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Website Update #3: New Features, Security Fixes & Google Sources
Blogging Web app update Web app Blogging platform Journal app Content organization NFW Design Nikola Filipovski Productivity Writing
Categories: Internet & Technology
Author:
This is the 3rd update of my website.
There weren't too many visible changes this time. Most of the work was done behind the scenes, but there are some new options for me as the admin, as well as a few new things for you as readers.
If you're new here and want to see how this website started, you can read about how my Journal app was originally built by my friend Nikola here: My Journal App Is Finally Live, Built by My Friend Nikola.
You can also check out the previous update, where I wrote about the new features that were added to the Journal app: Journal App: New Features Update.
Behind the Scene Updates
Some small bugs were fixed, along with a few typos here and there.
Some metadata information was corrected and updated, a cookie-related bug was fixed, and the server was also updated to a newer version.
Nothing you would necessarily notice while browsing the website, but all of these small changes help keep everything running properly.
New Visible Features
Not everything that was done was only behind the scenes.
There are some new features and options that I can use and that you can see and interact with as well.
1. Buy Me a Coffee (BMC)
I can now include a Buy Me a Coffee banner in any post, wherever I would like to have it and as many times as I want.
But don't worry, it will be there only once per post 🙂
There is also a small Buy Me a Coffee button in the share post buttons section.
There is also one banner on the home page, almost at the very bottom of the page.
I didn't want to keep it higher up, as many other blogging platforms do. My first priority is you, the readers, and I don't want to make you feel like you owe me something just because you're reading my posts. 🙂
Why Did I Decide to Go With Buy Me a Coffee?
I'm keeping this blog free of ads, as I said before. Your privacy and your reading experience are my priority. Everything else is less important.
I decided to add Buy Me a Coffee because I can see that there are quite a few visits, and my free-tier server hosting as well as my image hosting are slowly getting closer to their limits.
It's only a matter of time before I'll have to upgrade something.
There is another reason as well.
My website is currently hosted on a subdomain of Nikola Filipovski's domain, and he is also the person building and maintaining the website for me.
I do have ideas and suggestions from time to time, but most of the technical work is done by him.
He is now selling his domain, which means that at some point I'll also need to move to my own domain.
So, with all of that in mind, I decided to introduce the Buy Me a Coffee option.
Not to earn money, but to help keep the website running.
If the website eventually needs better hosting, more storage, or its own domain, the money collected through Buy Me a Coffee can help cover those costs.
Every single donation is more than welcome and very much appreciated.
And of course, there is absolutely no pressure to donate. The website will remain free to read, with or without donations.
My Rich Text Editor
There weren't many updates in this area either, but some very nice ones have been added.
Not only is Buy Me a Coffee (BMC) now available in my rich text editor, but I also have a horizontal rule option.
The horizontal rule gives me an easy way to create divisions in my posts and make longer posts a little more organised and easier to read.
Last Updated Timestamp for Posts
Now, at the end of every single post, just above the country where I wrote the post, you can find when that post was last updated.
I'm also thinking about suggesting to Nikola that he creates an information banner for me, either in my Rich Text Editor or somewhere else he thinks would be the best place for it.
The idea would be to let you know whether I am planning to keep updating a particular post or whether it is considered finished.
That would be a small note that could save me from having to manually explain it inside every post.
Google Sources
You can now add my website to your Google preferences (Sources).
The button is located on every single post, just under the post details, directly below the author name and image.
But why would you add my website to your Google Sources?
You can use this to personalize your Google experience by choosing the topics and sources you're interested in. This helps Google show you more relevant content in Search, Discover, and Google News based on your preferences.
You can read more about it here Google preferred sources
Of course, you can only do this if you're logged in to your Google account. Otherwise, it won't work.
Why This Update Matters
At first glance, most of these changes might not seem like a big deal.
There is no completely new design, no huge new feature, and nothing that changes the way you use the website dramatically.
But that's not really the point of this update.
1. Security
After all the updates and bug fixes, the server is more secure and up to date, both for me and, most importantly, for you.
Keeping the server updated, fixing bugs, and correcting issues that might not even be visible to readers is an important part of keeping the website healthy.
2. Better Reading Experience
The new features also give me more control over how I write and structure my posts.
The rich text editor improvements, horizontal rules, updated timestamps, and other small changes make it easier for me to create and maintain longer posts without making the reading experience unnecessarily complicated.
3. Keeping the Website Independent
Adding Buy Me a Coffee is also part of keeping the website independent and ad-free.
I don't want to fill the website with advertisements just because there are more visitors than before.
Instead, I would rather keep the experience clean and let you decide whether you want to support the website.
There is absolutely no pressure to do so.
4. More Transparency
The new Last Updated timestamp is a small feature, but I think it is useful.
If you come across an older post, you can immediately see whether I've changed or updated it recently.
And if I eventually add a small indicator showing whether a post is still being actively updated, you'll have an even clearer idea of what to expect from it.
5. A Better Foundation for Future Updates
Most importantly, these updates give me a better foundation for the things that are still coming.
This website is still growing, and I'm constantly finding small things that can be improved, fixed, or made easier.
Some changes will be visible to you.
Others will happen completely behind the scenes.
Either way, I'll keep working on it and improving it step by step.
And who knows, maybe the next update will bring something much bigger.
For now, thank you for reading, visiting, and supporting the website simply by being here. 🙂
More Journal App Updates
If you want to follow the story of how this website has evolved, you can also read the other updates:
- My Journal App Is Finally Live, Built by My Friend Nikola
- Journal App: New Features Update
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Written in Germany
