New APOD-based page (RSS, comments, votes, favorites, etc)

RBA · Post by **RBA** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:54 pm

Hi all,

I'd like to let you know about APOD@coRank (http://apod.corank.com/), a new service that basically adds to the APOD page a few nice features:

- Each entry has its own page where you see a photo preview + full description, post comments, etc..
- Vote "up" the entries you like most.
- The voting builds overtime a "top" and a rotating "featured" page.
- Set entries as "favorites" (so you can build your list of fav.pics for others to see).
- RSS feeds for upcoming, featured, top...

APOD@coRank is not directly affiliated nor endorsed by the APOD project but before launching it we requested (and were granted) explicit permission from Rob and Jerry. Like everything APOD related, it's not-for-profit and advertising free. We've gone back a few months for now posting previous entries. Depending on the feedback we get we might add the rest of the entries.

Registration is not required for most things (voting, posting comments, feeds, etc).

I hope you like it. Feedback is most appreciated.
Best.

craterchains · Post by **craterchains** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:15 pm

Not impressed, 0000OOO00O0O0O000, at all

geckzilla · Post by **geckzilla** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:34 pm

Hi RBA, don't let craterchains bug you. He probably thought you were a spammer of sorts. It's a nice app. Good work.

RBA · Post by **RBA** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:20 pm

geckzilla wrote:Hi RBA, don't let craterchains bug you. He probably thought you were a spammer of sorts. It's a nice app. Good work.

Thanks. It's ok. Or perhaps it was the black background

As I mentioned, I asked Rob and Jerry first whether it would be ok to build this app, and since many people have been asking for things like RSS feeds, etc. I felt it was ok to post it here. I mean, if not here, where else?

Regardless, please if there's anything you - or anyone - doesn't like, think it could be improved, etc. by all means let me know.

geckzilla · Post by **geckzilla** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:47 pm

I think the search function could use some improvements... for instance I searched for "mars" and it turned up zilch.

And it's not that it is wrong to post here, I just think he may have confused you because it was your first post and seemed like an advertisement to him especially since he didn't know got permission to do it. Or, he could just be being his crotchety old self again.

RBA · Post by **RBA** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:30 am

geckzilla wrote:I think the search function could use some improvements... for instance I searched for "mars" and it turned up zilch.

The search function had a glitch. It's (should be) fixed by now.
Thanks!

geckzilla · Post by **geckzilla** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:37 pm

Interesting, just today an "RSS Feed" link appeared in the menu at the bottom of APOD.

orin stepanek · Post by **orin stepanek** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:18 pm

Interesting site! I created a shortcut on my desktop.

Orin

RBA · Post by **RBA** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:28 pm

geckzilla wrote:Interesting, just today an "RSS Feed" link appeared in the menu at the bottom of APOD.

Maybe it was a wake up call! (whether it was, I'd love to think that way

Ah, that would have saved me some time to fetch the info instead of going the not so foolproof page-scrapping way. But I noticed their feed only shows the first few words. That makes sense in the sense that the picture is the most sought after content, but why not making it a full feed?

bystander · Post by **bystander** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:06 pm

Good job!!! you might want to add a link to this forum on your discussion page. For example, on the "Victoria Crater on Mars" add http://asterisk.apod.com/vie ... hp?t=12854 as a link on your "tech/story" page.

You might want to do the same for the High Energy Astrophysics Picture of the Week (HEAPOW) or the CFHT's Hawaiian Starlight Image of the Month. Both are really great sites, but not as popular as APOD.