Welcome to the Blog. There is a tutorial on how to get started below in the “How to Use the Blog” section below. The Blog is a separate piece of software that is embedded into the OPS main web site. It can be viewed separately (http://oldhamps.wordpress.com) or within the main web site (by entering through http://www.oldhamps.org.uk).
You don’t need a WordPress account to make comments. The first time you make a comment, it has to be moderated by one of the administrators, so it won’t appear on site immediately. Christine Widdall and Mike Lawrence are the administrators of the blog, so please ask us if you need any information. Christine is also webmaster and looks after the main web site and will be happy to update with information provided.
There is a separate login for the private members’ page…where you can download club information and competition rules that is for members only. If you don’t know the password, ask Chris.
To fully participate in the Blog, you need a WordPress account. You need a WordPress account to write articles and upload images, so please see the “How to use this Blog” below for that. If you already have a WordPress account, please log in to it before making comments so that the software recognises you.
How to use the Blog:
Some members are still a bit unsure about how to use this part of the web site, so here’s a bit of instruction! There is also an earlier version of this in the tutorials section, but I have expanded it quite a lot here….or download a pdf of simple instructions that you can print: usingwordpress
Finding your way around
In the sidebar on the right hand side of this page, you will see menus to help you to navigate around the blog. For example, you can click on a link in the Categories section, such as “meetings” or “competitions” to see all the posts on those topics. Or you can look at the topics month by month in the archive section.
Click on the title of the post that you want to see and it will appear in the main window area.
The sidebar also contains latest posts, links and recent comments and so on. There is also the login and logout button (which changes in context) where you can login with your WordPress identity, if you have one.
(Note: The left hand static menu bar takes you out of the Blog and into the original static pages of the OPS website).
Blog basics
Blog stands for weblog and it is just a diary or series of topics (called posts), each with its own heading…. Mike and I were the first OPS members registered as Bloggers and so we were the only ones who could start topics. We are also administrators of the Blog site, so we can move stuff around, accept or reject comments, change the design, delete stuff etc.
Entering comments
You don’t need to register to make a comment. At the bottom of each post is a box where you can write your comment on the post – please try to keep on topic here, rather than wandering off on a different subject. You need to enter a valid email address and then an email is sent to Mike and me asking us to approve your comment the first time you do it. This is a security measure so that we don’t get unwanted people commenting on our site…though letting people from outside the club make comments is not entirely taboo. Once we have approved your first comment, you should then be able to make further comments on the Blog without coming through me or Mike, so long as you enter the same email address….if you don’t the software thinks you are a different person and you have to be vetted by us in admin all over again.
Go the whole hog….get registered as a Blogger
If you want to write new posts yourself, first you need to get registered as a user with WordPress…that’s where we are hosting the Blog. So, you first go to WordPress where you can sign up as a user. You need to fill in the appropriate boxes on the page and at the bottom, where it gives the option of getting a blog or just a user name… you tick the button for user name only. Then, if you let Mike and me know the email address that you registered with WordPress (not your password please), we can set up a user account on the OPS blog for you – which will mean that you have a lower level access than administrator – eg you can’t alter the layout of the site etc, but you can start your own posts and upload pictures.
Avatar
Another benefit of registering with WordPress is you can have your own picture (Avatar) to go with your comments instead of the automatically generated monster. Make sure that you pick a username that you can remember, as you can’t change this (you may have to try a few variations to find one that is not already used) but you can change your public name (the name we see on the web site). An Avatar needs to be 128×128 pixels as a JPEG, PNG or GIF. You can start with a bigger image and crop it to suit when you upload it.
Remember:
Oh yes, remember to login before you post a comment for your new avatar to work 
Uploading Images
For members who are registered to post, this screencast will show you how to upload images.
Want your own Blog pages?
If you want to start your own Blog like mine at Chris Widdall Blog, you can ask for a Blog instead of a user account, when you register you account and then start your own web site in no time.
Hope that all makes sense and that some more members will get involved. It really is very easy!
Chris
This page was updated November 2009
