It’s a rare day indeed when I do something that benefits the entire WordPress community. After reading various posts all promoting the No Follow cause, I decided to change my blog to No Follow and removed the no follow link from comments. What that means is that after you leave 5 comments on my blog, the link to your website changes from no follow to follow. The plugin I used to do this is called NoFollow Free.
Now for my claim to fame. When I installed the plugin, I noticed something weird. I could no longer edit text in my default text widget. The following is a bug report I submitted to the developer.
Found a funny bug with the plugin, but I don’t know if others experienced it. When the plugin is active, I can’t edit the text in my default sidebar widgets. When I deactivate the plugin, I can edit properly again. It is possible to add and remove widgets and save the configuration while your plugin is active, just can’t edit text.”
The next day I check my admin panel plugin page and see there is a new verion of NoFollow Free, version 1.4.9. After automatically updating the plugin using the One Click Plugin Updater, I checked out the developers site. Sure enough, here is what he posted:
@Turnip: I fixed the bug in 1.4.9 version I just released. Thank you for reporting it”
Thank you! Thank you, Everyone! For my next trick I will find a cure for cancer that also raises your Google PageRank.
In other news: I’ve had a few Entrecarders ask me questions about hosting. I figured I’d return a little something to those who sign up using my link. 1000 Entrecard credits once you get your site set up. That way I can just click on your widget and send you the credits!
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Hold 1000 for me. You’re a real mensch, turnip.
Thanks Stan, I give it 4 hours before the imitators catch on.
Nice catch. I’ll have to check into that plugin. I just use a normal dofollow one. But i like the idea of only rewarding those who are regular commentors.
It does two things. It rewards people like yourself who comment regularly, and prevents spammers from getting even 10 minutes of followed link time.
LOL nice one there, Turnip.
My site is still nofollow though, would not want to mess with Big-G. (Yes, I am a wuss. -_-)
Slightly Off Topic, but somewhat on topic:
Say, by the way, what plugin are you using to count the number of comments for each commentator?
Looks like a nice plugin.
Cheers!
Not off topic at all, the same plugin that does the no-follow also counts the comments!
turnip, dude, you’re my hero! you always come up with the neat stuff. In my chaindropping exercises I’ve been getting that “u comment, I follow” thingy pounded into the back of my brain, and I was just thinking that maybe it was something I should look into.
as far as plug-in issues – my other blog is having some text formatting issues. I just haven’t taken the time to unplug my plug-ins to see what’s causing it. I have the feeling I’ll be SOL and will have to suffer through it for awhile because the plug-in I think I’m having the issues with is an important part of my blog. Oh well.
I would say great job on finding the bug, you should have a parade in thrown in your honor. Unfortunately I am a software QA engineer and think the fact that you only found one bug rather sad. (to bad there is no sarcastic font)
But it does sound like a good plug-in that I will definetly be looking into.
Heidi, Leave a url and the name of the plugin and I’ll take a look to see what’s happening. Can’t let html get in the way of t-shirt production.
Yes, I also find it unfortunate you are a software engineer. I’ve done Software QA too, though I’m no engineer. They wouldn’t let me drive the train. When I was hired to do it, my only instructions were “we need someone to bang on the keyboard like a monkey for a week” and report any bugs you find. I found over 50 bugs nobody else caught. Considering I had the plugin for 3 hours and caught a major bug missed in 26 previous versions, I’d say that’s pretty good.
I’ve been rooting for NoFollow for so long now. It is great to see the busier sites like yours, seeing the light. This is one time that I hope everyone imitates you. Real men DO follow.
Way to go there, Turnip! Now I don’t have to struggle with it
M
I went ahead and changed plugins. Replaced Semiologic’s Dofollow with Michelem’s NoFollow Free. There are more options and it’s XHTML compliant.
Thanks for the tip!
~Marcus
Always happy when someone else catches the bug and makes the world better for the rest of us!
I switched all my blogs over to do-follow about a month ago. I think it does encourage comments, and I moderate all the comments so spam just gets deleted.
I got it for the nofollow, but keep it for the forum post count. Incidently, I found another bug with the nofollow top commenter widget, but only saw it once.