Down with Snapshots?

Posted on | February 3, 2009 | 11 Comments

On the basis of a completely unscientific survey (as they say in the pro media), it seems that few like the use of Snapshots on blogs and other websites. I expressed my own dislike of its use on Twitter and asked if I am alone in my opinion. Here are just a few of the comments my question generated:

“I’m with you on that one, can’t be doing with it”

“passionately hate the snapshots that bring up the website as a pop up”

“I find they get in the way and are slightly annoying when going through a blog post”

“with you on Snapshot – personally find it very distracting, but I’m usually too polite to point that out to those who use it ”

“I loath it. Really distracting and the snapshot screenshots are often messed up or out of date”

“Nope – have to echo other replies. It’s a pain in the backside. It was a nice idea, just irritating in practice”

Perhaps I have a tendency to befriend cynics and nay-sayers on Twitter…..or possibly it really is an annoyance to readers of blogs to find Snapshots’ pop-ups getting in the way of smooth browsing.

Technorati Tags: snapshots, twitter

Category: blogging

Comments

11 Responses to “Down with Snapshots?”

fearghal
February 3rd, 2009 @ 9:27 pm

I’m with you. I really dislike snapshots. So annoying!
Alan Coady
February 3rd, 2009 @ 9:36 pm

I’m in two minds. I even find them annoying on my own blog, if I simply want to use a link to get somewhere. However, they are an extremely quick way of checking that hyperlinks are working.

p.s. How is Proust And The Squid? It’s been on my reading list for a while now.
Patrick Malley
February 3rd, 2009 @ 10:23 pm

I’ve on occasion decided not to read an article solely on the basis of such annoyances.
Hilery
February 4th, 2009 @ 9:55 am

What is a Snapshot? !
John Connell
February 4th, 2009 @ 10:14 am

Hilery, It’s a service that pops up whenever you hover your mouse over a URL and which shows a tiny copy of the web page linked to by the URL.
John Johnston
February 4th, 2009 @ 12:10 pm

Totally agree John, I really dislike them, you can tun them off as a visitor though, either on a per blog or global basis.
Sue Waters
February 4th, 2009 @ 12:28 pm

I’m with you. We should form a group to wage a battle on the use of Snapshots because initially you think how cool are they and then you realise they slow you down.

While we are at it can we also tackle the snow plugin? I have to close my eyes to write comments on any blog with the snow plugin working.
John Connell
February 4th, 2009 @ 12:59 pm

I didn’t know that, John – I do now!

We have plenty of the real stuff here in the UK at the moment, Sue – we could send Oz some to help out with its heatwave!
Sue Waters
February 4th, 2009 @ 7:42 pm

Heatwave Well it is like this John. I’m from Western Australia and the heatwave has been in the Eastern States. Our temperatures have been excellent and do you ever see them feeling sorry for us when we have a heatwave? NO!
Judy O'Connell
February 6th, 2009 @ 6:17 am

I missed the tweet, but 100% in agreement. I was amused for a few weeks, then the novelty wore off and I avoid blogs that have them! Same with snow!! Both of these are just a tick of the box and they are gone – lets run a campaign to ban them both!
Interlinking! Is it YOUR idea of fun? | Mobile Technology in TAFE
February 8th, 2009 @ 2:13 am

[...] If you really want your readers to follow your links DON”T USE Snap shots on your blog! IMHO they don’t enhance a readers experience and are more likely to encourage readers NOT to check out your links! Read other people’s view here on John Connell’s blog. [...]