Q: How do I promote a story to the front page?
A: For stories posted to Philly Future, visit that story, click "Edit", check "Promoted to front page", and click "Submit". For stories appearing in The Philly Wire, click "blog it", chose the appropriate category, and again click "Promoted to front page", and then "Submit".
Q: What stories should be promoted to the home page?
A: Stories that are pertaining to our region in a significant new way. In particular stories that link to other views across our regional web.
1. Local editorial (opinion pieces), informational (reviews, events, tips, history), and news stories (who/what/when/where/why/how stories) should be sought out. We are the city and when folks visit Philly Future hopefully they can get a feel for the real Philadelphia. The passion, the anger, the love - all of it.
2. Headlines should be short and to the point - sadly there is only so much home page real estate.
3. Ignore cursing. OK, not entirely. If it's in a headline - that's a no go - and if it's used simply to shock - consider it.
4. Posts that are meant to stir anger and focus on the poster - and not argument and discussion about the subject - in other words trolling - should not be promoted.
5. Posts that are clearly spam should not get promoted.
6. Most important: Posts that are inclusive - that link to other sites - especially other bloggers - to expand the conversation - should be promoted. This site is for growing our web - not capturing it. So whenever possible, link out.
7. Using HTML to increase font sizes, change font colors, and so forth, should exclude a post from getting promoted. (Should HTML be allowed at all?)
8. And most of all - encourage community and communication wherever possible.
Q: What are the circumstances that a Philly Future post or blog should be shut down/deleted?
A: Illegal or inappropriate material should lead to an unpublishing of the content in question and a warning message sent to the user - if possible - warning of deletion if they do not correct the post/behavior. Inappropriate material examples: Posts that are filed under multiple categories they do not belong under in an effort to gain wide visibility for those posts. Suspicious or attention grabbing use of HTML.
Q: How do I excerpt a post so that only part of it shows on the front page of the site?
A: Insert <!--break--> wherever you want the break to appear
Q: How do I add a photo to a post?
A: [what's our preferred method now?]
Q: How do I add a blog to Philly Future?
A: [we should have separate directions for blogspot blogs, since they require a slightly different method]
Q: Am I allowed to edit other people's posts?
A: While this is an evolving issue, the answer right now is that in general, posts should not be edited without the author's approval. It is acceptable to make minor spelling corrections, but all changes should be made with care, and author approval should be sought whenever possible. If an editor does make a change to another person's post, he or she should contact the author to let him or her know about the change.
How Do I Set Up a New Featured Blog?
1. Click administer > aggregator
2. Find previous featured blog in list and make note of end date (for example
"blond sagactiy" and end date is Apr 23)
3. Find current featured blog in list and click edit (for example "Pax Romano")
4. Edit title to to make note of featured blog dates (for example edit the title to say "Pax Romano's Ramblings (featured blog Apr 24 May 22)")
5. Under Latest items block change it to "no block"
6. Click Submit.
7. Find the new featured blog in list and click edit (for example the lunabomber manifesto)
8. Change title to reflect featured blog status (for example "Featured blog - the
lunabomber manifesto")
7. Under Latest items block change it to 3 items.
8. Click Submit.
9. Click administer > blocks
10. Uncheck previous featured blog block if still in list.
11. Check Enabled for the new featured blog block.
12. Chose a weight of -10
13. Choose the left region.
15. Click Save blocks
16. Done!
