I think their new format is a major blunder. Much of the new layout is attractive, but hiding the content of every post so that it requires extra initiative from the visitor in order to read the actual commentary is, in my opionion, an invitation for readers to bypass posts (after all, that's the default action offered) and eventually just bypass the site.

Hmmmm.

Yeah that's a possibility that users would simply bypass the comments. But I'd suggest that there are rather few potential readers that are simply iterating through some list of blogs. In general terms prospective readers are oriented around a particular issue and will visit a new blog in pursuit of that issue. In which case it's extremely likely that the prospective reader would access the comments.

Keep in mind that blogs aren't like other commerical, semi-commerical or non-commerical websites that must seek to capture a visitors attention within the first 3 seconds. The point behind a blog is the relative density of information held within it and if that density is available appropriately. Some blog designs can turn people off but that really requires some combination of colors, mapping and just general obtuseness that almost requires intentional design to effect.

After all I'm not visiting WizBangBlog to buy a toaster, something I could buy at any one of 500k other websites. I'm here to see what's interesting, new and relevant. All of which does require some digging.

Now a blog site design that allowed registered users to customize the UI, track all new comments, track replies to the reader's comments *and* provide an integral RSS interface on just those issues that the reader is interested in. The ability to hide comments by specific individuals might be an interesting addition, though I wonder if the peculiar antagonism so prevalent in many blogs would be lost as a result.

Well all of that together would be pretty cool.

...

Which is why I'm trying my hand at writing blogging software incorporating AJAX/AJAJ, php & MySQL. *shrug* what the hell. I need a summertime project anyways.

ed, if might suggest looking at incorporating AJAX. php. & MySQL into and existing platform that's widely use like Movable Type or Wordpress, they could both use it, and you'd have a bigger audience...