Making Blogger Run Properly, On Our Computers

One of the biggest problems with Blogger, right now, is how we allow Blogger to run, on our computers.

We protect our computers from threats - known and unknown - using layered security. Right now, some of us are protecting ourselves too carefully - and we are seeing the results, with problems in Blogger.

The Blogger application, which we use to maintain and publish our blogs, runs on our computers.

We get Blogger program code from the Blogger servers, and we run the Blogger code on our computers. The Blogger code includes two essential components - cookies (settings, which control how the programs run), and scripts (the programs themselves).

If we want to run the Blogger code on our computers, we have to let Blogger and Google load cookies, and run scripts, on our computers.

If we can trust Blogger to host our blogs - on their computers, we need to trust them to run their code - on our computers. We need to configure our cookie and script filters, on our computers and networks, to trust Blogger and Google.

• In our browsers.
• On our computers.
• On our networks.

Cookie and script filters are found in many places - and all filters must be configured, properly. Click here for instructions on configuring your browser filters.

If Blogger Engineering is to spend their time, developing and maintaining Blogger, we have to support their efforts. We have to setup our computers properly - so Blogger will run, properly.

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The LightBox Image Display Option Stopped Working, Recently

Last week, the popular display option, Lightbox, used for showing full size images in Blogger blogs, stopped working.

Anxious blog owners reported that full size images are now being displayed in a normal browser window, with the browser back arrow required to return to the blog display - instead of the elegant black background overlay with the mysterious "X" which closes the overlay. The problem appears to affect all images in the blogs affected.

An immediate sampling of the forum problem reports suggested that it's likely that all Blogger blogs are affected. Since not all blogs may contain enough images, and be owned by people who are attentive enough, we are not seeing massive volumes of problem reports.

We did open a rollup discussion, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, where we are gathering a good sample of the blogs involved. To date, no obvious affinity has been discovered, in the over 100 responses posted.

Today, we have a mysterious suggestion, posted in a forum discussion, which may provide a workaround for the problem.

We are advised to add a brief snippet of code to the template.

<script src='http://www.blogger.com/static/v1/jsbin/2321381434-lbx__fr.js' type='text/javascript'/>

The snippet in question is added to the very end of the template, using the "Edit HTML" option, in the dashboard Template wizard, after </body>, and before </html>.

</script>
</body>
<script src='http://www.blogger.com/static/v1/jsbin/2321381434-lbx__fr.js' type='text/javascript'></script>
</html>

I added this snippet of code to the template for this blog. I don't use a lot of images in this blog - but you may examine one previous post, where you will find a picture. If you click on that one picture, you will see the full size image displayed in Lightbox format - which was not the case, earlier today.

The code snippet in question is hosted in "blogger.com", so it should be safe. And, it's not difficult to add - or to remove. That said, I have no idea if it may conflict with other code - so anything is possible. It is marginally more reliable than third party code.

I've done no further testing of this fix, so I'll await your feedback. You may comment here - or in the rollup discussion.

Be Aware When You Install Third Party Code On Your Blog

We've been seeing a few problem reports, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, from blog owners who are not aware of the risks from installing third party code, on their blog.

Some blog owners are not even aware that the code being installed is not supplied by Blogger - and is not subject to the same coding standards as code supplied by Blogger.

Third party accessories and code - from simple JavaScript that installs in the blog template, to attractive XML gadgets installed using the "Add a Gadget" wizard - has always been a challenge, to Blogger blogs. Knowing when you are installing code provided by someone other than Blogger / Google, and taking appropriate precautions, is your responsibility.

Blogger provides a large library of XML coded accessories, installed using the Layout "Add a Gadget" wizard.

As we have learned in the past, however, the "Add a Gadget" accessory library is also used for distribution of non Blogger supplied gadgets. Gadgets supplied by Blogger are available using "Add a Gadget", and are labeled "By Blogger". Google does have other accessory libraries - the late "iGoogle" library is one well known one. That aside, most Blogger blogs - and all non Google websites, which are used for distribution of Blogger accessories and gadgets - are non Blogger products.

Be aware of what you are about to install, on your blog.

• A gadget provided using "Add a Gadget", and labeled "By Blogger" is a Blogger provided gadget.
• A gadget provided using "Add a Gadget", but not labeled "By Blogger", is not a Blogger provided gadget.
• A gadget provided using a Blogger blog, which is not published by Blogger, is not a Blogger provided gadget.
• A gadget provided using a non Google website is not a Blogger provided gadget.

These are examples of Blogger supplied gadgets. Anything different is not a Blogger supplied gadget.

If you install non Blogger code in the template, and later see

Your blog has been deleted because of MALICIOUS JAVASCRIPT

this is a risk which you take.

Do not install non Blogger code on your blog, without knowing the risks.

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