Blog design
Re-setting up my blog brings to the fore certain issues related to good blog design.
1) Is there good reason to use a taxonomy/categorization system? Beyond the many moments of humour Daniel Davies' categories system provides, I don't think I've ever actually used this system on any blog I've read. Do others use them? When?
2) What's the optimal length/method for creating a blogroll/links block? Some people seem to opt for a limitless list of anyone readable, but I tend to think this puts less total traffic through than a shorter list. I previously listed blogs I had subscribed to, but I don't like how that system makes it public when I've stopped reading someone's blog. I've now settled for a top 5 (plus a charity or two), though I can't decide if that's too strict.
3) In general, what information should the sidebars contain? I've opted to keep mine as minimalist as possible, whereas others seem to fill their pages with gazillions of random things: recent visitor locations, recent referrers, "TTLB ecosystem", google search box, subscribe buttons for hundreds of feedburner type sites, donate buttons (does anyone actually get income from these?), and so on. What's necessary? What's genuinely helpful for readers?
Feel free to raise any other blog format related issues you feel are important.
my 2c
1) I find such things useful (e.g. I can see all the author's thoughts on what interests me, which often tells me whether or not I want to bother revisiting (e.g. they may post frequently, but only rarely in an interesting area, but then interestingly, so I'd want to visit their site rarely, and look at that category; etc. (etc.)))
2) I'm currently reorganising my list into 2, a short one to flick through every day or two, with interesting, frequent posters, and another with stuff that I don't want to forget about, but nor do I want to check all the time...
3) Stuff to make your site look interesting, so that people might bother to read your posts?
Recent posts, recent
Recent posts, recent comments, blue background. I don't come to your blog to look at pictures or save the world.