Blogs at Penn State Community

By default, new blogs are set to allow comments, but only from Penn State users who have already created a blog.

If this is not desirable, you may prefer to activate Anonymous Comments. See instructions below. Go to the Comments Options table to compare WebAccess vs. Anonymous comments.

You can read the instructions below or watch the video screencast (Flash)

Republish Blog

If your blog was created before January 29, 2008 – you will have to perform the following procecure to reset your blog settings.

1. Log in and enter your blog.
2. Click the Design menu on the top and select Templates.
   
3. In the Templates window, check the option for JavaScript.
   
4. In the More actions menu at the top, select Refresh Template(s) then click the Go button. You will receive a confirmation message.
5. To change from WebAccess to Anonymous,
   1. Go to the click Preferences in top toolbar, then select Blog Settings.
   2. Click the Registration link at the left, and check Anonymous then Require E-mail.
   3. Uncheck options for WebAccess, Vox,LiveJournal.
      Note: Leave Accept Registration checked.
   4. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
6. Click the Publish (circle arrow at top) button to post the changes.
7. Click View Blogs (page button at top) to confirm that Comments are active. You should see a Comments (0) link below the entry title after the author name and entry name.

Changing Settings

Allow Non-Penn State Comments

These settings will allow anyone to comment, but will require the author to approve each comment before it is posted. See the Approve or Delete Comments section for information on approving comments.

1. Log in and enter your blog, click Preferences in top toolbar, then select Blog Settings.
   
2. A set of blog settings will be opened. Click the Registration link in the left hand menu to access the settings for enabling and disabling Web Access.
3. If you want to allow non-Penn State comments, check the option for Anonymous Comments, then Require E-mail Address for Anonymous Comments uncheck the options for WebAccess, LiveJournal and Vox.
   Note: Leave the option for Allow Registration checked.
   
4. Click Save Changes before exiting the page.
5. Click the Publish link to post the changes.
6. See the Approve or Delete Comments section for information on approving comments.

Note: The options for OpenID, Live Journal and Vox comments are non functional in the Penn State Movable Type environment.

Disable Comments

If you want to completely disable comments:

1. Click Preferences in top toolbar, then select Blog Settings.
2. Click the Comment link in the left hand settings menu to open those settings
3. Uncheck Accept Comments. Click Save Changes before exiting the page.
   
4. To have moderated comments (comments are not published until approved by you), check the following settings. With these settings, you will receive an e-mail for all comments posted to the Web for you to approve.
   • Make sure Accent Comments is checked.
   • Set the option for “Immediately approve comments” from to Trusted Commenters Only or No One.
   • Set E-mail Notification to On.
     
5. To disable comments completely, turn Accept Comments off.
6. Click Save Changes before exiting the page.
7. Click the Publish link to post the changes

Change Back to Penn State Authenticated Comments

Note: This option requires Penn State users to create a blog before they can post a comment.

1. Log in and enter your blog, click Preferences in top toolbar, then select Blog Settings.
2. Click the Registration link in the left hand menu.
3. Check the options for Allow Registration and WebAccess. Other options may be disabled.
4. Click Save Changes before exiting the page.
5. Click the Publish link to post the changes

Approve or Delete Anonymous Comments

If the approve options are set to No One or Trusted commenters, then you must approve comment submissions before they are posted.

1. For each new comment, you will receive an e-mail message including the username and the content of the comment along with three links.
2. Click on second “Edit link” to go to that comment.
   Note: If the link does not work, log in and enter your blog then click the Manage in the upper tool bar and select Comments. Then you can choose from the list given.
   
   Comment Status window. The blog eiditor is changing the status from Unapproved (yellow) to Approved.
3. You have the following options available in the Comments window:
• To publish a comment change the Status to Approved then click Save Changes at the bottom.
• To unpublish comment change the Status to Unapproved then click Save Changes at the bottom.
• To delete a comment, clixk the Delete button at the bottom of the page.
• To set a comment as junk, change the Status to Reported as Spam.
• To ban a commenter, go to the More Actions menu at the lower right and select Ban commenter

Reply to a Comment

1. Click the Manage in the upper tool bar and select Comments. You will see a list of submitted comments.
2. Click the Reply link beneath the appropriate comment.
   Note: You can reply to a comment in your published blog by clicking the Comments link beneath an entry.
3. Enter your text in the Your reply field, then click the Submit button. The reply will be published as another comment.

WebAccess vs. Anonynmous Comments

By default, new blogs are set to allow comments only from Penn State users (users need to login with their Access Account). You will also receive an e-mail message for each comment submitted which you must approve (see instructions in the Approve or Delete comments section below.

Two other options – Anonymous comments and Disabled Comments – are available. Here is a chart comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each. Note that in many cases, Anonymous Comments or may a better option.