3 ms·

Show HN: A better Math Blog

3 points by HaoZeke 9y ago

HaoZeke 9y ago
I'm hoping for suggestions on the content and non disqus commenting systems.
- KajMagnus 9y ago
  Should the non-Disqus commenting system be able to deal with LaTeX style math formulas and pretty print them? I'm developing Talkyard https://www.talkyard.io/blog-comments https://www.talkyard.io/blog-comments and long ago it was working fine with a LaTeX Javascript library, but ... that was long ago, not sure about today.
  - HaoZeke 9y ago
    This seems like an excellent idea! Thank goodness it's FOSS, could never afford it otherwise
    - KajMagnus 9y ago
      Well if you want to install this FOSS, you still need a virtual-private-server, which costs some $ per month. Unless you have a server already, then the hosted blog comments plan is probably cheaper actually. (Can I ask, in your opinion, what's an affordable/ok monthly cost for blog comments?)
      - HaoZeke 9y ago
        Actually, here at my uni, I run my desktop PC 24/7. We don't get a dedicated IP, but I use [ngrok](http://ngrok.io/ http://ngrok.io/) to run a sort of pseudo server, for free basically. (electricity and net costs included in my hostel bill :D ) Maybe a sort of volume based scalable plan might be good? Something like a few cents per comment? Or based on the size of the database generated? Since the biggest problem is that small blogs, like mine don't get anywhere near the generous numbers offered in the hosted blog plan... And optimizing SEO and advertising the blog is way too much effort.
        KajMagnus 9y ago
        > volume based scalable plan might be good [...] cents per comment [...] size of the database I think so too, that's a bit how the embedded-comments price plan works currently, except that it starts at €3 instead of €0. — I think most people are fine with paying €3, and, actually, I think it's better for them to do that, than to not do that. Because then I'll get a bit more money and will be able to improve the software, which is good for them. (Maybe shouldn't be exactly €3. For developing countries, where €3 is a lot, then maybe starting at ... €0.5? or even €0, could make sense.) Didn't know about ngrok. Seems like perfect, for universities. I suppose the uni has stationary always-powered-on servers, that host your websites? (rather than your sometimes-turned-off laptop)
KajMagnus 9y ago
To me some kind of "mission statement" would be good, so I know what's the purpose of the blog. The homepage starts: "The site is divided into a multitude of collections and tags, accessible from the left navbar and from within posts ..." which tells me nothing about how the blog is useful to me. And the linked article starts: "Several terms need to be clariﬁed mathematically to appreciate the large sets of ..." which also doesn't tell me "what is this about? why is this good for me to read?" I suggest: Try to put yourself in the mind of the reader. The first thing s/he wants to know, is (I think): What is this blog / article about? What do I gain by reading it, how is it good for me? — If those questions aren't answered quickly, s/he will leave. (I think.)
- victomlinson 9y ago
  With some key information, I can help with writing the mission statement and with proofreading and editing the text once it's available. Contact Vic at victomlinson@proofpapers.com.
- HaoZeke 9y ago
  Yup, actually I was structuring this as a sort of collection of articles, so the rationale depends on the collection.. Admittedly I've not managed to clarify that well enough though. Thanks for the insight!
- HaoZeke 9y ago
  The expected audience is actually people who might be taking a course in statistical design, especially pertaining to chemical engineering, so that ought to be clarified too..

3 points by HaoZeke 9y ago

HaoZeke 9y ago

I'm hoping for suggestions on the content and non disqus commenting systems.

KajMagnus 9y ago
Should the non-Disqus commenting system be able to deal with LaTeX style math formulas and pretty print them? I'm developing Talkyard https://www.talkyard.io/blog-comments https://www.talkyard.io/blog-comments and long ago it was working fine with a LaTeX Javascript library, but ... that was long ago, not sure about today.
- HaoZeke 9y ago
  This seems like an excellent idea! Thank goodness it's FOSS, could never afford it otherwise
  - KajMagnus 9y ago
    Well if you want to install this FOSS, you still need a virtual-private-server, which costs some $ per month. Unless you have a server already, then the hosted blog comments plan is probably cheaper actually. (Can I ask, in your opinion, what's an affordable/ok monthly cost for blog comments?)
    - HaoZeke 9y ago
      Actually, here at my uni, I run my desktop PC 24/7. We don't get a dedicated IP, but I use [ngrok](http://ngrok.io/ http://ngrok.io/) to run a sort of pseudo server, for free basically. (electricity and net costs included in my hostel bill :D ) Maybe a sort of volume based scalable plan might be good? Something like a few cents per comment? Or based on the size of the database generated? Since the biggest problem is that small blogs, like mine don't get anywhere near the generous numbers offered in the hosted blog plan... And optimizing SEO and advertising the blog is way too much effort.
      - KajMagnus 9y ago
        > volume based scalable plan might be good [...] cents per comment [...] size of the database I think so too, that's a bit how the embedded-comments price plan works currently, except that it starts at €3 instead of €0. — I think most people are fine with paying €3, and, actually, I think it's better for them to do that, than to not do that. Because then I'll get a bit more money and will be able to improve the software, which is good for them. (Maybe shouldn't be exactly €3. For developing countries, where €3 is a lot, then maybe starting at ... €0.5? or even €0, could make sense.) Didn't know about ngrok. Seems like perfect, for universities. I suppose the uni has stationary always-powered-on servers, that host your websites? (rather than your sometimes-turned-off laptop)

KajMagnus 9y ago

To me some kind of "mission statement" would be good, so I know what's the purpose of the blog. The homepage starts: "The site is divided into a multitude of collections and tags, accessible from the left navbar and from within posts ..." which tells me nothing about how the blog is useful to me. And the linked article starts: "Several terms need to be clariﬁed mathematically to appreciate the large sets of ..." which also doesn't tell me "what is this about? why is this good for me to read?" I suggest: Try to put yourself in the mind of the reader. The first thing s/he wants to know, is (I think): What is this blog / article about? What do I gain by reading it, how is it good for me? — If those questions aren't answered quickly, s/he will leave. (I think.)

victomlinson 9y ago
With some key information, I can help with writing the mission statement and with proofreading and editing the text once it's available. Contact Vic at victomlinson@proofpapers.com.
HaoZeke 9y ago
Yup, actually I was structuring this as a sort of collection of articles, so the rationale depends on the collection.. Admittedly I've not managed to clarify that well enough though. Thanks for the insight!
HaoZeke 9y ago
The expected audience is actually people who might be taking a course in statistical design, especially pertaining to chemical engineering, so that ought to be clarified too..