$9Web

1 Home.

2009-10-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

_ The new site is at BilltownWeb.com _

This is the OLD site.

1. Watch the YouTube Videos

Video 1: Using Blogs For Simple Web Pages
Video 2: Getting A Forwarding Domain Name
Video 3: Using Your Camcorder To Put Yourself On The Web
Video 4: Using Yahoo Groups To Handle Email Announcement Lists

Use Page 3 'Video Overviews', for links to more blog-building videos by Blogger & others.

2. The Claim

There is absolutely NO reason for any Lycoming County small business, group, or individual that desires a web page . . . to not have one . . . given the availability of today's user-friendly web tools, and available local assistance.

3. The Concept

You can create and maintain an inexpensive web page at a cost of about $9 per year, that you can easily update yourself, by doing the following 3 steps:

Create a web page, by using a currently-free blog from Google
Adjust blog settings to get rid of all possible clutter, and remake it into a "business blog".
Create a "forwarding domain name" of the format "YourName.com" from GoDaddy.com ($9/year), and forward it to your web page.

4. For More Information

Use Link 2 at right, to view some EXAMPLES of local blogs.
Use Link 3 at right, for a list of ADVANTAGES of using a blog to host your web page.
Use Link 4 at right, for information about Forwarding Domain Names.

5. "How To Do It" Presentations

34 people attended the 1/23/08 presentation at Brown Library (photo above, click-it to view it larger). There may be a future presentation on using blogs & forwarding domain names, if there is interest.

14 Backing Up Your Blog

2009-10-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

Making A Backup

Blogger now has a simple way to make a backup copy of your blog. Note that the resulting file saves only the text, not the photos. When you build the blog page, however, Blogger automatically stores a copy of your photos in a Google Picasa album.

Outline Of Steps

Use the 'Settings' tab, then on the first line look for "Blog Tools", and a link that says "Export blog".

More details are on the Blogger Export Blogs Help Page .

15 Tips Outline

2009-09-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Browsers:

On Windows, use FireFox browser for editing. Explorer seems to have problems.
On Mac, FireFox may be slightly better than Safari.

A. Backing Up Blog

'Settings' tab, then on first line "Blog Tools", and link "Export blog" -- see Blogger Export Blogs Help Page .
Resulting ".xml" file saves only text, not photos. When you build the blog page, however, Blogger automatically stores a copy of your photos in a Google Picasa album, accessible by your userid.
Backing Up A Single Page:
Create or find an empty post, then copy the contents of the page to be backed up onto the empty page. Now you have a 'duplicate' of that page.

B. Saving New Posts First Time

Recommend giving short title (01, 02, or aa, bb, etc), then save.
Reason: The 'first-saved' title will be part of the URL for the page, so a long title makes a cumbersome URL.
After the 'first save', then change the title. The URL won't change after the 'first save'.

C. Adjusting Post Date

Newest dated post will be the home page -- positioned at the top of 'Edit Posts' window.
If a page you save 1st time jumps to the top -- and thus becomes the home page when you don't want it to -- you can give it an older date to make it not-be the home page.
To do so: Edit that page, than at the bottom click the "Post Options" link, and set the date to an older date.

D. Updating Links Within The Blog

In the 'Edit Posts' window, click the 'view' link for that post, then copy the URL to the clipboard.
Click the screwdriver/wrench icon to open the edit links window. Paste the URL from the clipboard to the page location you want to edit.

E. Adding New Link List On Right

Click 'Layout' tab, then click 'Add a Gadget' on right, then about the 8th item down in the window that opens, select 'Link List'.

F. Viewing Photos In Picasa

Photos you upload with your own ID, will be automatically also stored in a Picasa album. ((Default settings will make them inaccessible to the public.))
To view these photos, go to picasaweb.google.com , and login with the same ID you use for Blogger.
Note that if photos were uploaded by a different blog author and not you, then those photos will show up in HIS Picasa album, not yours.

G. Misc:

Fake Registrars: Ignore letters to renew domain name from anyone other than your actual registrar (will be with GoDaddy.com or 1and1.com). Seems to be lots of people trying to trick you into paying for "domain services" you don't need.
Author Privileges: Note we can optionally add an ID with limited "author" privileges (as compared to unlimited "admin" privileges), that can only edit 1 or 2 pages, and not change other settings.

--------- This page updated 11/4/2009 --------

2B More Examples

2008-12-17T21:51:00.000-08:00

This page shows a few examples of the different Templates and resulting color schemes that can be used.

The blogs 'Template' controls the overall appearance.
You can change templates by using the 'Layout' tab, then the 'Pick New Template' subtab.
You can also customize the template by using the 'Fonts & Colors' subtab.
You can usually find out what Template somebody else's blog was created with, by using your browser's 'View' -> 'Page Source' command to show the source, and then you will usually find a section identifying the template's name, designer, creation date, etc (about 4" down from the top).

A. Non-Local, Fancy Examples

These examples are not local, and I had no part in creating them. But they demonstrate what someone with more artistic talent than me can do:

PaDesignGallery.blogspot.com
RailPress.blogspot.com

B. Local Blogs (exemplifying different template colors)
AmishBuilders.blogspot.com - Turbotville- Amish Builders (tan, 'Thisaway' template)
AndermanFlyer.com - Williamsport (gray, 'Rounders 2')
AutoControls.blogspot.com - Williamsport (green, 'Rounders' template)
KidsAndTrains.org - Danville (dark blue, 'Rounders 3')
Loyalsock1966.com - Williamsport (gray, 'Rounders 2')
MiltonModelTrainMuseum.org - Milton (tan, 'Minima Ochre')
MiltonMooseFamilyCenter.org (blue, 'Minima Black customized' to blue)
Nine Dollar Web Page - this website - Williamsport (gray, 'Rounders 2')
RailNet.blogspot.com - Williamsport (gray, 'Rounders 2')
SinglesDances.net - Williamsport (magenta, Thisaway Rose)
SocialOrganizationForSingles.org - Williamsport (blue/white, 'Denim')
TandJTrainJunction.com - Danville (black, 'Minima Black')
SusquehannaSeniorNet.org - Williamsport (blue, 'Thisaway Blue')
WilliamsportBallroom.com - Williamsport (pink, 'Ms. Moto')

C. More Misc. Examples of Local Blogs
88crx.blogspot.com - Williamsport - Adding Cruise Control to 1988 Crx
CatawissaTrackCleaners.com - Catawissa (black, 'Minima Black')
GaryAndBonnie.com - Muncy
KaraffaConstruction.com - Williamsport
ScrantonDance.com - Scranton
ToyTrainExpo.org - Williamsport
WheelchairEngineers.blogspot.com - Bloomsburg - Wheelchair Engineers model railroading

D. Under Construction
BobbyLines.com - Sunbury
DelawareAndHudson.net - Williamsport
LooseTiesPhotos.blogspot.com - Lewisburg - publicity photos
SusquehannaSgaugers.blogspot.com - Williamsport
Wnbrrhs.blogspot.com - Picture Rocks

(this page updated 6/24/09)

2 Examples

2008-12-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

This page shows a few examples of the different Templates and resulting color schemes that can be used.

A. Examples (by template color)

Blue Color

SusquehannaSeniorNet.org ('Thisaway Blue')
SocialOrganizationForSingles.org (blue/white, 'Denim')
KidsAndTrains.org (dark blue, 'Rounders 3')

Gray Color

Loyalsock1966.com ('Rounders 2')

Green Color

ToyTrainExpo.org ('Rounders')

Purple Color

SinglesDances.net (magenta, Thisaway Rose)
WilliamsportBallroom.com (pink, 'Ms. Moto')

Tan Color

Amish Builders (unofficial site) (Thisaway)

Page 2B More Examples shows additional examples.

B. Notes

The blogs 'Template' controls the overall appearance.
You can change templates by using the 'Layout' tab, then the 'Pick New Template' subtab.
You can also customize the template by using the 'Fonts & Colors' subtab.
You can usually find out what Template somebody else's blog was created with, by using your browser's 'View' -> 'Page Source' command to show the source, and then you will usually find a section identifying the template's name, designer, creation date, etc (about 4" down from the top).

## ARCHIVE 12/18/08, 1 Home

2008-01-24T20:46:00.011-08:00

Next "How -To" Workshop:
Free presentation by James Ingram
Thursday Oct 9, 6:30 - 7:30 pm,
James V. Brown Library
1st Floor Gates Laboratory,
Registration not required

1. Watch the YouTube Videos

Video 1: Using Blogs For Simple Web Pages
Video 2: Getting A Forwarding Domain Name
Video 3: Using Your Camcorder To Put Yourself On The Web
Video 4: Using Yahoo Listservers To Handle Email Announcement Lists

Use Page 3 'Video Overviews', for links to more blog-building videos by Blogger & others.

Create a web page, by using a currently-free blog from Google
Adjust blog settings to get rid of all possible clutter, and remake it into a "business blog".
Create a "forwarding domain name" of the format "YourName.com" from GoDaddy.com ($9/year), and forward it to your web page.

4. For More Information

Use Link 2 at right, to view some EXAMPLES of local blogs.
Use Link 3 at right, for a list of ADVANTAGES of using a blog to host your web page.
Use Link 4 at right, for information about Forwarding Domain Names.

R2 Free Photo Resizing Software

2008-01-24T20:46:00.009-08:00

If a photo that you want to upload is really large, you probably want to reduce its size. Normally I try to keep photos limited to about 1500 pixels in width. Photoshop and Photoshop Elements is probably the industry standand for working with photos. If you don't have this program or one of the many similar programs on your computer, there is a free web-based program you can use called Picnik.

A. Trying Picnik

This informaiton was in the March 17,2008 issue of Time magazine, page 56. They had an article on free software. They mentioned "Picnik" ( Picnik.com ) as being a substitute for Adobe Photoshop Elements.

B. Testing Picnik:

I tried it out on my Macintosh. It seems to work.
1. I uploaded a photo from my hard drive to Picnik -- see Image 1 below .

2. I cropped the photo -- see Image 2 below.

3. I resized the photo -- see Image 3 below.

4. I saved the photo from Picnik back to my hard drive, at JPEG compression Quality of 6 -- see Image 4 below.

You can do MORE operations. I just tried the most common ones that I normally do with Photoshop elements -- crop, resize, and save at "reduced quality" -- all with the purpose of reducing the file file.

Time Magazine says the following: "If simplicity is genius, then Picnik.com is the Einstein of photo-editing programs. Just upload a picture from your computer, then click to crop, rotate or add special effects. You don't even have to create an account to use this ad-supported site.

C. Ingrams's Comments:

Personally I'd still rather use my Photoshop Elements, since it's a bit faster. ((In Picnik there's a slight "wait" while you upload a photo from your hard drive to Picnik.)) But Picnik had the advantages of:

Being FREE, can be used without requiring creation of account and password.
Being accessible from ANY computer
Don't have to buy or load any special software, other than having a browser.
Fairly easy to use.

10 Saving Posts For 1st Time

2008-01-24T20:46:00.007-08:00

When you create a new blog, I recommend creating about a dozen "posts".
Each "post" can be a separate page.

When you initially save the pages, I suggest you name them '01', '02', '03', and the last page '12' (or whatever is the last number). Why this suggestion: Blogger seems to name the page using the first title. So using '01', '02' etc gives you shorter names. You can rename the page later when you actually use it.

Note that the last (newest) page you create will be the "home" page, i.e. page 1. So if you create a dozen posts, the most recent one will be the home page, and you will have 11 other pages available.

They can be "Saved as Draft" until you need them.

You can use a "Links List" which will show up in the right sidebar, where you can link to the individual pages. To create a Links section, use the "Layout" tab, then on the right select "Add A Gadget", then select "Link List".

OLD Banners & Q'Time Video Note

2008-01-24T20:46:00.005-08:00

Previous Banner at top of page

Quicktime Version

There is a Quicktime version of the same video, that contains all 4 of the above parts.
Note: You need the LATEST version of Apple's Free Quicktime Player For Windows installed on your computer to view it. Warning: In some instances, if you don't have Quicktime player installed, trying to play this video may "hang" your computer.

## ARCHIVE, 1/24/08 Fowarding Domain Name

2008-01-24T20:46:00.003-08:00

A "forwarding domain name" works for web pages, similarly to the way a forwarding telephone number works for telephones.

You can get a "forwarding domain name" of the format "YourName.com" from GoDaddy.com for about $9/year.

For example, the forwarding domain name 'NineDollarWebPage.com' (and also 'NineDollarWeb.com') forwards to 'NineDollarWebPage.blogspot.com. Similarly, the forwarding domain name 'BallroomDances.net' forwards to 'track2.com/dance'.

The biggest CHALLENGE today with finding a domain name, is that so many of them have already been taken.

For More Info

Visit the Forwarding Domain Names Page on Track2.com.

R3 Comcast/Verizon/Yahoo/Google Pages

2008-01-24T20:46:00.001-08:00

1. Comcast & Verizon Pages

You can get free webspace and a fairly easy-to-use editor from both Comcast and Verizon, if you get your internet service from one of them.

Examples

Comcast: (coming)
Verizon: FrankAndSandy.com (ballroom dancing page)

Drawbacks

I do NOT recommend using Comcast and Verizon pages, because you are essentially "marrying" one of them. If you change your internet provider, then your web page dissappears.

2. Yahoo & Google Pages

Google pages work somewhat similar to the Google blogs being discussed here. The last time I tried Google pages back in early 2008, the picture uploading feature did not work well for Macintosh. Yahoo's system also does not work well for Macintosh. If you plan on always using Windows (depressing), these two systems might work fine for you.

3. Other Easy Web Pages

Some of the domain name registrars include a small web site when you purchase a domain name. 1and1.com I believe includes about 5 pages at no cost with a domain name.

Some of the business credit card accounts also include a web site.

I'm sure there are many more that I don't have listed here.

P3 Photos From 1/23/08 Presentation

2007-11-28T21:57:00.001-08:00

Three Photos from the 1/23/08 evening presentation
on the James V. Brown Library's 2nd floor Business Balcony

You can click on an image to view it larger,
the 'Back' button will (usually) return you to this page

### ARCHIVE 6/21/08, 2 Examples Of Local Blogs

2007-11-28T21:56:00.001-08:00

(this page updated 6/21/08)

A Fancy Example

This example is not local, and I had no part in creating it, but shows what someone with artistic talent can do: Pa Design Center, at PaDesignGallery.blogspot.com

Examples of Local Blogs

More Examples of Local Blogs

These examples do not have domain names

(more examples of local blogs, but without forwarding domain names)

5 Forwarding Domain Name

2007-11-28T21:54:00.007-08:00

(this page updated 4/29/09)

A Few Domain Registrars

GoDaddy.com
1and1.com
Google's list of about ten or so registrars

Comments: Most recently (April 2009) I have been using GoDaddy.com. In 2008 I was recommending 1and1com , as they were a bit cheaper (about $7 versus $10 for GoDaddy) plus they offer free email, and free private registration if you want it.

But now 1and1 has raised their price to within a dollar of GoDaddy, and GoDaddy in my opinion has better customer support. The 1and1 support people are helpful, but they tend to be "offshore" and I have trouble understanding their accents. GoDaddy's support people seem to be currently located in the US, and I can understand them much easier.

About Forwarding Domain Names

Play the YouTube video

A "forwarding domain name" works for web pages, similarly to the way a forwarding telephone number works for telephones.

You can get a "forwarding domain name" of the format "YourName.com" from GoDaddy.com (or a similar registrar) for about $9/year.

For example, the forwarding domain name 'NineDollarWebPage.com' (and also 'NineDollarWeb.com') forwards to 'NineDollarWebPage.blogspot.com. Similarly, the forwarding domain name 'BallroomDances.net' forwards to 'track2.com/dance'.

The biggest CHALLENGE today with finding a domain name, is that so many of them have already been taken.

For More Info

Visit the Forwarding Domain Names Page on Track2.com.

6 Uses For A Web Page

2007-11-28T21:54:00.005-08:00

Depending on your business or group, here are some of the things you can list on a web page:

* HOURS of operation
* SCHEDULES of meetings or special events
* MAP to find you

* PHOTOS of products unique to your business
* Photos of EMPLOYEES or members

(click to view larger)

* Customer TESTIMONIALS
* Company or group HISTORY
* INSTRUCTIONS on how to use or modify your products
* More complete SPECIFICATIONS of your products or services than you might want to pay to put into the local newspaper
* Links to YouTubes VIDEOS you might make of you or your employees giving overviews of your services.

3 Video Overviews

2007-11-28T21:54:00.003-08:00

1. Videos by James Ingram:

These YouTube videos overview the information on this website.

Part 1: Using Blogs For Simple Web Pages
Part 2: Getting A Forwarding Domain Name (GoDaddy.com, 1and1.com)

Enhancements To Your Website:

2. Videos By Others:

How to create a blog with Blogger by Google
Purchasing and setting up a Custom Domain through Blogger by Google. Note: I haven't used this system. I have been getting names directly from GoDaddy.com and 1and1.com.

Blogger: How to start a blog by 'Blogger' (Google staff)
Become a Blogger on Blogger.com by 'AskJoanne'
Setting up a Google Blogger Blog Part 1 of 2 by 'marketingice'

To find more videos, go to YouTube.com, and
search for 'blogger.com' or just 'blogger'.

7 Optional Assistance

2007-11-28T21:54:00.001-08:00

If you're not in the mood to set up the forwarding domain name and create the blog yourself, NineDollarWebPage.com (aka James Ingram) can register your domain name and create the web page for you, than turn everything over to you.

This "Assistance Package" includes the following:

Search-for, advise, and register a domain name for you for 1 year
Create a banner for the top of the page. (I can use your logo, if you can get it emailed to me in JPG or GIF or PDF format).
Set up the web page (blog), using up to 5 pages of text and/or up to 30 photos provided by you
Produce a 10-page PDF document documenting passwords, web page login addresses, and some basics of blog editing.
Provide 2 hours of demonstration/training on how to "navigate" GoDaddy.com and Blogger.com to update the blog and other simple operations.

Further Updates ?

If further updates are necessary and you don't want to do the updates yourself, keep in mind that you can likely find a family member that can do this for you. I believe you could also "subcontract" this to a concientious high school student.

8 About/Contact Us

2007-11-28T21:53:00.008-08:00

James Ingram has provided numerous non-profit groups and endeavors with assistance with web pages and email Listservers over the past 10 years; probably most notably by working as the webmaster for the Brown Library's SusquehannaSeniorNet.org's blog and Listserver operator.

He has previous experience as a technical writer, mechanical engineer, and part-time University instructor; and has also had the "top secret" government security clearance.

You can view ALL the thoroughly-unexciting details of his work experience on his Resume Page.

James Ingram, July 2004, being a 'Dance Host'
on the 'Mississippi Queen' riverboat

Contact Information

Email address, phone number, and snail-mail address are on the Contact Info section on the Track2.com home page.

4 Advantages Of Blogs

2007-11-28T21:53:00.007-08:00

What's A Blog ?

A blog is essentially a specialized web page. Blogs typically provide easy updating, can have multiple "authors", and are free. They're actually set up to be more of an "online diary", but by properly configuring them, you can create a fairly "clean-looking" web page.

Advantages Of Using A Blog

Low Cost - They're currently FREE from Google (blogger.com).
Easy To Update Immediately- To make changes on a blog web page, you can do it YOURSELF, and you can do it RIGHT AWAY, at no cost -- instead of having to send a "change request" to someone else and waiting until they can get to it, then getting a bill.
A blog is easy to update because it's almost like sending an email -- except after you finish editing, you click the 'Publish' button for a blog, instead of the 'Send' button as you would with email.
Access Anywhere - Since blogs are updated using a web page, you can access and update them from any computer, using any operating system, Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Photos - When you upload a photo, it displays relatively small so telephone dial-up users can "load" it, but it will display full-size if a user clicks on it. . . . . As an EXAMPLE, click on the following photo (your "Back" button should return you to this page).

Additional Advantages Of Using A Blog

Multiple Users - If necessary, you can give access to multiple users. You can even configure the blog so that a particular user will have "permission" to edit only 1 page, but cannot modify the rest of the blog.
Offline - You can use the "save as draft" option to "unpublish" a page and take it "offline". The contents will be hidden to the public, but will be safe until you "publish" it again.
You can use blogs in combination with "standard" web pages, either on the 'front-end' or the 'back-end'. For example, the Brown Library's main web page is done with DreamWeaver by a professional webmaster, but the 'Services' -> 'SeniorNet' path takes you to the SusquehannaSeniorNet.org blog, which SeniorNet staff can update without disturbing the Library's main site.

Disadvantages

You cannot create as fancy a web page using a blog, compared to what can be created by hiring a professional web designer using a professional web page program like Dreamweaver or GoLive or similar.
You can only do only simple formatting; you cannot have tables, or links to the middle of the page.
A blog can become cumbersome if you're trying to build a really large website.
Not as easy to "back up" as web site that resides on your hard drive. (I periodically save the whole blog as a PDF file.)

More Information

Much more information is available on Google's Blogger Help Section.

P1 Press Release

2007-11-28T21:53:00.005-08:00

Next "How -To" Workshop:

Free presentation by James Ingram
Thursday Oct 9, 6:30 - 7:30 pm,
James V. Brown Library
1st Floor Gates Laboratory,
Registration not required

Press Release – for Immediate Publication
January 14, 2008

Subject: January 23, James V. Brown Library Presentation
Topic: “Creating Your Own Personal or Business Web Page Inexpensively”

The James V. Brown Library will host a free presentation on Wednesday, January 23, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. The topic is “Creating Your Own Personal or Business Web Page Inexpensively.” The speaker, James Ingram, is the Webmaster for the library’s Susquehanna SeniorNet web page, as well as the creator of several other local business and organization websites.

Ingram will focus on how individuals can use free resources from Google to establish a web page with content and photos, and then register it for about nine dollars a year. The web site may be created and updated from any Internet connected computer.

The presentation will be held in the James V. Brown Library’s 2nd-floor Business Center Balcony. No advanced registration is required.

12 Blog Editing Steps-Overview

2007-11-28T21:53:00.003-08:00

The below image shows the "key" part of the updating process.

In 'Step 8', you type in your updates.
In 'Step 9', you click the 'Publish Post' button

It's that simple -- your web page is now updated.

For more information about all the editing steps, visit the Editing Hints Page on Track2.com.

P2 Links For Presentation

2007-11-28T21:53:00.001-08:00

These links will be used as part of the discussion, during the Jan 23, 2008 presentation at Brown Library. (used with handout in Link 12)

Section 3 - Examples

JVBrown.edu - use menu path "Services" -> "SusquehannaSeniorNet" to get to
SusquehannaSeniorNet.org (blue background)
* Note a 2nd person to update the "Class Details" page
* Note we link to YouTube videos on page 5 (Video #2 Fundamentals)
KaraffaConstruction.com
* Used logo and photos provided by Don Karaffa.
* "Masking" is turned on (hides actual address).
MiltonModelTrainMuseum.com
* Used logo and photos provided by organizers
CatawissaTrackCleaners.com - this website displays PHOTOS of unique, custom-made products; an EXCELLENT use for a web page.
WilliamsportBallroom.com - Allows multiple groups to post their dances.
(purple background)
ScrantonDance.com (blue background)
RailNet Dec 2007 Model Railroad Shows (gray background)
NineDollarWebPage.com - home page for $9 web page notes.
use link at top of page, "Watch The YouTube Video"

------Additional Examples, probably not used for presentation------
TandJTrainJunction.com
GaryAndBonnie.com
SocialOrganizationForSingles.org
Section 6 - Updating A Blog Web Page

------ EXERCISE - Blog Update ------
Track2 Test Blog U:___________________________

_________________
Track2 Test 2 Blog (gray background)

Section 11 - Forwarding Domain Name

------ EXERCISE - Search For Domain ------
GoDaddy.com u:____________________________

_____________________ (change forwarding)
Blogger help page: Where can I buy a custom domain name for my blog?
1and1.com - alternate domain registrar

------ HOW TO VIDEOS ------
YouTube-How to create a blog with Blogger by Google
YouTube-Purchasing and setting up a Custom Domain through Blogger by Google.
Note: I haven't used this system. I have been getting names directly from GoDaddy.com and 1and1.com.

------ Other 'How To' Pages -----
Most Frequent Blogger Questions (Ron Southern)
Dummies Guide to Google Blogger (Peter Chen)

------ Examples of Google Pages -----
Jennifer & Jason's Wedding (Kathy Scott)
Track2 Test Page on Pages (Jim Ingram)
Drawbacks:
* Link list shows only on main page,
* Email address shows in blog address
* No provision to add multiple users
* Photo handling doesn't work well on my Macintosh.

11 Settings For New Blog

2007-11-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

This page shows the recommended settings for configuring a blog to be as "neat" as possible.

A. Open the 'Page Elements' Window

You can access the "Configure Blog Posts" window by selecting the "Template" tab (1), which usually defaults to the "Page Elements" tab (2), then click the "Edit" link (3) for 'Blog Posts'.

B. Open the 'Configure Blog Posts' Window

The next image shows the 'Configure Blog Posts' window.

Set number of post on main page =1.
Turn all other items "off" (uncheck them), except,
Turn on the "show quick editing" option. This displays the "pencil" icon if you are logged in, allowing easy access to the "Edit " window.

C. Turn Off & Hide Comments

In the 'Comments' window (Settings --> Comments), turn off and hide the comments.

D. Turn Off Archiving

In the Archiving' window (Settings --> Archving), set the Archive Frequency to "No Archive".

E. Other

I recommend you remove the "Blog Archive". You can replace this with a much neater Links List (see previous page).

I also recommend you remove the "About Me", unless you're really going to put some information there.