Michael Wolraich's picture

    Import Your TPM Cafe Posts to dagblog

    Dear TPM Cafe refugees,

    TPM has generously created a feature to let you export your old Cafe posts along with all the comments. If you would like to migrate your posts to dagblog, please follow these steps:

    1. Register at dagblog if you haven't already
    2. Add a comment below with your TPM username
    3. Be patient, I'm not getting paid for this. (It might take me a few days. Don't worry. Your TPM posts aren't going anywhere for a while.)

    Hopefully, all the posts and comments won't crash our server.

    Update: Dagblog is so technologically advanced that not only can you import your posts, you even get to see the posts that you've imported. If you click on your user profile, you will see your last ten posts in the right sidebar. To see all your posts, click the more button after the tenth post. Some curmudgeons might grouse that this approach to seeing your own posts is complicated, cumbersome, and quite stupid. To this, I reply that they obviously fail to understand the awesomeness of the dagblog method, but I will try to appease them when I have time to make changes.

    Later update: OK fine, I relent. You can now see all your blog posts smack in the middle of your user profile.

    Topics: 

    Comments

    Thanks

    emma_zahn

    at least that is format the one that worked with one export file but it did not include my oldest posts.  They may be under a different format.

    Man, TPM has really disrupted my life this past week.... or two.  How long is it now?


    Done: http://dagblog.com/users/emmazahn

    Did this include your oldest posts?

    I assure yout that whatever disruption that you have experienced this past week does not compare to my own. ;)


    It worked.  Looks like they are all there. 

    Since I only had a few posts, what you experienced had to be orders of magnitude more than mine and you still made time and room for everyone else's.  You are a true mensch. 

    Thanks again. 

     


    Mensch is a high compliment in my lexicon so thank you, but really, it only took a few hours of my time. It's not like I sold my material goods to feed the poor. Besides, all this new activity is great for dagblog, so I'm happy for you to have a sense of investment in what we've doing here. In short, I'm just a selfish bastard.


    It really is big of both you and Josh Marshall to facilitate this. Thanks.

    Have you thought through how you're going to store (and allow access to) this material? I took a nostalgic stroll through the first year of stuff I blogged at TPM, and there's a whack of it, especially with comments included.

    I assume the TPM stuff will be segregated from dagblog posts, and basically read-only. An ability for posters to edit would seem unnecessary, especially if the material is accessible only to them. Or is the idea to make the migrated posts publicly available? If that's the case, I'm sure some of us would like the chance to delete the stupidest and most outdated of them.

    Again, thanks for all the extra work you're putting into this.


    Done: http://dagblog.com/users/acanuck

    I'm importing everything as is, but feel free to go through and prune. I think that you have a couple of duplicates in there from cross-posting at dag and TPM>


    Looks great, Genghis, though I'm only getting the parts down to (Read More). Clicking on either that or on the headline doesn't open the full post. I also tried going through the viewer profile, but the links there appear broken too. Am I missing something?


    There was a problem with the aliasing of the titles. Fixed now.


    Wow, G-man! Way faster, way better IT service than I get from Bangalore. The links work,  the links within the posts work, even the links within the comments work, and TPM and dagblog posts mesh chronologically in perfect harmony.

    It's a great ego-boost to see one's avatar replicated time after time, but I can't help thinking there's some server space to be saved there, if needed. Oddly, the first time I called up the URL, the TPM posts were set off from the rest by a pink background. That was sorta cool, but it's gone now.

    Enjoy your well-earned time off with your girlfriend. Tell her a lot of folks here think you're a mensch, and she should too.


    Hey Hey Genghis . . .

    oldengoldendecoy

    I don't know of a more awsomenous place to hang my feeble scribblings.

    http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/LarrytheDuck/Dag_Blog_Duck/49c78015.gif rules . . .

    Much appreciation . .

    ~OGD~


    I am dense, you already know this.

     

    But jesus h christ i got 600 blogs

    you dont want 600 blogs


    It's not the blog posts but the comments that could really tax the server. But I'll keep running with 'em until it kills the server. Then maybe I'll pass the hat for a handout to upgrade.


    Richard, I imported your posts, but they only go back to 2/2/2009. It looks like TPM set an export cap of 500. If you want the earlier posts, you may want to take it up with Al.


    Hi Mike,

    I feel bad that you are doing this all by yourself. Thank you so much for going above and beyond. To help, I will link to your new book whenever I can. Laughing

    my tpm blog name:

    mageduley

     


    Hello?  echo?

     

    Is this where Lazurus comes back from the dead?


    Hello?  echo?

     

    Is this where Lazurus comes back from the dead?


    Hey folks, I'm signing out for the evening before my girlfriend kills me, but I'll work on the rest of the imports later.


    Sure--thanks very much for doing this.  You selfish bastard.  :<)


    Thanks very much, genghis!  Seems to be working just fine.


    Wow!  This just gets better and better.  Dagblog is one class act.  Thanks.


    And so it goes...  At least importing my shriveled nuts of wisdom won't take much time.

    :)

    -- ClosetLuddite 


    Thanks a lot for this Genghis! If you're short of space, just having the 10 most recent blogs would be great.

     

    My username: Obey

     


    here amike, there amike, everwhere amikemike....Thankee for being Farmer Genghis and giving me a place to park the stuff.

     

    Mike (I suspect you guessed the name) Tongue out


    Np. I imported your posts, but there was a corruption in your export file, so I had to exclude this one: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2009/09/migration-external-and...


    I hope I'm adding the right home page.  Since I'm attempting to migrate my TPM blog I'm afraid that "Homepage" might be referring to my TPM blog address.


    Hi Eric. You first need to register at dagblog for me to migrate your posts. Also, please tell me your TPM username. Thanks.


    With a couple of exceptions noted in the comments, I've successfully imported the posts of everyone who commented above this line. The server seems to be standing up to the weight, even under the mountainous archives of blowhards like Richard Day and David Seaton. ;)

    You can find your posts on your user profile page. Please let me know if you have any problems.


    Hey Gehghis.

    Jeez! Got busy for a couple of weeks and things went to poopity crap over on TPM it seems. Glad they let us grab our old posts at least. Wonder what's up with Josh? Guess he's all grown up now.

    Import my stuff too, if you still have the server space/gumption. Thanks for doing this, you Rawk.


    Welcome kgb. I'm done importing for the day. Tomorrow, I'll try to get to yours and any other new requests, but it might have to wait until next week. Don't worry, the TPM posts aren't going anywhere in the foreseeable future.


    Question: Can we metatag our blogs?


    We've never used metatags here. Honestly, I've never understood the point of metatags unless you also have metatag search. I used to tag occasionally at TPM, but I never paid attention to anyone else's tags. So if you're into metatagging, maybe you can enlighten me.


    Well meta-tags are good for SEO content blogging, and I've only been experimenting with them at OpenSalon. I think they are just good for getting picked up by all search engines and not just the googlez. I am only just learning this SEO stuff myself, and have been studying up on what it is, what it means, how to use meta tags and their limitations. So can I program in html myself I guess is the real question, since meta tags are always done at the head of the page.

    And I think the answer is yes, if I disable the rich-text and simply program the page myself. So I am going to post an blog here and just see if it works.


    Although the more I read about meta-tagging, maybe it isn't the best way to go. I am taking a short class on SEO blogging... I really need to do some indepth research on this, so I might try it once on a blog here, as an experiment, but it might not be the best way to tag blogs. Damn! I can't even answer my own questions about this stuff, and I can't believe I am up this  early! Yikes!!!

    That is what coffee is for isn't it.


    According to a search-engine marketing friend of mine, metatags are pretty useless. They're so easy to game by spammers that google basically ignores them these days. The best thing to do is just to use words in your title and content that you think people would want to search on. I usally try to make my titles explicit about the content -- not for people but for googlebots.


    so I registered.  I then went back to the cafe and Al Shaw and grabbed myself a "WXR."  So far so good.  But now what?  Where do I find the next step i.e., the 'import' box.  I really do need to get the  "101 guide for web challenged bloggers."

     

    Thanks.


    I'll take care of the import for you when I get a chance. I don't need the file from you. Your TPM username is salaha, right?


    yes.  Thank you.


    Kgb and sunshine/sahala are in.


    Hey, G! When you get around to it, can you import my TPM posts as well? No big hurry. Thanks!


    Do you really think that your pathetic scribblings are worthy of transfer?

    I'll email you later. It's a little more complicated with us dagbloggers because of all the cross-post duplicates.


    Hey Genghis...very, very, generous of you! A bunch of my posts are from back when I was doing the "2nd chance" thing, and I don't care about them. So, if you don't mind transferring mine, I'd appreciate it. But then would I be able to delete the 2nd chance ones?  I'm guessing you transfer them in bulk, not one at a time? But I really don't want to fill up your space with those...Let me know if I need to do anything.


    You're in Stilli. Don't worry about the server space. There's plenty left. But you can of course delete any posts that you don't want to keep.


    Thank you so much! Sorry to be an idiot, but I poked around looking for a way to get rid of some of the posts you brought over for me, and I don't see it. Help? Sorry to be a pest! But there are some that I just don't want to take up your server space with, even if you have a bunch!


    Np. When you edit one of your posts, you should see a delete button at the bottom next to Save and Preview.

    Have a great weekend. I'll be back on Sunday night.


    I don't see any means of editing the posts that were transferred. There's no tab for it when I open them. Not a problem, really, except that it precludes being able to delete the post altogether. Ideas?


    Hey Genghis. Was waiting to see how much room you all had. If you've still got sufficient room, I've got 40 blogs over there, as quinn_esq. If things are a bit tight here, maybe throw Rootman's out. 

    Should also note however, that they're Chock-Full-O deep thoughts, probably what was causing the problems with TPM's servers to start with. Jack Handey, eat your heart out.  

    Thanks man, and apologies in advance for the kind of crowd they'll bring in through the search engines. Lotta flies. 


    Done. If the internet explodes, it's your fault.


    Thankee, stranger.


    I think the TPM Cafe has completly shut down and this can no longer be done.  The wisdom of Bath is for the most part preserved at http://edsbarth.blogspot.com/ but I guess that whatever else there may have been is now lost to the world.  What a shame.


    Thanks, genghis! My username at TPM (I think?) is jpieterick. If that isn't it, then SleepinJeezus should do it. I'm sorry for the confusion, but...

    Thanks so much for doing this. It is greatly appreciated!


    Many thanks for doing this, Genghis. I hadn't posted for quite a while at the Cafe, and when I ventured back there yesterday I was shocked to find out it was all over for the Reader Blogs and comments too. How sad to see it go - I'd been there since 2005! I just don't understand, although I guess it's a big hassle to maintain reader features. But the TPM articles just won't be as intersesting without the comments.

    Do I need to ask specifically to have my blog posts imported, or is there something else I need to do? Again, thanks a lot for this.

    Wordie


    Hi, Wordie, glad you checked in here!  I can't even remember now--what year did the cafe start? Do you happen to know?  I started writing there in the first few months it was up. I know Josh started his blog during the 2000 Florida debacle.  Maybe it was 3 or 4 years before the cafe was up.  There were a lot of different software iterations so maybe it seems as though it's been around a little longer than it's been, at least to my probably badly wrong recollection.  


    April 2005, according to Bwakfat's historical review: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/n/o/no_one_really/2010/0...

    I'll hit this imports in the next day or two.


    Many thanks for your efforts, genghis! This is a pretty nice site. I like having a rich-text editor - one of the tohings that TPM lost in one of it's revisions of the site some time back.

    I'm unclear to me now whether TPM's actual intention was to eliminate user posts entirely, or if there's something else going on, as I ran across something on the site about using OpenID and twitter and facebook accounts to log in. At least I don't have to worry about losing my posts forever, thanks to your kind assistance!


    Hi American Dreamer! I thought I was an old-timer, but you've really been around TPM cafe a long time!

    I notice that genghis has supplied a reference saying TPM started in 2005. I had thought it was somewhat earlier, maybe 2004, as I had the impression that it had already been around for a while when I joined. But I joined in late 2005, as I recall, and I suppose it could have been started at the beginning of 2005.

    I have to say, I still kinda miss the old cafe - or perhaps to be more precise,  the medium-old cafe, as it was when I joined. There seemed to be lots more opportunity for in-depth discussion. How about you?

     


    Yes, I liked the setup they had that first year or two. Several other folks who were still writing at the cafe when it shut down were around in those early years--artappraiser, bslev (Bruce), and hoppycalif come to mind. 


    If, by the way, this is still possible, my TPM Cafe name was, of course Barth and, thanks to your good graces, it remains Barth in this new land.


    Barth, Wordie, and Jeezus are in.


    You are a god, Genghis! Thanks so much for this. It's really wonderful!

    I've tried to edit the list; to delete some of the blogs but can't find the means to do it. I'll look upthread here to see if I missed anything, but can you otherwise help me out on this? There are a couple blogs I'd really like to jettison if possible.

    This is great! I just hope we don't overload the system here causing you any problems. You've got a great start on something that surpasses my expectations for another "home" following the collapse of the Cafe. Thanks!


    I like your religion--very low standards for deification. When you go to one of your posts, e.g. http://dagblog.com/reader-blogs/let-marketing-take-care-nelsonstupak-abo..., you should see view, edit, and track tabs directly under the title of the post. I saw from your above comment that you didn't see that. You have to be logged in as sleepinjeesuz, of course. If you still don't see it, let me know, and maybe attach a screen shot if you can.


    Hey G. I've tried a half-dozen ways into my posts, but I never seem to find a way to get into them and be able to edit. It's just the Title, then straight into the text. 


    Fixed it. You can delete posts now.


    Genghis! Thanks, thanks, a million posts thanks! Wait, don't freak - I don't have anywhere near a million of my posts hanging out at TPM. And, the good thing (for you) is that most of my posts generated very few comments!Thanks for your efforts, and I'm looking forward to the book!!!


    Genghis, I made my first comment here today after lurking for a while and I want to add my thanks for all you are doing. I'd like you to bring over my blogs when it is handy.

    I, too, am looking forward to your book.


    Welcome lulu and azpaul. We've been having some technical issues lately. I think that they're unrelated to the imports, but I'd like to make sure the site has stabilized before I import any more posts. As soon as the coast seems clear, I'll import your posts.


    Lulu and azpaul are imported


    My oh my, i visit TPM cafe after a few months of absence. And I discover that the Democraric Gods decided that their tolerance for the people is even lower than what they themselves think advisable.

    LOL, thanks for doing this.

    Oh well!


    Sorry for the post-vacation shock, Evildoer, but welcome to dagblog. Would you like your posts imported?


    port me, genghis


    btw--i cant seem to login with my (android) phone, which is problematic since I otherwise need to go to library.  Have same prob. with tpm, incidentally, but not Steve C.'s blog, or lots of others.  Whassup?


    Dagblog TOS state: No Androids or Pirates from the Barbary Coast, especially!  (Hey, Roger; how the hell are you doing?)   Cool


    I continue to put the good people of the state at risk by remaining at large, how 'bout you?


    LOL!  Okay, considering the bad guys keep winning on so many fronts.  I kick puppies to relieve my frustration, then have nightmares of Pirates in formals with curly chest hair.  My shrink tells me it's okay, and to keep smoking, but tobacco's gettin' so expensive I'm on austerity rations, which then gets me torqued up more, ergo: more puppy-kickin'.  Shoot.   ;o)


    Not that formal....I'm gonna post the entire (unexpurgated, as it were) pic on Blogspot soon...(nsfw...)


    I (ironically) helped people get their transfer thingies for Genghis to import, then blew my own.  Gone like the wind, unless I can google them.  Fitting, really: mostly Hot Air...  Cool


    Stardust, I can still import yours if you would like


    Ah, Genghis; I grabbed the little link and insserted my blog's name, but the I stuck it into a documents file, and it wouldn't read.  when I realized my mistake, I didn't do the process again.  Seems I should have stuck it on my desktop.  I don;'t know if it's retrievable now.  Though if anyone can pull it off, it's you.  I didn't even think to delete the crappiest ones.  ;o)


    Stardust, I imported your old tpm posts.


    I have no idea how you pulled it off, but i send my gratitude in spades, Genghis.  I might need help to access them and delete the crap ones.  Merry Holidays and Boxing Day, dear.


    You're imported.

    Building a theme for mobile is on my to-do list--I would like to make use of it myself--but it's complicated to do, so I'm not sure that I can get to it soon.


    What does "building a theme" mean, zactly?


    I need to customize an alternative look-and-feel for the site that is simpler and mobile-device-friendly. When people access the site using mobile devices, it will display the alternative theme.


    Comprendo.  TPM is so two thousand and late...don't be like them.


    UH-oh...here comes the librarian...I will lurk from home but mutely...


    Adios. I'm able to log in from my iphone. It's just a pain.

    You could try downloading another browser like Opera. It might work better for you.


    So good to see your nomiker! Hope you keep trying, don't give up.


    It does seem as if the gang is here (hail, hail.)  I don't know why I cant log on--there is a way to "tether" my desktop to my android phone, but unless you do geeky things you have to install something called pda net and it is my practice never to keep a phone more than 3 months--the Target return window (that way it's always fresh, and often improved...) I am sort of stingy about buying apps.  Withal, I might buy the one that tethers.


    Oh how fabulous to hear, once again, the voice of the man who says: "withal" .... among many other jolly things. Welcome, JR -- you've been truly missed.


    And, semicolons!


    Semi-colons; ah, indeed.


    BTW, tech glitches are not the reason you don't see my nomiker at TPM anymore. I can log in, no problem, it's a block on commenting (and it's still in effect.)


    You must be kidding--the level of interaction there has degenerated to a point where the term "circle-jerk" is unfair to the Order of the Rosy Palm...I guess there is an IQ cut-off and, well, you exceeded it.


    Have same prob. with tpm

    This is ironic because Josh Marshall thinks mobile access is a very important thing.

    I recalled this post by him that he'd been studying his mobile audience and why:

    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/10/going_mobile_for_tech_...

    Then just now I checked his twitter feed and turns out he is currently talking about the topic there and cited that post. I'll cut and paste that section in case there's anything of interest for you or Genghis there:

    # @mradio as industry defines it, yes, ipad is classified as mobile device, and i think rightly so. qualitatively diff than netbooks about 21 hours ago via web in reply to mradio

    # @cschweitz convincd mobile is future. key 4 us 2 look not just @apps but ways 2 deliver info that play to strengths of medium. not samething about 21 hours ago via web in reply to cschweitz

    # @SaraJBenincasa keep your head down! about 21 hours ago via web in reply to SaraJBenincasa

    # @Shoq see this post http://tpm.ly/ctHuJt 4 december total % is 7.62% of visits about 21 hours ago via web in reply to Shoq

    # i keep vry close tabs on growth of mobile device visits to tpm. curious whether xmas will show a bump of new usage w/all the gifted ipads about 21 hours ago via web

    # current thinking is focus on optimizing site for all devices rather than custom apps. not either/or. but that's priority about 21 hours ago via web

    # @cschweitz this is key question 4us. for those who wld prefer tpm ipad app, what is it u'd prefer to browser reading? what functions? uses? about 21 hours ago via web in reply to cschweitz

    # many suggest instapaper. i use it but hadn't downloaded their app. doing now about 21 hours ago via web

    # @adamallabout @TPM wer undecided on value-add of ipad App. 4 all followers, would u install quality TPM ipad app or prefer view by browser? about 21 hours ago via web in reply to adamallabout

    # @adamallabout painful topic since im ipad fanatic. we'r going to customize site much more, but up in the air on value-add of true app about 21 hours ago via web in reply to adamallabout

    # as long as we're on subject, you tell me most useful ipad apps you've found. #ipadapps #ipad #notarhetoricalquestion about 21 hours ago via web

    # twitter's ipad app is REALLY good. ive got slew of other apps but most of rest ive stuck in folders -- those r the ones i use constantly about 21 hours ago via web

    # not a big gamer but addicted to "pocket frogs" and "carnivore" dinosaur hunting game accounts for abt 1/2 qual time with 2 & 4 year old sons about 21 hours ago via web

    # nyt & wsj r 2 news apps i think r really well designed. few r. about 21 hours ago via web

    # Kindle ipad app. use it constantly. netflix app, same. "brushes" drawing app i use with my young sons and sometimes just to draw on own about 21 hours ago via web

    # reader @cschweitz asks what r my fav ipad apps. ive become crazily devoted ipad user -- apps i have at ready i'll note in next few tweets about 21 hours ago via web

     

     


    For what it's worth, I spent the day "mobilizing." Dagblog has a new theme for iPhone and Android. It looks good on iPhone, but I don't have an Android phone to test. Feedback welcome. I'm concerned that the blog/comment entry may not work well.


    Hi!  This is CVilleDem -- don't know if it will work, but it's fun trying!  At TPM it was all one word.  Genghis, how can you do this when you are pushing your book and getting famous all at once?


    You're in. These imports don't take much time. The code changes are more work though. I'm trying to get everything in good shape before heading off for a long vacation.


    Great.  I will have a new Android in Feb. A gift from my daughter.  It will be nice to visit dag with it.  Keep us informed.  I am going from a land line to an Android be prepaired for some questions. 


    Thanks for doing this.  P.S. I gave Blowing Smoke to my sister for Xmas. She loves it.


    You're in, Smith.

    Your sister obviously has excellent taste. ;)


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