[wp-hackers] Difference between 'aside' and 'status' post format?

[Mike Schinkel]

On Nov 4, 2011, at 12:44 PM, Eric Mann wrote:
> Pick away :-)  

I literally wasn't picking on you, I just happened use your email to reply to.

> If a link-formatted post is really just a link, I think it's fine.  

But since you took that position, now I'll pick on you... :-)

> Yes, it might be confusing to click a link and switch tasks only to come
> back and see a foreign looking blog.  But I find that less annoying than
> reading a description, clicking a link, and then being presented with the
> exactly same description and being forced to click again.

> To me, that's kind of like seeing "Click here to read a great post" ...
> clicking it ... then seeing "Are you sure?  Then click here again to read
> that really great post"


I do agree it is nice to be able to go directly to the page if that is what you want to do.

BUT the issue I'm bringing up is that of setting user expectations, not of user convenience. 

User convenience is actually easy to create -- see my suggestion below -- but if done the way I'm complaining about then expectations fail; it's very easy to not even realize that the only thing they have blogged is a link and not a full post. MUCH better to make it very obvious that it is referring to an external link by displaying it explicitly as an external link AND hyperlinking the post title to an internal permalink in the blog.

Here is an example so I can choose which to click on:

======================

This is Title for my Post with a Post Status of "Link" Hyperlinked to a Local Permalink 
    Here is an External Link Callout: http://link/to/the/external/web/resource/

Here is my commentary for this link. Here is my commentary 
for this link. Here is my commentary for this link. Here is my 
commentary for this link. Here is my commentary for this link.

======================

> But if a link-formatted post is really a *post* things are a bit different.
> Some "link" posts (like the one you linked to in your PS) are really blog
> posts that reference external content.  They still have the same features
> we expect with blog posts - they have their own permalinks, their own
> comments, their own social sharing icons, etc.  That's where things break
> down, because the link post itself provides content above and beyond "this
> is cool, click here."

Agreed that they are more, but I still advocate for linking the title to a local permalink and then providing a separate explicit hyperlink for the external link, for all posts with the "Link" post format.

> So if you're allowing comments on your link-formatted posts, or engaging
> readers in any way that requires them to use a direct link to that post
> from an RSS feed, then I would 100% agree with Mike that you're doing it
> wrong.
> 
> But if your link posts are really just bookmarks to external content that
> you wish to share with your readers, then carry on, because you're doing it
> right.

Not doing it right, see above.  Not #winning.  IMO, anyway. :-)

-Mike