sjhoward.co.uk » Site Guide

Site Guide

Introduction

This guide is designed to help you to navigate and work the site. If you want to know more about the background to the site, check out the ‘Me and My Website’ page.

Other blogs, by other people, will likely work in a similar fashion to my site, so if you’re new to blogs this might serve as a useful guide.

Navigation

The most recent posts are shown on the front page of the site, with links to other sections of the site running across the top. Featured posts and other links are found in the sidebar to the right. To view a complete index of all of the blog posts on the site, click ‘Archives’ in the menu at the top.

Permalinks

If you wish to link to a post, then you need to use the permalink, which is a link to a post’s individual page. This is because the archive pages and the homepage will update regularly, so the post you want to link to may move right down or even off the page as more posts are added. You get to the individual post’s page by clicking the ‘Permalink’ link at the bottom of each post. You will then be able to see the address of that post in the address bar of your browser.

Commenting

‘Comments’ or ‘Responses’ allow you to react to what I’ve written in a post, and potentially to start a dialogue with me or other users. Think of them a little bit like the ‘Letters’ page of a newspaper.

You can read or write comments on a particular post by clicking the ‘Comment’ link below the post. This link updates itself when comments are left, so instead of just saying ‘Comment’ it will say, for example ‘7 comments’, to indicate that seven comments have been left so far.

You can write a comment by following the simple instructions the individual post page. You can comment anonymously if you wish.

This site’s full comment policy can be viewed here.

Comment Notifications

If you tick the relevant box and enter your email address when you write a comment, an email notification will be sent to you each time somebody else comments on the same post, so you can keep up with the discussion.

This email notification service is entirely optional and, of course, free of charge – and your email address will never be passed on or sold to anyone.

You can also subscribe to individual posts’ comments feeds – you can find these detailed underneath the post on the individual post page.

The Diary

My ‘Diary’ consists of short notes, that don’t really add up to full posts in themselves, but rather pointers or ideas that I’ve had that are best expressed in brief form. I originally updated this using Twitter, but now just write short-form posts using this template, so the content of my ‘diary’ has changed a little over the years.

Printing from the Site

Pages will be correctly formatted for printing automatically: Just use the normal print function in your browser.

Trackbacks and Pingbacks

‘Trackbacks’ and ‘Pingbacks’ show when posts have been referenced by other sites, or by other posts on this site. This allows you to keep abreast of the broader discussion about particular topics. Trackbacks are shown alongside comments on the individual post pages.

To leave a trackback from your own site, you’ll need a Trackback URI. This is shown below the post, and consists of the permalink URI with ‘/trackback/’ added to it.

Searching

To search for something, just type the word or words you wish to search for into the Search box at the top of every page, and click the button. The search engine is extremely simple, and will simply find all posts that match all of the terms you enter.

RSS and Atom Feeds

You can subscribe to the site in a variety of ways, which are detailed on the subscriptions page. Feeds are also available for the comment threads of each post – details of these can be found underneath the post on the individual post page, in a section called ‘Interact with this post’.

Subscribing by Email

The option to subscribe to sjhoward.co.uk by email was withdrawn in June 2007, due to dwindling interest and increased uptake of better technical solutions through RSS and Atom feeds.

Possibly related posts

On the individual post pages, you will notice a section on the right-hand-side called ‘Related posts’. This provides links to posts which the computer believes may be related to that which you are reading, and hence may be of interest to you. As this is all done automatically, there are occasions when completely unrelated posts appear in these lists.

Posts from elsewhere

When I write pieces elsewhere, I will try to post on this site and let you know. If I repost something here that was originally for somewhere else, I’ll always identify it as such.

Mobile Services

For details of services for mobile phones, please see this page.

Enlarging Pictures

Some pictures on the site can be enlarged, allowing you to view them in full size and detail. Simply click on a graphic, and if a full-size version is available, it will appear. Click the ‘X’ in the bottom-right of the window to make it disappear.

Slideshows

Some parts of the academic site include slideshows. These open with a click of the relevant link, and are navigated by clicking the arrow buttons on the left and right of the currently displayed slide. Click the ‘X’ in the bottom-right of the window to make them disappear.

Audio and Video Players

Throughout the site, you will come across posts with audio and/or video content. To see this content, simply press the ‘play’ button on the player included as part of the post.

Merchandise

A range of site merchandise is available to view and buy on the Merchandise page. This service is provided by, and is the sole responsibility of, Spreadshirt.

Shop

sjhoward.co.uk/shop is owned and operated by amazon.co.uk. Please address customer service queries to them directly.

Book: Instant Opinion

A book containing some of the best political posts written during Tony Blair’s occupation of 10 Downing Street is commercially available. Full details can be found here.

Ethics of Reviews

As an ethical blogger, I will never review products on this site in return for payment. My reviews will always be independent, and will reflect my genuine opinion. To ensure impartiality, when I am sent complimentary products for the purpose of review, I will either give these away through a prize draw on the blog, or else make an equivalent monetary donation to a registered charity of my choice.

Alternative URIs

This website currently occupies the following domain names: sjhoward.co.uk, sjhoward.com, simonhoward.co.uk, tillyoshea.co.uk, and instantopinion.co.uk. In future, some of these domains may be used for different services, so I strongly recommend that you bookmark the ‘official’ URI (sjhoward.co.uk) in preference to the others. By default, the site does not use the ‘www’ prefix.

Techy Stuff

This site runs (in its entirety) on WordPress. Much of the functionality is achieved through modified plugins, and the theme was custom made by me.

Contacting the webmaster

The easiest way to get in touch is through email to simon@sjhoward.co.uk. Voicemail messages can be left on 0845 638 1916, and fax messages can be sent to 0845 638 1918.

Contact Charges

The vast majority of the services provided by sjhoward.co.uk are free. Costs of accessing the site, both though the web and through the mobile internet are to be met by the user, but no charges are levied by sjhoward.co.uk. Calls to 0845 numbers should no more than 4p per minute peak, and 1p per minute off-peak with BT, though other networks may vary. Charges for entry into Prize Draws are different, as listed below. Prices last checked 12th October 2007.

Prize Draws

For prize draws, specific entry details will be provided, along with a closing time and date which are stated in UK time. Entering prize draws via phone will cost no more than 4p per minute peak, or 1p per minute off-peak with BT, though other networks may vary. Only entries with a valid email address will be accepted, and entries are limited to one per household. Delivery of the prize is restricted to UK addresses, and no cash alternative is available. Details of entrants will be used for no other purpose than entry into the draw. Entries received after the published closing time will be charged, but will not be entered into the draw. The random draw will be witnessed, and made shortly after the closing time. The winner’s name will be published on the blog. In the event of nobody entering a prize draw, or of the winner failing to respond to reasonable contact made via the email address supplied within five working days, the prize (or equivalent cash value) will be given to a registered charity of my choice. The judge’s decision is final. Prices last checked 12th October 2007.

SMS and MMS Messaging

These methods of contact for sjhoward.co.uk are temporarily out of action. Check back here for updates.