually read my silly rantings. It was the nicest badgering I have ever been the victim of. It seems I would either have to sit and answer emails the rest of my life or go back to be myself in here. It warmed a lot.
You girls and guys (regardless of age), you are the main reason for me to continue writing in here.
Second reason. I came here quite soon after it started. I have made it my home away from home in many ways, and I have gained a couple of real life friends, and quite a few I wish became real life friends by hanging around here.
Third reason. I am a stubborn mule. And what I will not have is to be run out of a place by a very minute amount of people complaining. I still think a café thread would be the best solution to that problem because forums suck. So my second reason is being stubborn. Very stubborn, I am who I am and I am by hork not going to change just because a few people dislike me and some people I respect.
It is the whiners I am pissed off at, not Jón really. I still think that Jón is listening to the wrong crowd here. A few random whiners against a majority that is happy. Well, that is Jóns choice.
I have my choice regardless.
I hereby state that I will continue to be me in the fullest extent of it. Complete with Sheep, Daleks, Hats, BBQs and the little thing that the whiners do not care about. What is that? I always answer questions to the best of my abillity. Regardless of what. I do not know many people who do that really.
So, untill Jón evicts me from my home away from home I am going to continue exactly as before. I will not go into a forum, period. I will make my comments where the thread is instead. If someone wants me to take the Daleks, Sheeps, BBQs and Hats somewhere else, they can convince Jón to do it in the natural way, with a simple Café Blog Post. There is actually nothing wrong with having one, and I really think he should try that suggestion instead of going to through the whole shebang of setting up a forum that at least I never will set my fot in.
Second suggestion. I seriously think that Jón need help with the spamming issue. Either by someone helping out with a kick-ass spam-stopping system, or by helping out going through them.
I am though going to the record with saying that it is sad that a few whiners are more important than those who really contribute to the place. The voices of Lurking, Una Canaria (who has been invaluable to us with her contacts), Xana, Ursula, Sissel, Diana, and all of the rest who all of a sudden stoped posting.
Lifes lesson is, when attacking the silly posts you get rid of the posters that you actually want to read the posts of. You cannot get my thoughts when I am serious without the rest. The same goes for the rest of us. So if you are miffed at our rantings, well then go and do something about it, like asking for a café thread.
And Jón, finally. If you like to kill your own creation, please do so, I do understand why you refuse to listen to us. In a way you cannot listen to us, it is as simple as that. But this time you should really at least logically deduce that we actually do exist, and listen to us. I know you haven’t really noticed it, but most of your power posters are in lurkmode right now, because they have been hurt.
Statement mode off!
Carl, how good to see you again!! Really missed you all that time.
Without you (and several other stars) it’s just not the same here.
Keep on your good work!
🙂 Bravo. I said my bit down below…..Things will change here but I am glad you are back 🙂
I will survive the changes, as long as I do not have to change 🙂
I am to silly for any internal changes to stick really.
Yes to all of this, I completely agree. And yes, I went into lurking mode last night and yes, I am also glad you are back.
Carl,
Glad to hear it! You’ve never heard of me, or from me, but your posts are one of the things I look forward to on here (along with Lurking, MRK, Raving, Jon himself, etc …)
As long as this blog remains as is, and Jon assures us it will, then I for one will be here reading. As for forums, meh 🙂
ah thankgoodness you’re back! I intended on e-mailing you as well, but did not have the chance yet.
I read here, I do not post here, as I am learning and being entertained at the same time. Your posts are highly appreciated! Keep posting please!
Hey, Jon!
Human beings don’t like change, well, most don’t, anyway. I rarely post here (I rarely have the time, these days) but for what it’s worth, I think it is at least worth trialling the forum. The traffic to your blog has increased massively over the last few months, and you should be very proud of that. However, it does mean that things can’t stay the same for ever. 700 replies now could be 7,000 in a year from now, and that would be a little bit impractical.
The forum may not be to everyone’s tastes, but I do hope that all of the usual suspects will give it a go – a place for off-topic chatter may even encourage me to post a bit more! 🙂
Hi Jon and all
It’s Jon’s blog. He’s the boss. I suspect he did not expect it to get so big? I tried running a blog once but gave up, because I fell asleep reading my own drivel. So I know how difficult it is to make something so unique as this. Jon’s blog is built on his perceptive input and the community quirky observations. I have loved every minute of reading it and often tell family of the stories.
So, I’m happy to see how the forum pans out and Jon’s made it clear the original blog is not affected. So where’s the problem? It’s easy to follow stuff in a forum, and easier to share pics, videos. Even easier to search.
Go for it, Jon. And for Carl and anyone else going off in a rush – hey folks, I’ll miss you big time. Carl, don’t ‘frack’ off! 🙂 All of you, hang around, contribute, offer positive suggestions, and see if we can all make the new format buzz, rather than getting unhappy. If it flunks, I trust Jon to make the appropriate decisions going forward.
Now, I’m still watching Carl’s bet on Hekla, and wondering what’s going on with Bob. Let’s keep up with them. That’s what keeps us here – OT or not OT.
Clive
Oh! Hi Carl! You resurfaced while I was typing my latest drivel. Good man… Now I feel sheepish…
Careful, “resurfacing” to my stepson means putting fresh asphalt down. He’ll run over you with a tack truck. (that black goo that gets on your car)
Could he do my drive for me? 🙂
Resurfacing used to imply jumping like a dolphin out of the water with a sub.
Nowadays resurfacing means drinking a whale of a load of coffee to get the grinds out of my eyes in the morning. Then using an anglegrinder to get rid of the stubble… 🙂
When I shave I wish I was asian and not a Viking.
I am a descendant of the exiles that went into Northern Europe hundreds of years ago. Probably fleeing your ancestors.
Rather than fight the shaving issue, I just let it grow. Maybe mow it once a week.
I still wonder what happened to us…
Once people fled from the savage Vikings, now they flee from the Stench of our Surströmming. I guess it is some sort of progress.
Lol Clive you just posted same sort of comments I just posted 🙂 Agree with all you say.
No matter what happens I will still be here posting or lurking.
“Nothing is certain except change”.
Whenever anyone comes in here criticising the Blog in negative ways I have always posted “This is Jon’s blog, it is run how he wants it to be.”
This will still be Jon’s blog and comments, a forum elsewhere may be just the thing not only for chit chat but also for (quote from Jon)
“But the forum is a option for more detailed questions and answers in my view. That can be used for better understanding of volcanoes and earthquakes in the long term. Something that I think we all are going to benefit from in the long term.”
The forum can have useful “Stickies” where basic information can be preserved about, for instance, links to Hekla strain meters . This will save quite a bit of repetition of posts and essential links found quickly and easily simply by directing readers. A sort of Jon’s Blog Library.
Humans are creatures of habit and on the whole do not like changes but we are all part of this community and we are here together because of the Blog, let’s help Jon in his new venture. Organising and keeping a lid on a forum will entail moderating moderating is probably the most difficult and thankless job ever, on a par with refereeing a football game!!!. Jon does a good job moderating on his blog his forum moderators will need to be as good!
PS I still go to EB but I to do find the format hard to use 🙂
PPS This Blog started changing when Bob came into our lives. He brought a whole new range of friends…look on the changes as an extension of the family home folks 🙂
The format at EB really stink… I tried it and almost cried… Phew. I love Eriks posts, but well… Nah…
@ Carl le Strange,
I personally have been reading this blog for some time now as a total outsider and only this week decided to post a couple of comments.
I have to say that I really enjoy your postings both the scientific and the OT funny stuff. It makes this blog fun to read and it really does make me as a total amateur and enthusiast feel comfortable both reading and participating in the conversation. I truely hope you stick around once the changes are implemented as I dont feel reading this fabulous blog would be the same without yours and many of the other amazing members input.
Just my 2 penny worth of course and sorry its OT and not about the volcanic stuff.
And it might be a bit OT, but I still think it is necessary sometimes to go for true beauty in life.
I have just heard the most beautifull piece of music in my life. As some of you know I started my life with the silly notion of becoming a composer. I guess that is why music is so important to me.
Some of you might be old enough to remember the jazz-artist Bobby McFerrin (the guy with don’t worry, be happy). I came to think of hime today for some reason. And went looking for his music at Spotify.
I guess not many of you know that he is one of the most accomplished classical conductors also. Well I just heard his rendition of “Andante Cantabile for Cello and String Orchestra” together with Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. When he sang the cello part I had to go and blow my nose in my neighbours curtain, it was that beautifull. The record is called Paper Music.
Music really makes the world into a better place.
So, while talking about improvements, it would be nice to be able to share playlists in here like I can do over Google+ and FB. Damn, now I was ontopic, I gotta improve!
Well a Bobby good night to everyone! Sleep like a log at the end of this blog.
I will soon Bob along to bed to.
May the Dalek always smile over you in bed.
I witnessed a meteor tonight at 20:35 UTC it was white then went green and split into 5 to my West from heading from the South east to North west I was on the beach walking the dogs 🙂 Not really had much chance to check by…
I see we are at a ground breaking stage, suppose I will throw in my “two-penneth worth”
I realise straight away that I must point out I have experience with in IP board forums I post on one quite a lot, but not so much since I found Eruptions Blog and then Jon started his 🙂 Purely they Volcano/earthquake were the subjects I was more directly interested in than most other things interest wise…I do like extreme weather and storms too though but just not quite as much.
I think it will be proven to be a good choice. IP board forum is quick, “show latest posts” is very good, it is good for following storms and big weather great for posting pictures and video, good idea for Volcanoes and Earthquakes with Jon’s existing “brand name”. Very good to keep the blog too, one of the few places on the Internet genuinely visited for facts by all sorts of people (including some press and officials I suspect.) Don’t worry just get out there Jon do what you do 🙂
I wont go on about it…… I will read all the previous comments now and see how Earth has moved, ha.
Congratulations Jon
This is a an example of the forum. At least 8 hours of posts about what the forum might become. We have about ten posts re: volcanos and 110 pots re topic. And no one complained.